How to choose which programs to apply

[wearethechamp12]

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Hi everyone,

I have tried from trying US News ranking to Doximity's Residency Navigator, but it was difficult for me to gauge which programs I should apply. Neither of the tools provided an objective applicant statistics like average boards scores. All I could gather was essentially if there was any DO resident in the program (I go to a DO school). I have heard from my school's current 4th years that getting audition rotations this year have been quite challenging, so I thought I should start doing some searching in advance while I'm on a relatively relaxed rotation at the moment. I am interested in university IM or neuro, Step 1 235-245, COMLEX Level 1 575-580, and have 3 bench research publications all as second authors in IM. What would be a good way to look at programs when their average step 1 is not available? Any advice would be much appreciated!

 

[Ho0v-man]

Hi everyone,

I have tried from trying US News ranking to Doximity's Residency Navigator, but it was difficult for me to gauge which programs I should apply. Neither of the tools provided an objective applicant statistics like average boards scores. All I could gather was essentially if there was any DO resident in the program (I go to a DO school). I have heard from my school's current 4th years that getting audition rotations this year have been quite challenging, so I thought I should start doing some searching in advance while I'm on a relatively relaxed rotation at the moment. I am interested in university IM or neuro, Step 1 235-245, COMLEX Level 1 575-580, and have 3 bench research publications all as second authors in IM. What would be a good way to look at programs when their average step 1 is not available? Any advice would be much appreciated!

Just apply where you want to go and some places you’d be okay with because it’s still a university program just in a not-so-great location, or a great location but a less desirable program, etc.

There’s no reason you can’t be a programs first DO resident. People on here see those really awesome DO matches and assume they had a killer app or crazy connections. Sometimes that’s the case. But a lot of times they just nabbed an interview and it went well.

Yes make sure you apply to places that have taken DOs. But don’t not apply somewhere that has never taken one.

 

[DrStephenStrange]

Have you tried Residency Explorer? It's an AAMC tool, so use your AAMC credentials to login. It will give you the option to input your board scores and other stats like research/publications, work experience etc... and it'll basically tell you if you're above average, average, below average, or not within range of the Residency programs. It's updated every year after the match, so it's the most accurate data we actually have.