Number of applications for thoracic + GS

[PostMed2018]

I will be applying to thoracic and GS residences in the fall.

How many programs in each should I apply to?

Top 5 school
Step 1 26X, Step 2 - in October
School has no AOA, Half H, half HP for clerkships (Some P/F due to covid, P in surgery) All Ps.
Strong LORs from well known people
6 pubs, 3 First Author
What I would consider strong ECs
Awards from national societies in thoracic surgery

Thank you.

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[deleted50541]

If your goal is to be a CT surgeon, apply to every thoracic program. It looks like there's 30 programs participating in this year's cycle and will cost about $480 to apply to all. Given the stiff competition, I expect that many, if not most, other candidates will do exactly that.

It used to be you were limited by the number of interviews you could get to by time, money, and geography. Last year, we did our integrated thoracic interviews all by Zoom so that may become a future option if you can't physically get there. I haven't heard what we plan to do this year.

As for general surgery, I'm not as up to date on how competitive it is. But applying to 20-30 programs isn't unreasonable. Rule of thumb based on the data was you were pretty much guaranteed to match if you had at least 10 programs to rank.

 

[PostMed2018]

Thank you for the response. What is your thought about going to a great GS program vs. a standard integrated? Do you predict that CT interviews will be virtual this year?

 

[DocKoozmin]

Thank you for the response. What is your thought about going to a great GS program vs. a standard integrated? Do you predict that CT interviews will be virtual this year?

This is just my opinion, as I’m also planning to go CT. I would still take a “standard” integrated program. Again, if your goal is to be a CT surgeon, why prolong your training? A lot of gen surg programs (especially “top” ones) require a few years of research plus a possible three more of fellowship. You’ll hear some old docs criticize the i6’s basically because they have the “that’s not the way I was trained” attitude. I highly doubt you’ll be a worse surgeon for fast-tracking it. The only downside to the integrated spots is you don’t get boarded in gs, but again if your goal is to be a CT surgeon, who really cares.

 

[deleted50541]

Thank you for the response. What is your thought about going to a great GS program vs. a standard integrated? Do you predict that CT interviews will be virtual this year?

There's pros and cons to both that have been debated in other threads.

If you're set on being a cardiac surgeon, go the integrated route. If you're not sure or are considering being a general thoracic surgeon, then do GS. That option gives you more time to consider your future options and provides a much greater level of comfort working on both sides of the diaphragm.

That said, if you interview for an integrated program, make sure you have a strong answer for why you want to do CT surgery and what your immediate and future goals are. The candidates for these programs who make the interview cut all have very strong applications and we want you to articulate why it's worth our time training you for 6+ years.

 

[PostMed2018]

Understood. I have a very cardiac heavy CV. If anything I’m worried about convincing GS programs that I am interested lol.

 

[Lem0nz]

What do you want to do? Probably the more important element here. Are you 1000% sure you want to do cardiac surgery? Or do you have other interests?

 

[PostMed2018]

Cardiac for sure

 

[Banco]

Apply to all integrated cardiac spots in the country, and also around 20 general surgery spots where your application is a good fit. Frankly though it will be pretty easy to see through your application (that it's cardiac focused) but some GS programs don't care.

 

[Lawpy]

Apply to all integrated cardiac spots in the country, and also around 20 general surgery spots where your application is a good fit. Frankly though it will be pretty easy to see through your application (that it's cardiac focused) but some GS programs don't care.

How can you tell which GS programs don't care? I thought GS in general doesn't like being viewed as backup

 

[PostMed2018]

Well for one if a program doesn’t have an integrated program, then GS is the only option

 

[Banco]

How can you tell which GS programs don't care? I thought GS in general doesn't like being viewed as backup

Impossible to say without inside knowledge. But OP has a very impressive application and that will catch some eyes for sure. Regardless of what GS programs may or may not like, it’s reasonable to apply to them because:

1) Cardiac surgery is still a viable pathway via the fellowship route

2) There are too few integrated spots

 

[PostMed2018]

Impossible to say without inside knowledge. But OP has a very impressive application and that will catch some eyes for sure. Regardless of what GS programs may or may not like, it’s reasonable to apply to them because:

1) Cardiac surgery is still a viable pathway via the fellowship route

2) There are too few integrated spots

Yes I will do just this. So Im looking at applying all integrated and about 30 GS. Do you have any other advice?

 

[Banco]

Yes I will do just this. So Im looking at applying all integrated and about 30 GS. Do you have any other advice?

That's a reasonable plan. Just make sure to have different essays/letters for each respective application.