MD & DO Co’22 ERAS Panic Thread

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So. Is it bad to not have a letter from a fourth year rotation? I'm on a sub-I right now but we only work with each attending for like 2 days before they switch out. I feel like even if I ask for a letter, it won't be strong especially since we mostly work with the residents anyways. I already have 3 letters but they are all from third year.
Still curious about this......anyone have any input.....

I'm struggling on what to do, I feel like even if I ask for a letter from this rotation it would be a bad one (nothing negative about me, just extremely generic as I've barely interacted with the attendings).
 
Still curious about this......anyone have any input.....

I'm struggling on what to do, I feel like even if I ask for a letter from this rotation it would be a bad one (nothing negative about me, just extremely generic as I've barely interacted with the attendings).
I really wouldn't worry about it as long as your other writers are good. No need to inadvertently give yourself a "red flag" by having a lukewarm letter from an attending who barely knew you
 
Still curious about this......anyone have any input.....

I'm struggling on what to do, I feel like even if I ask for a letter from this rotation it would be a bad one (nothing negative about me, just extremely generic as I've barely interacted with the attendings).
I didn't have a 4th year letter. Can you ask for a meeting on your IM sub-i to discuss this?
 
I didn't have a 4th year letter. Can you ask for a meeting on your IM sub-i to discuss this?
Maybe. It's an ICU sub-I and basically every patient is a covid patient, so morale/patience is a little low right now. If not having a fourth year/sub-I letter is ok, then I'm fine not getting one (I'm not applying very competitively anyways). I had just noticed some programs recommending it on their website and wasn't sure how much not having one would hurt.
 
Maybe. It's an ICU sub-I and basically every patient is a covid patient, so morale/patience is a little low right now. If not having a fourth year/sub-I letter is ok, then I'm fine not getting one (I'm not applying very competitively anyways). I had just noticed some programs recommending it on their website and wasn't sure how much not having one would hurt.
I can't tell you for sure but IM does like their sub-i letters.
 
Man what a wild week this has been. My main letter writer hasn't uploaded his letter despite him saying he would and me reminding him (although he still has a few weeks til the deadline I gave him, but my anxiety is too high in case he ghosts me), so I asked another person for a backup. Never heard from them. Decided to email an attending I worked with for half a day in the field as a hail mary, and she said she would be happy to write a letter for me and wants to meet with me to work with her again one of her clinic days as well as chat with me so she can personalize the letter more. Looks like this is all going to work out, but man was this stressful
 
Hey guys, I'm asking for my partner. Anyone know when it is recommended to take STEP 2 by? Partner was originally scheduled for tomorrow but felt he needed more time to get out the jitters and solidify his knowledge base. His school recommends taking it by August 20 to have the score available for ERAS by Sept 15, but I saw some earlier responses in the thread suggesting you can take it as late as the first week of Sept and have the score still reflect in time?

If it helps, he's applying IM and is putting extra effort into STEP 2 to make up for a meh STEP 1.

Thanks so much in advance, I really appreciate it!
 
Man what a wild week this has been. My main letter writer hasn't uploaded his letter despite him saying he would and me reminding him (although he still has a few weeks til the deadline I gave him, but my anxiety is too high in case he ghosts me), so I asked another person for a backup. Never heard from them. Decided to email an attending I worked with for half a day in the field as a hail mary, and she said she would be happy to write a letter for me and wants to meet with me to work with her again one of her clinic days as well as chat with me so she can personalize the letter more. Looks like this is all going to work out, but man was this stressful

Man, this sounds like the dream to me right now. Currently quarantining for COVID and missing 2 out of the 4 weeks of my rotation that I really would like to get a letter from. The physicians rotate and I might just end up working with the physician for 2 full days. I'm so timid when it comes to asking for letters when I know I need to be more bold.
 
Man, this sounds like the dream to me right now. Currently quarantining for COVID and missing 2 out of the 4 weeks of my rotation that I really would like to get a letter from. The physicians rotate and I might just end up working with the physician for 2 full days. I'm so timid when it comes to asking for letters when I know I need to be more bold.

They let you count that rotation even though you missed half of it?
 
They let you count that rotation even though you missed half of it?
That’s been the precedence for COVID at least for my school. We had a ton of people miss chunks of time for COVID during the height of the pandemic last year and no ones needed to make anything up.
 
That’s been the precedence for COVID at least for my school. We had a ton of people miss chunks of time for COVID during the height of the pandemic last year and no ones needed to make anything up.
Man. If we miss 2 weeks of a rotation for covid, we have to repeat the rotation usually. Only a handful of people have had that happen.
 
is applying to 38 transitional & 27 med prelim programs good/not enough/ or overkill?
I agree probably overkill. Plus will probably be super expensive. The hardest part is trying to get them to overlap with cities for your advanced interviews, but what I did was reach out to prelims i applied to after I got interviews for rads at the same program and let them know I was still interested.
 
I just want to confirm....there is NO difference between submitting ERAS on Sept 1 than on Sept 28, correct?
 
I agree probably overkill. Plus will probably be super expensive. The hardest part is trying to get them to overlap with cities for your advanced interviews, but what I did was reach out to prelims i applied to after I got interviews for rads at the same program and let them know I was still interested.

So what are like "target numbers"? How many TY & Med-Prelims would you recommend? (239 step applying to rads with some decent research, idk what else you'd wanna know)
 
Ima do 80 prelim TY and 80 my specialty. Even though my home program hinted I will be good with just one interview with a wink and a nod
 
Ima do 80 prelim TY and 80 my specialty. Even though my home program hinted I will be good with just one interview with a wink and a nod
That seems like extreme overkill. Do you have any data to back up the need for 160 applications?
 
That seems like extreme overkill. Do you have any data to back up the need for 160 applications?

No I dont really have any data for knowing how many at all. School I go to provides zero guidance on this. Ive just been seeing people online saying things like prelims/TYs aren't as easy as you think to get into and stuff, so I figured since we dont have to travel for them id throw out a bunch
 
No I dont really have any data for knowing how many at all. School I go to provides zero guidance on this. Ive just been seeing people online saying things like prelims/TYs aren't as easy as you think to get into and stuff, so I figured since we dont have to travel for them id throw out a bunch
wayyy over kill, as a USMD or DO, you shouldn't apply to over 100 programs especially if you dont have any red flags, even 80-90 is overkill...but with COVID and virtual interviews, 80-90 is the magic number.
 
So I’ve been under the impression that the supplemental app is one application that gets sent out to all programs. The ones you signal will get that signal and the others will just see your additions. That way we don’t have to write 50+ apps in < 20 days.
 
I just want to confirm....there is NO difference between submitting ERAS on Sept 1 than on Sept 28, correct?
The enormous difference is that you'd be done with ERAS on Sept 1 and could sit around for the next 4 weeks on the beach drinking margaritas.
 
So I’ve been under the impression that the supplemental app is one application that gets sent out to all programs. The ones you signal will get that signal and the others will just see your additions. That way we don’t have to write 50+ apps in < 20 days.
When are these due? I’m doing them for prelims.
 
When are these due? I’m doing them for prelims.
there's a difference in when they are transmitted based on when you submit:

"Supplemental ERAS applications submitted by September 19 will be available to programs on September 29. Supplemental ERAS applications submitted between September 20 - 30 will be available to programs on October 6."


So imo it's in your best interest to submit your supplemental app early. And besides the margaritas suggested above, i've been told not to wait until the very last second to submit ERAS because it's prone to crashing
 
DOES the school see what email is linked to your ERAS account ?? Made a new email to make sure interviews would only go top one email and accidentally put 420 in the email tag.
 
DOES the school see what email is linked to your ERAS account ?? Made a new email to make sure interviews would only go top one email and accidentally put 420 in the email tag.
Your email is on your ERAS app....so yes, but who knows if they actually look.
 
Still curious about this......anyone have any input.....

I'm struggling on what to do, I feel like even if I ask for a letter from this rotation it would be a bad one (nothing negative about me, just extremely generic as I've barely interacted with the attendings).

I would definitely get one. My 4th year ICU sub-I letter was the most commented on during my interviews.

even if you never work with any one attending for many days, the residents you work with could contribute input into the letter. (Like give the attending substance to add)
 
I'm a resident in pathology who is reapplying to family medicine. In the experience section of ERAS under training it asks for a reason for leaving my current training. Is it enough to put "Switching to family medicine for a better career fit" since further explanation will be provided in my personal statement?

I feel like this section should be brief. It does allow for 500 characters.
 
So far I have have only one LOR. I'm way behind I know that. Taking comlex end of this month and at the same time doing rotation. So busy with studying for comlex. I haven't even written my PS yet.
Can someone please tell me the details about ERAS?
Does everyone apply on day1?
 
is that right? Can someone confirm this please?
You want to do it earlier because when a bunch of people try to submit it last minute the system can crash from the high traffic and you might get f-ed. But if there are not tech problems then yes you're all good
 
I'm a resident in pathology who is reapplying to family medicine. In the experience section of ERAS under training it asks for a reason for leaving my current training. Is it enough to put "Switching to family medicine for a better career fit" since further explanation will be provided in my personal statement?

I feel like this section should be brief. It does allow for 500 characters.
Yes, that's fine. And you can put "please see detailed explanation in my PS" also.
 
Off topic...But I finally worked up the courage to erase Anki from my desktop/phone a couple of weeks ago after letting go of my grand aspirations to start studying for Step 3, and I have to say, my life feels completely different. I feel like a normal human being again. Going forward, I think I will just learn from Qbanks. I no longer have the patience/motivation to wake up and see even 200 cards waiting for me. What a feeling.

Now I just have to muster up some motivation to make my ERAS experiences not sound like a 5th grader trying to rattle off his favorite school subject and sports team during a class presentation.
 
Off topic...But I finally worked up the courage to erase Anki from my desktop/phone a couple of weeks ago after letting go of my grand aspirations to start studying for Step 3, and I have to say, my life feels completely different. I feel like a normal human being again. Going forward, I think I will just learn from Qbanks. I no longer have the patience/motivation to wake up and see even 200 cards waiting for me. What a feeling.

Now I just have to muster up some motivation to make my ERAS experiences not sound like a 5th grader trying to rattle off his favorite school subject and sports team during a class presentation.
Out of curiously were you originally planning on using a step 3 premade deck then?
 
Out of curiously were you originally planning on using a step 3 premade deck then?
Yup. But that quickly faded. I think I have ingrained enough information into my brain that I can succeed with just doing practice questions for step 3 and reading the answer explanations. I just can’t have it be part of my day anymore.
 
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