Did my chances go down?

[R Sterling]

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This is my third attempt at matching, and I wanted to know, will program directors know that I did not match two times before? It may be early but I haven't received any interviews and I'm freaking out. I'm thinking it's due to me not matching twice. Any thoughts?

Yes, I have been working on my CV (ie. I got a part time job that is medically related, and I got an externship. I couldn't get any research opps. Step 3 done.) I applied to 86 IM and 86 FM. Is that enough? Oh yeah, and no more visa issue for me! 😛 Do I stand a chance?

Please go easy on me, I'm just a scared little bird looking for answers from people who know best.

Thank you!

 

[NotAProgDirector]

There is no way we can tell if you've applied before, other than looking through last year's files to see.

 

[peppy]

They won't automatically know you are re-applying, but some places do give preference to people who are fresher graduates and hold it against people if they graduated med school less recently.
It's still early though so I hope you get lots of interviews. 🙂

 

[HumbleMD]

They won't automatically know you are re-applying, but some places do give preference to people who are fresher graduates and hold it against people if they graduated med school less recently.
It's still early though so I hope you get lots of interviews. 🙂

They're doctors. They can do math. They'll wonder what you did in the years between graduation and the current match. If I'm not mistaken, I believe there's a sport on ERAS to explicitly enter this information?

 

[septoplasty]

This is my third attempt at matching, and I wanted to know, will program directors know that I did not match two times before? It may be early but I haven't received any interviews and I'm freaking out. I'm thinking it's due to me not matching twice. Any thoughts?

Yes, I have been working on my CV (ie. I got a part time job that is medically related, and I got an externship. I couldn't get any research opps. Step 3 done.) I applied to 86 IM and 86 FM. Is that enough? Oh yeah, and no more visa issue for me! 😛 Do I stand a chance?

Please go easy on me, I'm just a scared little bird looking for answers from people who know best.

Thank you!

If you dont mind me asking, what are your stats like?

 

[Knicks]

There is no way we can tell if you've applied before, other than looking through last year's files to see.

How often is that done? (if at all).


Oh, and on the whole thing about "what you did during those year(s) between graduation and residency" bit,,,,, how "big of a deal" is it if someone does in fact have time "off" between graduation and residency? HONESTLY, how big of a factor does this/would this play into a PD's decision-making process?

 

[NotAProgDirector]

How often is that done? (if at all).

Not often. Only if something in the application triggers my memory from last year. And, honestly, it doesn't really matter. We evaluate your application this year, and decide whether to offer you an interview.

Oh, and on the whole thing about "what you did during those year(s) between graduation and residency" bit,,,,, how "big of a deal" is it if someone does in fact have time "off" between graduation and residency? HONESTLY, how big of a factor does this/would this play into a PD's decision-making process?

The problem with "time off" is the worry that your skills will have atrophied. So, when I see a break between med school graduation and residency application, I look to see what you've done in the interim. If you've done something that strengthens your skills, thats a plus. If you worked at Wendy's, that's not.

 

[septoplasty]

Not often. Only if something in the application triggers my memory from last year. And, honestly, it doesn't really matter. We evaluate your application this year, and decide whether to offer you an interview.




The problem with "time off" is the worry that your skills will have atrophied. So, when I see a break between med school graduation and residency application, I look to see what you've done in the interim. If you've done something that strengthens your skills, thats a plus. If you worked at Wendy's, that's not.

Hi, I've got a question for you.. I recently got my scores for Step 1, and my dreams for my preferred program look shot, but is there anything further I can do to 'improve' my chances? Seeing as I've heard Step 1 scores are used as filters, and my application would get filtered out before even reaching the PD's desk?

Im a Carrib Student.

 

[Nellyakgo]

The problem with "time off" is the worry that your skills will have atrophied. So, when I see a break between med school graduation and residency application, I look to see what you've done in the interim. If you've done something that strengthens your skills, thats a plus. If you worked at Wendy's, that's not.

aProgDir, if there is time off between med school graduation and residency application, but the timing of taking the USMLE steps is recent, then do you still think of this as skill atropy? And would recent be defined as e.g. up to 1 or 2 years?

 

[NotAProgDirector]

aProgDir, if there is time off between med school graduation and residency application, but the timing of taking the USMLE steps is recent, then do you still think of this as skill atropy? And would recent be defined as e.g. up to 1 or 2 years?

There isn't an easy answer. USMLE measures book knowledge. Real world experience is another thing. Whether a gap between medical school and residency application in the US will be a problem will depend on the program/field, what you've done with the time, etc. Recent USMLE scores are always more valuable than distant ones. Whether a gap of 1, 3, 5, or some other number of years will be considered "significant" is decided by each program.

 

[Nellyakgo]

OK, thanks.
Didn't help me - but I understand. It "depends"..