- Joined
- Sep 18, 2016
- Messages
- 77
- Reaction score
- 51
School: Top 30ish
Step Scores: On the poopier side. Step 1: 234, Step 2 CK: 223 (took at the end of December of interview season and epically failed at studying), Step 2 CS: Pass, 1st attempt
Grades: Honors Medicine, Honors OB/GYN, Honors Peds: High Pass Psychiatry, High Pass Surgery, Pass Neurology, Pass Family Medicine/Primary Care (grading rubric: 50% students in a block receive Pass, next 30% above get High Pass, top 20% of each block receives Honors)
Research: A summer research fellowship at UCSF + a summer of research in undergrad, both in the same topic. No publications.
AOA: AOA Yes, also GHHS
Rank: Top MSPE grouping for school (top 20% of class)
EC’s: A huge part of my application. Founded and ran a free clinic, leader of a student group, a couple of unique outside-of-school hobbies/interests I spend a lot of time on and actively work on developing (some languages, dance)
Interview Invites:
Attended: BWH, UCSF, MGH (Med-Peds), UCLA, Johns Hopkins, UW, Cornell, NYU, Einstein/Montefiore, UCSD, Yale, Mount Sinai, University of Michigan, Harbor-UCLA, home institution (hmmm I wonder what order these are listed in…)
Invited but didn’t Attend: University of Chicago (IM + Med-Peds), Northwestern, OHSU, UC Davis, Brown (IM + Med-Peds), University of Colorado (IM + Med-Peds), Tufts, Cedars-Sinai, Kaiser SF, Kaiser Oakland, Penn (Med-Peds), Yale PC, Cambridge Health Alliance, Hopkins-Bayview, Rush (IM + Med-Peds), Virginia Mason, WashU
Rejections: MGH (IM), Penn (IM), Columbia, Stanford, BWH (Med-Peds), BIDMC
Rejections, Silent: BMC, USC (IM + Med-Peds), Scripps Green, Yale (Med-Peds)
Matched (+ # on ROL): #3, MGH (Med-Peds)!! Say whaat?
Advice:
Holy mother of whatever, it’s been a ride. First of all, you guys are the sweetest for the shoutouts (especially @banjo10 , we’re buddies, right? Maybe?). I’ve really enjoyed everyone's company in this process, and especially to @gutonc thank you. A HUGE thank you. You guys have all been so helpful, and I’ve used SDN for a long time as an absolutely invaluable resource for feeling comfortable with and knowing how to navigate this crazy process.
1. I was clearly pretty bad at gauging my own competitiveness (I found out about AOA/GHHS almost right before I applied, as well as my MSPE grouping), but I do not regret applying to so many programs. I applied very broadly, and obviously canceled a lot of interview invites, but the opportunity cost of applying to a lot of programs up front was low. For peace of mind, I felt that applying to a lot and broadly helped me, although in terms of scheduling it was an absolute nightmare and may have made my interview season hellish. So clearly pros and cons to this approach.
2. The Match is cray. Seriously. I was surprised initially at where I ended up, but I’m so freaking excited for it now that I’ve processed it. #3 takes a little bit to process, and it’s okay. I REAAAAALLY ended up going with gut feeling in those final stages of agonizing over the rank list. I was one of those horrid people who agonized forever and changed their #3-6 a gajillion times and annoyed the crap out of everyone. I was realistic and realized that my #1 and #2 were extremely competitive, and took a lot of time carefully thinking through 3-6. The IM match, and Med-Peds match, have gotten insanely competitive at the top, and despite getting some great invites, I never shed the self-doubt, and rightfully so. On the LAST day the rank list was due, I moved MGH Med-Peds up to #3, because I realized that I would be freaking ecstatic to see it on my envelope, whereas my 4-6 I just wouldn’t feel it. I realized that opening up the envelope and seeing 4-6 would elicit disappointment, whereas seeing #3 would make me happy. So I went with that. I was in love with my #3 when I interviewed, but it initially got lost in the wake of my love affair with my #1. I have always been torn and indecisive between IM and MP, and ultimately ended up ranking mostly IM programs because of a better feeling of fit with IM primary care programs. MGH was the one MP program I felt a deep connection with, and ranked it according to that feeling as the distinguishing factor between it and other programs of equal repute (looking at you, Hopkins). Looking back, it’s important to not get too stuck on your #1, because matching to your #3 is super real and also super awesome. I’m lucky AF.
3. I feel that what got me most of my interviews was the theme I coalesced my application around. My PS, EC’s, and CV are all centered around a theme, one that has carried me through and motivated me. The unusual-ness of my interests/hobbies and how they tie into my PS, EC’s, and CV were brought up on almost every single interview, and were sometimes cited as the reason I was invited, in addition to my academic qualifications. I feel strongly that these elements were the most important factor other than AOA/GHHS that got me interviews and my match.
4. I didn’t do any post-interview communication, for better or for worse. Just didn’t have the energy for it. I received emails from 2 programs saying they were “impressed with my application and thought I would be a good fit” pre-rank list submission, all other programs remained silent.
5. I wonder if my crap-tastic Step 2 CK score affected my rank position at my #1 and #2. I was slated to take it in July 4th year, but a family issue came up and I had to delay it very significantly. By December, I was too tired from interviews to study and had forgotten information from third year. I do not recommend delaying CK like I did. A colleague who also delayed to the end of December also did not score well on CK.
6. Feedback from programs during interviews – VERY tough to interpret. The program I matched at was very excited about me on interview day, and it was clear they really liked my application and were pumped to have me there. My #1, however, was also pretty pumped, and I got some exceptional feedback from one of the PD’s on interview day, just as effusive as the leadership at my #3 on interview day. I would accept the compliments, bask in the acknowledgement of your accomplishments and strengths, but ultimately not attempt to interpret this. Just enjoy the moment, take in your interviews, and move forward.
7. Keep an open mind throughout this process, and allow yourself to consider each program you interview it as your possible dream program/where you’ll actually be a resident. I came into the process being gung-ho California-bound, and ended up completely falling for Boston when I went there for interviews. It’s much closer to home and my support system, and I felt that I could have a lot of what I loved about California in Boston, but also be close to home. I realized family was a big priority, moreso than the allure of California, and so I went with it.
8. The process is EXHAUSTING. I expected interviews and traveling to be exhilarating and liberating. It was illuminating and I learned an incredible amount about what I truly value and what kind of career I truly want from imagining myself at each program, but I was as tired during peak interview season as I was on Medicine or Surgery clerkship.
9. Also, rejected by one program at an institution and invited/matched at another-- not sure how that happened? Still grateful? Thoughts?
Overall, I wouldn’t have in any obscenely long quantity of time have predicted where I ended up, and yet I am completely thrilled. I never thought I had a shot at Hahvahd or whatever, and was 100% sure I wanted California. I didn’t even really consider Boston at all until I happened to get some interviews there and was like, welp, I guess I’m going to these interviews? Hope Boston’s okay? Plan carefully and rigorously, know and learn all you can from people like gutonc and some of the gems on SDN, don’t listen much to your deans (mine gave me some crazy inaccurate advice), and embrace your neurotic side if that’s your process. Do YOUR process, not other people’s, because everyone functions and thrives differently, so if SDN makes you anxious, don’t use it, and if you feel empowered by gauging competitiveness/comparing the length of programs’ p—restige/etc, then run with that too.
WOW WHY IS THIS SO LONG WHO AM I EVEN.
Thanks all.
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congrats on getting your #1
