Emergency Medicine Class Matching in 2013

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winkleweizen

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2012 is finishing up and getting ready to start intern year, I thought it would be a good idea to start a thread where all the people applying for the match this year could come together and discuss whatever (Homes, aways, study materials and other resources, interviews, hot chicks, etc.)
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I'm applying this year!
 
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Me too. Away July and August then home September. What time you guys taking Step 2? I am thinking September.
 
Away's in July/August...Step 2 CK in June (have 4 weeks of 3rd year vacay as my last block to study).
 
Home July, Away August and then the Step 2s september. Gonna be a busy few months!
 
Home rotation July, 1st away August, 2nd away September, Step 2CK/CS October
 
COMLEX 2 in beginning of July (still debating about USMLE 2), starting away rotations end of July, Aug and Sept
 
Aways in Aug, Sept, and October.
Step 2 CK at the end of August. (Found out I passed COMLEX Level 2 CE today, wee! Passed PE in March. No more COMLEX until Level 3! ...ugh)

Anyone else worried about what they're gonna write on their personal statement? :confused:
 
I havent the foggiest clue, but I am guessing PDs don't care about the PS all that much unless they are terrible or somehow amazing. I imagine we all sound about the same in them.
 
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sylvanthus said:
I havent the foggiest clue, but I am guessing PDs don't care about the PS all that much unless they are terrible or somehow amazing. I imagine we all sound about the same in them.
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Guess again. We read them and we form our first impression about you from them. A lackluster PS makes us think you're a lackluster person. Couldn't be bothered to spell check, proof read or use proper grammer? Then you most likely can't be bothered to do other things as well. You don't have to write the next great American novel but you do have to sell yourself so you will stand out among the many hundreds of applications we're going to get. Your PS can make us say "eeew", "whatever", "oh wow", or "this one!"

And please - enough with the sports analogies! "Being in an ED is just like being on a (fill in the blank) team." Easily 90% of the PS from last year started with that sentence. We were beginning to think one person writes and sells PS to students!
 
What study material are you guys going to use during your rotations?
 
EMmotherhen said:
Guess again. We read them and we form our first impression about you from them. A lackluster PS makes us think you're a lackluster person. Couldn't be bothered to spell check, proof read or use proper grammer? Then you most likely can't be bothered to do other things as well. You don't have to write the next great American novel but you do have to sell yourself so you will stand out among the many hundreds of applications we're going to get. Your PS can make us say "eeew", "whatever", "oh wow", or "this one!"

And please - enough with the sports analogies! "Being in an ED is just like being on a (fill in the blank) team." Easily 90% of the PS from last year started with that sentence. We were beginning to think one person writes and sells PS to students!
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Time to rewrite my PS.
 
I'm still working on when I'm taking Step 2--I've only been back from the lab for 6 months, and I still have a couple core rotations to finish up. Probably going to take it in November--from what I hear, the programs that require Step 2 only require it for ranking and not to offer interviews, and fortunately I did well enough on Step 1 to get interviews at the places I want to go.

So far as books for the EM rotation, my usual study method is to get one good book and supplement with UpToDate--this has been very successful for me so far on shelf exams. Since I anticipate I'll be reading a lot more on my EM months (more time, plus it is far less of a chore for me to study EM than other specialities) I've upped it to two books, Emergency Medicine Secrets (by far the most-recommended book from what I've seen) and Case Files (which I've found fits my learning style well).
 
RafaTech said:
Took you long enough! I finished that shortly after step 1. Just finished going through Rosen's...a pretty short and easy read. :laugh:
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But for real, I bought EM Secrets and was planning on doing that during the rotation and try to get through most of casefiles before hand.
 
K31 said:
I'm still working on when I'm taking Step 2--I've only been back from the lab for 6 months, and I still have a couple core rotations to finish up. Probably going to take it in November--from what I hear, the programs that require Step 2 only require it for ranking and not to offer interviews, and fortunately I did well enough on Step 1 to get interviews at the places I want to go.

So far as books for the EM rotation, my usual study method is to get one good book and supplement with UpToDate--this has been very successful for me so far on shelf exams. Since I anticipate I'll be reading a lot more on my EM months (more time, plus it is far less of a chore for me to study EM than other specialities) I've upped it to two books, Emergency Medicine Secrets (by far the most-recommended book from what I've seen) and Case Files (which I've found fits my learning style well).
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Hmm anyone verify if this is true? If so I may push my step 2 back.
 
K31 said:
I'm still working on when I'm taking Step 2--I've only been back from the lab for 6 months, and I still have a couple core rotations to finish up. Probably going to take it in November--from what I hear, the programs that require Step 2 only require it for ranking and not to offer interviews, and fortunately I did well enough on Step 1 to get interviews at the places I want to go.

So far as books for the EM rotation, my usual study method is to get one good book and supplement with UpToDate--this has been very successful for me so far on shelf exams. Since I anticipate I'll be reading a lot more on my EM months (more time, plus it is far less of a chore for me to study EM than other specialities) I've upped it to two books, Emergency Medicine Secrets (by far the most-recommended book from what I've seen) and Case Files (which I've found fits my learning style well).
Click to expand...

So what I've heard is if you have a really good Step 1, its okay to put it off until later. If you do really well on step 1, they'll mostly assume that you'll perform similarly on step 2. On the other hand if you have a below average or average Step 1, my guess that it would be your best interest take step 2 early and kick ass. Doing well on step 2 might help you get some more interviews than you would with a subpar step 1.

I'm pretty confident most places dont require step 2 to interview you, only to rank. I'm sure its just a plus for them to see how well you performed on it.
 
Dude this is changing and 2 out of four programs in my area said they want step 2 to give interviews. No joke
 
SeekerOfTheTree said:
Dude this is changing and 2 out of four programs in my area said they want step 2 to give interviews. No joke
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i know! i found this on the Freida page for Albert Einstein - Beth Israel (NYC)
CFkHn.png


looks like i'm actually going to have to study for Step 2 CK, lol
 
SeekerOfTheTree said:
Dude this is changing and 2 out of four programs in my area said they want step 2 to give interviews. No joke
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WHAAT? this is news to me...

I just started checking Frieda's website. It was hard for me to find another program that required step 2....I think requiring step 2 for an interview definitely rare. On the website, all the CA programs say they dont require step 2 or dont have info on it.
 
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I can tell you from cold calling the program and asking the coordinators. Two of them were straight up with me saying they don't even interview till they see it. I also know of the EM program at my home school where the program director is leaning toward Step 2 for interview. Her words were "I don't like to play those games" in regards to putting step 2 off.
 
Hi,
Foreign medical student here. Hoping to match in EM this year. taken step 1 and step 2. Got one away and the other one planned for august. Getting match in EM would be a dream come true.
Good luck you all. EM or nothing!
 
We, like most schools, start offering interviews after the release of the Dean's Letter which this year will be early October. So we will begin sending out emails at that time.
 
This is new right? I applied last cycle and the majority of my interview invitations came way before I took CK.
 
I have a feeling like this is not the norm for most programs. I've been looking at a lot of the programs on Frieda and the like 90% say you only need step 1 for an interview. Best thing to do is just check the programs your interested in and make a decision on when you are going to take Step 2 based on that. All the programs I'm interested in so far, dont require step 2 so I'm good taking it mid-october.
 
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RafaTech said:
I have a feeling like this is not the norm for most programs. I've been looking at a lot of the programs on Frieda and the like 90% say you only need step 1 for an interview. Best thing to do is just check the programs your interested in and make a decision on when you are going to take Step 2 based on that. All the programs I'm interested in so far, dont require step 2 so I'm good taking it mid-october.
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I agree with this, but just in case one of the programs im applying to wants it I decided to take it in september. That way i get my score back after the deans letter comes out but before they make decisions.
 
Here's my thing. If they are going to use it to rank you then why not take it and do well on it early. Chances are sooner you take it after third year the better you will do. I imagine you might get an interview at a place with a 230 step 1 but when they rank you with a 210 step 2 they might end up not ranking you anyways so it was a wasted interview then right?

I personally don't want another thing that will limit the number of interviews I can get because I didn't take step 2.
 
Sorry of I don't sound coherent. I have been drinking heavily.
 
SeekerOfTheTree said:
Here's my thing. If they are going to use it to rank you then why not take it and do well on it early. Chances are sooner you take it after third year the better you will do. I imagine you might get an interview at a place with a 230 step 1 but when they rank you with a 210 step 2 they might end up not ranking you anyways so it was a wasted interview then right?

I personally don't want another thing that will limit the number of interviews I can get because I didn't take step 2.
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This is my approach. Taking it in August. Just want to be done with the damn thing. . .
 
Doesn't anybody just want to take Step 2 to get it overwith? To hell with whether or not residencys want to see it, I'm sick of coming home every day and having to read about **** unrelated to what I saw that day and doing practice questions. Did it all through 3rd year for the shelf exams. I'm taking Step 2 in three weeks and I'm going to be damn happy when its done.

Plus I genuinely don't think I would do any better if I put it off. I'd probably do worse.
 
Ya, part of the reason Im just getting it over with at the end of July. Plus ill be on away rotations after that and the last thing ill want to do is come home and study for a board exam. Thank the lord I dont have modern warfare 3 at my place right now or i wouldnt get anything done. Anyone going to be at the AMA conference next week in chicago?
 
when i graduated from residency, our program 'reread' our personal statements at our graduation party. we got roasted. food for thought.
 
What are some average Step scores for people that get accepted to EM programs in the south (Mississippi, Arkansas, and Louisiana)?
 
Isn't it conventional wisdom to not take Step 2 before the score release date if you did well on Step 1 no matter what field you are applying into? I was told something about performing subpar on Step 2 could negate your above average Step 1. I might have taken 50+ tests in med school, but I wouldn't say I'm exactly beaming with confidence that I would destroy Step 2.
 
silverpaw54 said:
Isn't it conventional wisdom to not take Step 2 before the score release date if you did well on Step 1 no matter what field you are applying into? I was told something about performing subpar on Step 2 could negate your above average Step 1. I might have taken 50+ tests in med school, but I wouldn't say I'm exactly beaming with confidence that I would destroy Step 2.
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Even if you get an interview based on step 1 then when it comes to rank you and you have a ****ty step 2 you will still drop down the rank list and might have had a wasted trip at a place you won't match at anyways.
 
SeekerOfTheTree said:
Even if you get an interview based on step 1 then when it comes to rank you and you have a ****ty step 2 you will still drop down the rank list and might have had a wasted trip at a place you won't match at anyways.
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Interviewing at least gives you the opportunity to rank the program, which raises your likelihood of matching.
 
So, basically what I gather from the last 10 posts or so is if you did decent on step 1, start studying for step 2 like you are going to take it, take a practice test or two, if you suck, delay step 2 and take your chances that your step 1 score will carry you. If you do well on the practice test, go ahead and take the real thing.

If you sucked on step 1, then you need to take step 2 early and show improvement.
 
Dr Roboto said:
Interviewing at least gives you the opportunity to rank the program, which raises your likelihood of matching.
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If they would not have ranked you based on your step 2 then just by having another one on the rank list wont help you. Do most programs rank every candidate they interview? Chances are if institution X would not have interviewed you based on your step 2 then they probably wont rank you either if it is below their cutoff unless you are exceptional at your interview. Would make sense to me.
 
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