Heme/Onc Application 2009-2010

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Yes, best of luck!!! Wishing the best for everyone...

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Good luck everyone! A nerve-wracking 2 weeks to go
 
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hey guys, good luck to everyone! I hope we all match to our first choice...please share your experience for the upcoming applicants!
 
One more day to go everyone! Good luck!:rolleyes:
Anyone else as nervous as I am?
 
Hi All:
Please do post opening hem/onc positions.
Thanks
 
Finally only a few more hours, good luck to everyone ....please post your experience here !!!
 
Looks I'm gonna be stuck dealing w/ gutonc for the next 3 yrs. I matched at OHSU! Number 3 on my list, but still happy! I had a nagging suspicion I was gonna end up there all along. Good thing I didn't skip the interview day :)

Tutu, congrats on matching. Sorry you're not happy :( I know it can be a mixed bag of emotions. But it's what you make of it, right?
 
Anybody going to Georgetown with me?
Congrats to everyone who matched!!
 
Matched at UCSD !! number 4 on my list.. Getting the convertible ready with the surfing board ;)
just talked to a friend of mine and apparently very few positions have gone unfilled !!
 
Looks I'm gonna be stuck dealing w/ gutonc for the next 3 yrs. I matched at OHSU! Number 3 on my list, but still happy! I had a nagging suspicion I was gonna end up there all along. Good thing I didn't skip the interview day :)

Oh crap...I was afraid of that! Congratulations. Looking forward to seeing you in a year.
 
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anyone going there?

A good friend of mine from Med school is on staff there after having been a fellow there. So is Kanti Rai (of the Rai CLL staging system). He likes the place and it will be an interesting few years with the new med school coming online.
 
A good friend of mine from Med school is on staff there after having been a fellow there. So is Kanti Rai (of the Rai CLL staging system). He likes the place and it will be an interesting few years with the new med school coming online.

Thanks GutOnc:)
 
how many unfilled programs this year? I tried to click on it but it said I can't access it.
 
Question: Do you guys think that places where I interviewed this year will interview me again if I add more stuff to my CV?
 
Question: Do you guys think that places where I interviewed this year will interview me again if I add more stuff to my CV?

Hard to say. There were quite a few programs that extended me an interview 3 yrs ago that didn't this time around, despite my significant improvement in my CV. It depends on what the PD is looking for. Sorry to break it you, but the longer you're out of residency, the tougher it is to get interviews.
 
wow...we have less unfilled programs than cards and GI. what is going on? is it getting that competitive?
 
Hard to say. There were quite a few programs that extended me an interview 3 yrs ago that didn't this time around, despite my significant improvement in my CV. It depends on what the PD is looking for. Sorry to break it you, but the longer you're out of residency, the tougher it is to get interviews.

MidwestMD, congratulations for succesfully getting through this match nightmare.... Wish you all the luck..
I know that its going to harder for me, the farther I am out of residency.... But, I have no options.. have to serve my J1 waiver...No escape from that..
Give me a fair eval based on my credentials: FMG, residency from community program, won't need visa in 2012, decent USMLE scores, 7 pubs, 16 abstracts, MPH and currently enrolled in MS in lab science....
Anything else that I can do....because if they want me to do anything else I will do it to get the fellowship which I always dreamed of...
 
MidwestMD, congratulations for succesfully getting through this match nightmare.... Wish you all the luck..
I know that its going to harder for me, the farther I am out of residency.... But, I have no options.. have to serve my J1 waiver...No escape from that..
Give me a fair eval based on my credentials: FMG, residency from community program, won't need visa in 2012, decent USMLE scores, 7 pubs, 16 abstracts, MPH and currently enrolled in MS in lab science....
Anything else that I can do....because if they want me to do anything else I will do it to get the fellowship which I always dreamed of...

Not sure what else you can do. Nothing you can do about being FMG or Step scores at this point. You've got a ton of pubs (and hopefully more by next year). The fact that your visa will be a non-issue might make a huge difference.

The only other thing I can say is that you should apply very broadly. I have no idea how many programs you applied to this year, but you need to apply to 2 or 3 times that many next time, across all geographic areas and "program quality" levels. Fair or not, you have 2 strikes against you (FMG and "decent" Step scores) and the longer you're out of residency, the more that approaches a 3rd strike.
 
Not sure what else you can do. Nothing you can do about being FMG or Step scores at this point. You've got a ton of pubs (and hopefully more by next year). The fact that your visa will be a non-issue might make a huge difference.

The only other thing I can say is that you should apply very broadly. I have no idea how many programs you applied to this year, but you need to apply to 2 or 3 times that many next time, across all geographic areas and "program quality" levels. Fair or not, you have 2 strikes against you (FMG and "decent" Step scores) and the longer you're out of residency, the more that approaches a 3rd strike.

Thanks gutonc for your insight on my tough situation and never ending struggle for fellowship.........
What about if I do a PhD? I am pretty sure that would help...right
 
Stemcell , how many interviews did you get and in which places ?. The only other thing I could think of is how you interview. According to research done by a colleague of mine 2 years ago on factors needed for oncology fellowship, "the interview" itself was the most important but I realize that you have to get the interview first. What do you put on your CAF in terms of visa? do you say J1 but will get GC? That also has a huge impact. My PD was telling me the other day that many programs would not care even if you say " I would really really really ..get my GC by 2012" they want you to have it now.
 
Thanks gutonc for your insight on my tough situation and never ending struggle for fellowship.........
What about if I do a PhD? I am pretty sure that would help...right

Stemcell007,

I agree w/ what gutonc said. There's only so much you can do. An MPH and Masters in lab science? That's pretty impressive already. A PhD wouldn't hurt, but that's at least 4-5 more yrs of your life. It seems like there's something else going on here that we're missing.

If I may ask, how many places did you apply to last time and how many gave you interviews? Maybe improving your interview skills might help, especially if English isn't your first language. Also, do you have any idea what your LOR's look like? Maybe getting new ones that you're SURE are positive.

The only other thing I can think of is doing a hospitalist gig part-time for an Oncology floor at an academic institution. Then you'd be able to get to know the faculty who might be ale to right you a letter or pull some strings for you. Good luck Stemcelll007.
 
Stemcell007,

I agree w/ what gutonc said. There's only so much you can do. An MPH and Masters in lab science? That's pretty impressive already. A PhD wouldn't hurt, but that's at least 4-5 more yrs of your life. It seems like there's something else going on here that we're missing.

If I may ask, how many places did you apply to last time and how many gave you interviews? Maybe improving your interview skills might help, especially if English isn't your first language. Also, do you have any idea what your LOR's look like? Maybe getting new ones that you're SURE are positive.

The only other thing I can think of is doing a hospitalist gig part-time for an Oncology floor at an academic institution. Then you'd be able to get to know the faculty who might be ale to right you a letter or pull some strings for you. Good luck Stemcelll007.

Guys, thank you so much for all your thoughts and great advice. To answer some of your questions: I interviewed at 8 places out of 100 places that I applied. May be MidWestMD you are right that I might need help with interview skills. But, english has not been a problem for me. I won 5 awards for oral and poster presentations during my residency at state level. The people who wrote LoRs wrote me the strongest possible letters but they were from onc docs at my community program. About the hospitalist thing on onc floor: can't do that right now as I am still stuck with my j1 waiver......... So, basically I am screwed
 
Gutonc and MidwestMD. Congratulations on your match. OHSU is a great place. I interviewed there as a hospitalist about a year ago ( eventually went elsewhere) but I loved the place. Suffices to have Brian Druker working there!. Would you guys care to tell me your STATs, I am going to apply next year, IMG, excellent community hospital, just got My GC. about 8 Pubs
( reviews and case studies) , a few posters. Now the primary site director for one of the centers particpating in a multicenter NIH funded RCT ( basically the PI at my hospital), also applying for a $20,000 grant for seed funding for working on a novel biomedical device related to circulating tumor cells. What else can I do from now till next December to beef up my CV!
 
Oh I did not know that Gutonc. When I had the tour last year I was really impressed by the campus ..the skyride tram is supercool:)..how often do you guys use this? I think it link sthe main hospital with clinics right?

I would appreciate any advice you can provide on other things I can do to improve my CV.
 
Oh I did not know that Gutonc. When I had the tour last year I was really impressed by the campus ..the skyride tram is supercool:)..how often do you guys use this? I think it link sthe main hospital with clinics right?

I personally only ride it about once a week but people who have clinic down there or who use it to commute ride it every day.
 
Big congratulations to all who matched. I wish you all good luck in your fellowships and careers beyond; wherever you are going, I'm sure you will all do well.

Special shout-out to our man MidwestMD, who personified persistence and continued positivity and was rewarded with a great fellowship in a wonderful part of the country! Take good care of him, gutonc...
 
Gutonc and MidwestMD. Congratulations on your match. OHSU is a great place. I interviewed there as a hospitalist about a year ago ( eventually went elsewhere) but I loved the place. Suffices to have Brian Druker working there!. Would you guys care to tell me your STATs, I am going to apply next year, IMG, excellent community hospital, just got My GC. about 8 Pubs
( reviews and case studies) , a few posters. Now the primary site director for one of the centers particpating in a multicenter NIH funded RCT ( basically the PI at my hospital), also applying for a $20,000 grant for seed funding for working on a novel biomedical device related to circulating tumor cells. What else can I do from now till next December to beef up my CV!

Hi threecoins,

Sounds like you have a solid CV. Not sure what else I would do. Your research experience blows mine out of the water. As far as my own stats, I'm a US grad, did residency at a "top 10" academic program, no pubs but am doing a Master's in Clinical research, had great LORs, but was several yrs out of residency when I applied. Good luck!
 
Special shout-out to our man MidwestMD, who personified persistence and continued positivity and was rewarded with a great fellowship in a wonderful part of the country! Take good care of him, gutonc...

:oops: Thanks clueless1...and congrats to everyone who matched! For those who didn't, don't give up...
 
Thanks MidwestMD. Do you think the masters in clinical research would help, did it come up in your interviews?. Hemoncwannabe...good luck next year I am sure you will do well.
 
Thanks MidwestMD. Do you think the masters in clinical research would help, did it come up in your interviews?.

The Master's definitely came up in the interview and most programs seemed impressed w/ it. But you already have a Master's in lab science amd an MPH. I did it to build up my deficient research background. Not sure if it would be worth it for you.
 
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Thanks midwestmd , I don't have either . Stemcell does , I don't !what do you think of the " online programs for ms in clinical research? Drexel etc are these worth doing?
 
Thanks midwestmd , I don't have either . Stemcell does , I don't !what do you think of the " online programs for ms in clinical research? Drexel etc are these worth doing?

Sorry, got confused. Not sure I'd do an online Master's course. To be honest, I wasn't even aware they existed. It was pretty tough when I did mine. I have no idea how programs would view an on-line course as compared to a traditional program. Do you have a nearby university you could do it at in person? The downside of being at a community program is that you likely don't receive any type of tuition reimbursement for classes.
 
I am working as a full time hospitalist now..were you able to take some time off for the Masters ? or how did you work out the time Contsraints?
 
I am working as a full time hospitalist now..were you able to take some time off for the Masters ? or how did you work out the time Contsraints?

I was/am also working as a Hospitalistl during my Master's. As part of the application process here, the Chief of the Division is supposed to guarantee that you'll have at least 50% protected time in order to pursue your studies. Having said that, I wasn't allowed to work any less than 60%...so it was pretty tough.

During our intense summer load, I was taking classes M-F 8am-5pm, studying 4-5hrs/night, and working nights/weekends for 2 months. Everyone else in my class had full protected time during the summer load (ie- no clinical responsibilities). After that, it was a lot more manageable. I know of a colleague of mine who's working full time right now and taking half the course load (will take him a bit longer to finish it though). All in all, it will take me a total of 2yrs to finish my Master's.

You might be able to work out a deal w/ your supervisors. Most Master's courses are directed at physicians, so they are usually front loaded in the summer months and then relatively flexible for the rest of the academic yr. If your boss is willing, you might offer to work more hours in the fall/spring in order to get time off to take classes during the summer. Just a thought.
 
Sorry that I'm late to the party...been celebrating! Matched at my #1 CCF.

Everyone seems to be going to impressive places... for those who do not, I wish you all the best in the future and hopeful match next year - I have been pouring through the statistics and it seems to have been an especially tough year in an increasingly competitive speciality.

And keep sharing your experiences/outcomes... where did you match tutu? i think i met you at shands...
 
I matched to Montefiore. Not happy because I don't like NY. Now feel much better.
Sorry that I'm late to the party...been celebrating! Matched at my #1 CCF.

Everyone seems to be going to impressive places... for those who do not, I wish you all the best in the future and hopeful match next year - I have been pouring through the statistics and it seems to have been an especially tough year in an increasingly competitive speciality.

And keep sharing your experiences/outcomes... where did you match tutu? i think i met you at shands...
 
congratulations docjagermeister , how is the CCF? is it mostly a clinical or academic program? whata re its strengths and weaknesses.
 
Does anyone have a list of the unfilled spots this year?
Would you be interested sharing it?
I am sure there aren't that many.
I did not register for the match this year.
 
I know but is it okay to post them here? only 5 unfilled programs this year!
 
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