ENT vs anethesiologyi

[docforsure]

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So I'm in a dilemma. I loved surgery but not sure if I'm sold on the lifestyle yet. ENT seems to be a great balance however it seems riskier to apply for. The thought of not matching in ENT and having to scramble is my worst nightmare. The other speciality I'm thinking of is Anesthesia. I was wondering if anyone had any thoughts on how big a risk I would be taking if I went for ENT vs anesthesia. Stats:

College: Top 3 for past past several consecutive years, couple of research projects
MS3 at Ivy League, minor research experience
Step I: 242
Pre-clinicals: All Pass/Fail. Had to retake one exam at the end of the year for missing pass cutoff by 2 points. External stress
Step II: have not taken
Clinicals so far: Honors in Psych, Pass in ObGyn (worse shelf ever) and HP in Family Med. Surgery grade not in yet, probably HP or H.


So what would you go for? I know I should apply wherever I'd me happiest but I honestly would be happy doing either one. I have a slight bias towards ENT but I'm not sure how big a risk I'd be undertaking if I went that route. Any thoughts?

 

[ArkansasHogMD]

So I'm in a dilemma. I loved surgery but not sure if I'm sold on the lifestyle yet. ENT seems to be a great balance however it seems riskier to apply for. The thought of not matching in ENT and having to scramble is my worst nightmare. The other speciality I'm thinking of is Anesthesia. I was wondering if anyone had any thoughts on how big a risk I would be taking if I went for ENT vs anesthesia. Stats:

College: Top 3 for past past several consecutive years, couple of research projects
MS3 at Ivy League, minor research experience
Step I: 242
Pre-clinicals: All Pass/Fail. Had to retake one exam at the end of the year for missing pass cutoff by 2 points. External stress
Step II: have not taken
Clinicals so far: Honors in Psych, Pass in ObGyn (worse shelf ever) and HP in Family Med. Surgery grade not in yet, probably HP or H.


So what would you go for? I know I should apply wherever I'd me happiest but I honestly would be happy doing either one. I have a slight bias towards ENT but I'm not sure how big a risk I'd be undertaking if I went that route. Any thoughts?

Apply to both. Put all of your ENT programs ahead of anesthesia. Make sure you do an ENT rotation early next year and an anesthesia rotation to get a better idea of the lifestyle. I think you are underestimating the lifestyle of ENT. They have some long grueling sugeries. I would also take step 2 early and shoot for >255. A couple pubs will help. A friend of mine who is an intern now wanted to do neurosurgery but applied to IR as a back up. It was more nerve racking for him come match dy because although he mached he didn't know to what. He matched to neuro.

 

[Stellar Clouds]

If you want ENT but are worried about not matching, apply to both.

 

[Winged Scapula]

This is not within the stated appropriate topics for the General Residency forum and therefore will be moved to the medical student forums.

 

[docforsure]

So if I do apply for both but rank all my anesthesia programs after the ENT programs, wouldn't that hurt the quality of the place at which I'd match?

For example, if Place X has me 1st on their list and I have them 12th on my list because the first 11 are ENT programs, would I still match there?

 

[CrimsonKing]

Dude, do you really think the quality of an anesthesiology program matters?

At best, you'll learn more efficient ways to intubate.

At worst, you'll only be able to surf the internet 6 hours a day, instead of 10.

Semi-srs. 😀

 

[DopaDO]

So if I do apply for both but rank all my anesthesia programs after the ENT programs, wouldn't that hurt the quality of the place at which I'd match?

For example, if Place X has me 1st on their list and I have them 12th on my list because the first 11 are ENT programs, would I still match there?

The match doesn't work like that. It is absolutely to your benefit to rank the programs you want first no matter the specialty.

Here is a really good explanation.

http://www.nrmp.org/res_match/about_res/algorithms.html

Now granted, I'm not sure if anesthesia PDs will look down on you if you rank another specialty first, but thats a different discussion.

 

[rocketbooster]

Now granted, I'm not sure if anesthesia PDs will look down on you if you rank another specialty first, but thats a different discussion.

This has no effect because PDs have absolutely no idea how you rank your programs...unless you stupidly tell them you're ranking all anesthesia after ENT. This is your career, not theirs. Do what's best for you, not them. They can replace with you hundreds of other applicants. They'll be okay.

 

[DopaDO]

This has no effect because PDs have absolutely no idea how you rank your programs...unless you stupidly tell them you're ranking all anesthesia after ENT. This is your career, not theirs. Do what's best for you, not them. They can replace with you hundreds of other applicants. They'll be okay.

👍 Great point.

 

[Stellar Clouds]

The match doesn't work like that. It is absolutely to your benefit to rank the programs you want first no matter the specialty.

Here is a really good explanation.

http://www.nrmp.org/res_match/about_res/algorithms.html

Now granted, I'm not sure if anesthesia PDs will look down on you if you rank another specialty first, but thats a different discussion.

PDs won't know that you ranked another specialty first (before the match), unless you tell them. They will see where/what you matched on match day if they ranked you, but at that point it doesn't matter. You won't be the first person to apply to multiple specialties nor the last. They really won't care that you matched to ENT.

So if I do apply for both but rank all my anesthesia programs after the ENT programs, wouldn't that hurt the quality of the place at which I'd match?

For example, if Place X has me 1st on their list and I have them 12th on my list because the first 11 are ENT programs, would I still match there?

You need to read the match algorithm. The NRMP's website has detailed info about how the match works. You could rank Mass General 100th on your list and if you fall to 100 and they ranked you #1 you will still match there regardless of everyone else on MGH's match list ranking them #1.

 

[secants]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=epIXTZ9oP78

 

[tima]

Is there any risk when applying to two residency programs at the same institution? How often do PDs from various departments interact with each other?

 

[docforsure]

Is there any risk when applying to two residency programs at the same institution? How often do PDs from various departments interact with each other?

I was thinking about this loll. I have pretty strong regional preferences.

 

[Winged Scapula]

Is there any risk when applying to two residency programs at the same institution? How often do PDs from various departments interact with each other?

You never know.

If they are related specialties (ie, like Gen Surg and a Surgical Sub), they may interact.

It has been noted that students have been seen touring the hospital with different departments and that has gotten back to the PDs of each speciality, which was not seen favorably.

 

[docforsure]

For the attendings and PDs that might be reading this. How big a dent is my exam retake? It was our course in infectious diseases and I retook the exam a week after the initial test day. Passed it with flying colors the second time around but it's still a retake..

 

[Stellar Clouds]

For the attendings and PDs that might be reading this. How big a dent is my exam retake? It was our course in infectious diseases and I retook the exam a week after the initial test day. Passed it with flying colors the second time around but it's still a retake..

Will anyone even know that you re-took an exam? I wouldn't think it would be listed on your transcript. I guess it might be in your MSPE?

 

[docforsure]

Will anyone even know that you re-took an exam? I wouldn't think it would be listed on your transcript. I guess it might be in your MSPE?

I think it might be in the transcript. My school likes to screw it's students like that

 

[Winged Scapula]

I think it might be in the transcript. My school likes to screw it's students like that

1) request a copy of your transcript and see;

2) no one cares about failing one exam as a pre-clinical student

 

[Bryan O’Blivion]

Interesting. You and I are very similar, exactly the same step score, exactly the same grade distribution. I have a similar dilemma, loving surgery (the most fun I have had in med school so far) yet fearing that a five year residency and brutal call schedule would prevent me from having a family, or make me an absent parent. I hear you, but I think that I am going to pick something, and do that, rather than trying to juggle two application efforts. That's just my opinion. Good luck!

 

[JGimpel]

ENT first, hands down. Having the threat of someone that only went to a few years of training beyond nursing school replacing you is one issue in anesthesiology. Even if you've got a seemingly chill job supervising "only" 6-8 ORs at once, you only need a minute or two to create permanent deficiencies in the patient, and you're still responsible at that point. Another issue is that you're going to have a hard time staying awake while keeping someone else asleep and you eventually get tired of Sudoku. Nobody is going to have a mid-level sub in to do a parotid teardown, place tympanostomy tubes or rebuild someone's jaw.

Your individual test dates/scores for didactic or clerkship exams shouldn't show up anywhere on your MSPE. When you sign the form to release your transcripts to ERAS, sign another one to release a copy to yourself so that you know if there is anything to address from it if you're worried. Don't ever apply to two programs at the same institution. That usually insures that your applications to both are rejected.