For military HPSP applicants

[RhinoRez]

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Does anyone believe that HPSP students are not granted interviews by some programs because of the "military commitment" flag on ERAS?

 

[flykid]

what is this about? Im in the program. what is eras exactly?

 

[Droopy Snoopy]

Does anyone believe that HPSP students are not granted interviews by some programs because of the "military commitment" flag on ERAS?

ERAS is the national residency application, kind of like AMCAS. RhinoRez, this is the first I've heard of this. Do you have a source?

 

[78222]

I'm not in HPSP but I researched it a lot before deciding not to. I don't think it hurts, considering a lot of HPSP'ers end up doing civie residencies. Plus, you will know millitary match results long before the Allo Match, so I dont think it would be an issue at all.

 

[colbgw02]

It's difficult to say why a program doesn't grant an interview to a single applicant. Seemingly identical applicants can apply to the same programs and end up with vastly different interview lists. That being said, I still got interviews at most of the civilian programs to which I applied, so I voted "no".

As a side note, I think it would be beneficial to everyone if HPSP applicants schedule as many interviews as possible after their match date and then cancel those interviews immediately if warranted. This would prevent future applicants with a deferment from being put at a disadvantage from program directors and coordinators who have been burned by no-show applicants.

 

[Tired]

This is an interesting question that has played on my mind a lot lately. I'll relate my own recent experience.

I'm Navy HPSP, and per the military requirements, I had to apply to civilian programs. I'm from a West Coast state school, was applying to Ortho. 247 Step 1, 259 Step 2, two peer reviewed pubs (not in Ortho), 4 years of research experience in med school, 3 years research in undergrad (with one pub), almost straight honors in clinical rotations (all but Ob, where I got a pass), strong letters of rec from two Orthopods and two General Surgeons, not AOA.

All in all a reasonably strong app, probably a little above average for Ortho.

My potential errors were applying a little late (late Sep and early Oct), inability to do externships at civilian programs (did all military rotations), and heavily weighting my apps to East Coast programs.

I applied to 19 different programs, heard from 10 by the time of the military match (mid-Dec), and was only offered 2 interviews (both West of the Mississippi.

So why so few interviews? I suppose it could be that I applied later than I should have, and I have heard a lot of people suggest a coast-bias. But I also had to indicate my military status. I don't know . . .

In the end it doesn't matter, since I matched to my first-choice program in the Navy, but it is an interesting question.

 

[Critical Mass]

This is an interesting question that has played on my mind a lot lately. I'll relate my own recent experience.

I'm Navy HPSP, and per the military requirements, I had to apply to civilian programs. I'm from a West Coast state school, was applying to Ortho. 247 Step 1, 259 Step 2, two peer reviewed pubs (not in Ortho), 4 years of research experience in med school, 3 years research in undergrad (with one pub), almost straight honors in clinical rotations (all but Ob, where I got a pass), strong letters of rec from two Orthopods and two General Surgeons, not AOA.

OB seems to have the reputation of being the streak breaker.

BTW, for those who don't know, Tired's app is A-1 for any program, not just ortho (though ortho is about the top of the barrel anyhow). I had no idea that I was speaking with such greatness.

How did you not make AOA with those stats?

👍 Congrats.

 

[Tired]

\
BTW, for those who don't know, Tired's app is A-1 for any program, not just ortho (though ortho is about the top of the barrel anyhow). I had no idea that I was speaking with such greatness.

How did you not make AOA with those stats?

👍 Congrats.

Thanks, I'm proud of what I did in school, but not sure I'd call it "top of the barrel". Significant portions of the Ortho match have AOA, my step 1 is only about 10-15pts above the average, and I didn't have Ortho research. That being said, I have to admit that I was a little suprised that I wasn't offered interviews in more civilian programs. In retrospect, there must have been some portion of my app that was deficient (personal statement? applied to late? Ortho research?), but the idea that the military thing affected it plays in the back of my mind. I will be the first to admit, though, that I may just be finding excuses for my own failure. Oh well.

I have been told that I did not make AOA because I lacked "leadership" and involvement with organizations in med school. It may be that others in my class had similar academic achievement, but superior community service and EC-type stuff. I don't know. I was a little irritated that I didn't make AOA a few months ago, but now that I've matched, it doesn't seem as important.