Matching anesthesia or EM with P/F STEP

This forum made possible through the generous support of SDN members, donors, and sponsors. Thank you.

throwawaygap86

Full Member
Joined
Apr 19, 2019
Messages
18
Reaction score
19
I've seen people say that matching into highly competitive specialties as a DO is going to be much more difficult now, but what about specialties like EM and anesthesia? Asking this as an incoming DO student this summer.
 
I've seen people say that matching into highly competitive specialties as a DO is going to be much more difficult now, but what about specialties like EM and anesthesia? Asking this as an incoming DO student this summer.
Stop coming on this site, enjoy your summer. You will still be able to match anesthesia or EM if you do the work and apply broadly, don’t listen to the senseless neuroticism on this site. Like 200+ DO’s matched anesthesia last match and even more EM. Stop worrying and take a chill pill, you and your class of 2024 will adapt just like every other USMD and DO student.
 
EM and Anesthesia are not competitive specialties and are relatively pretty DO friendly. I have a feeling this will affect specialties like these mainly at more reputable programs. Don't mess yourself up during preclinicals and you can get somewhere. You won't get the same quality of interviews as your MD counterpart with the same CV (and this was true before this whole fiasco, as well), but theoretically you will not have too much difficulty matching somewhere.
 
Last edited:
The people in Gas are all about whacking off to the Steps. Sadly, unless you have a good Step 2 by Jan or at the latest Feb of your third year, your choices will be limited bc academic aways are filtered by Steps.

You start applying for Gas aways during March to April of your third year via VSAS and will need Step 2 by then.
 
The people in Gas are all about whacking off to the Steps. Sadly, unless you have a good Step 2 by Jan or at the latest Feb of your third year, your choices will be limited bc academic aways are filtered by Steps.

You start applying for Gas aways during March to April of your third year via VSAS and will need Step 2 by then.

So basically I have to rush taking step 2 by January of my 3rd year if I want a chance at matching somewhere good for gas? I'm trying to plan out this journey ....
 
So basically I have to rush taking step 2 by January of my 3rd year if I want a chance at matching somewhere good for gas? I'm trying to plan out this journey ....
Don’t plan anything lol, plan to pass your first exam in medical school,take baby steps, that’s way more important then a hypothetical anesthesia application and step 2 ck score which is 3 years away, what if you go into the OR and absolutely hate it!? Why stress about this now?
 
Don’t plan anything lol, plan to pass your first exam in medical school,take baby steps, that’s way more important then a hypothetical anesthesia application and step 2 ck score which is 3 years away, what if you go into the OR and absolutely hate it!? Why stress about this now?
You're absolutely right. I like planning things in advance, but baby steps might be a better way to approach this situation. :zip:
 
So basically I have to rush taking step 2 by January of my 3rd year if I want a chance at matching somewhere good for gas? I'm trying to plan out this journey ....
Well I guess this is the new plan. Yeah that’s what I think you have to do. I would take by end of January and schedule a soft rotation in dec plus a month of vacation. You also need a gas rotation in the first half of the year so you can get a letter for aways. The other thing you need to do is take COMLEX/step 1 early in dedicated. As soon as you are reasonably assured of a pass you take it, then use the rest of dedicated to get a head start on step 2.

I have to say I think this plan is gonna work out poorly for most DOs tho. I am already feeling bad for you guys. Cause the above plan is what I would try to do if I was DO for 2024, and I can see it burning out students quickly. Peeps, get into MD or just accept that primary care is likely and let the scores play out how they will.
 
Last edited:
The people in Gas are all about whacking off to the Steps. Sadly, unless you have a good Step 2 by Jan or at the latest Feb of your third year, your choices will be limited bc academic aways are filtered by Steps.

You start applying for Gas aways during March to April of your third year via VSAS and will need Step 2 by then.
Lol. I wouldn't take advice from someone who refers to anesthesia as gas.
 
It's easier to type "u" instead of "you", yet we still maintain our decency and type "you". I could give several more examples.
With autocorrect when you try to shorten anesthesia you get all kinds of weird options. I maintain that it is much easier to use gas, especially on a phone like I usually am now. And gas is not a near pejorative like MDA so I really don’t know why people get worked up. No one is trying to insult anesthesiologists by calling them gas.
 
With autocorrect when you try to shorten anesthesia you get all kinds of weird options. I maintain that it is much easier to use gas, especially on a phone like I usually am now. And gas is not a near pejorative like MDA so I really don’t know why people get worked up. No one is trying to insult anesthesiologists by calling them gas.
I think gas doc sounds pretty Kool, got a bad boy vibe to it lol.
 
Well I guess this is the new plan. Yeah that’s what I think you have to do. I would take by end of January and schedule a soft rotation in dec plus a month of vacation. You also need a gas rotation in the first half of the year so you can get a letter for aways. The other thing you need to do is take COMLEX/step 1 early in dedicated. As soon as you are reasonably assured of a pass you take it, then use the rest of dedicated to get a head start on step 2.

I have to say I think this plan is gonna work out poorly for most DOs tho. I am already feeling bad for you guys. Cause the above plan is what I would try to do if I was DO for 2024, and I can see it burning out students quickly. Peeps, get into MD or just accept that primary care is likely and let the scores play out how they will.
After 2024 i still think that DOs will for the most part be able to match into most specialties with reputation aside and the uber competitives like Derm, surgical subs, IR also aside. OB gas EM most IM subs PMR neuro path will be just fine IMO
 
Do IM and then card or GI... EM and Gas docs only make 350-400k on average. 😛
 
Top