How many programs did you apply to?

[shahkg]

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Hey everyone, I'm a 4th year student right now and getting ready for ERAS. I am applying to all gas programs, but I am not sure as to how many to apply to? I am taking my Step II in 2 weeks, and my Step I score wasn't that great. Any advice?

 

[Swaydaa]

If Step one is low (<200) and no step 2, you can always take the SHOTGUN approach...20-100 programs!!!!

Dr. Cuts (RADIOLOGY) did one of the biggest shotguns ever for radiology (>100 programs) and scored 7-8 interviews. He landed a spot with this approach. He did have really high scores but he went to Carib for school. I've also seen people fail with this method.

I've also been stressed out about how many programs I'm going to apply to!

Good luck!

 

[powermd]

Hey everyone, I'm a 4th year student right now and getting ready for ERAS. I am applying to all gas programs, but I am not sure as to how many to apply to? I am taking my Step II in 2 weeks, and my Step I score wasn't that great. Any advice?

I applied to about 12 anesthesia programs, got 11 interviews (all but MGH!). In retrospect, I probably could have eliminated a few, but you never know going in exactly how your application will be viewed, and what the competition will be like. You should see as many programs as you are comfortable visiting. It's good to have a lot of options. In the end I was very happy with my match.

I applied to about 14 prelim/transitional programs, and got about 7 interviews. I got my #6 choice, so that was a close one. My interviews were all at moderate to highly competitive internships (some due to location, others due to lifestyle, prestige, or all three).

 

[nchhabra]

Its pretty difficult to say how many you should apply to. There are so many other factors besides USMLE. It also depends on what part of the country you are looking at, etc, etc. I would say roughly, if you have <215 (I picked this number, because I have heard some schools use this as a cutoff) on Step I, apply to 20 or so programs, and you should land enough interviews to match. That's not saying if you have a 216 and you are applying to all the Cali programs + Columbia, Cornell, MGH, BWH, BID, JHH, Duke, Mayo etc that 20 will be enough. Just make sure you apply to a good mix in terms of prestige and location.

Like powermd said don't neglect the transitional/prelim IM or surg apps. I only applied transitional and sent out 4 apps, interviewing 2 places, which were both fairly competive in terms of lifestyle. I was lucky enough to scramble into a prelim IM spot at the school I matched for gas, which so far has been really nice. But it is really easy to screw yourself if you don't pay attention to it, ie you may get stuck with a prelim surgery spot or malignant IM position.

 

[shahkg]

Ah, ok so here is my other question...

I am under a 210 on Step I (aiming for 230-240 on Step II) and will most def apply to 20-30 anesthesia programs. But for the transition/prelim years you have to apply to those seperately and then re-apply next year for a gas program? Is that how it works? So confused !! 😕

So I don't know if I should only apply to gas programs, and if I don't get one (knock on wood) then go for the scramble? Any of you guys know how competitive it is down in Florida? I don't want to get stuck in a transition/prelim year that sucks and then not get into a gas program next year...thanks for the advice!

K

 

[nchhabra]

Ah, ok so here is my other question...

I am under a 210 on Step I (aiming for 230-240 on Step II) and will most def apply to 20-30 anesthesia programs. But for the transition/prelim years you have to apply to those seperately and then re-apply next year for a gas program? Is that how it works? So confused !! 😕

So I don't know if I should only apply to gas programs, and if I don't get one (knock on wood) then go for the scramble? Any of you guys know how competitive it is down in Florida? I don't want to get stuck in a transition/prelim year that sucks and then not get into a gas program next year...thanks for the advice!

K

It depends on the program. More and more programs these days have the first year built in, called the Clinical Base Year (CBY) meaning you don't have to apply to/set up your own prelim spot. Again, depending on where you go, it can include medicine, peds, ob/gyn, and surgery months, and a month or 2 of anesthesia. If you are looking for an advanced position (ie starting in 2006), you still apply this year through eras. You would also apply to transitional/prelim years separately through eras which will be for 2005. You can send the same letters and such to the programs, as most of them understand that you are applying to some other field. It is probably a good idea to have one letter from someone outside anesthesia like a medicine or surgery attending. It is the same in terms of money like for any other field. Its like $60 for the 1st 10 programs, and then goes up for each set of 5 or 10 additional programs. So basically, the bottom line is, you are applying for everything this year, and if it all works out well, in March you will know where you are going for transitional/prelim (if you go that route) and where you will go for gas. Good luck.

 

[Skrubz]

applied to 16 anesthesia programs (8 california, 5 chicago, 2 seattle), got 16 invites, interviewed at 15. also applied to way too many prelim/transitional programs (20+), got interviews at most of them, but only interviewed at maybe 15 of them (roughly half in california). but, i was coming from chicago and really wanted to come to california, so i didn't want to take any chances.

so... yes, you apply to both anesthesia and prelim/transitional during the same year and it can definitely be a pain.

 

[dr2b0804]

Hi, here's my question...if I apply to trans/prelim programs for '05 and advanced anesthesiology spots for '06, if I don't match to the '06 anesth spots do I automatically not get matched into a trans/prelim year or will I at least match to a trans/prelim program (and then I'd apply next year for an advanced spot)? Thanks! 😱

 

[powermd]

Hi, here's my question...if I apply to trans/prelim programs for '05 and advanced anesthesiology spots for '06, if I don't match to the '06 anesth spots do I automatically not get matched into a trans/prelim year or will I at least match to a trans/prelim program (and then I'd apply next year for an advanced spot)? Thanks! 😱

This is a VERY good question, and a lot of people don't understand how this works. You will create a primary and secondary rank ordered list (ROL). The primary ROL is generally for your anesthesiology programs, and the secondary ROL is for your prelims. The algorithm will FIRST try to match you to one of your primary choices; if, and only if, you match a primary advanced (pgy234) program, will it then go to your secondary ROL and attempt to match you to a prelim (pgy1) program. If you match a categorical (pgy1234) program on your primary ROL, your secondary ROL won't be used. YOU NEED TO PUT A FEW (OR ALL) PRELIM PROGRAMS ON YOUR PRIMARY ROL AT THE VERY END. THE MATCH ALGORITHM WILL ONLY USE YOUR SECONDARY ROL IF YOU MATCH A PROGRAM ON YOUR PRIMARY LIST THAT REQUIRES A SEPARATE INTERNSHIP. If you don't match an anesthesia program, the algorithm will not attempt to use your secondary ROL. That means prelim programs must be listed below your anesthesia programs on your PRIMARY ROL to ensure that you have an internship, even if you don't match an anesthesia program. Of course, there's always a chance that you won't match an internship, but I digress... I hope this wasn't too confusing.

 

[Swaydaa]

Thanks powermd that was pretty infomative! 🙂

 

[Arch Guillotti]

powermd explained it all pretty good. Thinking back on my ROL, I didn't rank any prelims at the tail end. I guess I figured that I ranked about 14 gas programs, a bunch of which were categorical, so I wouldn't need to bother with it. As a DO, I really had no guidance from my school, so I shotgunned it. I think I applied to about 50 programs. I got far more interviews that I expected and had to turn a bunch down. I didn't sweat the extra bucks one bit. I am pretty far in the hole after DO school, what is a few more bucks. I matched at my #1, and interestingly enough my 2 and 3 both had an unfilled advanced spot. Gas is more competitive these days, but as I have said before if you apply to enough programs, aren't a psychopath and can routinely tie your shoelaces, you shouldn't have a problem matching.

 

[ys]

Hi powermd (or anyone else), one quick question about the ROLs. Can one list a prelim program at the end of the primary ROL and list that same program on the secondary ROL. Thanks in advance.

 

[Skrubz]

Hi powermd (or anyone else), one quick question about the ROLs. Can one list a prelim program at the end of the primary ROL and list that same program on the secondary ROL. Thanks in advance.

yes, i believe you can, since i don't see any reason why you wouldn't be able to. like arch, i ranked about 14 anesthesia programs on my primary and didn't rank any prelims there because i figured that i was bound to get into at least one anesthesia program.

 

[dr2b0804]

I'm very grateful for your explanation powermd. I've been wondering about that for a while. Now at least I feel like I'll be somewhere next year no matter what (hopefully in a categorical!) 😀

 

[shahkg]

Hey guys thanks for all the help and suggestions 👍

Anyone know how competitive Florida gas programs are, namely Jackson Memorial (U of Miami)?

 

[VentdependenT]

Just click the little box on ERAS buddy.

 

[sethco]

Quick question. When applying for the prelim medicine programs, Where are they on FRIEDA? Do I do a search for Internal Medicine programs or Family Medicine programs?

 

[powermd]

Quick question. When applying for the prelim medicine programs, Where are they on FRIEDA? Do I do a search for Internal Medicine programs or Family Medicine programs?

Transitional programs are listed separately (like a separate specialty), prelim med/surg are not listed as prelims. They are listed as the categorical programs. Other than looking at the program size data, and seeing if there's a significant difference in the number of residents who are PGY1 vs PGY2 (if there's a drop, that means there are prelims, who leave), you can look at the program's website to see if they offer prelim spots. Most med/surg programs offer prelims, so don't worry about it too much. On the ERAS application, there is a way of indicating whether you are applying for categorical or prelim.

 

[sethco]

Thanks for the reply POWERMD. I Appreciate it.

 

[dr2b0804]

Transitional programs are listed separately (like a separate specialty), prelim med/surg are not listed as prelims. They are listed as the categorical programs. Other than looking at the program size data, and seeing if there's a significant difference in the number of residents who are PGY1 vs PGY2 (if there's a drop, that means there are prelims, who leave), you can look at the program's website to see if they offer prelim spots. Most med/surg programs offer prelims, so don't worry about it too much. On the ERAS application, there is a way of indicating whether you are applying for categorical or prelim.

What would you consider a significant difference in the number of PGY1 vs PGY2 residents?

 

[nchhabra]

What would you consider a significant difference in the number of PGY1 vs PGY2 residents?

I would say probably 33% more. Some of the university programs will have 50%+ more spots in the PGY-1 year than the PGY-2.