Matched 4th year DO Student .. Ask me (almost) anything

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GuitarFreak

GuitarFreak

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Hey all,

I did one of these a few months ago, got a bunch of good questions, and was able to give back to aspiring physicians, like yourselves.

Since then, I've matched my top choice for residency (Radiology) and have some more time to kill.

Let me know if you guys have questions about anything, from getting into medical school to getting into residency, and everything in between. 🙂

Best,
GuitarFreak
 
1) What did you do to ensure you got your first choice match, in detail?

2) Did you take the USMLE? If so, was it difficult to study for in addition to the COMLEX?

3) What do you think of the allegations on SDN about NYCOM having a high attrition rate? Is it true or false?

4) Did the emigre program physicians match well this year?

I'm applying to NYCOM this year so I am very interested.

Thanks!

PS- Congratulations!
 
Could I send you my PS in a week so you and critique it...
 
Thank you!
By the way, congrats on your success!
Many people think DOs have hard time getting into such specialties but people like you prove them wrong.
 
856252183.jpg

Paper or plastic?
 
iWillOneDay said:
Thank you!
By the way, congrats on your success!
Many people think DOs have hard time getting into such specialties but people like you prove them wrong.
Click to expand...

Thanks! The match lists are getting more and more impressive each year. My school's match was quite amazing this year.
 
GuitarFreak said:
Hey all,

I did one of these a few months ago, got a bunch of good questions, and was able to give back to aspiring physicians, like yourselves.

Since then, I've matched my top choice for residency (Radiology) and have some more time to kill.

Let me know if you guys have questions about anything, from getting into medical school to getting into residency, and everything in between. 🙂

Best,
GuitarFreak
Click to expand...
are you concerned about the radiology job market? that whole forum seems to be nothing but doom and gloom
 
BasilDancingCheese said:
Hey,
I just saw your post and I am planning on applying to do schools this summer and am currently writing my personal statement. If you have some free time, would you be kind enough to give it a read through? And congratulations!
Click to expand...

PM it to me, I'd be more than happy to take a look at it
 
user3 said:
are you concerned about the radiology job market? that whole forum seems to be nothing but doom and gloom
Click to expand...

I am not. I agree that the lack of job opportunities out there is somewhat disconcerting, but I've had the passion for the field since way before medical school so I couldn't see myself doing anything else.

That being said, there are still many many years before I go into practice / look for jobs. The market could stay the same, get better or get much worse but I'm willing to wait it out & see how it turns out. 🙂
 
Hey OP, I'm thinking about radiology too (I'll be starting M1 this fall). I heard a lot of mixed things on radiology. Do you think radiology will outsource stuff to other places or countries for cheaper? That is to say...is a US doctor in radiology doomed in the future due to outsourcing?

Also, besides having good exam scores, what did you do to make yourself more competitive? Where did you do your away rotations, and how did you answer the question.."Why Radiology?" Thanks! 🙂
 
victoriah said:
1) What did you do to ensure you got your first choice match, in detail?

2) Did you take the USMLE? If so, was it difficult to study for in addition to the COMLEX?

3) What do you think of the allegations on SDN about NYCOM having a high attrition rate? Is it true or false?

4) Did the emigre program physicians match well this year?

I'm applying to NYCOM this year so I am very interested.

Thanks!

PS- Congratulations!
Click to expand...
 
GuitarFreak said:
Hey all,

I did one of these a few months ago, got a bunch of good questions, and was able to give back to aspiring physicians, like yourselves.

Since then, I've matched my top choice for residency (Radiology) and have some more time to kill.

Let me know if you guys have questions about anything, from getting into medical school to getting into residency, and everything in between. 🙂

Best,
GuitarFreak
Click to expand...

Congrats on your match!!

Is there anything you wish you had done differently while in med school?

Besides doing well on boards, what else can we do to make sure we become a competitive applicant for residency?


Thanks!
 
Chillywilly said:
Hey OP, I'm thinking about radiology too (I'll be starting M1 this fall). I heard a lot of mixed things on radiology. Do you think radiology will outsource stuff to other places or countries for cheaper? That is to say...is a US doctor in radiology doomed in the future due to outsourcing?

Also, besides having good exam scores, what did you do to make yourself more competitive? Where did you do your away rotations, and how did you answer the question.."Why Radiology?" Thanks! 🙂
Click to expand...

As of right now, Radiology's future is looking very grim, due to the influx/outsourcing to teleradiology companies. Whether things change in the future or not, we can't say, but as of now, it's not looking too good.

I've been interested in Radiology since before I started medical school so my academic career has always been steered towards that direction. I have significant MRI research with a bunch of publications & presentations, under my belt. I did away rotations at a bunch of DO Rads spots only .. they were all very low stress rotations / interviews. Typically, in my experience at least, they tend not to ask 'Why Radiology?', but maybe that was just for me since my application / CV is very biased towards the field, haha.
 
Did you study any differently in med school compared to undergrad? What worked for you? Did you have a period of time where you were trying different things because you weren't doing as well as you would have liked?

How expensive and tiring is the residency interviewing process? Did you have to take a vacation month to go to interviews or do you end up missing a lot of a rotation?
 

1) Was persistent about showing my interest & letting them know that they were my first choice. I rotated at the program and connected with the PD on a personal level, in addition to an academic level. I also went there during the free time I had, after other rotations, just to show face because that would reinforce my interest in their particular program. One thing that people overlook while hoping for a 1st choice match is the choice itself. Always set a realistic first choice. Just because a program is a better program (on paper), shouldn't make it your first choice. Go off of your interview, the vibe you got from the program/people there, how you see yourself fitting in the program. It may seem like common sense but I know a bunch of people, this year, who just ranked programs high because they were 'better' and ended up getting their 4-5th choices, in the match.

2) I did not. I originally intended on doing so but decided not to, eventually due to an anticipated burnout.

3) NYCOM does have a pretty high attrition rate but the people who made it through, we seemed not to have much trouble passing exams. Doing well, however, is another story, haha. That being said, I know people who couldn't continue a year or failed a couple systems due to personal/health reasons and NYCOM was fairly understanding of their situations and either let them continue or start the year over, without actually kicking them out etc.

4) I'm actually not too sure about the EPP program's match this year, sorry!

Good luck on your application!!
 
bionerd89 said:
Congrats on your match!!

Is there anything you wish you had done differently while in med school?

Besides doing well on boards, what else can we do to make sure we become a competitive applicant for residency?


Thanks!
Click to expand...

Thanks!

The one thing that stands out the most was wishing that I'd followed along with a Path resource (Goljan/Pathoma etc) during my pre-clinical years to help assimilate the content much better. That may or may not work for everyone but I just remember thinking that as I was studying for step 1.

To be more competitive, you need to figure out what speciality you're interested in more. Once you narrow down, you need to research the programs / fields & see what will make you more competitive for them. For instance, to be competitive for FM, you need to be very personable & be able to connect with your peers & patients equally but having no research probably wouldn't affect your chances much. For Ophtho, you will essentially not be considered if you don't have significant Ophtho research (from what I hear from my friends going into the field). For Rads, your personality matters a LOT as does Radiology research. So really your competitive edge is based on what field you want. But as a general rule, do audition rotations to tip the scale in your favor.
 
Do you think the future of anesthesiology program is grim too? With the increase in Anesth. Asst. and whatnot?
 
brew said:
Did you study any differently in med school compared to undergrad? What worked for you? Did you have a period of time where you were trying different things because you weren't doing as well as you would have liked?

How expensive and tiring is the residency interviewing process? Did you have to take a vacation month to go to interviews or do you end up missing a lot of a rotation?
Click to expand...

I studied completely differently in medical school than undergrad. During undergrad, I never followed along with classes and binge-studied on exam weekends; all-nighters & energy drinks. That worked out very well during undergrad. That lifestyle is not compatible with medical school. You have to study every single day, even if its only an hour. Just so you don't lag behind because of the sheer amount of information being thrown at you. The first 4-5 months of school was when I was experimenting with various studying techniques so my grades were definitely not the best during that time.

The process is awful. Tiring as well as expensive. I didn't take a vacation month but chose very cush rotations during the interview season where taking time off wasn't an issue. The important thing is to not get jaded. After a few interviews, its very easy to get that way not give it your all, which may backfire.
 
victoriah said:
1) What did you do to ensure you got your first choice match, in detail?

2) Did you take the USMLE? If so, was it difficult to study for in addition to the COMLEX?

3) What do you think of the allegations on SDN about NYCOM having a high attrition rate? Is it true or false?

4) Did the emigre program physicians match well this year?

I'm applying to NYCOM this year so I am very interested.

Thanks!

PS- Congratulations!
Click to expand...

Answered this above! But forgot to quote you!
 
GuitarFreak said:
Thanks!

The one thing that stands out the most was wishing that I'd followed along with a Path resource (Goljan/Pathoma etc) during my pre-clinical years to help assimilate the content much better. That may or may not work for everyone but I just remember thinking that as I was studying for step 1.
Click to expand...
By this do you mean consistently trying to bust through some practice questions resembling the USMLE/COMLEX, after each system or core? Or do you mean just a source of information that is more concise and board relevant than a bunch of random texbooks?

For my MCAT at least, I felt like I understood all of the material extremely well, and had read all that there was to know, but I felt that I did not do enough practice problems, and it showed on my actual MCAT.
 
GuitarFreak said:
Thanks!

The one thing that stands out the most was wishing that I'd followed along with a Path resource (Goljan/Pathoma etc) during my pre-clinical years to help assimilate the content much better. That may or may not work for everyone but I just remember thinking that as I was studying for step 1.

To be more competitive, you need to figure out what speciality you're interested in more. Once you narrow down, you need to research the programs / fields & see what will make you more competitive for them. For instance, to be competitive for FM, you need to be very personable & be able to connect with your peers & patients equally but having no research probably wouldn't affect your chances much. For Ophtho, you will essentially not be considered if you don't have significant Ophtho research (from what I hear from my friends going into the field). For Rads, your personality matters a LOT as does Radiology research. So really your competitive edge is based on what field you want. But as a general rule, do audition rotations to tip the scale in your favor.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the reply!

Did you encounter any issues being a DO or is the idea of rampant DO discrimination on sdn a delusion?
 
Awesome Sauceome said:
By this do you mean consistently trying to bust through some practice questions resembling the USMLE/COMLEX, after each system or core? Or do you mean just a source of information that is more concise and board relevant than a bunch of random texbooks?

For my MCAT at least, I felt like I understood all of the material extremely well, and had read all that there was to know, but I felt that I did not do enough practice problems, and it showed on my actual MCAT.
Click to expand...

The latter (you articulated it much better than I did, haha 🙂 ). I think you should definitely leave the questions for when you start doing board-prep and not during your systems.

Never ever discount the importance of questions. You should be doing as many questions as possible but to start them before you actually start studying for boards, may be counter productive since you may not be as organized once you start board prep.
 
bionerd89 said:
Thanks for the reply!

Did you encounter any issues being a DO or is the idea of rampant DO discrimination on sdn a delusion?
Click to expand...

It is definitely not a delusion at all. I didn't encounter it because I was applying for AOA residencies only. But depending on what field of medicine you'd like to practice, there is a spectrum of discrimination against DO's. From barely any, in PM&R / FM etc, to somewhat significant, in Derm / Ophtho / Plastics etc.
Just based on what I've heard from my peers going into the fields and personal experiences. But SDN does vastly exaggerate the amount of discrimination.
It is also important to note that with each year, the residency match trends are looking better for DOs.
 
GuitarFreak said:
The latter (you articulated it much better than I did, haha 🙂 ). I think you should definitely leave the questions for when you start doing board-prep and not during your systems.

Never ever discount the importance of questions. You should be doing as many questions as possible but to start them before you actually start studying for boards, may be counter productive since you may not be as organized once you start board prep.
Click to expand...

I figure there is probably still a lot of crap you would not have a clue on within the first year, so problems would probably be a waste of time until really your second year, and probably more so in the final semester leading up to boards?
 
Awesome Sauceome said:
I figure there is probably still a lot of crap you would not have a clue on within the first year, so problems would probably be a waste of time until really your second year, and probably more so in the final semester leading up to boards?
Click to expand...

Absolutely. Couldn't have said it better myself.
 
GuitarFreak said:
It is definitely not a delusion at all. I didn't encounter it because I was applying for AOA residencies only. But depending on what field of medicine you'd like to practice, there is a spectrum of discrimination against DO's. From barely any, in PM&R / FM etc, to somewhat significant, in Derm / Ophtho / Plastics etc.
Just based on what I've heard from my peers going into the fields and personal experiences. But SDN does vastly exaggerate the amount of discrimination.
It is also important to note that with each year, the residency match trends are looking better for DOs.
Click to expand...
What would you say about the bias in ortho? Just from what you heard.
 
Awesome Sauceome said:
Ohhh another question. If you could go back and lets say NYCOM didnt exist. What should would you have been fighting to get in to?
Click to expand...

My situation was a little unique. I had to stay in NY for family issues so I picked NYCOM over a few Allo schools a bit further, so if my situation was the same, I would've had to either defer or Post-bacc/reapply for Allo schools in the area.
 
Xenoblade said:
What would you say about the bias in ortho? Just from what you heard.
Click to expand...

From what I understand, typically, surgical fields have a stronger bias than non-surgical ones. That being said, I do hear that a bunch of AOA Ortho programs are pretty good, as far as training.
 
GuitarFreak said:
From what I understand, typically, surgical fields have a stronger bias than non-surgical ones. That being said, I do hear that a bunch of AOA Ortho programs are pretty good, as far as training.
Click to expand...
So, what I hear you saying is that ortho is difficult to match ACGME, but this issue is alleviated because there are good AOA ortho residency spots. Is that correct?
 
Xenoblade said:
So, what I hear you saying is that ortho is difficult to match ACGME, but this issue is alleviated because there are good AOA ortho residency spots. Is that correct?
Click to expand...

That is what I've heard. But keep in mind, since I'm not going into Ortho, my knowledge of the field & its AOA/ACGME issues is very superficial, at best, as the source of all of my knowledge is my peers.
 
GuitarFreak said:
That is what I've heard. But keep in mind, since I'm not going into Ortho, my knowledge of the field & its AOA/ACGME issues is very superficial, at best, as the source of all of my knowledge is my peers.
Click to expand...
Thank you for your input! You rock.

Btw, I love radiologists. Personality wise, I get along with a lot of yous peoples. lol. So I definitely understand what you mean when you said personality is important when landing radiology spots.

I hope this makes sense.
 
Xenoblade said:
Thank you for your input! You rock.

Btw, I love radiologists. Personality wise, I get along with a lot of yous peoples. lol. So I definitely understand what you mean when you said personality is important when landing radiology spots.

I hope this makes sense.
Click to expand...

Haha right on! 👍👍
 
Hardest exam you've ever written? 😀 Exam you've studied for the most?
 
How were your school's rotation sites? Any other schools you can comment on on those terms (based on anyone you knew)?
 
NYCOM is affiliated with a really good number of hospitals so our clinical ed is very strong, based on where you'd like to go for your rotations.

I hear that MSUCOM's rotation sites are very strong since they're under the MSU umbrella.
 
GuitarFreak said:
Oh come on! COMLEX I. Too easy haha
Click to expand...
Here is a "real" question.

I suck at standardized tests. How do you suggest people study for the comlex? What materials did you use? Was the questions on the comlex not 100% clear?
 
Xenoblade said:
Here is a "real" question.

I suck at standardized tests. How do you suggest people study for the comlex? What materials did you use? Was the questions on the comlex not 100% clear?
Click to expand...
I, too, suck at standardized tests. There's no method of studying for COMLEX thats guaranteed to work. All I will say is do lots & lots & lots of questions. That seems to be the most important prognostic factor for people who take any standardized test.

When I studied for Step 1, I used First Aid, annotated with UWorld & COMBANK (went through UW 2.5x, COMBANK 1x). I also used BRS Physio, Pathoma & Lange Pharm cards. A lot of people use just FA & QBanks and are just fine. I felt that the other 3 resources prepared me fairly well.

I'm sure you've heard & read this before, but the COMLEX is a terribly poor exam. Lots of the questions are vague, unclear, riddled with typos etc. Unfortunately, there's no way around that. I can only hope that one of us, makes their way to NBOME Leadership & starts pumping some quality into those standardized tests.
 
Thanks. I heard murmurs that the comlex was poorly written, but I didn't now that they had typos and stuff like that. That would really bother me because a typo in the wrong area could mess the whole question up.
 
Did you take the USMLE too? How high yield are biochem, immunology, and anatomy for step 1? What exactly is tested on step 2? And what is the process and traveling for step 2 like?
 
EMDO2018 said:
Did you take the USMLE too? How high yield are biochem, immunology, and anatomy for step 1? What exactly is tested on step 2? And what is the process and traveling for step 2 like?
Click to expand...

I'm sorry! I did not take USMLE. I stuck with COMLEX only.
 
Guitar freak, congrats on matching radiology! Did I see you say somewhere along in this thread that pathoma has the most high yield material?
 
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