DO and General Surgery

[Taty]

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Hello guys,

I wonder where I should post my question....

How hard for DO get a General Surgery residency spot ?

I just want to be prepared....

Thank you!!!

 

[Dr JPH]

I guess it depends on what spot youre talking about.

Osteopathic vs Allopathic
Community vs Academic

I applied to only osteopathic spots this year. It seemed to be a record year for DO Gen Surg applicants so I'm keeping my fingers crossed.

Larger academic allopathic residencies are generally going to be your toughest to match into, regardless of your degree.

What can you do to improve your chances?

1. Excellent grades
2. Rotate at the site at least once
3. Find out from current residents who the best LOR will be
4. Make friends with the upper year residents
5. Do very, very well on boards

You may also want to take USMLE 1 unless there is a large DO presence at that program or unless the PD gives you different advice. I took it but never needed it.

Gen Surg is becoming increasingly competitive. I dont know if the allopathic side was as bad as the osteopathic side this year, but I imagine they were somewhat similar.

 

[Taty]

I guess it depends on what spot youre talking about.

Osteopathic vs Allopathic
Community vs Academic

I applied to only osteopathic spots this year. It seemed to be a record year for DO Gen Surg applicants so I'm keeping my fingers crossed.

Larger academic allopathic residencies are generally going to be your toughest to match into, regardless of your degree.

What can you do to improve your chances?

1. Excellent grades
2. Rotate at the site at least once
3. Find out from current residents who the best LOR will be
4. Make friends with the upper year residents
5. Do very, very well on boards

You may also want to take USMLE 1 unless there is a large DO presence at that program or unless the PD gives you different advice. I took it but never needed it.

Gen Surg is becoming increasingly competitive. I dont know if the allopathic side was as bad as the osteopathic side this year, but I imagine they were somewhat similar.

Thanks a lot.

 

[teymur]

Good luck in the match JPHazelton!
Have you heard anything about the PCOM General Surgery program?
I am looking into different programs and a little concerned that a lot of them have many outside rotations. Do you think this necessarily a bad thing?

Thanks

 

[Taty]

I guess it depends on what spot youre talking about.

Osteopathic vs Allopathic
Community vs Academic

I applied to only osteopathic spots this year. It seemed to be a record year for DO Gen Surg applicants so I'm keeping my fingers crossed.

Larger academic allopathic residencies are generally going to be your toughest to match into, regardless of your degree.

What can you do to improve your chances?

1. Excellent grades
2. Rotate at the site at least once
3. Find out from current residents who the best LOR will be
4. Make friends with the upper year residents
5. Do very, very well on boards

You may also want to take USMLE 1 unless there is a large DO presence at that program or unless the PD gives you different advice. I took it but never needed it.

Gen Surg is becoming increasingly competitive. I dont know if the allopathic side was as bad as the osteopathic side this year, but I imagine they were somewhat similar.

Good Luck!!!

 

[Docgeorge]

Good luck in the match JPHazelton!
Have you heard anything about the PCOM General Surgery program?
I am looking into different programs and a little concerned that a lot of them have many outside rotations. Do you think this necessarily a bad thing?

Thanks

Then look at the St. Vincent progarm in Toledo. You stay in toledo. You rotate through St. Vincents and St. Charles both in toledo and only 10 min appart. Out side rotations are available in the senior years if you have an interest in a fellowship or particular field the PD has no problems with you going there for a while.

This is a new program, but it has the full support and the resourses of the hospital system behind it. The hospital approached the PD and her group and asked if they would start a surgey program. If you are interested then a rotation here would be highly recomended as there were >40 applicants for two spots this year. The beauty of this program is that it is not a service based (ie you take care of my patients and I might teach you someting) it education based. You scrub the cases that you want (with guidance from the PD and other faculty) and you only follow the cases you scrubbed. Come check it out.

 

[Taty]

I guess it depends on what spot youre talking about.

Osteopathic vs Allopathic
Community vs Academic

I applied to only osteopathic spots this year. It seemed to be a record year for DO Gen Surg applicants so I'm keeping my fingers crossed.

Larger academic allopathic residencies are generally going to be your toughest to match into, regardless of your degree.

What can you do to improve your chances?

1. Excellent grades
2. Rotate at the site at least once
3. Find out from current residents who the best LOR will be
4. Make friends with the upper year residents
5. Do very, very well on boards

You may also want to take USMLE 1 unless there is a large DO presence at that program or unless the PD gives you different advice. I took it but never needed it.

Gen Surg is becoming increasingly competitive. I dont know if the allopathic side was as bad as the osteopathic side this year, but I imagine they were somewhat similar.

Sorry, I did not have time to post before, but I am interested in Community programs I am not really into the research. I think Allopatic programs can give more opportunities, but I really dont care about osteo or allo. I am not in medical school yet I am just waiting.. I hope I will get to NYCOM for 2007. I want to be general/trauma surgeon and I want to start working towards that from my MS01.

 

[San_Juan_Sun]

Then look at the St. Vincent progarm in Toledo. You stay in toledo. You rotate through St. Vincents and St. Charles both in toledo and only 10 min appart. Out side rotations are available in the senior years if you have an interest in a fellowship or particular field the PD has no problems with you going there for a while.

This is a new program, but it has the full support and the resourses of the hospital system behind it. The hospital approached the PD and her group and asked if they would start a surgey program. If you are interested then a rotation here would be highly recomended as there were >40 applicants for two spots this year. The beauty of this program is that it is not a service based (ie you take care of my patients and I might teach you someting) it education based. You scrub the cases that you want (with guidance from the PD and other faculty) and you only follow the cases you scrubbed. Come check it out.

I received an interview for St. V's but was not able to go (so I don't have 1st hand knowledge). However, on the interview trail this program was spoken of very highly by several people who interviewed there.

 

[teymur]

Thanks Doc! Do u know how many cases residents would perform by the end of the program?
Thanks

 

[Docgeorge]

Thanks Doc! Do u know how many cases residents would perform by the end of the program?
Thanks

Dont know, we havent had any that have finished yet. The Pgy 2 are starting next year. But all the hospitals in the hospital system are high volume places, so I dont expect any problems with case load numbers.

 

[fbdo79]

Anybody have any info on Luteran Medical Center and/or Wyckoff Heights general surgery programs?

 

[msl2007]

about someone (a DO) wnating to go into surgery. I don't know how helpful it wouls be, but you could search for it.

Check out St. Joe's in Ypsilanti/Ann Arbor MI. Really nice people and they just got new ORs!