Match

[WangBaDan1]

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Hi I'm a 4th year medical student and I was applying to the match for 2012 but unfortunately I don't think I will match so I'm looking for options to be the best applicant that I can be for 2013. I'm initially thinking that research work would be the best but I'm not entirely sure. If there's anybody that can give me advice on what I should do to have the best possible chance. I made the mistake of applying really late to the match and I am a foreign student so that I really killed my application. If anybody has any advice, I would greatly appreciate it, thank you.

 

[officedepot]

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[WangBaDan1]

I understand being IMG is difficult. But we will need more info:

1. What field are you trying to match into?

2. Why do you not want to scramble for a spot?

3. How many interviews did you get this year?

in general, I would suggest scrambling if you are not dead set on a field or location. Usually people who don't match either have some red flags on an application, are IMG, or made mistakes in the process (e.g. not ranking enough programs or applying to a field that is "out of their competitive league"). If you are going for a very competitive field you have to be 1. realistic about your chances so as not to waste more time and 2. doing research at the institution you want to match where you have a legit chance (i.e. if you are avg applicant don't do research at harvard and be dead set on only that one location).

Well I kind of put myself in a bind, I wanted to match in IM but as I said I applied really late(as in Nov. 21st) because I had some doubts as to what it was I wanted to do. I have decent qualifications in that I got a 226/94 on step 1 and a 221/95 on step 2CK but here's the caveat, I thought I could take step 2 CS whenever as long as I got the results before I started residency and even a cursory search online would've shown me that that was false but me being pretty pig-headed didn't check and I took the test on Feb 1st of this year(some of the other takers were also 4th years but they were domestic students so I think it's different from them). I've talked with ECFMG and unfortunately this sort of disqualifies me for matching or even participating in the new SOAP system. I understand I've made an error but I'd like to try to move forward with getting some kind of a job or research work or something and re-apply next year at the proper time. I'm pretty confident that if I apply on time and have all the necessary documentation I should be able to match into a good program. This year I was lucky that I got one interview and I think it went well but again I'm pretty sure I'm going to not be allowed to participate in the match. Anyway, thank you for your reply.

 

[sirenomelia]

You can find something- even a prelim or transitional spot for one year in teh scramble and then re enter the match for the next year.

 

[WangBaDan1]

You can find something- even a prelim or transitional spot for one year in teh scramble and then re enter the match for the next year.

Do you think I'll still be able to scramble even though my Step 2 CS grade won't be reported til sometime in April? I'm under the impression that I will be excluded from all things related to this match and that's why I'm looking for some alternatives in the matter

 

[officedepot]

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[sirenomelia]

Do you think I'll still be able to scramble even though my Step 2 CS grade won't be reported til sometime in April? I'm under the impression that I will be excluded from all things related to this match and that's why I'm looking for some alternatives in the matter

You might lose out on one or more spots as they go with someone who's crap is all done and together but someone will take a chance on you or atleast something will be left- alot of spots just don't fill period and the programs do without an intern for a year. When the time comes you want to have all do have -your transcripts, CV, a picture, your cousin's dog's organ donor card whatever- everything you can have ready and mobilized to fax/email over. Alot of scramble spots are won first come first serve. These wont be great positions, generally. Someone in my class wanted Rads but only matched in prelim IM and was unmatched for PGY2. The spring of his intern year he scrambled into radiology position at a decent LSU program. Sometimes you can get lucky.

 

[drizzt3117]

I don't think you can participate in NRMP if you aren't ECFMG certified. This question belongs in the ERAS/NRMP forum.