DO interviews at allopathic residencies

[badgas]

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I have received a lot of PMs about #s and interviews as a DO student applying for allopathic spots. I'm sure all the current MS1/2/3 are scared SH$Tless given the increasing competitiveness of anesthesiology. I can't lie, I know I am. So I thought I would start a thread on this so I stop getting so many PMs. If any current or past DO applicants could post their interviews and relevant stats I'm sure quite a few future applicants would appreciate it.

Well I guess I don't care if people know my numbers. I do not have the best application on the planet. I have no research. The AOA I belong to is not the one that people think as fondly of as the allopathic AOA I come from a brand spanking new school and I have not climbed Mt Everest. That being said... USMLE I/COMLEXI - 229/568, USMLE II/COMLEX II - yet to be studied for, Honors in IM X2, Surg, FP, Anesth, Pulm, High Pass in the rest. Minor extra curriculars. MS1/2 - 3.7 GPA.
Interviews at: SLU, UPitt, West Penn, Oklahoma, Vermont, South Carolina, Rush, Arkansas, UC Davis, MCOW, UWisc, URochester.
Advice: I know I am still a rookie at this whole application process, but I really think taking the USMLE I helps a lot. Study for it and do well on it, be normal and I think that average DO applicants like myself will match somewhere (I HOPE ) Best of luck.

 

[smgilles]

I have received a lot of PMs about #s and interviews as a DO student applying for allopathic spots. I'm sure all the current MS1/2/3 are scared SH$Tless given the increasing competitiveness of anesthesiology. I can't lie, I know I am. So I thought I would start a thread on this so I stop getting so many PMs. If any current or past DO applicants could post their interviews and relevant stats I'm sure quite a few future applicants would appreciate it.

Well I guess I don't care if people know my numbers. I do not have the best application on the planet. I have no research. The AOA I belong to is not the one that people think as fondly of as the allopathic AOA I come from a brand spanking new school and I have not climbed Mt Everest. That being said... USMLE I/COMLEXI - 229/568, USMLE II/COMLEX II - yet to be studied for, Honors in IM X2, Surg, FP, Anesth, Pulm, High Pass in the rest. Minor extra curriculars. MS1/2 - 3.7 GPA.
Interviews at: SLU, UPitt, West Penn, Oklahoma, Vermont, South Carolina, Rush, Arkansas, UC Davis, MCOW, UWisc, URochester.


Advice: I know I am still a rookie at this whole application process, but I really think taking the USMLE I helps a lot. Study for it and do well on it, be normal and I think that average DO applicants like myself will match somewhere (I HOPE ) Best of luck.

USMLE I/COMLEX I 232/635
USMLE II/COMLEX II 245/684
GPA 4.0...Class rank #2
MS Epidemiology...with publications in critical care/infectious diseases
Honored (A) in every rotation
Interviews I can recall: Mayo (Rochester), Iowa, Loyola, Case Western, Cleveland Clinic, Michigan, Penn State, UPITT, Dartmouth, MCW, SLU, Kansas-Wichita....lots more I am waiting to hear from.

I think the biggest things are taking USMLE step I/II and doing aways at big institutions where you get LORs that other people in the anesthesia world have heard of or have worked with. Good luck all...hope I see a few DOs on the interview trail.

 

[Arch Guillotti]

USMLE Step I 200
USMLE Step II 241

I think my class rank was around the bottom quarter of the upper third.

Mix of honors and pass my third year.

No research and several useless extracurriculars

Two away rotations, got two letters from one of them. One was from the chair who is very well known all around the country in anesthesia circles.

Places I interviewed - Hopkins, Penn, Vanderbilt, Baylor, MCV, MCG, Georgetown plus a few others. A real mix of programs.

Didn't interview at a few places I would have liked to.

Matched at my first choice where I rotated and got good letters from (and got to know the secretary, never underestimate this).

My step I scores hurt me, but taking Step II early at least partially remedied this.

My advice:
-TAKE THE USMLE
-Apply widely
-Rotate at a program or two, and get good letters

 

[ed-the-king]

Any luck with those that haven't taken the USMLE? I know, I know, it makes all the difference and I should take it, but considering I got a big fat F on USMLE step 1, not thinking it's in my interest to take step 2.

Starting to feel like the loser kid to get picked last on the teams...🙁

 

[ketafol]

Current DO student here applying this year. Stats are about the same as the others mentioned here. Rest of the application is average. Good letters, albeit from no one well known.

I have been blessed with about 18 interviews so far, many from some sweet ass places. This whole process is bizarre. Places that you were expecting to get interviews from deny you, while others that you could only have dreamed of getting are often your first invites.

I have some good advice. Take the USMLE and do WELL. No, you dont need a 250, although it will certainly help though. If you get around the mean (215-220ish), and the rest of your application is average, you should be fine. Do well on the COMLEX for that matter too. Perhaps the best advice, is apply broadly. Dont be afraid to spend some paper. That is what a credit card is for, and the money you spend on applications is just a drop in the bucket compared to what you have already spent. Dont be cheap. Do one or two anesthesia rotations, preferably at an allopathic institution with a residency program. Do an SICU rotation if you can squeeze one in, although I wasnt able to do that. I dont think you need a big name letter from a big time institution, but if you can get one, by all means do. Just get letters from attendings that know you well and will showcase your performance in their letter.

Any other questions just shoot away, or PM me. I used this board extensively for feedback and advice, and now it is time to return the favor.

 

[Noyac]

Any luck with those that haven't taken the USMLE?(

I wouldn't expect much, luck that is.

 

[MTsandman]

Stats are bout average. (USMLE I 2teens, Comlex I and II 540s, GPA 3.47) No real med research. Did a CCM elective early did Anesth. early 4th year. Currently been invited to three programs U of Utah and SLU and UMKC. Still waiting to hear from other programs. Doing Anesth rotations at residency programs Oct, Nov, Dec. Talked to current DO residents about importance of step II USMLE they said don't worry about it because most places won't get your scores till after interviews. By then most have usually already made decision.

 

[WorldsBestNinja]

Usmle1 227/comlex1 620
usmle2 226/comlex2 624

Honors in IM, surg, OBGYN, Peds, Fam med (basically all except psych)
No research, some volunteering.
I don't know my GPA b/c we go by Pass, Fail, Honors
Haven't checked my class rank.
Didn't do any away rotations. I have 4 decent recommendation letters but none of them are from anybody famous (I have one anes. letter and one SICU letter) Applied only to NY/NJ/CT.

So far, I have 7 anesthesia (6 in NY, 1 in NJ) interviews and 3 NY DO internship interviews.

As you can see, my CV is very average. I would definitely take USMLE at least STEP 1 and get >220.
Good luck to all of you.

 

[WorldsBestNinja]

Usmle1 227/comlex1 620
usmle2 226/comlex2 624

Honors in IM, surg, OBGYN, Peds, Fam med (basically all except psych)
No research, some volunteering.
I don't know my GPA b/c we go by Pass, Fail, Honors
Haven't checked my class rank.
Didn't do any away rotations. I have 4 decent recommendation letters but none of them are from anybody famous (I have one anes. letter and one SICU letter) Applied only to NY/NJ/CT.

So far, I have 7 anesthesia (6 in NY, 1 in NJ) interviews and 3 NY DO internship interviews.

As you can see, my CV is very average. I would definitely take USMLE at least STEP 1 and get >220.
Good luck to all of you.

Ok, I just called my school to find out... I'm in the top 10% out of 300 students.

 

[vegasdo]

Which DO school has 300 students?

 

[WorldsBestNinja]

NYCOM has about 300 students per class

 

[nutmegs]

Which DO school has 300 students?

all of them? I know PCOM has close.

 

[flipcyde]

Just a third year student but had a quick question for all the DO applicants out there, have you heard any word from NYU? They have in the past accepted DO grads (circa 2002). I know they've become quite selective in granting interviews since then. Just wondering how things are going since I was planning on scheduling an away rotation there. Although I have no doubt that it would be a great experience, I wouldn't want to use my elective time at a place that won't even look at my application.

Thanks for all your replies.

 

[cfdavid]

Matched at my first choice where I rotated and got good letters from (and got to know the secretary, never underestimate this).

How true that is. Very solid advice.

 

[hermione]

How true that is. Very solid advice.

Agreed. As well as techs and CRNAs. Think about it. These people have access to the attendings on a daily basis, and having them mention "that med student rotating now...nice guy....etc" means a lot. I think it speaks volumes that you get along with everyone...nobody wants a resident who pisses everyone off on a regular basis.

 

[icemountain]

Hi everyone,
In case you all didn't know, Buffalo used to have two separate residency anesthesiology programs one for DOs and one for MDs, but then they had to combine the programs, so the agreement was that Buffalo's anesthesiology program has to reserve two spots each year for DO students. I am not a DO so I'm not sure how your intern year works but I heard somewhere that if you don't get a DO intern year then you can't practice in some states when you come out or something. If this is true then I thought this would be relevant as well: Buffalo's 4 year program has a first year catered for this DO requirement through Sisters Hospital (the site which hosted the former DO anes. program) and a prelim year through another major hospital in the area for MDs. You end up doing the same rotations for the most part and no one thinks differently of the residents from either program. Hope this is helpful to somebody.

 

[JP2005]

just would like to add that sisters was a great place..i spent 3 months there when i was a 3rd yr medical student on my medicine rotation....learned a ton....highly recommend it if you are using it for prelim gas/rads/etc.