Match surgical specialty w/ "pass" in surgery?

[WashMe]

I posted this in the urology forum as well, but decided to put it here because I need more traffic for quick opinions since MS4 scheduling is in a couple weeks. This post is about uro but people considering any surgical specialty may be able to help me...

I'm a "late-comer" to urology and I'm not 100% sure I'll try for it, but I'm hoping to hear some opinions regarding matching with a "pass" on the surgery clerkship. It was my 1st rotation, and I got 1 HP and 2 H's in my four week blocks. I thought I would be okay for the shelf since I was told I was doing an awesome job on my rotations; I learned everything they taught me and read up on all my cases... and that didn't help me for the shelf at all. Long story short, I got blind-sided, didn't get to the last 20 questions, and scored in the 20th percentile. It negated my 12 weeks of hard work and I got an overall "pass".

Since then, I've done fine in 3rd year. Got HP in medicine, neuro, and an elective block, and got H in psychiatry. My NBME scores, other than surgery, have been anywhere from the 70-95th percentile. I also scored 250's on Step I and honored most of my MS2 courses. I don't have research in med school, but I have several pubs (one 1st author) from undergrad (not related to uro).

Do you think I still have any chance, particularly if I do a urology rotation at the beginning of MS4 and get honors? Also, I'm hoping to take step 2 in October and score 250-260+, because if I can pull it off I think it will prove I have an appropriate clinical knowledge base despite not getting a ton of "honors" in MS3.

Thanks guys!

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[grayscaleart]

I posted this in the urology forum as well, but decided to put it here because I need more traffic for quick opinions since MS4 scheduling is in a couple weeks. This post is about uro but people considering any surgical specialty may be able to help me...

I'm a "late-comer" to urology and I'm not 100% sure I'll try for it, but I'm hoping to hear some opinions regarding matching with a "pass" on the surgery clerkship. It was my 1st rotation, and I got 1 HP and 2 H's in my four week blocks. I thought I would be okay for the shelf since I was told I was doing an awesome job on my rotations; I learned everything they taught me and read up on all my cases... and that didn't help me for the shelf at all. Long story short, I got blind-sided, didn't get to the last 20 questions, and scored in the 20th percentile. It negated my 12 weeks of hard work and I got an overall "pass".

Since then, I've done fine in 3rd year. Got HP in medicine, neuro, and an elective block, and got H in psychiatry. My NBME scores, other than surgery, have been anywhere from the 70-95th percentile. I also scored 250's on Step I and honored most of my MS2 courses. I don't have research in med school, but I have several pubs (one 1st author) from undergrad (not related to uro).

Do you think I still have any chance, particularly if I do a urology rotation at the beginning of MS4 and get honors? Also, I'm hoping to take step 2 in October and score 250-260+, because if I can pull it off I think it will prove I have an appropriate clinical knowledge base despite not getting a ton of "honors" in MS3.

Thanks guys!

apply to 50 uro, 20 gen surg, and 10 prelim surg in good programs. it would help if you're female or AfAm.

 

[WashMe]

apply to 20 gen surg, and 10 prelim surg in good programs. it would help if you're female or AfAm.

Thanks for the advice, I'm thinking about urology though (not GS). I am neither female nor AA, unfortunately lol. Are you saying I should not try for uro, or did you just glance over that part of my post? Thanks! 🙂

 

[grayscaleart]

edited the post. "p" is a red flag. id hate for you to scramble to prelim surg in middle georgia on March 2013, like a couple of people from my school who had better grades, ranking, and steps than you. gen surg is your back up. but go ahead and apply to 50-70 uro programs. dont try to save money now.

 

[armybound]

they were saying to apply for gen surg as backups, I think.

honestly, I think you'll be alright. I think they'll take it easy on you because it was your first rotation. just do a uro rotation (and aways) and rock them. get good letters, do some research. it sounds like you have a very strong application otherwise.

how did you do in anatomy? do you still have to do ob/gyn? try to rock that rotation as well.

best of luck!

 

[WashMe]

edited the post. "p" is a red flag. id hate for you to scramble to prelim surg in middle georgia on March 2013, like a couple of people from my school who had better grades, ranking, and steps than you. gen surg is your back up. but go ahead and apply to 50-70 uro programs. dont try to save money now.

Thanks for the advice!

they were saying to apply for gen surg as backups, I think.

honestly, I think you'll be alright. I think they'll take it easy on you because it was your first rotation. just do a uro rotation (and aways) and rock them. get good letters, do some research. it sounds like you have a very strong application otherwise.

how did you do in anatomy? do you still have to do ob/gyn? try to rock that rotation as well.

best of luck!

Thanks for the advice; I'm on ob/gyn right now and I'll either get an H or an HP depending on my shelf score (test coming up)... Anatomy was graded on a P/F scale during MS1, but I had no difficulty with it.

Also, not sure if it will help or make no difference, but I'm at a top 10 school. Rank-wise, I'm probably in the middle third. No chance I'm in the top third, and slight chance I'm in the bottom third.

 

[JackShephard MD]

Thanks for the advice!



Thanks for the advice; I'm on ob/gyn right now and I'll either get an H or an HP depending on my shelf score (test coming up)... Anatomy was graded on a P/F scale during MS1, but I had no difficulty with it.

Also, not sure if it will help or make no difference, but I'm at a top 10 school. Rank-wise, I'm probably in the middle third. No chance I'm in the top third, and slight chance I'm in the bottom third.

Put together the best app you can and don't give up. 👍

 

[armybound]

if your name is any indicator, I don't doubt you're getting a strong education and that it can overcome a bit of a rough time on your first rotation.

I'm also interested in uro and I've had a lot of positive remarks from faculty/advisors regarding my app, which is not too dissimilar from yours except that you have better third year grades than I do (I passed medicine and family, HP surg, peds, neuro). Aside from being told to get great letters, do research, and apply to 50 programs, nobody has really tried to dissuade me from applying. I imagine they'd give you the same advice.

 

[WashMe]

Put together the best app you can and don't give up. 👍

if your name is any indicator, I don't doubt you're getting a strong education and that it can overcome a bit of a rough time on your first rotation.

I'm also interested in uro and I've had a lot of positive remarks from faculty/advisors regarding my app, which is not too dissimilar from yours except that you have better third year grades than I do (I passed medicine and family, HP surg, peds, neuro). Aside from being told to get great letters, do research, and apply to 50 programs, nobody has really tried to dissuade me from applying. I imagine they'd give you the same advice.

I feel a bit more confident now, thanks for your posts man

 

[rad0nc]

Thanks for the advice, I'm thinking about urology though (not GS). I am neither female nor AA, unfortunately lol. Are you saying I should not try for uro, or did you just glance over that part of my post? Thanks! 🙂

I think you will do fine in the Urology match. My good friend just matched Ortho with a pass in GenSurg. Your step score and medical school pedigree will take you a long way. Rock your away rotations and you will be fine. You should also try to do some research ASAP.

 

[neusu]

Not sure about urology, but for neurosurgery a "pass" in surgery is not an end all. As mentioned, do well on your sub internships and you'll be fine.

 

[Ramrod45]

What about matching plastics without an Honors in gen surgery rotation? Is this a big deal?

 

[GoSpursGo]

As most people said here, you've definitely got a shot. You've got to find some research ASAP, though, and try and rock some sub-i's and aways for early 4th year.