How hard is it to get an ER residency with the AF

[Eball]

What are the average scores to get an ER residency?

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[notdeadyet]

What are the average scores to get an ER residency?

After the GMO tour?

 

[Eball]

Straight into it from medical school.

 

[AFDuck]

What are the average scores to get an ER residency?

No one can answer your question with any confidence. I can tell you it is possible to match into EM in the AF right out of school as a classmate of mine did so this year and 2 years ago (both deferred to civilian training, which was their preference). However, it is a very competitive specialty, much more so in the military than in the civilian match.

 

[AF M4]

What are the average scores to get an ER residency?

Your score and your application in general matters much less than other factors beyond your control: how many FS/GMOs the AF needs the year you are applying and how many current GMOs are applying for AF residencies has a much stronger effect on whether you get a residency than your own scores or letters of recommendation.

 

[Doctor Bob]

Your score and your application in general matters much less than other factors beyond your control: how many FS/GMOs the AF needs the year you are applying and how many current GMOs are applying for AF residencies has a much stronger effect on whether you get a residency than your own scores or letters of recommendation.

Exactly.
The military match is a point based system. You get 1-3 points based on your board scores, 1-3 points based on your GPA, and so on and so forth. There are points for prior military service, points for research projects, points for "probability of military success" and other things. But the big point areas are internship/GMO/Flight Tour.

If I recall correctly from when I was applying, a medical student who got maximum points in all areas could get something like 36 points total. An intern reapplying got 30 points just for being an intern, and then piled med school points on top of that. A flight surgeon/GMO got 50-60 points just for having done the tour.

So basically a medical student had very little chance of competing. But every year they take 2-3 at least for reasons unknown. So it's not an impossibility, but it is a statistical improbability. Most people do an internship or GMO/FT first, then come back and get a spot.

 

[Gastrapathy]

Exactly.
The military match is a point based system. You get 1-3 points based on your board scores, 1-3 points based on your GPA, and so on and so forth. There are points for prior military service, points for research projects, points for "probability of military success" and other things. But the big point areas are internship/GMO/Flight Tour.

If I recall correctly from when I was applying, a medical student who got maximum points in all areas could get something like 36 points total. An intern reapplying got 30 points just for being an intern, and then piled med school points on top of that. A flight surgeon/GMO got 50-60 points just for having done the tour.

So basically a medical student had very little chance of competing. But every year they take 2-3 at least for reasons unknown. So it's not an impossibility, but it is a statistical improbability. Most people do an internship or GMO/FT first, then come back and get a spot.

Its not necessarily this simple because the medical students are competing in the PGY1 selection process and the interns in the PGY2+ selection process. There can be slots (specifically for full deferment) that are only availabe to MS4s.

Bottom line, as was said above...who the heck knows.

 

[The White Coat Investor]

I assume you're asking USMLE scores?

I matched straight through a few years ago (civilian) with 257/265. I'm sure it can be done with lower scores than that, but I would worry if you had below average USMLE scores, didn't have honors in EM rotations, or had generally average or worse grades. The year I applied only 1/2 of those who applied matched into EM at all.

 

[Droopy Snoopy]

Its not necessarily this simple because the medical students are competing in the PGY1 selection process and the interns in the PGY2+ selection process. There can be slots (specifically for full deferment) that are only availabe to MS4s.

Bottom line, as was said above...who the heck knows.

AF EM in San Antonio is a 3 year program. M4s and everybody else all apply for the same EM-1 positions.

 

[Gastrapathy]

AF EM in San Antonio is a 3 year program. M4s and everybody else all apply for the same EM-1 positions.

But not necessarily for the same pot of deferred slots.

 

[deuist]

But not necessarily for the same pot of deferred slots.

Yes, they apply for the same pot of deferred spots (all of them are 3 years, with no distinction for PGY1 vs PGY2).

 

[basicscikills]

I just matched into an AF ER slot for the upcoming year. I applied last year too but got deferred into a one year civilian program. According to the AF assistant program director when I interviewed, the most important things to do are to make sure you have all your paperwork in ahead of time and, even more so, to do an interview at the place you want to go. You should do a military rotation in EM (at least one) and really try to shine while you're there. If they don't know you it seems as though you have very low chances of getting picked. My first time around I didn't do some of those things and he told me that really hurt my (otherwise strong) application.

They didn't release a match list like they did the year before, but according to one of the guys at the HPSP office, last year there were 85 applicants for a total of 30 spots (civilian deferred plus military residency positions). I'm not sure what it was this time around but probably just as competitive. So I'd say if you're wanting EM, just do the best you can. There are factors that you can't control, but it is possible to match.