competitive specialties

[osprey099]

to gain admission into competitive specialties like derm, radiology, ent, ortho, plastic, do you have to be ~top 5 in your entire class even if you have >240 step1 but are not top 5 in your class? Also, does your med school name become much more important if you are applying for these competitive residencies?

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[NYCNative]

No, you don't have to be in the top 5, and yes, name becomes more important, but that is also in large part a function of the fact that people at big name schools were more likely to hit their MCATs out of the park, and thus are more likely to attain >240 on their step1s (i.e. smarter: [url]http://forums.studentdoctor.net/index.php?threads/do-you-think-the-students-at-a-better-known-medical-school-are-smarter.1037763/[/URL])

 

[sunshine02]

No, you don't have to be in the top 5, and yes, name becomes more important, but that is also in large part a function of the fact that people at big name schools were more likely to hit their MCATs out of the park, and thus are more likely to attain >240 on their step1s.

For competitive residencies, do you basically have to be published in medical school? What if you just have lots of research experience but no publications? Will that make getting into a competitive residency harder?

 

[NYCNative]

For competitive residencies, do you basically have to be published in medical school? What if you just have lots of research experience but no publications? Will that make getting into a competitive residency harder?

As a rule, having fewer qualifications compared to others would make you less competitive, sure.

 

[styphon]

For competitive residencies, do you basically have to be published in medical school? What if you just have lots of research experience but no publications? Will that make getting into a competitive residency harder?

Having research published will help you become more competitive, but will not preclude you. My friends who are in ER, derm, ortho, and even aerospace medicine - had no published research in medschool.

Get a great Step I score, great LOR, and AOA and you will be as competitive as most applying to these positions.

 

[Mr Avante]

Get a great Step I score, great LOR, and AOA and you will be as competitive as most applying to these positions.

AOA is very important if the name of your school can't back you up

 

[osprey099]

AOA is very important if the name of your school can't back you up

How "low ranked" does a school have to be for you to need to have AOA in order to back you up? Would you say any school not ranked in the top 50 would need AOA? top half (70ish)?

 

[sunshine02]

Having research published will help you become more competitive, but will not preclude you. My friends who are in ER, derm, ortho, and even aerospace medicine - had no published research in medschool.

Get a great Step I score, great LOR, and AOA and you will be as competitive as most applying to these positions.

Does publication in undergrad count or only publications in med school?

 

[Mr Avante]

How "low ranked" does a school have to be for you to need to have AOA in order to back you up? Would you say any school not ranked in the top 50 would need AOA? top half (70ish)?

I would like to say top 30, but everyone takes it differently.

Does publication in undergrad count or only publications in med school?

Sure they count, however, research published during medical school has more weight.