Future Advice Needed!!!

[DOstudent22]

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Hey all,

I'm a third year DO student. I'm set on applying for PM&R. I've already set up for a third year elective rotation in PM&R. I am an average student, with some volunteer work. However I have only taken my COMLEX, on which I scored well below 500. Is it still possible to match with such scores? I am confident that I can get good LOR's, and I have been excelling in my clincial rotations so far. Should I consider taking the USMLE step I this late in the game? Or should I try and rock my COMLEX step II?? Any advice would be greatly appreciated...

 

[drusso]

Hey all,

I'm a third year DO student. I'm set on applying for PM&R. I've already set up for a third year elective rotation in PM&R. I am an average student, with some volunteer work. However I have only taken my COMLEX, on which I scored well below 500. Is it still possible to match with such scores? I am confident that I can get good LOR's, and I have been excelling in my clincial rotations so far. Should I consider taking the USMLE step I this late in the game? Or should I try and rock my COMLEX step II?? Any advice would be greatly appreciated...

Stick with the COMLEX and show improvement on Step II. Try to do some PM&R-related research and/or get good letters from well known individuals in the field.

 

[njdevil]

1. show improvement with your boards.
2. score well with your clinicals, which will translate into a good dean's letter
3. work hard on your electives & get good letters from reputable pm&r residencies.


USMLE would be a waste of time that could be devoted to you clinical rotations.

Hey all,

I'm a third year DO student. I'm set on applying for PM&R. I've already set up for a third year elective rotation in PM&R. I am an average student, with some volunteer work. However I have only taken my COMLEX, on which I scored well below 500. Is it still possible to match with such scores? I am confident that I can get good LOR's, and I have been excelling in my clincial rotations so far. Should I consider taking the USMLE step I this late in the game? Or should I try and rock my COMLEX step II?? Any advice would be greatly appreciated...

 

[DOstudent22]

1. show improvement with your boards.
2. score well with your clinicals, which will translate into a good dean's letter
3. work hard on your electives & get good letters from reputable pm&r residencies.


USMLE would be a waste of time that could be devoted to you clinical rotations.

Where are the reputable places where I can do PM&R electives? Also, which schools would someone like me, with a really low COMLEX, apply to?? Is it possible for me to land a spot in california??

 

[njdevil]

Where are the reputable places where I can do PM&R electives? Also, which schools would someone like me, with a really low COMLEX, apply to?? Is it possible for me to land a spot in california??

I think the key is to rotate at either a place you want to goto or a place where the letterhead carries weight. Ideally, this is both. You can debate over what the top programs are...

I think of Univ. Wash, RIC, Mayo, Baylor, Kessler, Jefferson, Temple, Ohio St, MCV to name a few. A lot of programs are much newer and establishing themselves because the field is so young. Most programs will take you for an elective if you get in touch with them long enough ahead of time. There are a few universities that will not allow DOs for elective (Upitt and UVA that I know), but will take you for residency. Got me, Upitt dept chair is a DO.

Is it possible to land in Cali? I think so, but I cant speak intelligently about those programs. I would try and do an elective at one of them, chances are the faculty all know each other, rehab is a small world...a good letter is key.

Good luck.

 

[Bronte]

yeah- don't waste your time- I wasted my summer trying to take USMLE step I only to realize it was pointless after two months of trying and studying really hard and now I am studying for step II. It was too hard to take with all the interviews and showcasing. Don't worry about your step I scores. I was able to get interviews at all my top choices with a score below 500 but now I feel I might suffer in the match since I am taking comlex II so late. so don't make the same mistake I did. Listen to Dr Russo and the others and focus on your step II. physiatry is a wonderful field and ppl will look at other factors other than your board scores as long as your application demonsrates interest and passion for the field.


Good Luck!

 

[DOstudent22]

yeah- don't waste your time- I wasted my summer trying to take USMLE step I only to realize it was pointless after two months of trying and studying really hard and now I am studying for step II. It was too hard to take with all the interviews and showcasing. Don't worry about your step I scores. I was able to get interviews at all my top choices with a score below 500 but now I feel I might suffer in the match since I am taking comlex II so late. so don't make the same mistake I did. Listen to Dr Russo and the others and focus on your step II. physiatry is a wonderful field and ppl will look at other factors other than your board scores as long as your application demonsrates interest and passion for the field.


Good Luck!

Thanks for your advice guys! I guess I will start preparing for my Step II. What else can I do to demonstrate my interest in this field. I have emailed several of the docs through the resident-mentorship link in this forum, however all the docs in my area were unable to help me find any research. I have shadowed one PM&R doc. I was wondering what else I can do. Any advice would be appreciated. Thanks again!

 

[freas]

There are a few universities that will not allow DOs for elective (Upitt and UVA that I know), but will take you for residency. Got me, Upitt dept chair is a DO.

I know at least one DO student that has rotated at Pitt in the past few months.

 

[axm397]

Thanks for your advice guys! I guess I will start preparing for my Step II. What else can I do to demonstrate my interest in this field. I have emailed several of the docs through the resident-mentorship link in this forum, however all the docs in my area were unable to help me find any research. I have shadowed one PM&R doc. I was wondering what else I can do. Any advice would be appreciated. Thanks again!

Where are you located? California??

You might also be able to ask that one PM&R doc if he/she's come across any interesting cases you may be able to write up as a case report.

 

[DOstudent22]

Where are you located? California??

You might also be able to ask that one PM&R doc if he/she's come across any interesting cases you may be able to write up as a case report.

Yes I am in California. Do you know this doc? Or how I can get a hold of him/her?

 

[ampDO]

Yes I am in California. Do you know this doc? Or how I can get a hold of him/her?

I am in a similar situation DOstudent22. I have decided to stick with my comlex and focus on my rotations and step II. I hope its not the wrong decision, but at this point, it probably is a waste of time studying for step I again. As for spots in Cali, I'm not sure how competitive they are. I would be interested to know of anyone with a similar experience matching into a Cali program.

 

[axm397]

Yes I am in California. Do you know this doc? Or how I can get a hold of him/her?

I meant the one doc you shadowed.

In terms of Cali, you can probably look into doing rotations at one of the cali programs including UCLA, UC irvine, UC davis, Loma Linda, and Stanford. I only interviewed at the Stanford program. the UC programs gave me interviews but I ran out of $$ and time.