Forego the AOA match?

[DOcusate]

So I'm a 3rd year DO student at a school in the northeast, and I was wondering if it'd be realistic to not rank any AOA programs with my stats. Just trying to get a sense of where I should do aways and where I shouldn't.

Shooting for IM-any program will do:

USMLE Step I: 222 (yeah, really)
COMLEX I: 580

Top 50% of class.
2 publications in high-impact journals
Oodles of community service, etc.

Step 2 and all that business obviously pending. Any help is appreciated!

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[group_theory]

I think you will be safe going ACGME IM with those stats (depending on where you apply). Top tier programs will be a reach. Programs in competitive locations (eg California, Washington DC, NYC, Boston) will be difficult too. Some mid-tier programs will show some interest. Community programs will probably show some interest. Unless there is something odd in your file, you should be safe if you forgo the AOA residencies and aim for ACGME IM programs (as long as you're smart about where you are applying - ie don't apply only to Duke/Mayo/Stanford/UCSF/UCLA/JHH/MCG)

Interesting data from the NRMP
http://b83c73bcf0e7ca356c80-e8560f4...tent/uploads/2013/08/chartingoutcomes2011.pdf

Look at Page 101. DO and FMGs fall under "independent" applicants - check out the statistics for Internal Medicine for 2011 NRMP match.

 

[sylvanthus]

Honestly, I would still probably apply to both matches and make sure you get enough interviews on the MD side before you drop out of the DO match. Would suck to apply to only the MD match and find out you only get a few interviews and be in panic mode all season. Do both applications and when the interviews for MD roll in, then cancel the DO ones and drop out of the DO match. Yes, itll cost more, but the peace of mind that comes with it is priceless during the stressful interview season.

 

[babdoc]

As long as step/level 2 is consistent with your first scores, you will match to an ACGME IM program. Do your research. Apply to a variety of programs--university, community, etc. that being said, it might be worth applying and interviewing at some big AOA programs if you have the resources. Just because you interview, doesn't mean you have to rank them. Bottom line, shoot for 8-10 programs on your rank list and you'll have a spot nearly all of the time. IM is typically a buyers market.

 

[Trogghunter]

Smoke your step 2 and apply to every program in the NE/mid Atlantic....I bet that you'd be fine, but IM is becoming more competitive year by year.

 

[pattr]

You will be fine. As someone applying to ACGME IM now and forgoing the AOA match, you will definitely get enough interviews if you apply broadly. Like other users have mentioned, register to AOA match and apply to a few AOA programs that you like just to be on the safe side and then if you want, you can go to the interview or cancel or just withdraw from the AOA match when the time comes.

You will have no problem matching ACGME IM.

 

[DOcusate]

You will be fine. As someone applying to ACGME IM now and forgoing the AOA match, you will definitely get enough interviews if you apply broadly. Like other users have mentioned, register to AOA match and apply to a few AOA programs that you like just to be on the safe side and then if you want, you can go to the interview or cancel or just withdraw from the AOA match when the time comes.
You will have no problem matching ACGME IM.

Yeah, that makes a lot of sense-and I think it's the way I'm going to go.


Appreciate the help guys!

 

[Instatewaiter]

Unless you are a creeper during interviews, you should be fine for ACGME IM programs.

Top tear programs will be out of reach. Upper mid-tier programs in good locations will likely be out of reach.

I think you will have good luck with mid-tier (university progams) as well as community programs.

You will need to apply broadly including a few reaches (why not, it's cheap to apply) and focus mainly on mid-tier programs with a handful of community programs as well. IM has always been competitive at the top but there are so many programs, the mid-tier is usually not competitive. While IM is becoming more competitive, I think you will have good luck if you focus mainly on mid-tier programs and have a bunch of community programs as backups. Beware. There are are competitive community programs out there (Bayview comes to mind) and if you focus only on these, you may find yourself without enough backups.

 

[SLC]

How would you guys view the chances of someone with a 227 step1 (530 COMLEX-1 if it matters); tons of volunteering but little to no research and no pubs. Obviously step2 comes into play, but pretend my score there is the same (I think I can get into the 230's pretty easily though)

I'm just hoping to match somewhere that will leave fellowship options open, patricularly Oncology since my other interest (Nephro) apparently isn't tough at all.

 

[babdoc]

How would you guys view the chances of someone with a 227 step1 (530 COMLEX-1 if it matters); tons of volunteering but little to no research and no pubs. Obviously step2 comes into play, but pretend my score there is the same (I think I can get into the 230's pretty easily though)

I'm just hoping to match somewhere that will leave fellowship options open, patricularly Oncology since my other interest (Nephro) apparently isn't tough at all.

That was basically me. I stuck mostly to midtier programs and had no problems

 

[pattr]

How would you guys view the chances of someone with a 227 step1 (530 COMLEX-1 if it matters); tons of volunteering but little to no research and no pubs. Obviously step2 comes into play, but pretend my score there is the same (I think I can get into the 230's pretty easily though)

I'm just hoping to match somewhere that will leave fellowship options open, patricularly Oncology since my other interest (Nephro) apparently isn't tough at all.

You'll be fine. Apply broadly with special attention to programs that have Heme-Onc fellowships in house and take their own.

 

[Trogghunter]

The wamc thread is relevant in this instance

 

[SLC]

The wamc thread is relevant in this instance

Where does one find this WAMC thread?

 

[DanYing]

Honestly, I would still probably apply to both matches and make sure you get enough interviews on the MD side before you drop out of the DO match. Would suck to apply to only the MD match and find out you only get a few interviews and be in panic mode all season. Do both applications and when the interviews for MD roll in, then cancel the DO ones and drop out of the DO match. Yes, itll cost more, but the peace of mind that comes with it is priceless during the stressful interview season.

Great advice! I think I'll do this!

 

[babdoc]

ERAS is where you submit your applications and get interviews. NRMP is the MD Match. NMS is the DO Match. These are three different systems with three separate fees. You apply for residencies through ERAS. You (and the programs) submit their rank lists and match through NRMP or NMS.

Here's what I would do: Apply for both MD and DO programs and register for the NRMP MD match. See where you get interviews before you sign up for the DO Match. The NMS DO Match deadline is in January, so you'll have plenty of time to see where you get interviews before you have to register for the Match(es). If you get a reasonable number of interviews for MD medicine programs (8-10), then you have a good chance of matching at one of them. Decide if you are interested in any of the DO programs that you get interviews at...interested enough to possibly have to back out of the MD match because the DO match is earlier. If you find that you need to do some of your DO interviews in order to have a good chance at matching or you really like some of the DO programs, then go ahead and register for the NMS.

Clear as mud? The match is an incredibly convoluted process. It's good to get organized early.

 

[hallowmann]

ERAS is where you submit your applications and get interviews. NRMP is the MD Match. NMS is the DO Match. These are three different systems with three separate fees. You apply for residencies through ERAS. You (and the programs) submit their rank lists and match through NRMP or NMS.

Here's what I would do: Apply for both MD and DO programs and register for the NRMP MD match. See where you get interviews before you sign up for the DO Match. The NMS DO Match deadline is in January, so you'll have plenty of time to see where you get interviews before you have to register for the Match(es). If you get a reasonable number of interviews for MD medicine programs (8-10), then you have a good chance of matching at one of them. Decide if you are interested in any of the DO programs that you get interviews at...interested enough to possibly have to back out of the MD match because the DO match is earlier. If you find that you need to do some of your DO interviews in order to have a good chance at matching or you really like some of the DO programs, then go ahead and register for the NMS.

Clear as mud? The match is an incredibly convoluted process. It's good to get organized early.

Nice, clear, and very informative post.