LOR problem

[chicamedica]

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I'm an MS4 applying for anesthesia right now. I got stuck taking my anes sub-I next month (Sept). Which means I won't have an anesthesia letter in time for an early september submission of ERAS. Will I be at a huge disadvantage submitting ERAS in late sept/early oct?

Or should I go ahead and submit ERAS in early september and just send along the anesthesia LOR later? Can I do that? Would I have to send it by snail mail to each individual program or would I still be able to use ERAS to transmit?

Thanks much for any advice!

 

[chicamedica]

I'm an MS4 applying for anesthesia right now. I got stuck taking my anes sub-I next month (Sept). Which means I won't have an anesthesia letter in time for an early september submission of ERAS. Will I be at a huge disadvantage submitting ERAS in late sept/early oct?

Or should I go ahead and submit ERAS in early september and just send along the anesthesia LOR later? Can I do that? Would I have to send it by snail mail to each individual program or would I still be able to use ERAS to transmit?

Thanks much for any advice!

Never mind. . .i'm unconfused now. . . (at least as far as this goes. . . 😉 )

 

[VolatileAgent]

keep sending letters in as you get them. the dean's letter isn't released until november 1st anyway. so your package can't be 'technically' complete until then. i got a few invites at some good places before all my letters were in. just jump on getting the rest of your package out in early sept and continue to send stuff to ERAS as it comes in.

good luck, chica.

 

[VolatileAgent]

one more thing. select the auto-retransmit option for your Usmle score reports. because they will probably come in after you certify your application. if you don't do that then you will have to manually resubmit your step 2 when it comes in and iirc pay a fee each time. some people foolishly choose this option thinking that they can withold step 2 (in case they tank it) but you still have to report to the program anyway. dumb idea. just click the transmit everything button when you originally certify your application.

 

[chicamedica]

thanks for the advice volatile agent!

 

[VolatileAgent]

hey, no probs. and come interview at penn st if you get an invite. we've got a great program here, regional/acute pain mgmt has quintupled with the new regional director, great case mix with tons of sick pts, awesome area with people who will genuinely appreciate what you do for them (it ain't NYC... and that's a good thing), and maybe the most resident-friendly program in the U.S. (had to use the opportunity for a little salesmanship. 😉 )

 

[ThinkFast007]

hey chica..long time

yah, i was thinking the same thing! I wont be doing my anes rotation until october!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! so i was kinda scared of that as well.

oh well..i just hope i get into where I'm doing my sub i at.

 

[chicamedica]

yeah i've been CRAZY busy the past few months. . . good to see you're alive and kicking thinkfast. . .good luck with the whole process! I know I sure need it. . .

and volatileagent, Penn State is definitely on my list!

 

[PassinGas]

one more thing. select the auto-retransmit option for your Usmle score reports. because they will probably come in after you certify your application. if you don't do that then you will have to manually resubmit your step 2 when it comes in and iirc pay a fee each time. some people foolishly choose this option thinking that they can withold step 2 (in case they tank it) but you still have to report to the program anyway. dumb idea. just click the transmit everything button when you originally certify your application.

NOT TRUE....Volatile...

I would NOT recommend selecting the auto-retransmit option for your USMLE score reports. Yes, you will have to manually resubmit your step 2, but the whole point is that you would not have to report a drop in your step 2 score from your step 1 score if you did not want to. I chose this option last year, and I don't remember paying any extra. Plus, I don't know who told you that you still had to report your score and, thus, there is no benefit. Whoever told you that is wrong...there is a benefit to NOT selecting the auto-resubmit option.

Sure, after the match and after you have gotten accepted into a program, you will have to submit a passing score to the program with which you have matched, but that is a lot different from having a program ding your application for a drop in number on your step 2 if you don't do as well as you had hoped.

I WOULD NOT SELECT THE AUTO-RETRANSMIT OPTION AND GIVE UP THE CHOICE OF DECIDING WHETHER OR NOT TO LET THE PROGRAM SEE YOUR NEW SCORE. WHY NOT BE THE ONE WHO IS IN CONTROL. IF THE NUMBER IS GOOD, SEND IT IN. IF NOT, KEEP IT TO YOURSELF PRIOR TO THE MATCH. IT'S THAT SIMPLE.

 

[VolatileAgent]

maybe i should re-clarify...

i did not even get invited to some interviews until they saw my step 2 score (and i had a damn good step 1 score). if you are hanging everything on the step 1 score and are confident you will get ranked etc. based on that alone, then you may be right. however, if you want the programs to get your step 2 score during the interview season and you don't select this option up front, you will have to retransmit your scores once you get your step 2 score. if you withold your step 2, you will have to manually re-submit your score to each program. i *believe* there is a fee associated with this, and the Eras warns you about this if you select this option. i could be wrong (or it may have changed since i went through this process).

either way, be careful about this option. if you really don't want your step 2 score to go out, then maybe it's okay if you say 'no' up front. however, if you do want it to go out, then don't select that "don't submit" option. either way, at least double-check about the additional fees before you do anything.

sorry if i caused any confusion.

 

[KungPOWChicken]

do NOT report your step2 score until you know what it is. Programs could potentially know your score before you do. That would be bad if you found out you failed from the program you're interviewing at.