Official 2020-2021 Rheumatology Fellowship Application Cycle

[makunni]

Congrats to all who matched. I got matched at #2, a hospital program but ranked higher due to my local program, had 12 ivs. Stats: US IMG, Steps in 250s, 4 strong LORs (2 rheum, 1 pd, 1 hospitalist), 1 qi, 1 CR publication, 3 posters.

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[Sdveronicasd]

Congrats to all who matched. I got matched at #2, a hospital program but ranked higher due to my local program, had 12 ivs. Stats: US IMG, Steps in 250s, 4 strong LORs (2 rheum, 1 pd, 1 hospitalist), 1 qi, 1 CR publication, 3 posters.

Amazing! Congrats! Thanks for the info!

 

[Propane]

Hey guys, need some advice. I unfortunately failed to match into rheum for the 2nd time in a row. I'm an IMG. Did residency at a medium-sized community program. USMLE Step 1 & 2 mid 230s, Step 3 mid 220s. 2 publications (1 in rheum) and 1 pending publication, 1 oral presentation. No real research experience. Currently a geriatrics fellow at a large university program. Last year had 10 IVs; this year had 12 IVs. Not really sure as to how i didn't match especially given the number of interviews i've had. Thinking of going into clinical practice at this point since i have loans to pay off. Any recommendations on how i can improve my chances for next year?

 

[Residentdoc86]

Congrats to everyone who matched. Please share your stats. For those who didn't match, keep your head up and try again next year.

 

[Animalcules]

Hey guys, need some advice. I unfortunately failed to match into rheum for the 2nd time in a row. I'm an IMG. Did residency at a medium-sized community program. USMLE Step 1 & 2 mid 230s, Step 3 mid 220s. 2 publications (1 in rheum) and 1 pending publication, 1 oral presentation. No real research experience. Currently a geriatrics fellow at a large university program. Last year had 10 IVs; this year had 12 IVs. Not really sure as to how i didn't match especially given the number of interviews i've had. Thinking of going into clinical practice at this point since i have loans to pay off. Any recommendations on how i can improve my chances for next year?

Ask someone you trust and who is candid to review your application in detail. Identify why you are not matching. It is odd not to match with 12 IVs, something does not add up there.

- Lack of clinical rheumatology experience and rheum attending letters?
- Do you interview poorly?
- Is it lack to demonstrated commitment to the specialty? It is hard to get a foot in the door if you do not have a rheum program at your residency. It is great that you have some publication in rheumatology, but it matters whether this is a case report or a primary research study. Can you do research in geriatrics with rheum focus? This is an underappreciated field that could be a good selling point.

 

[Animalcules]

I think the focus on "stats" in this thread is misleading and not helpful. Write how you have demonstrated your commitment to the field.

- Rheumatology rotations (university, community)
- Letters of recommendations from rheum attending/PD/Division Chiefs
- Prior research in rheumatology (clinical, bench)
- Prior publications in rheumatology (clinical, bench)
- Case reports, reviews
- Any awards related to rheum
- Red flags

 

[Propane]

Ask someone you trust and who is candid to review your application in detail. Identify why you are not matching. It is odd not to match with 12 IVs, something does not add up there.

- Lack of clinical rheumatology experience and rheum attending letters?
- Do you interview poorly?
- Is it lack to demonstrated commitment to the specialty? It is hard to get a foot in the door if you do not have a rheum program at your residency. It is great that you have some publication in rheumatology, but it matters whether this is a case report or a primary research study. Can you do research in geriatrics with rheum focus? This is an underappreciated field that could be a good selling point.

-My residency program didn't have an in-house fellowship so i did an away rotation at a university program. I also did another rheum rotation this year during my geri fellowship. I have 2 rheum attending letters with one of them being the PD.
-I used to be terrible at interviewing because of anxiety but i have improved tremendously since college. I thought most of my interviews went pretty well. Though i did get a couple of behavioral questions that stumped me and had to wing it. But most of interview feedback was pretty good and i was told by some faculty/PDs that i would be a good fit for their program.
-Unfortunately i have no real research experience except for some bench research that i conducted while in college. My publications have all been case reports/series.

I will definitely reach out to some PDs. I've asked some faculty in the past and they simply tell me to "show more interest in rheum." I will attempt to do some clinical research in rheum maybe focusing on the geriatric population.

 

[mszzeta]

-My residency program didn't have an in-house fellowship so i did an away rotation at a university program. I also did another rheum rotation this year during my geri fellowship. I have 2 rheum attending letters with one of them being the PD.
-I used to be terrible at interviewing because of anxiety but i have improved tremendously since college. I thought most of my interviews went pretty well. Though i did get a couple of behavioral questions that stumped me and had to wing it. But most of interview feedback was pretty good and i was told by some faculty/PDs that i would be a good fit for their program.
-Unfortunately i have no real research experience except for some bench research that i conducted while in college. My publications have all been case reports/series.

I will definitely reach out to some PDs. I've asked some faculty in the past and they simply tell me to "show more interest in rheum." I will attempt to do some clinical research in rheum maybe focusing on the geriatric population.

I am very sorry to hear your not match. I am also an IMG and understand some difficulties people like us may have. May I first ask that how many programs you applied and your visa status?

 

[Animalcules]

-My residency program didn't have an in-house fellowship so i did an away rotation at a university program. I also did another rheum rotation this year during my geri fellowship. I have 2 rheum attending letters with one of them being the PD.
-I used to be terrible at interviewing because of anxiety but i have improved tremendously since college. I thought most of my interviews went pretty well. Though i did get a couple of behavioral questions that stumped me and had to wing it. But most of interview feedback was pretty good and i was told by some faculty/PDs that i would be a good fit for their program.
-Unfortunately i have no real research experience except for some bench research that i conducted while in college. My publications have all been case reports/series.

I will definitely reach out to some PDs. I've asked some faculty in the past and they simply tell me to "show more interest in rheum." I will attempt to do some clinical research in rheum maybe focusing on the geriatric population.

Thanks for sharing this. I do think you can improve your application if you did a research project in rheum/geri-rheum. You of course will need a mentor to guide you.

Based on your response, I cannot help to wonder if your interviewing skills are harming your application. This may be worse this year with Zoom interviews than to do this in person where some might find it easier to make a connection. You mentioned that some behavioral questions stumped you and you had to wing it. I’m honestly not sure at all what that means, but it makes me wonder whether you get flustered in these situations and give answers that may come across as less genuine and artificial. This is of course all speculation. But it may be helpful to put yourself into as many interview situations as possible, with local fellows and faculty. 12 IVs is simply to high not to match two years in a row.

 

[tacowithgreensauce]

-My residency program didn't have an in-house fellowship so i did an away rotation at a university program. I also did another rheum rotation this year during my geri fellowship. I have 2 rheum attending letters with one of them being the PD.
-I used to be terrible at interviewing because of anxiety but i have improved tremendously since college. I thought most of my interviews went pretty well. Though i did get a couple of behavioral questions that stumped me and had to wing it. But most of interview feedback was pretty good and i was told by some faculty/PDs that i would be a good fit for their program.
-Unfortunately i have no real research experience except for some bench research that i conducted while in college. My publications have all been case reports/series.

I will definitely reach out to some PDs. I've asked some faculty in the past and they simply tell me to "show more interest in rheum." I will attempt to do some clinical research in rheum maybe focusing on the geriatric population.

propane check your dm, i sent over a message.

 

[rokshana]

Hey guys, need some advice. I unfortunately failed to match into rheum for the 2nd time in a row. I'm an IMG. Did residency at a medium-sized community program. USMLE Step 1 & 2 mid 230s, Step 3 mid 220s. 2 publications (1 in rheum) and 1 pending publication, 1 oral presentation. No real research experience. Currently a geriatrics fellow at a large university program. Last year had 10 IVs; this year had 12 IVs. Not really sure as to how i didn't match especially given the number of interviews i've had. Thinking of going into clinical practice at this point since i have loans to pay off. Any recommendations on how i can improve my chances for next year?

if you got a significant number of IVs, then didn't match, its more about how you interviewed and not your CV...afterall you got interviews.
Would think about asking a PD or aPD at a program you have some connection (place you r rotated at, worked with for research, met at a meeting), to help you see what the issue is...make a formal appointment with them, not just as a by the way...this may give you feedback that could help for the next year.