I did not match this year .what should I do

[Glory87]

Hello everybody
I did not match for cardiology this year,and I was wondering what is my next step should be
I have good cv and only think I can think of is lacking is research experience
I did not have any publication in my application
I still want cardiology as future career
Is it better to work as hospitalist or primary care in a big institution where I can have access to research
Or is better to apply to one or 2 years of only research ?
The program I am doing my residency in is not active in research especially cardiology department

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[hotshotdoc]

do you need a visa?

 

[Glory87]

I will have green card soon so no visa issues

 

[hotshotdoc]

You should do some research (basic or clinical) at a place that has cardiology fellowship. Try to get into the good books of the program director or some big shot who would vouch for you in the program. Try to get atleast 4-5 publications. You could also try to get into a heart failure fellowship or some other non-acgme fellowships like MRI and try to get your name in some publications and build a CV.
Good luck.

 

[Glory87]

Thanks
So you think I should do pure one or 2 years of research or just do it as part of a job like a hospitalist or primary care

 

[Glory87]

And what is the best place to do the research
Is it better to do it in top centers such as Cleveland or it would be better to do it in other placed where you can have a true chance to get in

 

[CV student]

Whatever you do now MAY help boost up your application, but unfortunately not necessarily so, based on my personal experience. My background, decent USMLE score (254, 237), did IM from a decent community program. Has 5-6 publications including JACC (not first author except in a master's paper), terminal research degree (MSCR), and currently doing research fellowship. What mainly determines your competitiveness is where you trained for your residency and how you performed during that time. Doing clinical training (e.g. heart failure) or research to boost up your CV is one thing, and liking them is different. I think if you did your IM residency in small program, then go for the clinical training that you like (heart failure, MRI etc). If you did your training from an "elite" institution doing research can add to your CV. I am not sure if it will, if you were trained at a small program. Bottom line is that you need to work with either chief or program director to show that you are someone they definitely want you into their program. I did not match twice, and trying one more year. I think without exaggeration that my research skills are much better than usual applicants including those coming from "elite" programs, and sometimes even better than a junior faculty. My experience is that there is a great bias if you did your IM training in a small program. Key for you is enjoy what you like. I like research, so I am taking this path.

 

[Glory87]

Thanks all for your input

 

[Instatewaiter]

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[Glory87]

Thank you all.that was very useful.