Invite to an Entrance Exam -- wth?

[mgdsh]

When applying this year, I applied to most of the hospitals in the NYC area (including queens). One of the hospitals I ended up applying to is Jamaica Hospital (& I wish I hadn't).

Today they sent out an email, saying that on November 15th they will be holding an entrance exam. The exam is 3 1/2 hrs with 3 blocks of 50 questions (medicine, neuro, & psych), along with an essay.

Apparently USMLE scores, GPAs and grades in those rotations aren't enough to evaluate someone for an interview?

Can I get my $15 back? lol

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[Chimed]

An entrance exam????

Run for the hills!!!!!

 

[golfpropsychguy]

When applying this year, I applied to most of the hospitals in the NYC area (including queens). One of the hospitals I ended up applying to is Jamaica Hospital (& I wish I hadn't).

Today they sent out an email, saying that on November 15th they will be holding an entrance exam. The exam is 3 1/2 hrs with 3 blocks of 50 questions (medicine, neuro, & psych), along with an essay.

Apparently USMLE scores, GPAs and grades in those rotations aren't enough to evaluate someone for an interview?

Can I get my $15 back? lol

I know several people who took that ridiculous exam. Its not even a great program. Dont sweat it you aint missing much. As far as the 15 dollars goes-you aint getting it back from ERAS!!! they rarely give any type of refund.

 

[MacGFlow]

wow! where do they get off asking applicants to take an exam? are they that competitive? or is it just laziness? i'd planned on applying to all the nyc area schools, but now i may leave that one out.

 

[golfpropsychguy]

wow! where do they get off asking applicants to take an exam? are they that competitive? or is it just laziness? i'd planned on applying to all the nyc area schools, but now i may leave that one out.

i would say about 2/3 of the programs in NY are not worth applying to unless you are an FMG with visa issues. Most of them have extremely busy services with minimal teaching and lots of call.

The Jamaica program is probably one of the worst programs in the city. Why they make you take an exam-Who Knows...

 

[MacGFlow]

yeah, i'll consider what you said. and i'll likely not apply to all the programs in nyc, if only because it's an expensive venture. thing is, i really want to match in that area. pa and nj are too far from where my partner goes to school. after speaking with some people from SUNY downstate, i'm really digging that program...

 

[Chimed]

i would say about 2/3 of the programs in NY are not worth applying to unless you are an FMG with visa issues. Most of them have extremely busy services with minimal teaching and lots of call.

The Jamaica program is probably one of the worst programs in the city. Why they make you take an exam-Who Knows...

Maybe they've had a long history of having poor residents match into their program and are trying to screen better from the pool?

 

[billypilgrim37]

Maybe they've had a long history of having poor residents match into their program and are trying to screen better from the pool?

I think you accidentally got it right. They are trying to screen better candidates from the pool, because a better candidate won't be willing jump through that hoop.

 

[whopper]

yeah, i'll consider what you said. and i'll likely not apply to all the programs in nyc,

There's plenty of good programs in NYC. Columbia & NYU for example are top institutions with excellent reputations, teachers & researchers. (Kaplan from Kaplan & Sadock, Michael First, etc). Aside from those giants, several of the other programs are excellent.

As for an entrance exam, I was asked to take one at 2 different programs during interview for residency.

I didn't mind it because they asked me on the day of the interview. I figured it was just another 1-2 hrs of work, and my day was cleared for the interview anyway.

However a 3.5 hr exam with an essay? Common, that's way overboard. I think they're going to scare away good candidates, and only keep the ones that really have no where else to go.

Why didn't they just check up on the person's USMLE score?

 

[Chimed]

Why didn't they just check up on the person's USMLE score?

That's a good question.

I also wonder if the essay is b/c that program has a lot of applicants whose first language is not english and they want to verify their writting skills. To be fair, they'd have to have every applicant write an essay....

 

[OldPsychDoc]

That's a good question.

I also wonder if the essay is b/c that program has a lot of applicants whose first language is not english and they want to verify their writting skills. To be fair, they'd have to have every applicant write an essay....

Good thing your program wasn't picky about your writting skills!

 

[Chimed]

Good thing your program wasn't picky about your writting skills!

Well, thank God for small miracles!

 

[Danica]

When applying this year, I applied to most of the hospitals in the NYC area (including queens). One of the hospitals I ended up applying to is Jamaica Hospital (& I wish I hadn't).

It's not only Jamaica Hosp.
Both Jamaica and Brookdale require a pre interview exam and the two have combined to offer the exam on the same day at the same time, so if you applied to both programs you still only take one test and they share the results.
If you do well on the test you are offered an interview.

Both programs only require FMG's to take the test.
I met a PGY4 from Jamaica, there are 3 AMG's in the program and none of them ever took the test.

Also, Jamaica has an extership program, usually they fill 4 of their 5 spots with externs, leaving 1 spot for the 500+ smucks who take the test to fight over.

 

[whopper]

You would figure that perhaps just verbally talking to the candidate could confirm their language skills; and that having them write simply a few sentences could confirm their handwriting.

 

[Mad Jack]

It's not only Jamaica Hosp.
Both Jamaica and Brookdale require a pre interview exam and the two have combined to offer the exam on the same day at the same time, so if you applied to both programs you still only take one test and they share the results.
If you do well on the test you are offered an interview.

Both programs only require FMG's to take the test.
I met a PGY4 from Jamaica, there are 3 AMG's in the program and none of them ever took the test.

Also, Jamaica has an extership program, usually they fill 4 of their 5 spots with externs, leaving 1 spot for the 500+ smucks who take the test to fight over.

Just a bump for more recent applicants. It looks like they also require DOs to take the exam. I can't afford to cancel one interview in order to take the day off, so I guess I'll pass entirely.

 

[leslieknope2]

OMG, a test for interview?