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Hello! Current slightly neurotic M3, 99% sure I'm going to be applying IM next year. Also 95% sure I don't want to do a fellowship. I have a quick question and I'll do my best to keep it short and sweet....
Recently, through browsing the ERAS panic thread on the MD student forums and hearing personal anecdotes, I have become concerned with yield protection. I heard from an applicant who had a 260+ on both Steps and had to SOAP because most of the programs they applied to assumed that they would be ranked low as a "safety" (not IM). Most of the programs I am interested in are not very competitive from a scores perspective, as a lot of them are community programs. I am certain that my Step score is well above the average at basically every program I am interested in.
So...is this a valid concern? Is this actually a thing in the residency application process? I am concerned that PDs will see that I'm from an OOS med school and that I'm way above their average Step and think that I am just using them as a safety. Is there anything I can do to show that I really do want to go to these programs? I plan on doing pretty much all of my 4th year in my desired geographic area, including sub-Is/auditions that my school requires (thinking of doing these at programs that aren't my top top choices-- but that I still wouldn't mind going to-- so that I don't mess up my chances at my top choices since I've heard auditions aren't generally recommended for IM if you have good stats); will PDs take this into account? Also, I plan on discussing my desire to be home in my PS.
This ended up longer than I expected but really just looking for some peace of mind and wondering if I should even be concerned about this in the first place, or whether it's just another thing that's overblown on SDN. And, if it is a thing, what I can do to really convey that I do really want to go to these programs. Thank you!
Recently, through browsing the ERAS panic thread on the MD student forums and hearing personal anecdotes, I have become concerned with yield protection. I heard from an applicant who had a 260+ on both Steps and had to SOAP because most of the programs they applied to assumed that they would be ranked low as a "safety" (not IM). Most of the programs I am interested in are not very competitive from a scores perspective, as a lot of them are community programs. I am certain that my Step score is well above the average at basically every program I am interested in.
So...is this a valid concern? Is this actually a thing in the residency application process? I am concerned that PDs will see that I'm from an OOS med school and that I'm way above their average Step and think that I am just using them as a safety. Is there anything I can do to show that I really do want to go to these programs? I plan on doing pretty much all of my 4th year in my desired geographic area, including sub-Is/auditions that my school requires (thinking of doing these at programs that aren't my top top choices-- but that I still wouldn't mind going to-- so that I don't mess up my chances at my top choices since I've heard auditions aren't generally recommended for IM if you have good stats); will PDs take this into account? Also, I plan on discussing my desire to be home in my PS.
This ended up longer than I expected but really just looking for some peace of mind and wondering if I should even be concerned about this in the first place, or whether it's just another thing that's overblown on SDN. And, if it is a thing, what I can do to really convey that I do really want to go to these programs. Thank you!