Hard to match in Orthopedics?

Ortho is one of the most competitive fields right now in the civilian sector. It is usually very competitive in the Army as well. Last year, there were far less ortho applicants in the Army then usual, and almost everybody who applied received a position. But that is the exception, not the rule.

 

It really depends on how many applicants apply to particular program in given year. Last year, a HPSP applicant who is in the bottom of class at Temple Medical school matched into Orthopedic Program in the Army. Perhaps he/she did well in the ADT tours of the orthopedics program!

Thus number #1 factor is your clinical evalution at your ADT tours!

Good luck to you.

 

Army didn't fill all of their ortho slots this past year. Basically if you applied you got it unless your REALLY pissed off the residency director. The problem is probably going to become more prevalent since recruitment as a whole is trending down. Year to year is still going to be up and down based on the match population.

 

Hello everyone. I apologize if you have seen this post in other forums. Desperately, I am searching for someone who can provide me some feedback. I am currently a first year at VCOM (the new osteopathic school). If there is anyone reading this that has experience with military ortho surgery, please help. Everyone tells me that it is next to impossible to score the AF ortho residency at Lackland because of an average of approximately 4 open spots per year. Is this true? What are the types of things that I should be doing now (besides studying for Step 1) to make myself more competitive? People also tell me that I need to show my face and establish contacts at the residency. How is this possible with just one residency location? I plan doing an ADT at Keesler this summer, but I don't think I will meet any connections during that time. Please help....

Thanks!!!

 

What's the current opinion on matching into ortho with the military? As of a few years ago it seemed the Army didn't fill their slots, and I wondered if this has continued to be the trend in the past few years. I'm considering orthopaedics and wanted to look at the military option. Thanks.

 

I apologize...there's another thread on the first page about this. I somehow missed it before I bumped this thread. I just didn't want to start another thread about this subject.

 

If by last year you mean 2004.

These are the number of applicants per orthopod spot in the Army by year.
2003: 1.68
2004: 1
2005: 1.84
2006: 1.36
2007: 1.95

https://apps.mods.army.mil/MedEd/HPSP/Powerpoint/MEDED4-07_files/frame.htm

Are my numbers wrong? Do guys mean the most recent match in December 2007? Where can I find those matching stats? They aren't posted on MODS yet. It is true that residencies will become less competitive in the coming years because recruiting has been down. This will start with the class of 2009 because recruiting began to dive in 2005.

http://www.ama-assn.org/amednews/site/free/prl20828.htm

 

From an Air Force perspective, it is very competitive to match seeing how we only have 4 military spots at Wilford Hall. But, for any of the branches, it is true that the level of competition varies each year based on 1) number of applicants 2) number of available spots, including civilian deferments. The PD for the AF told me that even if he had more spots than applicants, if the applicant was not "ortho quality" than, he would not rank him for either civilian or military ortho spot. Bottomline, you may be able to slide into a military ortho spot...but you have to meet a minimum criteria.

Also, in the military match, a point system is in place where 4th year students are at the bottom of the totem pole and years in service carries the weight. So, you can be an all-star 4th year applicant...but you will lose out to a average Captain with time as a flight surgeon. So, if you have 4 flight surgeons or Captains applying against you, you're not in a good spot unless one of them is not "ortho caliber" in general.

The tips are to ROTATE at the location you want to get into. In the AF it's easy cause there is only one spot. Do all of the things you would normally do to ace a rotation (work hard, be cordial, do extra work, etc). Work with as many attendings as you can to spread your name. I know that resident feedback is huge as well. As for rotating at other air force bases, not ortho, you can definitely make connections cause AF medicine is small, AF ortho is even smaller. I did 2 ADTs, non-ortho, and spent time with the ortho guys post-call and they knew the higher ups at Lackland. So, always work hard and try to make connections here and there.

I'm a DO student too and was able to get a civilian deferment and matched. It's definitely possible, but my year they gave out a ridiculous 20 or so deferments.

Good luck.
CP

 

Cuddle, in your military experience, has anyone ever tried to throw you?

 

"throw" me? not sure what you mean...but probably yes whether you mean that sarcastically, figuratively, or literally.