MD & DO co'21 ERAS Panic thread
- Thread starter kraskadva
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How much emphasis are you guys putting on “the people” and your fit with the residents from pre-interview dinners? So far, I’ve put a lot of emphasis on it, and while I think that’s justifiable in a typical year, I’m starting to question my ability to get an accurate “gut feel” about people over zoom. Thoughts?
Second to last interview this morning. I can’t tell if the program was actually meh or if I’m just so checked out I’m beyond caring lol. March 19th can’t come fast enough.
Last interview was today. Also started an audition rotation at my #2 place. This is a problem now, because my #2 just changed to #1b...
I waver back and forth because so much of this "fit" thing is luck... like let's say you just happened to get placed in the breakout room with the residents who are most outgoing or you got placed with residents who you didn't vibe with, now your whole view of the program has been colored... i honestly don't know what's the best way to go about this. I think location, mentorship opportunity, and if your goals/passions align with the program's mission might be really important this year. Of course, if a resident meet/greet goes terrible or if you hated your interview day, then don't ignore that
Do you guys think its easier to match higher on your rank list this year with all the hoarding and what not?
Man, you're doing so much better than me. Many of my friends recently gave birth and I'm like, "Congrats, your babies will get gifts after I match."
I’d say the less desirable a program is, the better your chances at matching there. This is obviously how it is in a regular year, but it’s actually true that programs in less desirable places and newer programs are falling for the tippy top students from brand-name schools applying this year that wouldn’t normally apply, and wasting interviews on them.
I don’t think these programs are gonna SOAP, and it’s not necessarily all of them, but they’re definitely gonna fall down towards the bottom of their lists.
Programs: why should we pick you? What do you bring to the program?
Me: blah blah blah...
Programs: not impressive
Me: what is your program #1 selling point?
Programs: blah blah blah
Me: (heard that many times)
What a stupid game we are all playing. Anyone have similar experience lol?
Me: blah blah blah...
Programs: not impressive
Me: what is your program #1 selling point?
Programs: blah blah blah
Me: (heard that many times)
What a stupid game we are all playing. Anyone have similar experience lol?
Boy I sure hope so. That being said, there were definitely a lot of the same people on my IV trail at different programs.
Yes. My gripe is If “well I don’t have any glaring weaknesses” is a stupid response for me as the interviewee, it’s a stupid response for a program too. I’ve had more than one program try and evade the “what do you think could be improved on?” Question and it irritates me to no end.
Every program sounds the same to me at this point.
Oh
ya This is another stupid game we play too...except this one you dug your own hole sound like...has not yet happened to me...🤣
They were highly disinterested in talking to us, seemed to scoff at basic questions, weren't really enthusiastic about the program. Vibe was totally off.
Haha no I didn’t say “I have no weaknesses.” I meant I don’t know why programs think it’s acceptable for them to do it when if we gave that answer as interviewees we probably wouldn’t end up ranked very high.
Yes this drives me crazy.
Me: “Any big changes coming or things you’re looking to improve?”
PD: “No.”
At my most recent interview (which was my 9th or 10th I think?) I recognized all but one of the 25 interviewees. I had seen most multiple times. This is for a smaller subspecialty, but still, definitely a lot of overlap happening.
I must be an outlier cause I’ve not interviewed with the same person even once out of 13.
I've done 18 IM. I've seen repeat candidates 3-4 times usually in the big academic programs that interview tons of people in a day. Tbh I'm staring at myself the whole time and not really paying attention to the other candidates
Yeah, by my last 2 interviews it was wild how many of the applicants I recognized, especially in a similar regional clump of interviews.
14 in Gen surg - feeling pretty comfortable with this number as it's a good spread of tier. Don't expect any more and wouldn't do any more unless it was some dream reach or something.
14 in Gen surg - feeling pretty comfortable with this number as it's a good spread of tier. Don't expect any more and wouldn't do any more unless it was some dream reach or something.
How many interviews are you going on, efle? Thought there was a >95% chance of matching after 12 II’s
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19 total, cancelled a bunch. Going to be ranking 18. There was one program I would rather SOAP into a prelim than match there.
17, median ranks for matched apps last year was 14. I know it's safe to cancel a couple more, but then I think about the risk-reward of SOAPing vs taking a morning off, and figure I'd better suffer through it.
Yeah 17 is probably overkill but that decision is up to, obviously. Whatever makes you comfortable
Same, top 2 programs both seem PERFECT for me, but then the next 10 ranks would all mean sacrificing the dream of buying our first home for another 5+ years.i love my top 4 and would be happy to match there but after that
You know what I just looked at the curve and even 14 is overkill. Odds are >90% at 8, >95% at 12. I'm going to cancel 2 more tonight
Same, past my top 2 I’ll still he happy but every program has some combo of pro/con, anything past 13 and I’ll be pretty devastated (although relieved to have matched).i love my top 4 and would be happy to match there but after that
I've got 3 that I would be thrilled with for training and location. The next 5 I'd be happy with - they're potentially more renowned programs, but in areas that are less ideal for me, but I would be able to make my peace with it knowing that at least they had something going for them. After 8, I would definitely be disappointed.
Idk how y’all are making it through so many interviews. Finished my 9th and final IM interview today and couldn’t be happier to be done with this BS. Hope you all match at your #1!
IM. Went on 18! Cancelled about 12. Cancelling anything that comes through now.
i love my top 4 and would be happy to match there but after that
I’d be ecstatic to match my top 4, happy to match my top 10, okay with my top 12, and disappointed yet relieved to have matched from 13 on
Glad to see my DO peeps killing it on the interview trail despite all the craziness this year. I look up to you guys. Good Job! I hope I can do the same next cycle.
I definitely recognize a lot of the DO ortho studs by now, seems like the same group of 10-15 DOs are getting the same non-rotator invites
In terms of rank list as it stands rn id be STOKED and popping bottles if I end up on my top 7, past that id be a mix of disappointed yet relieved I at least matched my desired specialty. Except one program at the bottom of my list I have considered not ranking and taking my shot at the SOAP instead, just malignant vibes in every sense of the word (which IMO means a lot coming from a surgery applicant lol)
In terms of rank list as it stands rn id be STOKED and popping bottles if I end up on my top 7, past that id be a mix of disappointed yet relieved I at least matched my desired specialty. Except one program at the bottom of my list I have considered not ranking and taking my shot at the SOAP instead, just malignant vibes in every sense of the word (which IMO means a lot coming from a surgery applicant lol)
Same boat my brother/sister! I got a single invite when applying to med school so I’ve seen a 2100% yield increase for residency lol. Not going on that many though.
lol meanwhile there's me clicking to see all the other interviewees
Ugh, yeah, I had kind of a weird resident social at my top choice. I'm chalking it up to zoom though, cause I still think it's the best program for me. The other applicants were pretty quiet and the residents first told us the group last week was more lively (????) and then complained about the cost of car insurance. Hey, we all have our days.
I'm on 11 out of 12 and I am dragging! I wish I had canceled yesterday's interview. Decent program honestly, just not one of my favs and when they say things like, "We definitely want you here!" I felt super awkward and had a hard time gauging how to respond. Guess I am not good at "playing the game". I'd be psyched for any of my top 3, happy with top 9, and after that still grateful to match. Will pain me a little if a program I ranked higher than where I match ends up in the SOAP, but I am telling myself that's unlikely.
Would love my top 2, still feel good about my top 5-7 and I’d be fine with my top 10ish. But beyond that I’d be wondering if I’m a terrible gauge of interviews haha
This definitely happens on our end too. I saw an applicant wince when myself and my co-intern gave our “favorite thing about the program” and there was a pause before the PGY2s went (not because they are uninvolved or hate it, they just both were super laid back people), but of course there is no way to explain that in the moment. I think we all have off days. Plus it depends on how programs divide the rooms. Mine typically has one resident from every level of training (or something like that) in each room which means it’s great for “hmm I’m not sure how that’s been this year, PGY3, what do you think?” but not great for showing all the rapport that each class has from within itself because with covid we haven’t really had much opportunity to spend time with our seniors.
DO applying FM. Got 20 invites, went on 15. I'm in a not-so-great place because I have fallen head over heels for my #1 and honestly don't like any of the rest. Don't get me wrong, I would be thrilled to match but I just know how sh***y the sinking feeling in my gut would be if I didn't match #1. I can already feel it now...
Hey! I recently started posting a guide to clinical rotations that I'm working on (link in sig). I'd love it if I could get some opinions from y'all, especially 4th years who've been through it all with me now and newer residents who have more recently transitioned from the med student -> resident role. I realized while I was writing that only having a single point of view is a significant weakness in a subjective topic like this, so additions and differing opinions would be super valuable.
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