I'm not going to match - what steps should I be taking?

[wantnoscrub]

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Was under-qualified, applied to general surgery. Didn't apply to any "back-ups" because it was my life and I was sure I would do anything to be a surgeon. Fast-forward a few months and surgery lost it's luster in December (after doing a few aways) but by then it was too late to apply to other programs. Got only a few interviews. Had to repeat a year, 200-210 Step I, 225-235 Step II. Did great on my aways so feel like I have some connections there I can call on. Met with my school's Family medicine and anesthesia programs.
Don't know if I should be targeting prelim surgery, prelim medicine, family medicine? Should I be getting new letters? Rewriting personal statements? PDs haven't been super helpful as they've had no experience in the SOAP.

 

[Reveler]

Talk to your school about preparing for the SOAP. I'm not sure how competitive your app would be for a PGY2 surgery spot, and from the sound of it, you're not so thrilled on that career option at this point anyway. The real question is: what do you want to do? Aside from surgery, what else interests you? I know that's cheesy, but it's important to come up with an honest answer to that question.

 

[VanDiemen]

You should use these last few months as a med student to get experience in whichever field you ultimately want to enter. Also to get Letters of Recommendation. I think that is extremely important. Other than that, I would say that you should take whatever you can get in the SOAP.
If you want anesthesia, be aggressive and do your best to get into some sort of prelim spot. There are often a decent number of open prelim surgery spots during the SOAP. Then you can apply to Anesthesia positions during the 2018-2019 application cycle. You will most likely need to then do another intern year (hopefully a prelim med or transitional) from 2019-2020 before starting anesthesia.
If you want family med, then you can try to get a spot in a categorical program in the SOAP. Otherwise just follow the same plan as above.

 

[ValentinNarcisse]

Don’t graduate. Reapply as a medical student into a different speciality next year.


Sent from my iPhone using SDN mobile

 

[NotAProgDirector]

Looking at your old posts, you're a US MD at a mid-tier school, step scores as above (although you've posted the exact scores in the past, not sure why the ranges now), grades in the bottom quarter of your class. Repeated M2. You have a few GS interviews.

You need a plan. Options are:

1. Continue to apply for GS this cycle. Rank the programs you interviewed at and hope for the best. VS Don't rank GS programs if you no longer want to be a surgeon. Can't tell if you're just burned out on the application process, or really don't like surgery any more.

If you don't match, or choose not to rank any GS programs:

2. Decide what you think you want to do with your career long term. You've listed FM, IM, and Anesthesia above. Which of those are you actually interested in? Or do you want to apply to GS again?

Once we know the answers to those questions, we can advise you how to approach SOAP.

 

[wantnoscrub]

Oopsie doopsie on the scores. Forgot my own post history. Thanks for the replies. I think I'm a mixture of bumming/don't want to repeat this process next year/am more fully appreciating the likelihood of me not matching after a second go-round. I did an ICU rotation and really liked that and felt like I did a good job so anesthesia or IM both became good options to me. Basically the idea of doing surgery or nothing went away.

 

[NotAProgDirector]

OK. Interpreting what you've written:

1. You're still going to try to match to GS this cycle. Still happy with a career in surgery if you can get it.
2. If that fails, then thinking about Anesthesia vs IM with a possible goal of CCM.

If that's the case, then:
1. You rank all your categorical GS spots in the match, see what happens.
2. Ask your home program's Anesthesia (and IM) programs if they are willing to still consider you despite the late date. If so, they go on the bottom of your ROL.
3. FM doesn't get you anywhere near your possible career in CCM.
4. Ranking prelim GS is not a great idea.
5. If you fail to match, then you look at SOAP for either Anesthesia or IM programs. Which you apply to will really depend upon what's available in the match. Problem is, you may not be terribly competitive for Anesthesia with lowish USMLE's and a repeated year, hence you're probably best focusing on IM.
5b. Do not waste applications on GS programs in SOAP. You will be tempted.
6. Try for categorical IM, but prelim is OK also. Definitely apply to programs that have both in SOAP -- one application should suffice for both programs (programs might quibble about this).
7. If you fail to get a spot in SOAP, then you need a Plan C. Either delay graduation for a year, or use your remaining rotations to gear an app towards either IM or Anesthesia, then get some sort of a paying job, and reapply next year.
8. If you're really not certain about IM vs Anesthesia, then delaying grad a year and rotating in both is your best option.

 

[wantnoscrub]

OK. Interpreting what you've written:

1. You're still going to try to match to GS this cycle. Still happy with a career in surgery if you can get it.
2. If that fails, then thinking about Anesthesia vs IM with a possible goal of CCM.

If that's the case, then:
1. You rank all your categorical GS spots in the match, see what happens.
2. Ask your home program's Anesthesia (and IM) programs if they are willing to still consider you despite the late date. If so, they go on the bottom of your ROL.
3. FM doesn't get you anywhere near your possible career in CCM.
4. Ranking prelim GS is not a great idea.
5. If you fail to match, then you look at SOAP for either Anesthesia or IM programs. Which you apply to will really depend upon what's available in the match. Problem is, you may not be terribly competitive for Anesthesia with lowish USMLE's and a repeated year, hence you're probably best focusing on IM.
5b. Do not waste applications on GS programs in SOAP. You will be tempted.
6. Try for categorical IM, but prelim is OK also. Definitely apply to programs that have both in SOAP -- one application should suffice for both programs (programs might quibble about this).
7. If you fail to get a spot in SOAP, then you need a Plan C. Either delay graduation for a year, or use your remaining rotations to gear an app towards either IM or Anesthesia, then get some sort of a paying job, and reapply next year.
8. If you're really not certain about IM vs Anesthesia, then delaying grad a year and rotating in both is your best option.

Thank you so much. Can I ask about your advice re: 5b? "Do not waste applications on GS programs in SOAP. You will be tempted." Would these be a waste because I'm just not competitive enough, don't have enough of my heart into it, or something else?

This is seriously the best most actionable advice I've gotten.

 

[gutonc]

Thank you so much. Can I ask about your advice re: 5b? "Do not waste applications on GS programs in SOAP. You will be tempted." Would these be a waste because I'm just not competitive enough, don't have enough of my heart into it, or something else?

This is seriously the best most actionable advice I've gotten.

Mostly the former.

You'll be competing for those spots with ortho, ENT, Integrated Surgery (Plastics/Thoracic/Vascular), etc applicants who didn't match.

 

[NotAProgDirector]

Agree with my esteemed colleague. If you can't get a GS spot in the match, it's very unlikely you'll get one in SOAP. And you only get 30 apps, so each app to a GS program is one lost to something else.

If you remained on the "Surgery or Bust!" plan, then my advice would be different.

 

[wantnoscrub]

Really so appreciative right now. Thank you.

 

[IMPD]

Really so appreciative right now. Thank you.

aProg should get some award for "almost always the most helpful comments on the thread" award.

 

[rokshana]

aProg should get some award for "almost always the most helpful comments on the thread" award.

Or at least the 10 dollar gift card

 

[Apollyon]

Or at least the 10 dollar gift card

Yeah, that's a legit thing. What did Carl Spackler say about the Dalai Lama? Yeah, just gimme a tip.

 

[Winged Scapula]

Or at least the 10 dollar gift card

We usually try and avoid letting staff get the cards for obvious reasons.

 

[ThoracicGuy]

We usually try and avoid letting staff get the cards for obvious reasons.

The staff can buy their own cards with that sweet sweet mod money!

 

[NotAProgDirector]

I got some mod swag awhile ago. Don't need nothin' else.

(Said swag was on display during many residency interviews. No one has mentioned/noticed yet)

 

[Raryn]

I got some mod swag awhile ago. Don't need nothin' else.

(Said swag was on display during many residency interviews. No one has mentioned/noticed yet)

To acknowledge it would invite curiosity as to what presence the applicant had on SDN. I don't know many who would request that scrutiny.

 

[NotAProgDirector]

I'm already cross referencing everyone's schools / USMLE / post content with their application data. Cat's out of the bag.

 

[IMPD]

I give a now very well attended "How to get into the Residency of Your Dreams" talk to the MS3s. I finish the talk with what SDN is good for. I have no idea if anyone takes me up on my suggestions, but every year at least one person starts laughing when I describe WAMC thread.