Official 2012-2013 IM Residency WAMC (What Are My Chances) Thread

[jdh71]

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Thank you very much 🙂

Are there any programs you would suggest adding or removing to the list as it stands?

AL: UAB
CT Norwalk/Yale, Yale/Waterbury, Yale/New Haven,
FL: UMiami/Palm Beach Regional, UF-Jacksonville, Mayo-Jacksonville, Jackson Memorial, Mount Sinai Medical Center, Cleveland Clinic-Florida
GA: Emory
IA: University of Iowa
IL: Cook County, St Joseph, Northwestern, Rush
KY: UKentucky
MI: St John Hospital, Wayne State, Tufts, Western Michigan SOM, UMich, Michigan State
MA: Baystate, BU, Brigham, UMass, Cambridge Hospital, Mount Auburn, Tufts
MD: Johns Hopkins Bayview
MN: Mayo, UMinn, Abbot-Northwestern
MO: St Louis University
NC: Duke
NY: SLR, Mount Sinai, Mount Sinai Elmhurst, NSLIJ, AE Monte, BI, NYU
OH: Case Western (both), Cleveland Clinic, Mercy St Vincent, UCincinnati,
PA: Albert Einstein, HUP, Temple, Thomas Jefferson, UPMC
TN: Vanderbilt
TX: Baylor College, UTMB, UT San Antonio, UTSW(Dallas and Austin)
WI: Medical College of Wisconsin​

The list looks fine for the most part. I'm not as good as guessing where FMG from your background will get invites.

As long as you're interested in the Chicago area, add UIC and Loyola. As long as you're sending an app to Duke, then if you'd consider North Carolina, I'd also add in Wake Forest. Consider adding Texas A&M Scott&White in TX (small town, but good program)

 

[KRichards62]

Middle tier allopathic school in the Midwest. Fortunately we have sent good residents to Northwestern for internal medicine but that's not too surprising that Harvard and Hopkins are out based on my non top-tiered medical school. Appreciate the insight.

I wouldn't say definitively out and you should definitely apply. I just think for Harvard/Hopkins/UCSF, applicants with good board scores from mid-tier schools, non-AOA, and minimal research are a dime-a-dozen.

Don't get me wrong, you have a great application and will get in at many excellent programs. But the upper crust has the advantage of getting the picks of the litter.

 

[jdh71]

Hi all. Here's my stats.

Top 50 US med school (I think)
Step 1: 250s
Step 2 CK/CS pending (taking them in Oct/Nov)
AOA: no
Preclinical grades: H or HP
Clinical grades: Honors in Medicine and General Surgery. High passed everything else. Overall ranked in top 25-30% of class.
Pubs: 1 peer reviewed journal, 3 posters
Extracurriculars: academic committee member, otherwise standard
LORs: chair's letter, two elective, one from sub-I hopefully in September

Want to stay in the Baltimore/DC area. Applying to around 18 progs. Top picks (not necessarily in that order):

Univ of MD
Hopkins
Bayview
Georgetown
GWU
Wash Hosp Center

Thoughts? Prob only gonna rank around 9 to 10 programs unless I need to rank more (hopefully will get interviews in most of these places). Thanks a bunch everyone.

Hopkins might take a look - I don't want to say you're a slam dunk, but I think they may send an invite. At least I think your app will make it past the step 1 screen, and the rest will depend kind of on the batch of applications they get this year I reckon.

You're fine for basically everywhere else - maybe too fine. Make sure you write in your personal statement to these places about wanting to stay in the DC/Baltimore area so that way these places don't reject you based on your app being "too good" than what they normally get to match at their program. If they don't think they will be serious considerations they'll reject you.

 

[jdh71]

I wouldn't say definitively out and you should definitely apply. I just think for Harvard/Hopkins/UCSF, applicants with good board scores from mid-tier schools, non-AOA, and minimal research are a dime-a-dozen.

Don't get me wrong, you have a great application and will get in at many excellent programs. But the upper crust has the advantage of getting the picks of the litter.

Agree with KR here. If the last two cycles are indicative, then it's getting harder for a regular guy to get into the elite programs.

List the neurosurgery research. It's not a red flag that you considered other parts of medicine, just be ready to answer why you like IM better and how IM will be what supports your career goals. (ie. "I ended up liking complicated medical cases more than the OR, and I'm interested in heme/onc or ID now and I can't do those through NS")

There are lots of awesome programs besides Hopkins, B&W, MG, and UCSF as much as it might hurt some to hear it 😀

 

[BlueAlien]

KRichards and gutonc, do you have any input on my post? Thanks guys.

 

[KRichards62]

School: UTSW (Top 20)
Step 1: 236/99
Step 2 CK/CS pending
AOA: no
Preclinical grades: H, 1HP
Clinical grades: HP in everything, H in psych
Overall ranked in top 25-33% of class.
Pubs: 1 peer reviewed journal, 1 poster
Extracurriculars: Tutor
LORs: 2 department head letters, research mentor letter, department letter.

Very Competitive:
UMich
Wash U
Duke
Hopkins
UW
Vanderbilt

Competitive:
UTSW
UNC

Solid application, and from what I've gathered PDs like UTSW grads. You'll likely get interviews at most places (+/- Hopkins). Your list seems pretty broad geographically, so I'd throw in some other good programs to consider as well: UAB, UVA, Emory, Northwestern, Mayo to name a few...

 

[sineapse]

AL: UAB
CT Norwalk/Yale, Yale/Waterbury, Yale/New Haven,
FL: UMiami/Palm Beach Regional, UF-Jacksonville, Mayo-Jacksonville, Jackson Memorial, Mount Sinai Medical Center, Cleveland Clinic-Florida
GA: Emory
IA: University of Iowa
IL: Cook County, St Joseph, Northwestern, Rush
KY: UKentucky
MI: St John Hospital, Wayne State, Tufts, Western Michigan SOM, UMich, Michigan State
MA: Baystate, BU, Brigham, UMass, Cambridge Hospital, Mount Auburn, Tufts
MD: Johns Hopkins Bayview
MN: Mayo, UMinn, Abbot-Northwestern
MO: St Louis University
NC: Duke
NY: SLR, Mount Sinai, Mount Sinai Elmhurst, NSLIJ, AE Monte, BI, NYU
OH: Case Western (both), Cleveland Clinic, Mercy St Vincent, UCincinnati,
PA: Albert Einstein, HUP, Temple, Thomas Jefferson, UPMC
TN: Vanderbilt
TX: Baylor College, UTMB, UT San Antonio, UTSW(Dallas and Austin)
WI: Medical College of Wisconsin​

The list looks fine for the most part. I'm not as good as guessing where FMG from your background will get invites.

As long as you're interested in the Chicago area, add UIC and Loyola. As long as you're sending an app to Duke, then if you'd consider North Carolina, I'd also add in Wake Forest. Consider adding Texas A&M Scott&White in TX (small town, but good program)

Much obliged.

 

[gutonc]

KRichards and gutonc, do you have any input on my post? Thanks guys.

You can apply and probably get an interview anywhere you like. Your list leans towards places (geographically speaking) that I wouldn't be caught dead in so I'm not much help there.

 

[BlueAlien]

Thanks for all your input guys!

 

[quique2]

Loyola, Rush, UMDNJ-NJMS and maybe RWJ, Emory and NYU are worth an app. Don't waste your money on the rest of them...it ain't happening. With only a couple of exceptions, the programs in this list are far more competitive than the ones in your big list.

Thanks for the insight - I'll clean up my list a bit and remove some of the programs whose requirements I don't meet by a large margin. I'll be seeing you and everyone else around the forums.

 

[Merely]

Caite upton and Kim Kardashian in a threesome. W00t!

 

[jdh71]

Caite upton and Kim Kardashian in a threesome. W00t!

Apply to Hopkins only. No other app necessary.

 

[Bill Swa]

Agree with KR here. If the last two cycles are indicative, then it's getting harder for a regular guy to get into the elite programs.

List the neurosurgery research. It's not a red flag that you considered other parts of medicine, just be ready to answer why you like IM better and how IM will be what supports your career goals. (ie. "I ended up liking complicated medical cases more than the OR, and I'm interested in heme/onc or ID now and I can't do those through NS")

There are lots of awesome programs besides Hopkins, B&W, MG, and UCSF as much as it might hurt some to hear it 😀

Based on the programs I've listed, do you have any rec's on where else I should apply in the Midwest/Central Plains area?

 

[coffeebeanjenn]

How many programs should I apply to? I met with my Dean yesterday and was told I needed to apply to at least 25 midwest/west/southern schools. I guess it is hard to break into the coasts from our school, so they're all considered "extra." My list is currently 37, which is pretty overwhelming. Ultimately I'm very interested in following IM with a heme/onc residency. I just want to have a really good application year and feel like I have options.

School: Not top 20
Step 1: 239
Step 2 CK/CS pending
AOA: Yes, junior
Preclinical grades: H, 1HP
Clinical grades: Honors in everything, family med pending
Overall ranked in top 10%
Pubs: Unfortunately, no. Lots of research experience, though. Currently working on something that we'll hopefully submit this year.
Extracurriculars: Extensive. Hundreds of hours volunteering at a free clinic during med school. Spent five years prior to school working in an interesting field tangentially related to medicine
LORs: More than I'll need. All allegedly "strong" and from people who know me well. Will get a department letter.

After our meeting my list exploderated to this. The top eleven are my top ten+home, then my "reaches" and then it gets random. Is this overkill, or should I just go ahead and submit to all of them?

Duke
Emory
Mayo
Northwestern
UNC
U of Chicago
Michigan
UPMC
Wisconsin
Colorado
Kansas
BIDMC
BWG
MGH
UCSF
Minnesota
Loyola
Rush
Penn
Washington
UCLA
UC-Irvine
Vanderbilt
Baylor
Iowa
Nebraska
Case Western
Wake Forest
University of Illinois at Chicago
UVA
Oregon HSC
CCF
Utah
UT HSC San Antonio
UT Houston
MUSC
USF Morsani

 

[jdh71]

Based on the programs I've listed, do you have any rec's on where else I should apply in the Midwest/Central Plains area?

I think you're missing WashU and UMinn (but either of these could be one of the "local" programs you alluded to)

Iowa which is great program BUT I don't think based on your list it would great enough to pull you to Iowa City, but if it's in the drivable interview area there is no reason not to check it out if convenient.

You've got all the major Chicago program listed except Loyola. I thought it was a nice program with a nice hospital. I don't think it would be a top of the list program for you, but if you're really wanting to stay in Chicago for any reason, it might be one to add.

Also, and these aren't "mid-west" per se but Maryland and UNC are great programs worth checking out all other things being equal.

 

[jdh71]

How many programs should I apply to? I met with my Dean yesterday and was told I needed to apply to at least 25 midwest/west/southern schools. I guess it is hard to break into the coasts from our school, so they're all considered "extra." My list is currently 37, which is pretty overwhelming. Ultimately I'm very interested in following IM with a heme/onc residency. I just want to have a really good application year and feel like I have options.

School: Not top 20
Step 1: 239
Step 2 CK/CS pending
AOA: Yes, junior
Preclinical grades: H, 1HP
Clinical grades: Honors in everything, family med pending
Overall ranked in top 10%
Pubs: Unfortunately, no. Lots of research experience, though. Currently working on something that we'll hopefully submit this year.
Extracurriculars: Extensive. Hundreds of hours volunteering at a free clinic during med school. Spent five years prior to school working in an interesting field tangentially related to medicine
LORs: More than I'll need. All allegedly "strong" and from people who know me well. Will get a department letter.

After our meeting my list exploderated to this. The top eleven are my top ten+home, then my "reaches" and then it gets random. Is this overkill, or should I just go ahead and submit to all of them?

Duke
Emory
Mayo
Northwestern
UNC
U of Chicago
Michigan
UPMC
Wisconsin
Colorado
Kansas
BIDMC
BWG
MGH
UCSF
Minnesota
Loyola
Rush
Penn
Washington
UCLA
UC-Irvine
Vanderbilt
Baylor
Iowa
Nebraska
Case Western
Wake Forest
University of Illinois at Chicago
UVA
Oregon HSC
CCF
Utah
UT HSC San Antonio
UT Houston
MUSC
USF Morsani

Based on your CV, it's probably too many. I'd try and cut to back to 20-30 range. You have to buy each additional 10 programs you submit to. Want help cutting programs from the list?

 

[coffeebeanjenn]

Based on your CV, it's probably too many. I'd try and cut to back to 20-30 range. You have to buy each additional 10 programs you submit to. Want help cutting programs from the list?

I'd love some help!!!

 

[jdh71]

I'd love some help!!!

Do you have any general wants from a program or location? Just give me your gut level, top of your head issues. This will help. 🙂

 

[coffeebeanjenn]

Do you have any general wants from a program or location? Just give me your gut level, top of your head issues. This will help. 🙂

University program. Some place that will mold me into an awesome doc. Strong didactics, progressive technology. I don't mind working my a** off as long as the program/hospital also keeps my interests in mind (ie culture of learning).

Husband is a lawyer, so bigger cities are better than smaller for employment prospects.

My parents live in CO, his live 2h out of Atlanta. No kids yet, but proximity to either family could make that easier.

We have two large dogs and *really* don't want to have to go back to living in a 1br apartment (did that for eight years).

Thanks!

 

[gutonc]

Based on the programs I've listed, do you have any rec's on where else I should apply in the Midwest/Central Plains area?

Why would you apply anywhere else? You've got a good mix of programs (reach, solid contender, shoo-in) and you're a pretty good candidate. If anything, I'd prune some of the lower tier programs...you're not going to need them.

 

[AM12]

Would love some advice about the places I'm applying to and if I'm on track...not really interested in the west coast.

School: Not top 20
Step 1: 230
Step 2 CK/CS pending
AOA: No
Preclinical grades: 2H, the rest HP
Clinical grades: HPs everything except honors in Family Med
Rank: 25-50%
Pubs: 1 poster, 1 presentation at national meeting
Extracurriculars: Extensive.
LORs: Should be strong

Career interests: primary care, Rheum, geriatrics, and possibly GI


Tier 1:
UNC
Vandy
UVA
UTSW
Yale

Tier 2:
UC-Denver
UAB
Brown
Baylor
BU
Pitt
Emory

Tier 3:
MUSC
UMiami
Wake
Gtown
GW
UMd
VCU
UIC
Arizona
Tufts

Primary Care;
Cornell
Penn
Wake
Emory
B&W
UC-Denver
GW
JH-Urban Health Track


Anyone know how competitive the PC tracks are?

Any suggestions appreciated!

 

[jdh71]

University program. Some place that will mold me into an awesome doc. Strong didactics, progressive technology. I don't mind working my a** off as long as the program/hospital also keeps my interests in mind (ie culture of learning).

Husband is a lawyer, so bigger cities are better than smaller for employment prospects.

My parents live in CO, his live 2h out of Atlanta. No kids yet, but proximity to either family could make that easier.

We have two large dogs and *really* don't want to have to go back to living in a 1br apartment (did that for eight years).

Thanks!

Trimmed down to 30 (if you like Chicago better keep Loyola, if you like SoCal better, cut Loyola add back in UC-Irvine):

Duke
Emory
Mayo
Northwestern
UNC
U of Chicago
Michigan
UPMC
Wisconsin
Colorado
Kansas
BIDMC
BWG
MGH
UCSF
Minnesota
Loyola
Rush
Penn
Washington
UCLA
Vanderbilt
Baylor
Iowa
Case Western
Wake Forest
UVA
Oregon HSC
Utah
MUSC


Cut to 20:

Duke
Emory
Mayo
Northwestern
UNC
U of Chicago
Michigan
UPMC
Wisconsin
Colorado
Kansas
BIDMC
BWG
MGH
UCSF
Penn
Washington
UCLA
Vanderbilt
Oregon HSC


I'm assuming "Washington" means UW. Any reason you don't have WashU on the list? Hate of St. Louis is enough in my opinion, but it's not too far a drive for an interview from KC.

 

[coffeebeanjenn]

I'm assuming "Washington" means UW. Any reason you don't have WashU on the list? Hate of St. Louis is enough in my opinion, but it's not too far a drive for an interview from KC.

Yes, UW. We'd rather stay here than live in St. Louis. So even though it is close I don't really even want to bother.

Also, thank you!! Applying to only 20 seems appealing and reasonable, but I may go for the 30 just to see what happens. I suppose I have a few more weeks to decide.

 

[jdh71]

We'd rather stay here than live in St. Louis.

I promise I appreciate the St. Louis hate

 

[VneZonyDostupa]

Hey guys/gals,

Not totally sure if this is the right place for this question (and feel free to boot it out if it isn't).

So, I want to go into IM. Ideally, I would like to end up somewhere northeast, NYC and eastward, at a university-based program. Failing that, any mid-tier and up university program would rock.

The problem is...my step scores and my GPA. They're abysmal. My step 1 score was 196, and my step 2 estimates based on UWorld and NBME (taking it Saturday) are around 200-210. My med school GPA is 2.7.

With those atrocious step scores in mind, are university programs in NE pretty much out of reach? I have research (third author on one paper), co-founded a non-profit organization in my city, worked for the FBI (research internship in college), and have good letters, but I'm not sure how much these things would help given my scores.

So...help?! Which NE university programs are in reach? Failing that, which univeristy programs elsewhere (preferably cold!) ARE in reach?

 

[jdh71]

Hey guys/gals,

Not totally sure if this is the right place for this question (and feel free to boot it out if it isn't).

So, I want to go into IM. Ideally, I would like to end up somewhere northeast, NYC and eastward, at a university-based program. Failing that, any mid-tier and up university program would rock.

The problem is...my step scores and my GPA. They're abysmal. My step 1 score was 196, and my step 2 estimates based on UWorld and NBME (taking it Saturday) are around 200-210. My med school GPA is 2.7.

With those atrocious step scores in mind, are university programs in NE pretty much out of reach? I have research (third author on one paper), co-founded a non-profit organization in my city, worked for the FBI (research internship in college), and have good letters, but I'm not sure how much these things would help given my scores.

So...help?! Which NE university programs are in reach? Failing that, which univeristy programs elsewhere (preferably cold!) ARE in reach?

There are still plenty of university programs in the NE that will interview you. You'll need back-up community programs, but not all is lost.

 

[VneZonyDostupa]

That's encouraging,Jdh, thanks! Any tips on which NE university programs I should look into seriously? UConn? UMass?

My concern is that some of these programs list a Step 1 cutoff of 200 on Freida...so this means they won't even interview me, right?

Oh...awesome, avatar pic, by the way =)

 

[jdh71]

That's encouraging,Jdh, thanks! Any tips on which NE university programs I should look into seriously? UConn? UMass?

My concern is that some of these programs list a Step 1 cutoff of 200 on Freida...so this means they won't even interview me, right?

Oh...awesome, avatar pic, by the way =)

Well. If they list a 200 step score cut off, then . . . maybe. I mean they do want to fill many, many categorical intern slots with warm bodies.

So yes, UConn, UMass, Georgetown, GW, UMDNJs, SUNYs, Penn State, Drexel, Temple, maaaybe TJ . . . the rest will have to be community programs. But you should get a few of the above, and who knows you may really end up liking one of the community programs you interview at.

 

[VneZonyDostupa]

True, I may like the community programs. My only reservation about those is that I want to do a fellowship in ID, and then hopefully work in international health, and i've heard both of these are much harder if you don't go to a university program (per current fellows/attendings at my school, so take that for what it's worth, I guess).

 

[jdh71]

True, I may like the community programs. My only reservation about those is that I want to do a fellowship in ID, and then hopefully work in international health, and i've heard both of these are much harder if you don't go to a university program (per current fellows/attendings at my school, so take that for what it's worth, I guess).

ID isn't terribly competitive and international health even less so

I think you'll be ok

 

[umean2tellme]

Hello everyone.

Step 1: 252
Step 2:CK Sept 14, CS in January
AOA not available, but I think I'm ranked around 9-10 out of 35.
Honors 2nd and 3rd year
School is new (FIU), so no idea how that will affect everything.

3rd Year Grades:
Honors: Medicine, Psych, Peds, Surgery
Near Honors: OB/GYN
Pass: Family Med, Neuro

Research: 2 peer reviewed pubs in psych. I poster in cardiovascular stuff.

Letters:
1 from Mentor in GI (Presidential Medal of Freedom winner). Worked on community projects and in clinical setting.
1 Sub-I (associate program director in IM)
IM Clerkship director letter from my home institution
1 more from a hematologist

Programs:
Cleveland Clinic Ohio
Cleveland Clinic Weston
Mayo MN
UMiami/Jackson
Shands Gainesville
GHSU
Emory
UC
Northwestern
Loyola
UIC
Southern Illinois University
MGH
UMass
Beth Israel Deaconess
NYU
Mt Sinai SOM
Colombia
Cornell
U of Vermont
Johns Hopkins
UMaryland
Stanford
U of Arkansas
Thomas Jefferson
UPitt
UPenn
UColorado
Yale
Duke
Dartmouth-Hitchcock
Vanderbilt
UVA
Wisconsin

34 Programs in total. Thanks 😀

 

[gutonc]

Hello everyone.

Programs:
Mayo MN
Emory
UC
Northwestern
MGH
Beth Israel Deaconess
NYU
Mt Sinai SOM
Colombia
Cornell
U of Vermont
Johns Hopkins
UMaryland
Stanford
Thomas Jefferson
UPitt
UPenn
UColorado
Yale
Duke
Dartmouth-Hitchcock
Vanderbilt
UVA
Wisconsin

34 Programs in total. Thanks 😀

I tightened up your list a bit there since with your app (even from a new school), there's no need to apply to some of the low/no tier programs on your list.

Of the programs left on the list, you'll easily get interviews from half of them. Some are a stretch, but no reason not to try.

 

[saphireflame]

hello all, looking to apply northeast

us grad @ mid-tier med school
step 1: 246
step 2: pending (taking in oct)
top 10-25%: pending AOA

3rd year-
honors: internal medicine, psych, neuro
high pass: peds, obgyn
pass: surgery

research- two papers, both basic science, both first author, one in well-cited journal

letter-
2 from im faculty
1 from research mentor
extracurricular- routine stuff

programs-
BID
B&W
MGH
Tufts
Yale New Haven
Johns Hopkins
Duke
UNC
Columbia
Cornell
Mt Sinai
NYU
Einstein
Brown
Pitt
UPenn
Jefferson
Drexel
Mayo Clinic
University of Chicago
Northwestern

the last few are a bit random. what should i add/take off? wamc?

 

[DivCurlZero]

Reading this thread is giving me a serious case of heartburn. What exactly does it take to get into a top 10 program? I'm seeing people posting with 250+s, research pubs, and the consensus on these folks is that these programs are a stretch. How is that even possible?

Not that I HAVE to go to a "top" program... just merely curious. Of course, my main goal is just to match at a program that I fit well in. Looks like I'll be applying to 20+ programs just to be safe!

 

[gutonc]

hello all, looking to apply northeast

us grad @ mid-tier med school
step 1: 246
step 2: pending (taking in oct)
top 10-25%: pending AOA

3rd year-
honors: internal medicine, psych, neuro
high pass: peds, obgyn
pass: surgery

research- two papers, both basic science, both first author, one in well-cited journal

letter-
2 from im faculty
1 from research mentor
extracurricular- routine stuff

programs-
BID
B&W
MGH
Tufts
Yale New Haven
Johns Hopkins
Duke
UNC
Columbia
Cornell
Mt Sinai
NYU
Einstein
Brown
Pitt
UPenn
Jefferson
Drexel
Mayo Clinic
University of Chicago
Northwestern

the last few are a bit random. what should i add/take off? wamc?

Ditch Drexel (that puts you at 20 programs). The WAMC answer is that same one I gave to the dude right above your post.

 

[jdh71]

Reading this thread is giving me a serious case of heartburn. What exactly does it take to get into a top 10 program? I'm seeing people posting with 250+s, research pubs, and the consensus on these folks is that these programs are a stretch. How is that even possible?

Not that I HAVE to go to a "top" program... just merely curious. Of course, my main goal is just to match at a program that I fit well in. Looks like I'll be applying to 20+ programs just to be safe!

The best stats are actually mostly reserved for the elite programs. You'll likely find top 10 invites with a 250 and research pubs.

 

[jdh71]

Ditch Drexel (that puts you at 20 programs). The WAMC answer is that same one I gave to the dude right above your post.

Agreed. Ditch Drexel.

 

[thethethe]

do i stand any chance at getting into cornell, columbia, or sinai with my stats:
or any other top top NYC hospitals?

DO student
Top 15% of my class
USMLE step 1 - 249

 

[KRichards62]

do i stand any chance at getting into cornell, columbia, or sinai with my stats:
or any other top top NYC hospitals?

DO student
Top 15% of my class
USMLE step 1 - 249

I doubt those programs interview DOs. There may be a few rare exceptions, but I'm betting it's a pretty firm policy.

 

[girl82]

you and i have very similar stats, interests, and ecs. i would be curious to know if any one had suggestions, especially about northeast and chicago programs. thanks

Would love some advice about the places I'm applying to and if I'm on track...not really interested in the west coast.

School: Not top 20
Step 1: 230
Step 2 CK/CS pending
AOA: No
Preclinical grades: 2H, the rest HP
Clinical grades: HPs everything except honors in Family Med
Rank: 25-50%
Pubs: 1 poster, 1 presentation at national meeting
Extracurriculars: Extensive.
LORs: Should be strong

Career interests: primary care, Rheum, geriatrics, and possibly GI


Tier 1:
UNC
Vandy
UVA
UTSW
Yale

Tier 2:
UC-Denver
UAB
Brown
Baylor
BU
Pitt
Emory

Tier 3:
MUSC
UMiami
Wake
Gtown
GW
UMd
VCU
UIC
Arizona
Tufts

Primary Care;
Cornell
Penn
Wake
Emory
B&W
UC-Denver
GW
JH-Urban Health Track


Anyone know how competitive the PC tracks are?

Any suggestions appreciated!

 

[lefthand]

School: Top 25
Step 1: 226/94 back in 07 (likely black mark on app as board averages have jumped)
Step 2 CK/CS: Pending (hoping to rectify decent but not outstanding step 1)
Clerkships: mainly H, HP in neuro/OB
AOA: No
Research: extensive, PhD (MSTP), 15 publications in press/submitted (8 as first author, mix of basic/translational/clinical), nearly 30 abstracts at national/international meetings, one US patent filed, individual NIH pre-doc grant, some research awards.
ECs: pretty standard issue to be honest, free clinic, teaching experience (TA/lecturer for med/grad courses during PhD/M3), tutor, served on admissions committee, positions in AMA/other groups, etc.
LORs: apparently strong, most probably speak to demonstrated desire for an academic career

Hoping for mid to upper tier academic program in the Midwest/West/South (Vandy, Chicago, Colorado, UW, OHSU, Mayo, Michigan, Emory, NU etc.) no real desire for Hopkins, MGH, BW, or anything on Eastern seaboard even if board score didn't put me out of the running.

Will apply ABIM research fast track to places with strong research in my area of interest so I realize that changes the ball game a bit.

That said, how much is that 226 going to hurt my chances at the upper tier, but not über elite institutions if I go categorical??? Anyone have experience applying ABIM fast track/PSTP with average step 1??? Aside from knocking step 2 out of the park any other advice? Thanks.

 

[gutonc]

School: Top 25
Step 1: 226/94 back in 07 (likely black mark on app as board averages have jumped)
Step 2 CK/CS: Pending (hoping to rectify decent but not outstanding step 1)
Clerkships: mainly H, HP in neuro/OB
AOA: No
Research: extensive, PhD (MSTP), 15 publications in press/submitted (8 as first author, mix of basic/translational/clinical), nearly 30 abstracts at national/international meetings, one US patent filed, individual NIH pre-doc grant, some research awards.
ECs: pretty standard issue to be honest, free clinic, teaching experience (TA/lecturer for med/grad courses during PhD/M3), tutor, served on admissions committee, positions in AMA/other groups, etc.
LORs: apparently strong, most probably speak to demonstrated desire for an academic career

Hoping for mid to upper tier academic program in the Midwest/West/South (Vandy, Chicago, Colorado, UW, OHSU, Mayo, Michigan, Emory, NU etc.) no real desire for Hopkins, MGH, BW, or anything on Eastern seaboard even if board score didn't put me out of the running.

Will apply ABIM research fast track to places with strong research in my area of interest so I realize that changes the ball game a bit.

That said, how much is that 226 going to hurt my chances at the upper tier, but not über elite institutions if I go categorical??? Anyone have experience applying ABIM fast track/PSTP with average step 1??? Aside from knocking step 2 out of the park any other advice? Thanks.

I had a pretty similar app to you (PhD, decent but not stellar Step 1 a few years before everybody else took it, applied to research pathway, etc) and applied to a similar group of programs that you're looking at. With the exception of NW, I got interviews at every program in your list that I applied to (and matched at one of them...my #1). So I think your chances are pretty good. You'll probably miss the Step 1 cutoff at a program or two but the PhD is going to pull you through in most of the rest of them.

 

[lefthand]

Thanks gutonc...hopefully I'll have a similar experience. Glad to hear that a decent, but not spectacular board score wasn't a limiting factor in regards to matching at your #1.

 

[Trekks86]

DO Student, average preclinical grades, top half of the class

Step 1: comlex-473, USMLE-225
Step 2: USMLE: 228

Mostly High passes, but a handful of passes as well. Did not Honor IM, but did get a High pass.

Research: 1 second author pub, in a low impact journal

I'm from california and am looking to stay in california for family reasons. Shooting for a mid-tier program. What programs do I have the greatest shot at matching?
I'm obviously going to be casting a wide net, just curious what you guys would think I have any realistic shot at matching out of the programs in california.

Thanks!

 

[gutonc]

DO Student, average preclinical grades, top half of the class

Step 1: comlex-473, USMLE-225
Step 2: USMLE: 228

Mostly High passes, but a handful of passes as well. Did not Honor IM, but did get a High pass.

Research: 1 second author pub, in a low impact journal

I'm from california and am looking to stay in california for family reasons. Shooting for a mid-tier program. What programs do I have the greatest shot at matching?
I'm obviously going to be casting a wide net, just curious what you guys would think I have any realistic shot at matching out of the programs in california.

Thanks!

Off the top of my head...
USC
Loma Linda
UCI
CPMC
UCLA-OV and Harbor
SCVMC

I'm sure there are others but this is a good start.

 

[Black Adder]

Off the top of my head...
USC
Loma Linda
UCI
CPMC
UCLA-OV and Harbor
SCVMC

I'm sure there are others but this is a good start.

Thanks for the input! I had almost the exact stats as above..

Are UCI and UCD around the same caliber? UCD more selective?

 

[gutonc]

Thanks for the input! I had almost the exact stats as above..

Are UCI and UCD around the same caliber? UCD more selective?

It won't hurt you to throw UCD in the mix.

And if you really want to stretch, try adding UCSD, SB Cottage and Scripps-Green. SB Cottage and Scripps-Green are tough because they're cush-er than most in great locations. UCSD is the least likely of the "Big 3" UC schools to just laugh at your application.

 

[kl323]

Hey guys,

Need some help coming up with a list. Briefly about myself-

US Allopathic (average school)
Step 1 - 216
Step 2 CK - Pending.
Preclinical - All pass (except for 2 HPs)
Clinical - All HP (except for H in Peds and Primary Care)
Rank - Unknown
Pubs - None
Extracurriculars - Various service activities/clubs
LoR - One from my attending that I worked with 1 on 1 in clinic. Another one I'll try to get from my Sub-I

Career aspiration - Hospitalist, Endo, Renal, or GI
Geography - Places commutable from NYC.

Here's my list in no particular order---

Reach (Know I have ZERO chance, but what the heck right?)
Columbia
Cornell
NYU
Sinai
Montefiore

Reach+Safety:
North Shore/LIJ
Downstate
Maimonides
St. Luke's
Lenox Hill
Beth Israel
Staten Island
Stony Brook

-----------------

I don't know how many more and which programs I should apply to. There's a bunch of community programs within NYC. There's also a bunch of those programs that are affiliated with major university programs (e.g. Einstein, North Shore, Sinai, Cornell etc). Which of those programs are good fits for AMGs? I went through some of those community programs and they mostly take IMGs.

Anyway, thanks in advance. I would appreciate any advice!

 

[charizard28]

Hello, I would like to hear a honest advice without bitter and hating issues. Im a IMG that needs visa graduated in 2008. Im applying to Internal Medicine this current match, and I would like to know if you would recommend use mededits to strenght my application. I had repeat the first year of med school in my country because of family problems during that year. My scores are the next ones: Step 1/197, Step 2ck/219, step 2cs/2nd attempt, I have done observership for 3 months in University hospital and got 3 US LORs from here, I have also a LOR from important known doctor in England from this year, currently doing research in Internal medicine for about 2 months in University hospital. I would like to know what you advise me to do, I really want to match into an Internal medicine residency, and is necesarry i purchase this mededits think? I hope someone or many can advise me what to do. Good Luck to everyone

 

[gutonc]

Hello, I would like to hear a honest advice without bitter and hating issues. Im a IMG that needs visa graduated in 2008. Im applying to Internal Medicine this current match, and I would like to know if you would recommend use mededits to strenght my application. I had repeat the first year of med school in my country because of family problems during that year. My scores are the next ones: Step 1/197, Step 2ck/219, step 2cs/2nd attempt, I have done observership for 3 months in University hospital and got 3 US LORs from here, I have also a LOR from important known doctor in England from this year, currently doing research in Internal medicine for about 2 months in University hospital. I would like to know what you advise me to do, I really want to match into an Internal medicine residency, and is necesarry i purchase this mededits think? I hope someone or many can advise me what to do. Good Luck to everyone

First: I merged your post with the current WAMC thread.

Second: Do not give those people any of your money. Your app is horrible. There is no way around that and there's nothing you can do about it now. Even if your PS made Dante's Inferno read like "Dick and Jane go to Town" it's unlikely that it would make you chances any better. So save your money.

Third: If you're just shilling for mededits, please go away.