Matching Ortho advice

[jackets5]

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Hi, i was disappointed to get my step scores back and see i got a 226, a good score but being a Caribbean student who wants to match into ortho, not so good. I'm going to take Step 2 early and hopefully break 250. Going to try to set 2 or 3 ortho rotations and go from there. I'm a US citizen so at least that's a plus. Any other tips or advice for me that i can do to give myself a fighting shot to get some interviews and perhaps match into ortho in 2012

 

[skiz knot]

Hi, i was disappointed to get my step scores back and see i got a 226, a good score but being a Caribbean student... Any other tips or advice for me that i can do to give myself a fighting shot to get some interviews and perhaps match into ortho in 2012

Rock your 3rd year clinical rotations. All of them! Especially IM and Gen/Ortho Surgery. Yes, even OB/Gyne and psych. Be absolutely sure you choose a specialty that you want to do for the rest of your life because it is personally satisfying to you, not because it pays well, sounds cool, or to prove something to yourself/others. Don't trample over others on your way to the top. Do some research. Apply everywhere you can afford to do so. Concentrate your applications and away rotations on non academic powerhouses and programs in less desirable locations (I.E. HSS and UCSD might not be all that interested in you). Apply to the region of the country you are originally from or where you have family. If you don't match (fair chance of not matching), plan to do a year of ortho research or have a "back-up" specialty.

Best of luck.

 

[jackets5]

Rock your 3rd year clinical rotations. All of them! Especially IM and Gen/Ortho Surgery. Yes, even OB/Gyne and psych. Be absolutely sure you choose a specialty that you want to do for the rest of your life because it is personally satisfying to you, not because it pays well, sounds cool, or to prove something to yourself/others. Don't trample over others on your way to the top. Do some research. Apply everywhere you can afford to do so. Concentrate your applications and away rotations on non academic powerhouses and programs in less desirable locations (I.E. HSS and UCSD might not be all that interested in you). Apply to the region of the country you are originally from or where you have family. If you don't match (fair chance of not matching), plan to do a year of ortho research or have a "back-up" specialty.

Best of luck.

Thanks for the advice. I was thinking 3 ortho rotations. Doing the rotation at middle tier University programs like University of Arizona, U of Florida-Jacksonville etc and community programs like Atlanta medical center. If you have suggestions of a good away spot please let me know. Im from NY but went to school in both Arizona and Atlanta.

I know ortho is what i want to do. Im a former Pac-10, ACC football player, have had multiple procedures on myself, have over 500 hours of ortho shadowing, spent 2 weeks as a student observer at Columbia after my first year of med school.

 

[DHT]

I hate to be harsh, but even those places are probably out of your league. If I were in your position, I would look at programs that are on probation, just got off probation, or are in HORRIBLE locations. Also, don't forget that good community programs can be extremely competitive even for US seniors.

 

[jackets5]

I hate to be harsh, but even those places are probably out of your league. If I were in your position, I would look at programs that are on probation, just got off probation, or are in HORRIBLE locations. Also, don't forget that good community programs can be extremely competitive even for US seniors.

Yeah i know it will be a big uphill battle. My goal is just to get a few rotations at places and show the people there that they want to work with me for the next 5 years etc. Im pretty much willing to go anywhere, the only place that would bother me is Detroit. What are you thinking when you say horrible locations. thanks

 

[vancouvergeorge]

Hi, i was disappointed to get my step scores back and see i got a 226, a good score but being a Caribbean student who wants to match into ortho, not so good. I'm going to take Step 2 early and hopefully break 250. Going to try to set 2 or 3 ortho rotations and go from there. I'm a US citizen so at least that's a plus. Any other tips or advice for me that i can do to give myself a fighting shot to get some interviews and perhaps match into ortho in 2012

To be bluntly honest, you're pretty screwed.

Only 3 US IMGs (Americans attending a foreign medical school) matched into ortho in 2009 and 2010, out of 641 spots. And only 12 foreign IMGs (i.e., probably already attendings in their home countries and research superstars) matched ortho.

See for yourself at:
http://www.nrmp.org/data/resultsanddata2009.pdf
http://www.nrmp.org/data/resultsanddata2010.pdf

I don't think you have a fighting shot. You ought to adjust to your reality instead of dissing Detroit.

 

[jackets5]

To be bluntly honest, you're pretty screwed.

Only 3 US IMGs (Americans attending a foreign medical school) matched into ortho in 2009 and 2010, out of 641 spots. And only 12 foreign IMGs (i.e., probably already attendings in their home countries and research superstars) matched ortho.

See for yourself at:
http://www.nrmp.org/data/resultsanddata2009.pdf
http://www.nrmp.org/data/resultsanddata2010.pdf

I don't think you have a fighting shot. You ought to adjust to your reality instead of dissing Detroit.

Not dissing Detroit. All i know about Detroit is that i have been robbed at gun point in Detroit and a family friend who has had to go there for buisness was robbed twice in parking garages in the past year.

 

[womp]

Time to think of another specialty to love.

Ortho is one of those specialties like derm and ENT that are extremely unfriendly to IMGs. When you decided to go to the Caribbean, you in effect forfeited ortho.

 

[DoctaJay]

While I think it may be a fighting battle, don't let anonymous internet folks deter you from you dream. Talk with ortho advisors at your program and hear what they have to say. Ask Dr. Levine on orthogate (he's a PD at columbia) on what your chances are. Do some introspection,and ask yourself whether you are willing to take the chance of being super happy and matching on the first time, or not matching the first or even second time. I think its all in how much you want it, and how widely you plan on applying. I know folks who are U.S. med students, with board scores in the 240s that are appying to like 80 places. They want it bad. If you do too, then don't depend on us to tell you whether you can make it. Talk to someone face to face that is reliable.

 

[skiz knot]

Not dissing Detroit. All i know about Detroit is that i have been robbed at gun point in Detroit and a family friend who has had to go there for buisness was robbed twice in parking garages in the past year.

I know people who have been robbed in Boston, Chicago, New York, and L.A. People have been robbed in Omaha, Lebanon New Hampshire and Tulsa. What's your point? If your goal is to match into ortho as a FMG, apply everywhere, don't diss a SINGLE LOCATION on the interview trail, and lower your expectations. CONCENTRATE your aways on less desirable programs, not because they are inferior, but because you have a better chance at matching at one if you rock your away rotation.