Competitiveness of a DO going into Anesthesia

This forum made possible through the generous support of SDN members, donors, and sponsors. Thank you.

Hoebo54

Full Member
15+ Year Member
Joined
Dec 12, 2007
Messages
31
Reaction score
7
A DO with step 1 score of 218 and step 2 score of 240.
Decent clerkship grades
top 20th percentile class rank
No publications

Roughly how many programs should I apply to? ANy input appreciated

Members don't see this ad.
 
A DO with step 1 score of 218 and step 2 score of 240.
Decent clerkship grades
top 20th percentile class rank
No publications

Roughly how many programs should I apply to? ANy input appreciated

I'd say you have a decent shot, I would recommend to apply broadly and do away audition rotations if you have any targets that you really want to hit. I would say at least 20 programs
 
apply anywhere you would go rather than be tortured with medicine or prelim surg and trying to find one of the diminishing numbers of advanced spots. you are a good candidate in general but now is not the time to save money. apply widely and cancel interviews. its worth skipping a few programs that notoriously don't take DOs (do a search here) but otherwise apply to anywhere you would go... as long as you interview pretty ok you should match well. good luck
 
Members don't see this ad :)
It's really not that expensive to apply to 60-80 programs when you look at the big picture. I had similar stats to you and I matched last year. I applied to 60+ programs that had current DO's residents. Granted, some say it was overkill, but I went on 21 out of the ~30-35? interviews I received. However, I wanted to minimize my chances of not matching as much as possible and I was able to drive to all but two interviews which saved a lot of money. In the end I matched to my #2. I was lucky it worked out that way because it had been my #1 all year until I made last minute decision a few days before ROL's were due (so don't do that!).

My advice, apply to 60-80 programs and go on as many interviews as you can afford. My buddy who is also a D.O. did the same thing, applied broadly and went on 21 interviews. He took out a $15k physician relocation loan, I cashed out $10K in savings. We both ended up at great programs and neither one of us would have done anything different if we had to do it all over again.

At least based on last years anecdotal data, you have a good chance of matching somewhere.
 
Last edited:
A DO with step 1 score of 218 and step 2 score of 240.
Decent clerkship grades
top 20th percentile class rank
No publications

Roughly how many programs should I apply to? ANy input appreciated

Some of the best anesthesiologists I know are DOs. Be another.
 
Wait, is it really that hard for DOs to match allo gas that people are applying to 60+ residencies? I'm a DO with a step 1 score of 237 - is just "matching somewhere" the best I can hope for?
 
Wait, is it really that hard for DOs to match allo gas that people are applying to 60+ residencies? I'm a DO with a step 1 score of 237 - is just "matching somewhere" the best I can hope for?

I think the point is that it "doesn't hurt" to apply to 60+ places. Obviously gauge how competitive you feel you are and apply accordingly. You don't have to apply to 60+ to match with your score, FYI.

I didn't have that, applied to 40ish, and matched. I'm happy at my program, too.
 
Wait, is it really that hard for DOs to match allo gas that people are applying to 60+ residencies? I'm a DO with a step 1 score of 237 - is just "matching somewhere" the best I can hope for?

Historically, no but every year it's likely to become more difficult unless there is a decrease in anesthesia interest. Residency positions haven't increased since the 1990's and there has been a recent ~30% increase in MD enrollment in addition to all of the new DO schools. "Matching somewhere" isn't necessarily a bad thing, there are a lot of excellent programs out there. I can only think of a dozen or so that I would absolutely not want to be at for 4 years. Of course some programs are located in more desirable locations than others, but in the end you will be an ABA certified Anesthesiologist no matter where you go.*



*As long as you study hard and pass the written and oral boards. ;)
 
Wait, is it really that hard for DOs to match allo gas that people are applying to 60+ residencies? I'm a DO with a step 1 score of 237 - is just "matching somewhere" the best I can hope for?

One thing you should realize is that being a DO will knock you out of consideration from some places regardless of merit. Its a brutal realization. Some situations are unique, but, while carrying the same CV as an MD student (sans the MD) will get you in most every door, there are still some programs that wont see a need to interview you.

I had a very competitive CV, applied to 30 programs, received 14 interview offers, I think, and went on 9 interviews. Matched #1. I think its only gotten more competitive since 2006. The suggestion I would give is apply everywhere.
 
One thing you should realize is that being a DO will knock you out of consideration from some places regardless of merit. Its a brutal realization. Some situations are unique, but, while carrying the same CV as an MD student (sans the MD) will get you in most every door, there are still some programs that wont see a need to interview you.

I had a very competitive CV, applied to 30 programs, received 14 interview offers, I think, and went on 9 interviews. Matched #1. I think its only gotten more competitive since 2006. The suggestion I would give is apply everywhere.

Pretty much agree with all of this.

Although your step I is a little low, taking the USMLE was the best thing you could have ever done for your app. I would apply to 50 something programs if I were you.
 
good to know. thanks I will apply broadly and hope for the best
 
Members don't see this ad :)
I'm currently on an early elective in Anesthesia, and have discovered I love it. I did not take step I USMLE but intend on taking Step II COMLEX/USMLE as I was originally planning. are Anesthesia programs accepting of just Step II? I wanted to focus on COMLEX for step 1 to knock it out of the park (which went well... 96th percentile), but Anesthesia sort of blind-sided me. A nice surprise (I was originally 100% about EM), but I feel I may be behind the ball with no Step 1 USMLE... thoughts? Thank you!
 
Thanks for all the input guys/gals. I've picked out 75 programs to apply to. My application is almost complete except LORs. I have 1 LOR( anesthesia) in and 3 more pending. My question is can/should I submit my application on sept 1st or wait until my application is complete
 
It's really not that expensive to apply to 60-80 programs when you look at the big picture. I had similar stats to you and I matched last year. I applied to 60+ programs that had current DO's residents. Granted, some say it was overkill, but I went on 21 out of the ~30-35? interviews I received. However, I wanted to minimize my chances of not matching as much as possible and I was able to drive to all but two interviews which saved a lot of money. In the end I matched to my #2. I was lucky it worked out that way because it had been my #1 all year until I made last minute decision a few days before ROL's were due (so don't do that!).

My advice, apply to 60-80 programs and go on as many interviews as you can afford. My buddy who is also a D.O. did the same thing, applied broadly and went on 21 interviews. He took out a $15k physician relocation loan, I cashed out $10K in savings. We both ended up at great programs and neither one of us would have done anything different if we had to do it all over again.

At least based on last years anecdotal data, you have a good chance of matching somewhere.

So did you end up applying to both community and academic programs? Just curious since so many people seem dead-set against community programs in general.
 
Hoebo54 - Submit Sept 1 for sure, earlier the better.

Irjanus - A great comlex I/II and USMLE II would be good. A great USMLE score would help, but I say at this point I wouldn't risk getting a bad score with having to go back and relearn step 1 stuff. A friend got TONS of interviews with great comlex I/II scores and NO USMLE I or II.

I really liked EM too, there are a ton of parallels. I didn't think I could last more than 10-12 yrs in EM, but now know that I can do Anesthesia till I'm 70 or 80, if I want. It's a great specialty. My attending yesterday was a formal ER doc who went back and became an Anesthesiologist.

CJ
 
I'm currently on an early elective in Anesthesia, and have discovered I love it. I did not take step I USMLE but intend on taking Step II COMLEX/USMLE as I was originally planning. are Anesthesia programs accepting of just Step II? I wanted to focus on COMLEX for step 1 to knock it out of the park (which went well... 96th percentile), but Anesthesia sort of blind-sided me. A nice surprise (I was originally 100% about EM), but I feel I may be behind the ball with no Step 1 USMLE... thoughts? Thank you!

At this point, a good COMLEX II and USMLE Step II is enough. No need to go back trying to re-learn Step I stuff.
 
Thanks for all the input guys/gals. I've picked out 75 programs to apply to. My application is almost complete except LORs. I have 1 LOR( anesthesia) in and 3 more pending. My question is can/should I submit my application on sept 1st or wait until my application is complete

a good rule of thumb for any and all candidates in all specialties is to have your app ready to hit submit as soon as they allow it - letters can come in later. many program give out most/all of their interviews in the first month, so i know people that have missed out on some chances by waiting until they had that third letter.
 
thanks for the responses, and sorry for Hijacking the thread! I'm very excited to start pursuing Anesthesiology :thumbup:
 
Just to clarify, If Im applying for ACGME programs, I don't have to release my comlex score correct?? Comlex 2 was pretty ****ty for me
 
Just to clarify, If Im applying for ACGME programs, I don't have to release my comlex score correct?? Comlex 2 was pretty ****ty for me

plenty of megathreads about this. be prepared to be asked about whether you took it and what your score was. i dont think the application demands that you release any step 2 information
 
this is patently false. there has been an increase in residency positions every year now for a long time. i don't know why this lie continues to get repeated. just open up any nrmp pdf of the match data and they literally announce every year that it is the largest match and that spots have increased. it's going to make the job search that much more difficult post-residency, which is part of why so many people are essentially forced into fellowships.
 
this is patently false. there has been an increase in residency positions every year now for a long time. i don't know why this lie continues to get repeated. just open up any nrmp pdf of the match data and they literally announce every year that it is the largest match and that spots have increased. it's going to make the job search that much more difficult post-residency, which is part of why so many people are essentially forced into fellowships.

are you sure this is in the right thread?
 
Thanks for all the input guys/gals. I've picked out 75 programs to apply to. My application is almost complete except LORs. I have 1 LOR( anesthesia) in and 3 more pending. My question is can/should I submit my application on sept 1st or wait until my application is complete

Agree with what others have said. Submit on Sept 1st.

So did you end up applying to both community and academic programs? Just curious since so many people seem dead-set against community programs in general.

Honestly, it seemed like most if not all of the allopathic programs I applied to were in large academic centers.
 
60+ applications? Holy crap - that seems way excessive.

I bet every anesthesiologist on here knows a phenomenal colleague who is a DO. The programs that discriminate against DO's need to really pull their heads out of there ASSES. (Although most of DO's are freaks - I freely admint...I mean come on....cranial manipulation? ;) )

Having said that, if all of us know great Anesthesia DO's, then that means there are PLENTY of places that are not ******ed and base acceptance on something real and meaningful.
 
Top