I don't even have one rotation set up. I've sent out lots of apps within a few days of them opening. and today I found out my level 2 PE is cancelled, probably going to have to reschedule for around november. this cycle blows.
Hi @gamerEMdoc -
Thank you for taking the time to answer so many questions. I've gotten a lot of good advice from this thread from watching from afar; and I've mostly tried to take these pandemic changes as they come. But, I'm pretty worried about this one. Because of closures, my Level 2 PE has been pushed back to December, with scores anticipated in February. I've heard it said before that programs can't rank you without proof of passing each part of your boards; and I'm wondering if this is true?
Thanks so much for the info
Hey, sorry if this has been asked before but I’m a current fm pgy2 in nyc and am planning on pursuing a second residency in em. How feasible is this and do you have any advice?
For many of us this means that we’ll be doing our home EM sub-I prior to completing all of the usual pre-req clerkships. In this situation, do you think it would be appropriate to explain to our EM evaluators that we have not yet taken certain clerkships (IM, neurology, etc) so that this is taken into account for when a SLOE is written, or do you think that this would be viewed unfavorably? I don’t want to come off as asking for favors or making excuses, but also am a little bit worried that I’ll be doing a sub-I (and possibly getting my only SLOE) prior to having completed an internal medicine rotation.
Similarly, I understand that SLOEs are meant to rank students against each other, but given that some of us will have substantially differing levels of clinical experience based on how many clerkships we got through before COVID hit, do you think it would be appropriate to ask SLOE writers to provide an explanation for potential areas of weakness (I.e. doing a poor neuro workup in the context of having not yet completed a neurology clerkship), or does this defeat the purpose of using a SLOE to compare students against each other?
Got it! Thanks for the advice! I definitely dont want to come off as making excuses and there is definitely plenty of time to study at this point. I'll plan to pick up a copy of Tintinallis and start reading!
I have heard nothing from any of my VSAS applications but I just have to remember to be patient. So far, I have one EM rotation at hospital w/o a residency in June but nothing else after that. I really hope that I don't have to reapply to all the VSAS programs I applied to for July/August/September to see if I can get a Sept/Oct/Nov spot. All while trying (not succeeding) to study for step2.
I don't think that's an uncommon experience right now, but IDK, I cant speak for what every program is doing.
I figure that most of these places have bigger things to worry about so i'm not trying to be bothersome, and only focus on the things I can control
I don't think that's an uncommon experience right now, but IDK, I cant speak for what every program is doing.
I've gotten one rotation approved outside of VSAS. Whether or not I will end up doing the rotation in July is of course subject to change depending on how the pandemic shakes out.
@gamerEMdoc , on an unrelated note I wanted to ask you if you think attending this kind of webinar has any utility for EM bound students: Welcome! You are invited to join a webinar: PCSS Waiver Eligibility Training for Osteopathic Medical Students. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email about joining the webinar.
I thought I had read somewhere about restrictions on residents prescribing Subutex, but I cannot remember when or where I heard/read that lol. Thoughts?
@gamerEMdoc I must call upon your expertise once again. I've SOAPEd into surgical prelim year. I had some pretty late SLOEs and my first SLOE was perhaps poor because it was my first time in the ER ever, the other 2 came in end of October, but I am very very confident that 2 of them are either top 10 or 1/3. My app is very good overall with good scores and no red flags. I will be applying EM and Anasthesia and have an anesthesiology rotation scheduled during the first 2 months of my intern yar.
My questions is this. : My program does not have a home EM program (although various residents from different EM programs rotate through there) and I am unable to do outside rotation due to COVID. Which option will benefit me the most in your opinion.
1. Schedule an early EM rotation anyways during months of July or August followed by gas rotation. Try to get a sloe or individual LOR... from some one in the ED. And re-apply using that and my other 2 sloes from previous season. Downsides: I'll spend first 2 months away from my PD and am worried that I will not get much face time and that may negatively impact the letter from PD.
2. Normally go about my prelim year, get plenty of face time during first 2 months with all residents attendings and get a good LOR from my PD. Schedule EM in the winter months so I have more time to interview.
Essentially, I could have just asked this in one sentence... What's better for a re-applicant with already good SLOEs from previous season: A strong letter from the PD or a LOR and/or SLOE from a program without a residency that does not write sloes?
hey @gamerEMdoc
what happens if you took a prelim spot in the soap but then are offered a categorical spot before you start from another program.
Can the prelim program "release" you or is this a match violation?
Are you even allowed to talk to the other program, or is this a violation?
I'm confused, you have to wait until the end of 3rd year to take it? Why so late? I get that its cancelled now, but it can't be taken in like 6 months? I think not having a step 1 may hurt you in securing rotations. The only way it wouldn't would be if every student couldn't take the exam. If USMLE was suspended for like a year or something. At that point, if no one has a step 1, then programs aren't going to have a step 1 on anyone so they won't use it for selecting apps for rotation. If everyone else has a step 1 score, and you don't, you potentially are going to limit the places that are willing to let you rotate.
They have cancelled about half of all med students scheduled to take Step 1/Level 1 this summer and right now the earliest available dates to reschedule are August and September so many schools are planning to delay the requirement to complete Step 1/Level 1 until the end of third year due to the massive back log of examinees. I know there is also an increased push amongst students and deans for immediate P/F implementation for Step 1 because of these cancellations, do you think that is a legitimate possibility?
What does pass/fail have to do with delaying/cancelling the exam? People will have to take the exam regardless.
Possibility? Sure. Likelihood? Who knows. I get there will be a backlog and dates for Aug/Sept will be hard to come by, but why wouldn't it be done by March when apps for EM are looked at? That was my issue. I realize there will be a delay, but not having a score back a year from now seems like a big delay.
According to some students who have a Prometric attached to their school, thousands of students have already been backlogged and they are cancelling thousands more exams throughout May and June and most people I know are not getting dates until August or September at the earliest. I would think most people would be able to have a score in by March but I know some schools also aren't being the most flexible about giving students time to study for and take Step 1 during third year.
They shouldn't be giving them more time off. Students will have had months of significantly reduced time thanks to COVID. I can't see schools giving another free month to study. Study hard now, then just do practice questions throughout the year. Is it ideal? No. But longitudinal learning, as opposed to cramming a month before, is probably better for success anyway. Use any free time to your advantage.
If anyone knows anybody that would be interested, we likely will have a PGY2 spot opening for July. We’ll be trying to get it posted on CORD and SAEMs vacancy sites. We aren’t under any pressure to fill the spot, we’ll be fine with being a resident down, but we’d like to fill it if we can. Ideally it would be filled by an EM resident with 1 year of experience already, but I think that’s just about impossible to have happen since most people who are pgy1s are just likely to finish out their program rather than move. But if anyone knows a PGY1 looking for a change of location/scenary, I’d appreciate it if you could spread the word to them. If anyone has questions, feel free to contact me.
He’s looking for a current EM PGY-1. A lateral move like this is almost certainly for someone looking for a change of scenery or for geography/location purposes.
Wanted to quickly follow up on this -- have you already received plenty of messages on this, or filled the spot? Otherwise, I have someone from my school who applied EM, did not match and is doing IM currently as a PGY1 in Pennsylvania who I would send your way unless it is already filled!
Thanks
We had over 60 apps. If all works out, I believe we have it filled with our best case scenario possible. I couldnt be happier with how it all turned out. Crossing my fingers there are no hiccups administratively on the end of the releasing program.
60+? Wow. What are the reasons why people would want to leave their EM residency?
In light of recent AAMC guidelines for Zoom interviews, any suggestions for interview questions applicants can ask PDs that will give them a better sense of a program's culture? It's obviously early, but I am starting a list I can just add to as I go
idk, this scares me for next year. Our culture, comraderie, and resident happiness is partially what sells our program. Its going to be MUCH harder to recruit anyone who didn't rotate. And from a student perspective, Id imagine many students will prefer to match at places they did rotate at bc all the rest would be a complete unknown.