I need help please

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Medstudentquest

Medstudentquest

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Not matching is not even close to a problem for someone who was competitive for derm. Just make a few phone calls starting with the program directors in your own institution and be willing to take prelim med or surgery.
 
How did you not get a prelim spot? Did you apply to enough?

And why weren't you able to speak with any programs today? Today was the scramble.
 
I don't know what could have happened unless maybe you were too selective in your prelim programs or didn't fill out and certify the match properly.

I do know that prelim medicine spots do open up even after the match. Two opened up last year in September at my hospital. So keep calling and don't give up! Your school should be helping you with the legwork. This is a common occurrence and they should know what to do.
 
Keep trying. While a lot of spots fill early on in the scramble, there have to be some available..

Sorry to hear about this. I can't imagine how shocking this whole thing is-- it must be so emotionally frustrating.

The good news is that you still have options, even if they're not ideal-- there are always medicine prelim spots that go unfilled, though they may not be in locations desirable to you.

As to whether or not to drop out of medicine... take some nice deep breaths and promise everyone that you won't make any major decisions too quickly.
 
Well for starters, I would definitely speak with your dean about it. There's something suspect if your own school doesn't take you and if the IM PD and the derm PD haven't spoken with you yet.

Finally, I'd keep plugging away with the preliminary programs. There are 89 preliminary medicine programs (as of Monday, obviously less now). If you qualified for derm, you should definitely find a match somewhere in terms of preliminary programs.

I'd consider the preliminary surgery year as well. There were 473 of those positions on Monday. Finally, I'd also ask the dean about finishing your MPH and then reapplying. If I had to guess, I would say you would be a stronger applicant after that. Of course, I am also NOT intimately involved with the admissions process. Perhaps it would be a red flag to go through the match process more than once?
 
When you filled out your main rank list (not the supplemental list) with all the derm programs on it did you put the prelim programs at the end of it so that if you didn't match into derm it automatically went to your prelim programs?
 
Can you post your stats? How many interviews/ranked programs for both derm and prelim?
 
sorry to hear about your situation. is there someone at your school who can help you out? these situations are diffiucult if you are trying to do this all by yourself.

i'm not really sure what your best options are. i, too, did not match derm when i applied as a 4th year, though i did manage to get a prelim spot. someone in my class did not match a prelim spot, and our school actually opened up an additional prelim spot for him. perhaps you could try contacting the IM program at your school to see if these is an option. obviously they would need to have funding and would have to want you, but it is worth a try (even though i am sure it is a very difficult/embarrassing/humiliating situation to be in).

you could try doing everything all over again next year, but i would have someone really reassess your application. was it a fluke that you didn't get in? does your application have any major problems? did you apply to enough prelim programs? why haven't you taken step 2 yet? -- that could possibly hurt you, and i know most schools require you to have taken it by now.

your med school needs to help you out with this. you paid for an education there, and it is their duty to help you out provided you are a decent student, etc... i felt very alone when i didn't match, but in the end my med school was very helpful. for example, there may be someone in the IM department who can find out if any prelim spots open up at other programs.

you could try taking a year off and doing some research then reapplying, but it sounds like you are in the middle of an mph?

sorry, that is probably not very helpful. try to keep your chin up. things WILL get better. my life has been wonderful since i have stepped away from medicine.
 
kralwok said:
sorry to hear about your situation. is there someone at your school who can help you out? these situations are diffiucult if you are trying to do this all by yourself.

i'm not really sure what your best options are. i, too, did not match derm when i applied as a 4th year, though i did manage to get a prelim spot. someone in my class did not match a prelim spot, and our school actually opened up an additional prelim spot for him. perhaps you could try contacting the IM program at your school to see if these is an option. obviously they would need to have funding and would have to want you, but it is worth a try (even though i am sure it is a very difficult/embarrassing/humiliating situation to be in).

you could try doing everything all over again next year, but i would have someone really reassess your application. was it a fluke that you didn't get in? does your application have any major problems? did you apply to enough prelim programs? why haven't you taken step 2 yet? -- that could possibly hurt you, and i know most schools require you to have taken it by now.

your med school needs to help you out with this. you paid for an education there, and it is their duty to help you out provided you are a decent student, etc... i felt very alone when i didn't match, but in the end my med school was very helpful. for example, there may be someone in the IM department who can find out if any prelim spots open up at other programs.

you could try taking a year off and doing some research then reapplying, but it sounds like you are in the middle of an mph?

sorry, that is probably not very helpful. try to keep your chin up. things WILL get better. my life has been wonderful since i have stepped away from medicine.
Click to expand...

What are you doing now if you don't mind my asking?
 
Medstudentquest said:
Thanks for your comments. I currently am in a midst of anguish, anger, desperation, and not knowing what to do. Should I just assume that I'm not supposed to be a Dr? I feel like a complete *****. Should I just not continue in medicine?
Click to expand...

While it may be difficult now to accept, there's more to medicine than derm. Explore other areas and see what may interest you.
 
Medstudentquest said:
I am confused. So I did my derm list, and then I did a supplemental list. I am not sure what you mean by did I put the prelim programs at the end. I just did a supplemental list. Is that wrong somehow?
Click to expand...

With the way you structured your list, your supplemental list would have been activated only if you matched into derm, which you did not. If you listed your prelim programs after your primary derm list, then you could have matched at a prelim program. That's probably what happened.
 
Medstudentquest said:
Ahhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!! I knew it! I figured that I couldn't just have not matched into a prelim. :( Is there anything that I can do about this? can the NRMP do anything about this?
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The NRMP can't do anything about it at this point, but you could email the PDs of the places you interviewed at and tell them what happened. Maybe one of them could open up a spot for you.

Honestly, if you're very committed to derm, I would suggest taking this year to do a year of derm research. Not only will it help your application but next year when you apply again, you'll be eligible for both advanced and categorical derm program. Best of luck! :luck:
 
Medstudentquest said:
I am confused. So I did my derm list, and then I did a supplemental list. I am not sure what you mean by did I put the prelim programs at the end. I just did a supplemental list. Is that wrong somehow?
Click to expand...

As was stated in a previous response. If you filled out the rank list the way you say you did there was no way you could match into your prelim programs unless you matched into derm! At least you have a reason now for what happened. You have to list your preliminary programs twice. Once in your supplementary lists to tell the computer what to do IF you match into derm. Then you have to list them again at the end of your main list after all the derm programs to tell the program what to do if you don't match into derm.

But that is all water under the bridge now. You will get a prelim program if you keep plugging. Don't worry.
 
What are some other ways to obtain a prelim position if your home institution isn't capable of doing so? (Our school currently do not have any residencies.)
 
it sounds like you didn't do your match list correctly :(. it is a little tricky when you are ranking prelim and advanced spots. ugh. when i was making mine i asked for someone to review it at my school a couple of days before it was due, and believe it or not, no one was really quite sure how to do it. mine was particularly complicated b/c i was couples matching. anyway, try not to be too hard on yourself about this. perhaps there is a reason why all of this happened.

i agree that you should contact the prelim programs you applied to and let them know the situation.

if you are flexible to move, then you can probably get a spot somewhere in the US if that is what you want to do. you would need someone at your school to help you out with finding one.

if you are not flexible to move and none of the programs you ranked are responsive, consider taking a year off next year to do derm research and reapplying if you are a strong derm candidate. financially this can be tough, and you should also reassess if you want to apply for another specialty as backup.

i am taking some time off this year, and it has been great. i am working on some research and am expecting a baby soon. the research is not ideal, because i couldn't move so am not doing a formal derm fellowship, but i am making the best of the situation and hoping it is enough. i actually applied to another specialty through the match this year, because i got so down on derm and am not in a position to move, but found out i was pregnant and withdrew. i plan to reapply for derm next year and also another specialty as backup so that i will not have to go through this again.

good luck. try not too get too down. i know it is rough to face your classmates and to face your own criticism, but please remember it is not the end of the world. take some time for yourself, spend some quality time with your husband, go to the gym, have a glass of wine, eat a nice meal, watch a good movie, etc... you worked hard for this so don't let one roadblock stop you (unless of course you really hate medicine).

i remember listening to residents reminisce about how wonderful 4th year of med school was, and i was always thinking that i didn't have such fond memories! but hey, i am sure my memories of this year and next year will be much better than their's.
 
Medstudentquest said:
Thank you I will email all the PD's and beg if I need to for a spot. I had all this planned out. :(
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It is a good idea to contact all the places you interviewed at and request a spot. They probably ranked you highly enough to match but you didn't because of this computer glitch. ;)
 
I'm sorry that I have nothing constructive to add, but I sincerely wish you the best of luck as you work through this situation. It'll all work out in the end somehow (easier said than believed, but it will). I'll keep my fingers crossed for you.
 
There may be a silver lining in not matching to a prelim spot. If you are truly competitive for derm, then take the year off and apply to every derm program in the country in the next cycle. Go to every interview extended to you. That will increase your chances. If you do a prelim year, it will severely limit how much time you can devote for interviews.
 
Medstudentquest said:
I need to do a prelim program nevertheless. can't match into derm with no internship done. Also derm is brutally competitive, so my plans were to work in my PD's research program for a year and then go from there.
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As I mentioned in an earlier post, I would really consider just doing this instead of trying to scramble into an intern year spot. By doing a prelim year, you would be limiting yourself next year to those few programs that have PGY-2 spots open for a 2010 start, which I'm guessing happens very rarely. Or you would reapply through the match and end up doing an extra intern year or having to do something else if programs accept the year you've already done.

On the other hand, if you just go ahead and opt for the research year now, you'd make great contacts and beef up your application for next year's match, at which time you'd be eligible to apply to every program in the country. It may seem like a wasted year but it's certainly not if it gets you into derm. Good luck!
 
Medstudentquest said:
Hi,

Well the thing is that I had to take some time off for personal reasons and I'm doing an MPH, so I'm already going on my 5th year with the MPH. Also doing research right now at my PD's lab. I was planning on doing internship and if i didn't match (like i didn't), to do research then.

If i were to talk to my PD now and ask if I can do research, that *may* be able to get me in the next round of derm spots, which would be 2 years from now, but at the same time, I would have to do internship still. i can't do derm without an internship, so it's something that i have to do eventually. also my pd has suggested us to do internship before research.

i'm not entirely understanding why you say that if I did research now, I'd be able to apply to every program next year. i would have an MD yes, but I would still have to do internship, no?
Click to expand...

Right, but you'd be doing the same thing you did this year. You'd apply and interview for prelim and derm spots at the same time, then start your prelim year in July 2010 and derm in July 2011. If you did your internship this upcoming year and applied during your internship you'd have a lot more limitations on travel and interviewing.

It seems like you really need to sit down with your PD and discuss your plan. I know it will be a bit tough (and even painful) to face him/her since you didn't match there, but you've got to.
 
Medstudentquest said:
i'm not entirely understanding why you say that if I did research now, I'd be able to apply to every program next year. i would have an MD yes, but I would still have to do internship, no?
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What SoCute said is what I'm referring to. If you do your internship next year, you're still going to have a gap year between next year and when you would start derm. Some places may prefer that you redo your intern year so you can be fresh off the wards to start derm. Plus, as SoCute mentioned, it would be very difficult to get sufficient time off for interviews during your intern year. That's why I would suggest doing research this next year to help both your application and the application process.
 
To the OP, sorry to hear about this frustrating situation! Reading through the posts, it seems lke one of those crazy things that happens and at the time you think: oh boy, this is the end of the world. But then, later you look back and think, hey! that was a really great thing that happened to me.

At least, that is how I read it from my perspective. :)

I liked Kralwok's comments about stepping back, taking a deep breath and then just letting go of all the anxiety and spending a nice year doing research, focussing on your family and the things that are really important in life. Derm is not going anywhere, and really - anything can happen in a year.

Your whole perspective might change as well. And, opportunities might come up that you can't even imagine right now. Sometimes, it is hard to trust the process and go with the flow. I would not be embarrassed to talk to your PD or anyone at your school, again - take a deep breath, stand tall and just go in and be honest. Admit your frustration and embarrassment and then say: what can I do going forward? Life happens, and we have all been there. Sometimes, really great things can come from what appears to be a terrible disaster.
 
To the OP, I'm truly sorry you're in the position you're in. I know what it feels like to not match in your preferred specialty (I failed to match ophtho this cycle), but the shock of not getting a prelim due to an exceedingly confusing system and computer nuances must be a devastating feeling, and we're all feeling for you.

I do think most of the replies are spot on when they suggest doing a research year. Maybe you can stay where you are and continue with the lab you're already with. That serves the additional purpose on not moving to the middle of nowhere.

If you do a prelim spot, you're going to be very busy, unable to devote time to derm related stuff, and live in a random, undesirable location (probably), at a less than stellar program which won't impress derm programs when you re-apply. I really think you should focus your efforts on doing research next year - you'll get the intern year out of the way if you eventually match as originally planned.

Good luck.
 
Sometimes, it can be better to do 'nothing.' What I mean is, sometimes we freak out and want to run around and 'do' something, when really it is better to just sit down and do nothing. At least, until the dust settles.

A surgical prelim could wreak alot of havoc in your life, and cause way more problems than it could solve. You would be overworked and likely emotionally upset. You would be in a tenuous situation with no future ahead. It would be hard to interview and possibly, you might do poorly because you were so upset. These are very real possibilities to consider. You have come a long way, and while things might seem dark now - they really are not.

You hold a good hand at the moment, you are sitting well. Don't give away all your cards because of a moment of weakness and fear. Wait, take deep breath and trust that the cards you hold now are enough to win the game for you. Don't fold so quickly - and don't fold because of fear.

If you were competitive for derm once, you can be again as well. Trust that things will work out - listen to people's advice here. PM me if you want to 'talk' more. Remember, your peace of mind and your 'serenity' are very valuable things, don't give them away easily.
 
Medstudentrquest
I feel terrible for the situation you are in. I have noticed several aspects to your application that could cause serious problems for a highly competitive match.
1. Low Step 1 score with no Step 2 score. Usually, if people have a not so great Step 1 score, they aim to take Step 2 early in their 4th year and hopefully do better. Taking Step 2 before you reapply and doing well will be key for the next go around.
2. Time off in med school: I know there are many reasons for this to happen, some more far more reasonable than others. Regardless, this can be a "red flag" to an application and a concise reasonable explanation needs to be a part of your application. I suspect you already know this and the reasons were substantial. However, dermatology and other highly competitive residencies may only take "I had cancer" as a reasonable excuse.
3. Counting on heavy lab experience: Clinical experience is far more important in a working residency work situation and lab work plays little (none) in the day to day aspects of clinical medicine. I would not lean on this experience to make up for deficiencies in other areas of your application. They are not equivalent.

I don't know, this is tough. Without knowing the full story, I can't offer any more information. Perhaps you are aiming too high?? Who knows, I wish you the best.
 
You need to move on. Derm takes high usmle scores. How many apps do they get per spot? 40? more?
You say your USMLE 1 was low. Maybe you're not competitive enough. The applicant pool is going to be full of high scores, excellent grades, and generally very well qualified apps.
Don't sit out a year waiting for derm, move on.
Try to get a prelim IM and move on. Who knows maybe a PGY2 will open in derm next year.
If not you can finish IM.
 
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