MD Internal medicine categorical applicants- Match 2020 season

[Mdpowerb]

Hi all, with eras submitted yesterday let's keep each other updated and talk/ ask questions about this application season to IM. US MD and all others are welcome to post stats, interview invites and discussions here.

Couldn't find another thread like this.

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[drkube]

Best of luck everyone!

 

[sharkbyte]

Thanks for starting this and good luck everyone! Got an interview from my home program today - more or less a formality but still happy!

 

[throwaway1000000]

no interviews yet. worried about step 2 cs score. Man, 4th yr has been tough mentally even though easier in terms of hours and work. Not being AOA is also going to hurt based on previous threads for IM interviews

 

[sharkbyte]

no interviews yet. worried about step 2 cs score. Man, 4th yr has been tough mentally even though easier in terms of hours and work. Not being AOA is also going to hurt based on previous threads for IM interviews

I mean, wouldn't this depend on the caliber of the program?

 

[pbrocks15]

no interviews yet. worried about step 2 cs score. Man, 4th yr has been tough mentally even though easier in terms of hours and work. Not being AOA is also going to hurt based on previous threads for IM interviews

If you're shooting for Top 20, yeah not being AOA might "hurt" a little....but it wont be as big a deal for the other schools (from what I was told)

 

[throwaway1000000]

I am just making a general statement. Hopefully AOA does not matter that much outside the top 20 programs. Reading prior SDN IM match threads, it seems like lot of the ppl were AOA even those who matched outside the top 20.
But I might have made that statement in the previous post because of the SDN bias.
Will wait and find out. Hopefully good programs offer interviews to applicants like me from low-tier MD schools even without AOA.

 

[studentdocftw]

Joining the fun! Submitted around 35 apps, mostly regional with a couple hail mary's. Good luck..I'm sure this thread will start moving the week MSPEs are uploaded!

 

[Mdpowerb]

no interviews yet. worried about step 2 cs score. Man, 4th yr has been tough mentally even though easier in terms of hours and work. Not being AOA is also going to hurt based on previous threads for IM interviews

CS is really extra stress ... AOA would be nice to have but only %16.7 of applicants who matched IM had it according to charing outcome from match 2018 (from nrmp data)

 

[IZZIBIZZI]

just a non-US IMG passing by.
it's fun to see US grads have totally different concerns and issues than us lol

good luck yall!

 

[throwaway1000000]

CS is really extra stress ... AOA would be nice to have but only %16.7 of applicants who matched IM had it according to charing outcome from match 2018 (from nrmp data)

Very true. And CS is stressing me out too. Can't wait to get the results on 9th and hopefully pass.

 

[pbrocks15]

Joining the fun! Submitted around 35 apps, mostly regional with a couple hail mary's. Good luck..I'm sure this thread will start moving the week MSPEs are uploaded!

Is that usually when interviews come out?

 

[studentdocftw]

Is that usually when interviews come out?

Yes. Vast majority of interviews are offered in October and conducted in November. Most programs interviewing applicants now are smaller community programs...or programs interviewing home students.

 

[Lebowski9]

Checking in. Two interview invites yesterday from community programs. Good luck everyone !

 

[studentdocftw]

Got an interview at WashU! Let the games begin.

 

[throwaway1000000]

Got an interview at WashU! Let the games begin.

Congrats, that's a great interview.

 

[throwaway1000000]

Indiana just sent out an interview. Are these interview invites a one time thing? Meaning, if I didn't get an interview from WashU, is that it for my chances there?
Edit: just saw last yr's thread, seems like washu did some interview offers out after the first week. I guess some hope is still there. This probably also depends on how many interview spots are left after the first week people signed up.

 

[pbrocks15]

Damn that was fast!

 

[starlite911]

Is AOA really that important for IM? My school (top 20) made it seem like it wasn’t a make or break deal.

 

[throwaway1000000]

Is AOA really that important for IM? My school (top 20) made it seem like it wasn’t a make or break deal.

Probably because your school is in top 20. Your school prestige probably makes top programs less particular about AOA.
But my experience coming from a low-tier MD: the only difference between previous year candidates that had 250s on Step 1 and Step 2, good LORs, and research that separated them into good programs vs. top programs was AOA. Not really fair but that's how it worked at least from the previous year candidates' experience (not that big of a sample size)

I consider myself a pretty decent candidate so far (Step 2 ck and cs pending (hopefully a pass), but I do think I will be restricted from breaking into the top programs because of not having AOA. Not a big deal at the end of the day but just something that happens.

 

[starlite911]

Probably because your school is in top 20. Your school prestige probably makes top programs less particular about AOA.
But my experience coming from a low-tier MD: the only difference between previous year candidates that had 250s on Step 1 and Step 2, good LORs, and research that separated them into good programs vs. top programs was AOA. Not really fair but that's how it worked at least from the previous year candidates' experience (not that big of a sample size)

I consider myself a pretty decent candidate so far (Step 2 ck and cs pending (hopefully a pass), but I do think I will be restricted from breaking into the top programs because of not having AOA. Not a big deal at the end of the day but just something that happens.

Thanks for the perspective. I Honored all but 1 rotation and would hate that to be what ruins my chance at a top program. I hate this process already, and it’s only just started

 

[whoknows2012]

Probably because your school is in top 20. Your school prestige probably makes top programs less particular about AOA.
But my experience coming from a low-tier MD: the only difference between previous year candidates that had 250s on Step 1 and Step 2, good LORs, and research that separated them into good programs vs. top programs was AOA. Not really fair but that's how it worked at least from the previous year candidates' experience (not that big of a sample size)

I consider myself a pretty decent candidate so far (Step 2 ck and cs pending (hopefully a pass), but I do think I will be restricted from breaking into the top programs because of not having AOA. Not a big deal at the end of the day but just something that happens.

This was my experience as well. Many students at my lower tier private med school with 250 steps, good research/letters, top quintile, but if you didn’t get into the top 15% (aoa) marching into a top program was very unlikely. In IM there were something like 40 matches my year, the 6-7 AOA were all top programs. The next rung of applicants, still highly competitive, matched at excellent academic but not “top x” programs. The good news is that almost all of those people did great things with their careers and have moved onto highly competitive sub specialties and matched at highly regarded academic programs

 

[throwaway1000000]

Thanks for the perspective. I Honored all but 1 rotation and would hate that to be what ruins my chance at a top program. I hate this process already, and it’s only just started

I am in the same boat. Missed AOA by 1 honors. But at the end of the day, I want to get into a decent program that will allow me to be a good physician and get into any fellowship I want. There are plenty of programs outside of the top programs that will let you do that.
But I do think you should be okay considering the rank of your med school.

 

[starlite911]

I am in the same boat. Missed AOA by 1 honors. But at the end of the day, I want to get into a decent program that will allow me to be a good physician and get into any fellowship I want. There are plenty of programs outside of the top programs that will let you do that.
But I do think you should be okay considering the rank of your med school.

Same goal - just wanted to make sure my advising recs to only apply to 15 programs of at least a certain caliber wasn’t a bad idea.

 

[Lizz2152]

First IM interview invite today!

 

[Lebowski9]

4 invites so far.

 

[7331poas]

Probably because your school is in top 20. Your school prestige probably makes top programs less particular about AOA.
But my experience coming from a low-tier MD: the only difference between previous year candidates that had 250s on Step 1 and Step 2, good LORs, and research that separated them into good programs vs. top programs was AOA. Not really fair but that's how it worked at least from the previous year candidates' experience (not that big of a sample size)

I consider myself a pretty decent candidate so far (Step 2 ck and cs pending (hopefully a pass), but I do think I will be restricted from breaking into the top programs because of not having AOA. Not a big deal at the end of the day but just something that happens.

If your school does not do AOA, will that be a detriment? (if that is even logical)

 

[throwaway1000000]

If your school does not do AOA, will that be a detriment? (if that is even logical)

I can probably give you a better answer after my interview season, but it unfortunately probably will.
Again, there are lot of factors go in but I do think looking at prior match threads and seniors at my school that AOA plays a big role in internal medicine for the top programs. I am not sure why.
I don't know if schools will look that closely to see that your school does not have AOA. There is not really any place on ERAS to indicate that your school doesn't have AOA.
The schools probably spend 10 minutes on each application (not sure if that's enough time for them to determine your school doesn't do AOA). Having said that, if you have straight honors and no AOA, I am sure lot of people will understand your school doesn't do AOA.

 

[ace_inhibitor111]

If your school does not do AOA, will that be a detriment? (if that is even logical)

My school does not have junior AOA and has a ridiculously good match list for a Top 20-30. I’m pretty sure it’s just a surrogate for good clerkship grades.

 

[sharkbyte]

What do you guys think are some of the reasons schools send out II's so early? Do they really get through everything in the applications to decide? And without the dean's letter?

 

[starlite911]

What do you guys think are some of the reasons schools send out II's so early? Do they really get through everything in the applications to decide? And without the dean's letter?

“Less prestigious” schools want people to get IIs early on when they’re still excited about the process and more likely to go on them, IMO

 

[throwaway1000000]

“Less prestigious” schools want people to get IIs early on when they’re still excited about the process and more likely to go on them, IMO

I get that feeling too. But I cannot understand this 15 day gap between dean's letter and ERAS submission. Dean's letter is nothing but a copy paste of third year evals with few other stuff sprinkled in.
Finish the interviews earlier, finish the match earlier, and let the students relax earlier.

 

[pbrocks15]

I get that feeling too. But I cannot understand this 15 day gap between dean's letter and ERAS submission. Dean's letter is nothing but a copy paste of third year evals with few other stuff sprinkled in.
Finish the interviews earlier, finish the match earlier, and let the students relax earlier.

Couldn't agree more. The gap between the two is totally pointless.

 

[sharkbyte]

I get that feeling too. But I cannot understand this 15 day gap between dean's letter and ERAS submission. Dean's letter is nothing but a copy paste of third year evals with few other stuff sprinkled in.
Finish the interviews earlier, finish the match earlier, and let the students relax earlier.

Agreed. Dean’s letters should absolutely go out 9/15 with the main apps. I get that there’s tons more applicants to interview than other fields like the surgical subs or whatever, but there’s no reason everything can’t be shifted up 1 month so that interviews wrap up in Dec, rank list is in by Jan and matching occurs in feb.

 

[throwaway1000000]

I talked to my friends about the WashU IM interview. The ones that got it were AOA. Again, goes to show the importance of AOA for IM. There are just too many 250+ step 1 scores and the easy way to divide them is by AOA.
To M3s reading this thread, if you are not from a prestigious med school, AOA is the biggest bang for your buck for IM interviews. Not research, LORs, ECs or evals.
I think 245-250 and AOA will yield you better interviews than 250+ without AOA.

 

[throwaway1000000]

U nebraska sent invites.Per the spreadsheet, duke, wisconsin, and U minnesota did as well. Anyone get these interviews?

 

[Lizz2152]

U nebraska sent invites.Per the spreadsheet, duke, wisconsin, and U minnesota did as well. Anyone get these interviews?

Would you mind providing a link to the spreadsheet? I found one but I’m not sure if it’s right because I can’t edit it

 

[throwaway1000000]

 

[starlite911]

U nebraska sent invites.Per the spreadsheet, duke, wisconsin, and U minnesota did as well. Anyone get these interviews?

yes

 

[throwaway1000000]

yes

Congrats. Where?

 

[IMApplicant37555]

First II!! From home program, but oh well, I'll take it!

Wondering if t's too soon to send LOI's to programs that sent out first wave already...

 

[starlite911]

Congrats. Where?

Thank ya! One or more of the places mentioned in your post...yes I’m being elusive

 

[pbrocks15]

First II!! From home program, but oh well, I'll take it!

Wondering if t's too soon to send LOI's to programs that sent out first wave already...

Also curious about this

 

[Dr. Death]

@Analfissure

 

[starlite911]

Also curious about this

I have no official info, but if it was me, I’d wait until after dean letters go out at least. Most super early ones are probably just broad screened invites anyways is my guess

 

[pnw_md]

I talked to my friends about the WashU IM interview. The ones that got it were AOA. Again, goes to show the importance of AOA for IM. There are just too many 250+ step 1 scores and the easy way to divide them is by AOA.
To M3s reading this thread, if you are not from a prestigious med school, AOA is the biggest bang for your buck for IM interviews. Not research, LORs, ECs or evals.
I think 245-250 and AOA will yield you better interviews than 250+ without AOA.

For what it’s worth, no II from WashU for me yet. Top 10 medical school, AOA, Step 1 260, Step 2 274. Makes me think it’s not an auto-screen but perhaps my file is being screened by a slower member of the selection committee. That and/or the early II’s are going to students from WashU. That’s what I’m telling myself at least

 

[throwaway1000000]

For what it’s worth, no II from WashU for me yet. Top 10 medical school, AOA, Step 1 260, Step 2 274. Makes me think it’s not an auto-screen but perhaps my file is being screened by a slower member of the selection committee. That and/or the early II’s are going to students from WashU. That’s what I’m telling myself at least

That is a stellar application. I hope so, haven't been getting what I thought would be easy interviews for me to get with minnesota and wisconsin.
Your post makes me think maybe there is something like that happening.

 

[Mdpowerb]

2019-2020 Reddit IM IV and stuff spreadsheet

 

[jdh71]

Couldn't find another thread like this.

You mean like the one that does exist and has existed in the IM forum for years??

Official Eternal IM WAMC Thread

Thought I would start this new thread for WAMC even though still early for upcoming match cycle. I am an AMG in between MS3 and MS4, on research year. I had originally wanted to do derm, but after this year of research, decided that I am more interested in internal medicine. I would like to...

forums.studentdoctor.net

 

[Mdpowerb]

You mean like the one that does exist and has existed in the IM forum for years??

Official Eternal IM WAMC Thread

Thought I would start this new thread for WAMC even though still early for upcoming match cycle. I am an AMG in between MS3 and MS4, on research year. I had originally wanted to do derm, but after this year of research, decided that I am more interested in internal medicine. I would like to...

forums.studentdoctor.net

Couldn't find that one, thanks for sharing it. Still, this thread is this cycle discussion, the one you attached is mainly "what are my chances" thread.