Official Eternal IM WAMC Thread

[Señor S]

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Hey guys, wanted your opinions on a quick question

Unranked school in the south
Step 1 245
Step 2 260
AOA
Honors in all classes third year
Several poster presentations at home institution, no publications or national meeting presentations

Money is an issue as well as coordinating interviews with significant other as we plan to move together and check out the cities. Worth applying to Top tier programs in the northeast and west? Or does <250 step 1, no name school, not living in the geographic region, and lack of publications make it not worth it?

Depends on what you mean by "Top tier." If you want to save some money then forego MGH, BWH, JHH, UCSF and Stanford. I wouldn't skip too many more than that. I think the poster above is being overly pessimistic about your chances.

 

[whoknows2012]

Hey what's up everyone,

Unranked Midwest School
Step 1 239
Step 2 waiting on result
Grades- Pass M1/M2, Pass M3 (3rd year is Pass/Fail as well, no honors, high pass, etc)
Class Rank- Top 25%
No AOA
Strong EC's- Leadership in class, as well as other organizations
Strong LOR's

Don't really know where to start program wise. Would like to go to either coasts and big cities. Any advice on good programs to apply to would be greatly appreciated!

As far as east coast goes;

Reach
Mgh/bwh/BID
Columbia
Sinai
Cornell
Nyu
Sinai
Upenn
Hopkins
Duke
Emory
UNC

Good shot
Tufts
BU
Brown
Monte/einstein
Rwj
Temple
Jefferson
Hopkins bayview
Umd
NSLIJ
Georgetown
GW
UNC
UVA

Feel like you have a good shot of a solid academic program. As far as east coast and preference for a particular city?

 

[Redpancreas]

Step 1: 252
Step 2: Pending
Classesrank: In middle
Mid-tier MD
Year 3: HP (some are clinical, some are academic): IM, Surgery, Pediarix, Neurology, Family Medicine.
Pass: OB/Psych
Research: 2 abstracts, one lead to national conference presentation, other was a QI which won a local school award.


My question is not which ones to take out. I know I might get auto-rejected at most of these top schools (UMich, Columbia, etc.) but I feel like in medical school I made the mistake of limiting my schools to only mid-tier and I happened to get interviews at the highest ranking places I applied to which made me regret not applying to a few more. My question is what am I missing? I don't want to miss any underrated sleeper programs (may have missed a few in the south). I am very risk averse and don't want to chance not matching. Will definitely rank 1-3 home programs.

Goals: I want to match at an academic program that emphasizes teaching over purely efficiency and will give me a great chance at a Cardiology or possible GI fellowship, allow me to teach dedicated medical students, and train me to be the best IM physician I can be. Also, while some IMGs have been some of my favorite residents, I don't want to go somewhere that's full of them because I've heard some places will fill their classes with them because they need work done.

Cedar Sinai
UCLA
Stanford
USC
UCSD
GWU
Georgetown
UMiami
Emory
Loyola
McGaw
Rush
UChicago
UIllinois
Indiana University
University of Iowa
UK-COM
Tulane (Dr. Williams!)
UAB
JHU
UMD
BU
Tufts
DMC/WSU
HF/WSU
UMich
Beaumont, MI
Mayo
UMinn
WashuU
Nebraska
Rutgers
Icahn
Albert Einstein
NYP
NYU
Duke
UNC
Wake Forest
CWRU (center only)
OSU
Cinci
UPenn
Jefferson
Temple
UPMC
Vanderbilt
Baylor
UTSW
UVA
UWisconsin
MCW

Comes out to a little over 50 programs.

 

[Señor S]

Hey what's up everyone,

Unranked Midwest School
Step 1 239
Step 2 waiting on result
Grades- Pass M1/M2, Pass M3 (3rd year is Pass/Fail as well, no honors, high pass, etc)
Class Rank- Top 25%
No AOA
Strong EC's- Leadership in class, as well as other organizations
Strong LOR's

Don't really know where to start program wise. Would like to go to either coasts and big cities. Any advice on good programs to apply to would be greatly appreciated!

In addition to above...

East Coast:
MUSC

West Coast:
UCSD
OHSU

Big(ish) cities:
UIC
Rush
Loyola
Minnesota
IU
Case Western
Baylor

 

[Señor S]

My question is not which ones to take out. I know I might get auto-rejected at most of these top schools (UMich, Columbia, etc.) but I feel like in medical school I made the mistake of limiting my schools to only mid-tier and I happened to get interviews at the highest ranking places I applied to which made me regret not applying to a few more. My question is what am I missing? I don't want to miss any underrated sleeper programs (may have missed a few in the south). I am very risk averse and don't want to chance not matching. Will definitely rank 1-3 home programs.

Goals: I want to match at an academic program that emphasizes teaching over purely efficiency and will give me a great chance at a Cardiology fellowship, allow me to teach dedicated medical students, and train me to be the best IM physician I can be. Also, while some IMGs have been some of my favorite residents, I don't want to go somewhere that's full of them because I've heard some places will fill their classes with them because they need work done.

Cedar Sinai
UCLA
Stanford
USC
UCSD
GWU
Georgetown
UMiami
Emory
Loyola
McGaw
Rush
UChicago
UIllinois
Indiana University
University of Iowa
UK-COM
Tulane (Dr. Williams!)
UAB
JHU
UMD
BU
Tufts
DMC/WSU
HF/WSU
UMich
Beaumont, MI
Mayo
UMinn
WashuU
Nebraska
Rutgers
Icahn
Albert Einstein
NYP
NYU
Duke
UNC
Wake Forest
CWRU (center only)
OSU
Cinci
UPenn
Jefferson
Temple
UPMC
Vanderbilt
Baylor
UTSW
UVA
UWisconsin
MCW

Comes out to a little over 50 programs.

That's a pretty long list. Would be helpful to know your stats. Maybe add Colorado, Utah, Dartmouth and MUSC?

 

[Broponinelevation]

I assume the absence of NYC/Baltimore program(s) means that you and your wife have decided to cross those cities off of the list. Otherwise, your list looks very reasonable and you have a great shot at matching at one of those institutions (certainly UNC, Case, Wake Forest, and UAB given your credentials). With that being said, I would add on Vanderbilt and Emory to that list since you are looking at Southeastern programs. Also, WashU would be a good choice as well since you are considering UTSW/UC Denver.

thanks! yeah i should look into WashU. Unfortunately vandy didn't have the program my wife is looking to do...too bad because i've heard great things.

 

[swk11]

Hello all! I posted a little while ago, but have come back with some updated information and a list of schools to which I would like to apply. My strategy for school selection was start at the top of doximity and add schools to my list in geographic areas in which I could see myself until I got to about 30 schools. I don't want to go to NYC and I don't want to go too far South (with some exceptions). Ideally, I would like to be at an institution that has a lot of teaching opportunities. I'm not as inclined to pursue research unless related to medical education. I don't know if I want to specialize yet. I would obviously like to avoid "malignant" programs if any of you know of such. I would appreciate feedback on both my chances of getting into the programs listed and any programs that you think should be added to the list. Thank you in advance!

US Allopathic Senior, US Citizen
Step 1: 261
Step 2 CK: 264
Step 2 CS: have not taken
Grading System: H, HS, S, F
Preclinical: all H except one minor class
MS3 Grades: all H except Ob/Gyn (HS)
MS4 Grades: pending
Med School: SUNY school
Med School Rank: top 10%
Letters: one family medicine preceptor (knows me best probably), all others are medicine
Research: one 2nd author publication from undergrad, 3 poster presentations
AOA: yes
GHHS: no
ECs: a lot of volunteering experiences (free medical clinic, children's hospital stuff, elementary ed. stuff, school interest group), a lot of teaching/tutoring experience (tutor for Step 1, tutor for preclinical classes, tutor for IM shelf, TA for IM clerkship, MCAT instructor)
Hobbies: powerlifting meets, natural bodybuilding shows (including winning Pro-card), wrestling, nutrition consultant for competitors

As far as my weaknesses go, I think being from a SUNY school (and not a top med school) is definitely up there. The other is the somewhat limited research experience.

Here's my list:
Johns Hopkins
MGH
UCSF
BWH
Mayo
Duke
Wash U
U Michigan
U Penn
U Wash
Vanderbilt
Stanford
Northwestern
Cleveland Clinic
UCLA
U Chicago
Beth Israel Deaconess
Yale
UPMC
UNC
UVA
Case Western
OSU
UCSD
U Minnesota
BU Medical Center
Cedars-Sinai
U of R
Rush
Thomas Jefferson

Others that didn't make the top 30:
Wake-Forest
Tufts
George Washington
U Wisconsin
Temple
Oregon H&S
U Cinci
U SoCal
Med U South Carolina
Georgetown

Thanks again!

 

[Señor S]

Hello all! I posted a little while ago, but have come back with some updated information and a list of schools to which I would like to apply. My strategy for school selection was start at the top of doximity and add schools to my list in geographic areas in which I could see myself until I got to about 30 schools. I don't want to go to NYC and I don't want to go too far South (with some exceptions). Ideally, I would like to be at an institution that has a lot of teaching opportunities. I'm not as inclined to pursue research unless related to medical education. I don't know if I want to specialize yet. I would obviously like to avoid "malignant" programs if any of you know of such. I would appreciate feedback on both my chances of getting into the programs listed and any programs that you think should be added to the list. Thank you in advance!

US Allopathic Senior, US Citizen
Step 1: 261
Step 2 CK: 264
Step 2 CS: have not taken
Grading System: H, HS, S, F
Preclinical: all H except one minor class
MS3 Grades: all H except Ob/Gyn (HS)
MS4 Grades: pending
Med School: SUNY school
Med School Rank: top 10%
Letters: one family medicine preceptor (knows me best probably), all others are medicine
Research: one 2nd author publication from undergrad, 3 poster presentations
AOA: yes
GHHS: no
ECs: a lot of volunteering experiences (free medical clinic, children's hospital stuff, elementary ed. stuff, school interest group), a lot of teaching/tutoring experience (tutor for Step 1, tutor for preclinical classes, tutor for IM shelf, TA for IM clerkship, MCAT instructor)
Hobbies: powerlifting meets, natural bodybuilding shows (including winning Pro-card), wrestling, nutrition consultant for competitors

As far as my weaknesses go, I think being from a SUNY school (and not a top med school) is definitely up there. The other is the somewhat limited research experience.

Here's my list:
Johns Hopkins
MGH
UCSF
BWH
Mayo
Duke
Wash U
U Michigan
U Penn
U Wash
Vanderbilt
Stanford
Northwestern
Cleveland Clinic
UCLA
U Chicago
Beth Israel Deaconess
Yale
UPMC
UNC
UVA
Case Western
OSU
UCSD
U Minnesota
BU Medical Center
Cedars-Sinai
U of R
Rush
Thomas Jefferson

Others that didn't make the top 30:
Wake-Forest
Tufts
George Washington
U Wisconsin
Temple
Oregon H&S
U Cinci
U SoCal
Med U South Carolina
Georgetown

Thanks again!

Good selections. You'll match no problem with that list.

 

[dentalhopeful10]

US Allopathic Senior, US Citizen
Step 1: 241
Step 2 CK: 224
Step 2 CS: Taken
Grading System: H, HP, P, F
Preclinical: 2 H rest HP
MS3 Grades: 3 H, rest HP
MS4 Grades: All H so far including Sub-I and ICU
Med School: Mid-tier
Med School Rank: Likely top half
Letters: 1 family medicine , 2 Internal Medicine, and one chair (everyone gets) should all be fairly strong
Research: One 1st author case report, 5 abstracts/posters/presentations(none first author) with one or two may be turning in, 2 first author posters/presentations
AOA: No
GHHS: no
ECs: Solid amount of volunteering, leadership, etc...

Weakness/biggest blemish is my step 2 ck, I had no idea how to explain that one. I was scoring 250s and 260s on my practice exams. I had a family emergency the week of and didn't study that whole week (which I would rather not go into during my interviews but will if it comes up), but I'm not sure how it dropped so low.

I am couples matching with my wife. We would love to end up in a strong academic program in the city that would set me up for a Cards or Pulm crit care fellowship (with hard work of course). Her family is from the NY/PA/NJ, my family all moved to California after I started Medical school so I would love to know what academic programs I would be competitive for there. Although, to us, matching into academic programs together is more important than region.

This is what I have so far (with help from tantacles in another thread) any new programs would be greatly appreciated.

Safety: Allegheny, Jefferson, Temple, Drexel, SUNY Downstate, UMass, UMD, GW, Wake Forest, Charleston, SC, Miami, Cleveland Clinic, VCU

Target: Boston University, Dartmouth, Tufts, Brown, Georgetown, UNC, UAB, U of Miami, Case Western University Hospitals, Ohio State, Rush, Einstein

Reach: UPMC, Cornell, Sinai, Northwestern, University of Chicago, Wash U, U of Colorado, U of Washington, Baylor, UVA, MAYO,

 

[SimpleHarmonicMotion]

Just wanted advice on what programs are within my range to apply to!
I'm a US MD but bombed step 1 with a score<200. I'm about to take step 2 and am hoping to show improvement with a score above 240. My rotation grades during 3rd year were a mix of passes, high passes, and one honors (but only pass in IM).
I have 3 publications and 5+ abstracts published and am very involved in school organizations with multiple leadership positions and community service.
I'm applying to 75+ programs due to my scores, but I was hoping for some guidance. Obviously I would love an academic program to have maximum fellowship opportunities, but I'm looking at community programs and FMG friendly academic programs in hopes that I have a greater chance to match.
Any help is much appreciated!

 

[bashwell]

Just wanted advice on what programs are within my range to apply to!
I'm a US MD but bombed step 1 with a score<200. I'm about to take step 2 and am hoping to show improvement with a score above 240. My rotation grades during 3rd year were a mix of passes, high passes, and one honors (but only pass in IM).
I have 3 publications and 5+ abstracts published and am very involved in school organizations with multiple leadership positions and community service.
I'm applying to 75+ programs due to my scores, but I was hoping for some guidance. Obviously I would love an academic program to have maximum fellowship opportunities, but I'm looking at community programs and FMG friendly academic programs in hopes that I have a greater chance to match.
Any help is much appreciated!

Just being a US MD is going to help a lot. You're likely to match somewhere in IM. Here's what it looks like for you based only on your Step 1:

However, it'd be best to come back and ask this question when you receive your Step 2 score.

 

[Redpancreas]

That's a pretty long list. Would be helpful to know your stats. Maybe add Colorado, Utah, Dartmouth and MUSC?

Updated!

Step 1: 252
Step 2: Pending
Classesrank: In middle
Mid-tier MD
Year 3: HP (some are clinical, some are academic): IM, Surgery, Pediarix, Neurology, Family Medicine.
Pass: OB/Psych
Research: 2 abstracts, one lead to national conference presentation, other was a QI which won a local school award.


My question is not which ones to take out. I know I might get auto-rejected at most of these top schools (UMich, Columbia, etc.) but I feel like in medical school I made the mistake of limiting my schools to only mid-tier and I happened to get interviews at the highest ranking places I applied to which made me regret not applying to a few more. My question is what am I missing? I don't want to miss any underrated sleeper programs (may have missed a few in the south). I am very risk averse and don't want to chance not matching. Will definitely rank 1-3 home programs.

Goals: I want to match at an academic program that emphasizes teaching over purely efficiency and will give me a great chance at a Cardiology or possible GI fellowship, allow me to teach dedicated medical students, and train me to be the best IM physician I can be. Also, while some IMGs have been some of my favorite residents, I don't want to go somewhere that's full of them because I've heard some places will fill their classes with them because they need work done.

Cedar Sinai
UCLA
Stanford
USC
UCSD
GWU
Georgetown
UMiami
Emory
Loyola
McGaw
Rush
UChicago
UIllinois
Indiana University
University of Iowa
UK-COM
Tulane (Dr. Williams!)
UAB
JHU
UMD
BU
Tufts
DMC/WSU
HF/WSU
UMich
Beaumont, MI
Mayo
UMinn
WashuU
Nebraska
Rutgers
Icahn
Albert Einstein
NYP
NYU
Duke
UNC
Wake Forest
CWRU (center only)
OSU
Cinci
UPenn
Jefferson
Temple
UPMC
Vanderbilt
Baylor
UTSW
UVA
UWisconsin
MCW

 

[Señor S]

Updated!

Step 1: 252
Step 2: Pending
Classesrank: In middle
Mid-tier MD
Year 3: HP (some are clinical, some are academic): IM, Surgery, Pediarix, Neurology, Family Medicine.
Pass: OB/Psych
Research: 2 abstracts, one lead to national conference presentation, other was a QI which won a local school award.


My question is not which ones to take out. I know I might get auto-rejected at most of these top schools (UMich, Columbia, etc.) but I feel like in medical school I made the mistake of limiting my schools to only mid-tier and I happened to get interviews at the highest ranking places I applied to which made me regret not applying to a few more. My question is what am I missing? I don't want to miss any underrated sleeper programs (may have missed a few in the south). I am very risk averse and don't want to chance not matching. Will definitely rank 1-3 home programs.

Goals: I want to match at an academic program that emphasizes teaching over purely efficiency and will give me a great chance at a Cardiology or possible GI fellowship, allow me to teach dedicated medical students, and train me to be the best IM physician I can be. Also, while some IMGs have been some of my favorite residents, I don't want to go somewhere that's full of them because I've heard some places will fill their classes with them because they need work done.

Cedar Sinai
UCLA
Stanford
USC
UCSD
GWU
Georgetown
UMiami
Emory
Loyola
McGaw
Rush
UChicago
UIllinois
Indiana University
University of Iowa
UK-COM
Tulane (Dr. Williams!)
UAB
JHU
UMD
BU
Tufts
DMC/WSU
HF/WSU
UMich
Beaumont, MI
Mayo
UMinn
WashuU
Nebraska
Rutgers
Icahn
Albert Einstein
NYP
NYU
Duke
UNC
Wake Forest
CWRU (center only)
OSU
Cinci
UPenn
Jefferson
Temple
UPMC
Vanderbilt
Baylor
UTSW
UVA
UWisconsin
MCW

In that case the list is fine. You can add the places I mentioned if you want to but you'll match regardless. A lot of the places on your list are reaches but no harm in applying.

 

[Señor S]

US Allopathic Senior, US Citizen
Step 1: 241
Step 2 CK: 224
Step 2 CS: Taken
Grading System: H, HP, P, F
Preclinical: 2 H rest HP
MS3 Grades: 3 H, rest HP
MS4 Grades: All H so far including Sub-I and ICU
Med School: Mid-tier
Med School Rank: Likely top half
Letters: 1 family medicine , 2 Internal Medicine, and one chair (everyone gets) should all be fairly strong
Research: One 1st author case report, 5 abstracts/posters/presentations(none first author) with one or two may be turning in, 2 first author posters/presentations
AOA: No
GHHS: no
ECs: Solid amount of volunteering, leadership, etc...

Weakness/biggest blemish is my step 2 ck, I had no idea how to explain that one. I was scoring 250s and 260s on my practice exams. I had a family emergency the week of and didn't study that whole week (which I would rather not go into during my interviews but will if it comes up), but I'm not sure how it dropped so low.

I am couples matching with my wife. We would love to end up in a strong academic program in the city that would set me up for a Cards or Pulm crit care fellowship (with hard work of course). Her family is from the NY/PA/NJ, my family all moved to California after I started Medical school so I would love to know what academic programs I would be competitive for there. Although, to us, matching into academic programs together is more important than region.

This is what I have so far (with help from tantacles in another thread) any new programs would be greatly appreciated.

Safety: Allegheny, Jefferson, Temple, Drexel, SUNY Downstate, UMass, UMD, GW, Wake Forest, Charleston, SC, Miami, Cleveland Clinic, VCU

Target: Boston University, Dartmouth, Tufts, Brown, Georgetown, UNC, UAB, U of Miami, Case Western University Hospitals, Ohio State, Rush, Einstein

Reach: UPMC, Cornell, Sinai, Northwestern, University of Chicago, Wash U, U of Colorado, U of Washington, Baylor, UVA, MAYO,

You have a reasonable shot at UCSD and USC and a good shot at the rest of the CA programs that aren't Stanford, UCSF or UCLA. Obviously the situation depends on what your wife is applying to and what her stats are. I would consider adding more Midwestern programs (Iowa, Minnesota, Wisconsin, UIC, Loyola).

 

[W19]

Step 1: ~220
Step 2: shooting for 235+
Classesrank: 4th quartile
School rank: bottom tier
Year 3: 'A' in psych and B in (IM/FM/Surgery/OB/Peds)
Research: 1 clinical trial, and 1 basic research... Nothing spectacular!

I need a list of low tier university IM programs in GA, SC, LA, NC, NY, VA, NJ that I might have a shot at...

 

[MyTachyBradyHeart]

Step 1: ~220
Step 2: shooting for 235+
Classesrank: 4th quartile
School rank: bottom tier
Year 3: 'A' in psych and B in (IM/FM/Surgery/OB/Peds)
Research: 1 clinical trial, and 1 basic research... Nothing spectacular!

I need a list of low tier university IM programs in GA, SC, LA, NC, NY, VA, NJ that I might have a shot at...

Your research section is deceiving; are you first author on a basic science paper from college/med school or a co-author on an actual clinical trial (that can be found on clinicaltrials.gov with NCT number)? Or did you do a basic science research project and helped out with a clinical trial but don't have publications in peer-reviewed journals?

If the former, you have a shot matching at a solid mid-tier academic program. If the latter, you should apply to almost all programs in the states you mentioned. NJ/NY will be tough, but never hurts to apply.

MD PathFinder - List of Residency Programs

 

[W19]

Your research section is deceiving; are you first author on a basic science paper from college/med school or a co-author on an actual clinical trial (that can be found on clinicaltrials.gov with NCT number)? Or did you do a basic science research project and helped out with a clinical trial but don't have publications in peer-reviewed journals?

If the former, you have a shot matching at a solid mid-tier academic program. If the latter, you should apply to almost all programs in the states you mentioned. NJ/NY will be tough, but never hurts to apply.

MD PathFinder - List of Residency Programs

I help out in a clinical trial and did a presentation about it... I am a co-author of a basic science paper in med school.

 

[MyTachyBradyHeart]

I help out in a clinical trial and did a presentation about it... I am a co-author of a basic science paper in med school.

Your research is solid and you have a shot at mid-tier places in the Southeast. Your med school performance will hold you back (not counting extracurriculars). Probably no interviews to Duke/Vandy/Emory. Super reaches would be UVA/UAB. Reaches would be UNC/MUSC/Tulane. Realistic options include, but are not limited to, VCU,EVMS,Wake,LSU+satellite,Oschner,UTenn+satellite,Mississippi,Florida programs (I am not familiar with them). Safeties would include smaller academic and a whole bunch of community programs; use the link I provided above and search by state for a full list of IM residencies. Since you are interested in the Southeast, TN/KY/MI/FL should probably be on your list.

NJ/NY will be tough. Probably no interviews to big 4 in NY and Montefiore. Reaches would be Rutgers/NSLIJ/Stonybrook. Realistic options include Jacobi,community NYC programs with academic affiliations,SUNY schools,NYMC. Safeties would be the community programs in NJ/Long Island.

I suggest you apply to 35+ programs with a good mixture. You should be able to match into a solid residency.

 

[Belzo]

Nvm - good point*

 

[Señor S]

Longtime follower, first time poster coming out of the woodworks

Med school: Top 10
Step 1: low 230s
Step 2 CK: Pending, late July - Brutal (I thought CK was suppose to be "easy")
Step 2 CS: Pending
Grades: Pre-clinical only P/F (all P's), 3rd year (H/P/F, all P's), Honored Sub-I
Research: 1 oral presentation at national conference non-IM, 3 poster presentations, 1 first author pub
ECs: A lot of activities focused on outreach, mentoring and teaching
LOR: 2 sub I letters, 1 research and chair (I have 2 back up - 3rd year med letters, I'm awaiting my 2nd sub I letter)
Personal statement is unique

I was advised to apply to 15* for now.

MGH
BWH
JHU
NYU
NYU-Tisch
Duke
UCSF
Colorado
Tulane
UTSW
UWash
UMich
Oregon
SCVMC
UCSD
CPMC

*I have had some fortunate networking opportunities, which have led me making my list pretty top heavy.

Your list is really weird; either you've already been guaranteed a spot at one of these places (in which case why ask us what your chances are?) or you're being very poorly advised.

 

[rd31]

Nvm - good point*

Without some exceptional connections, you probably wouldn't even get interviews at most of the following: MGH, BWH, JH, UCSF, Duke

The others on your list look reasonable, solely because you're coming from a top 10 medical school.

 

[illinoisee]

Med school rank: Osteopathic, one of the original 5 schools
USMLE Step 1: 205
COMLEX 1: 474
USMLE Step 2: 237
COMLEX 2: 522
COMLEX PE: Pass first attempt
Class rank: ~70th percentile
Clerkships: Mix of pass and high pass
Research: Undergrad publications: 3-4 third authors; Year off: Couple posters as a research coordinator; Medical School: Northwestern PMR research externship between 1st and 2nd year, but didn't lead to a publication just a presentation
Recs: Good as I would hope, no red flags or anything like that. I've read 1 and if that's any indication of how my others are fine I don't anticipate any issues
Extracurriculars: Average run of the mill volunteering experiences, President of sports medicine club, I biked from nyc to san francisco the summer before starting medical school and I'm still actively involved in the club and I actively mentor the younger riders

I'd like to go to an MD internal medicine program in the midwest, but I'd be happy with a program in a major metropolitan city. I just finished a rotation at Rush in Chicago, head to U of Arizona next month, Chicago Christ, Uchicago Northshore. I'm honestly at a loss for places to apply outside out the midwest. I'm not sure if my much improved step 2 score is good enough to get me into a better tier program so any advice is appreciated.

Thanks in advance!

 

[bashwell]

Med school rank: Osteopathic, one of the original 5 schools
USMLE Step 1: 205
COMLEX 1: 474
USMLE Step 2: 237
COMLEX 2: 522
COMLEX PE: Pass first attempt
Class rank: ~70th percentile
Clerkships: Mix of pass and high pass
Research: Undergrad publications: 3-4 third authors; Year off: Couple posters as a research coordinator; Medical School: Northwestern PMR research externship between 1st and 2nd year, but didn't lead to a publication just a presentation
Recs: Good as I would hope, no red flags or anything like that. I've read 1 and if that's any indication of how my others are fine I don't anticipate any issues
Extracurriculars: Average run of the mill volunteering experiences, President of sports medicine club, I biked from nyc to san francisco the summer before starting medical school and I'm still actively involved in the club and I actively mentor the younger riders

I'd like to go to an MD internal medicine program in the midwest, but I'd be happy with a program in a major metropolitan city. I just finished a rotation at Rush in Chicago, head to U of Arizona next month, Chicago Christ, Uchicago Northshore. I'm honestly at a loss for places to apply outside out the midwest. I'm not sure if my much improved step 2 score is good enough to get me into a better tier program so any advice is appreciated.

Thanks in advance!

According to NRMP's Charting Outcomes for DOs (2016), your chances in general are:

There's no NRMP Charting Outcomes for DOs who have taken Step 1/2, but you can compare yourself to US MDs (2016) to get some kind of idea even though it's far from perfect:

I think you have a fair chance at IM, especially since you're focused on the Midwest.

It's difficult to say what your chances are at each program without some knowledge about the kinds of people they accept or not accept, Step 1/2 averages of those accepted, and so on. FREIDA might give you some idea about Step 1/2 scores at places that list them, but it's far from perfect. But you could go to the IM program's website that you're interested in (e.g., Rush), and see if they have any DOs (I think Rush does).

If you get an interview, I think your cross country bike ride could make for a good topic of conversation at interviews. Regale them with some fun and interesting stories, and you could win them over!

Good luck!

 

[mick978]

Med school rank: low tier USA MD school
USMLE Step 1: 246
USMLE Step 2: 253
USMLE CS: pass
Class rank: 3rd quartile
AOA: no
Honors: IM, surgery, OB/gyn; Near Honors: neuro, psych; P family, pends
Research: Working on chart review, won't be published by application
LOR: Solid/strong

I'm looking for university programs in the East. Here's the list of places I have so far:
Top preferences: Johns Hopkins Bayview, Mayo, Cleveland Clinic, Washington Univ, Emory, UNC, Duke, UVA, George Washington, Georgetown, Michigan, Brigham and Women's, Brown
Second: Northwestern, Univ of Chicago, Vanderbilt, Greenville Memorial, Wake Forest, Maryland, Indiana Univ, Ohio State, Temple, Thomas Jefferson, Rutgers, Penn State, Mayo Jacksonville, University of Florida, University of Miami
Safety: Memorial Health - Mercer, Christiana, Tampa General Hospital, Palmetto General Hospital, Broward Health Medical center, Holy Cross hospital, Inova Fairfax, Cone Health Program, New Hanover Regional Medical.

What are my chances of getting into a top 25 IM residency?
Should I apply to more safeties? What are my chances at my top preferences?

 

[Kalianski]

Class rank: 50-75% western DO
USMLE step 1: 228
USMLE step 2: waiting
Comlex 1: 558
Comlex 2: 606
Honors: IM ICU obgyn
Research: none
LOR: very strong. ICU. IM x2. EPSS

Programs: Midwest. Oregon.

Desired:
U of Indiana. U of Illinois Peoria. U of Nebraska. U of Kansas. SLU. MCW. U Oklahoma Tulsa. Oahu

Realistic: auditioning at legacy Emanuel Oregon. Maybe Providence Portland????? No idea need some help here.

 

[Señor S]

What are my chances of getting into a top 25 IM residency?

What's top 25 to you? I'd say your chances are slim at Duke, BWH, Michigan, Northwestern, U of C and Vanderbilt. You might get an interview or two from the Mayo/WashU/Emory group but lack of research and no AOA makes me concerned you won't end up very high on their rank lists. The rest you're very competitive for.

Should I apply to more safeties? What are my chances at my top preferences?

You have plenty of safeties; actually, if anything you have too many. I would ditch most/all of those community programs and add in BU, Tufts, MUSC, VCU, maybe Carolinas. Yale would be a reach for you but a reasonable one. Dartmouth would be more realistic if you don't mind the location. You could add in NYU and Monte depending on how you feel about NYC. Wisconsin, Minnesota and Iowa are not in the "East" but are all very good university programs that you would be competitive for (and if you're considering Mayo you really ought to consider them as well).

You have an excellent shot at matching to one of your top preferences if you rank them as such.

 

[John Snow]

Hey guys, hoping to get some feedback on my application list so here goes:
School Rank: Top 40 MD
Step 1: 253
Step 2: End of September
3rd year: A or A- in all rotations, H in IM
4th year: H in IM SubI
AOA: Nope
Research: one cardiology project, one ID, and currently doing 1 GI (hopefully will get me a pub), no pubs or anything like that

I'm hoping to go into a GI fellowship after residency.

List: (in no order)
JHU
UVA
VCU
Jefferson
Yale
Dartmouth
UMichigan
UMaryland
Temple
Pitt
UTSW
UT Houston
Baylor (both campuses)
Vanderbilt
UNC
Wake Forest
Boston
Tufts
WashU (St. Louis)

Thanks for your help!

 

[mfuller]

Med school rank: Unranked US MD school
USMLE Step 1: 265
USMLE Step 2: 277
USMLE CS: pass
Class rank: 1st quartile
AOA: Not as junior, hoping for it as senior
3rd year grades: Don't do honors at my school, A's in everything
Research: 1st author on case report, co-author in peer reviewed journal, handful of posters and presentations
Extracurriculars: A few decent leadership positions
LOR: Solid

Planning on Pulm/CC fellowship

Top choices: JHU, MGU, UCSF, Brigham and Women's, Mayo MN, Duke, U of Washington, Vanderbilt, Stanford, Emory, Minnesota, Colorado
Next: Michigan, UTSW, UNC, UPMC, Utah, U of Miami, Baylor, Mayo FL, U of Florida, Wake Forest, MUSC, USF
Others: Mayo AZ, OHSU, Tulane, U of Kansas, Hennepin County, U of Nebraska

I don't see research being a huge part of my career but don't mind doing it during residency. Are the top 10 programs so research focused that they won't really consider me if I don't plan on being in academia? What are some of the best programs that aren't as research heavy? Also, what are some of the programs that have really strong Pulm/CC programs that I should consider? Thanks for the input!

 

[Señor S]

Hey guys, hoping to get some feedback on my application list so here goes:
School Rank: Top 40 MD
Step 1: 253
Step 2: End of September
3rd year: A or A- in all rotations, H in IM
4th year: H in IM SubI
AOA: Nope
Research: one cardiology project, one ID, and currently doing 1 GI (hopefully will get me a pub), no pubs or anything like that

I'm hoping to go into a GI fellowship after residency.

List: (in no order)
JHU
UVA
VCU
Jefferson
Yale
Dartmouth
UMichigan
UMaryland
Temple
Pitt
UTSW
UT Houston
Baylor (both campuses)
Vanderbilt
UNC
Wake Forest
Boston
Tufts
WashU (St. Louis)

Thanks for your help!

You'll match with that list. I might add a few more mid-range places (e.g., Brown, MUSC, Georgetown) just to be safe. Throw in a few more reaches (e.g., BIDMC, Duke, Penn, UChicago, NW) if you want.

Med school rank: Unranked US MD school
USMLE Step 1: 265
USMLE Step 2: 277
USMLE CS: pass
Class rank: 1st quartile
AOA: Not as junior, hoping for it as senior
3rd year grades: Don't do honors at my school, A's in everything
Research: 1st author on case report, co-author in peer reviewed journal, handful of posters and presentations
Extracurriculars: A few decent leadership positions
LOR: Solid

Planning on Pulm/CC fellowship

Top choices: JHU, MGU, UCSF, Brigham and Women's, Mayo MN, Duke, U of Washington, Vanderbilt, Stanford, Emory, Minnesota, Colorado
Next: Michigan, UTSW, UNC, UPMC, Utah, U of Miami, Baylor, Mayo FL, U of Florida, Wake Forest, MUSC, USF
Others: Mayo AZ, OHSU, Tulane, U of Kansas, Hennepin County, U of Nebraska

I don't see research being a huge part of my career but don't mind doing it during residency. Are the top 10 programs so research focused that they won't really consider me if I don't plan on being in academia? What are some of the best programs that aren't as research heavy? Also, what are some of the programs that have really strong Pulm/CC programs that I should consider? Thanks for the input!

My guess is you'll get interviews from at least half of your top choices and match in your top 3. Can't speak as much to the rest of your questions although I think Washington and Colorado are especially strong in Pulm/CC?

 

[ninjaman22]

Hey guys, just need some help with my list. I want to do my residency at an academic/university hospital as I am interested in doing a Cardiology fellowship (preferably on the east coast but willing to go anywhere). My goal was to apply to 50-60 but so far I have 66. Not sure what a good number is for a DO student. Also, I am aware some of these programs have never taken DOs so I am probably just wasting money.

Med school rank: One of the newer DO schools
USMLE Step 1/COMLEX Level 1: 251/695
USMLE Step 2/COMLEX Level 2: 265/803
COMLEX PE: awaiting result
Class rank: 3rd after first two years
AOA: Not offered
3rd year grades: So my school has a weird way of grading IM - there are two IM rotations, IM I (just preceptor eval) and IM II (preceptor eval + shelf score): I have HP in IM I and H in IM II, H in Ob/Gyn, Peds, FM, Surgery, Psych
Research: one published abstract and three poster presentations; one journal article is in the making but I don't think it will be published before applications
Extracurriculars: the typical volunteer work and stuff
LOR: 2 IM and 1 Psych letter which should be solid

Reaches
Boston University
Duke
Johns Hopkins
Mass General
Northwestern
Stanford
UCLA
UCSD
University of Chicago
UNC
U Penn
U of Southern California
U of Virginia
U of Pittsburg
Vanderbilt
Washington University
Yale

Medium-reaches
Brown University
Emory
Baylor-Houston
Icahn School of Medicine-Beth Israel
Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai
Jacobi Medical Center-Albert Einstein College of Medicine
Mary Hitchcock-Dartmouth
Mayo Clinic
Montefiore-Albert Einstein-Moses and Weiler
Thomas Jefferson
Tufts
University of Maryland
University of Rochester
U Texas-Southwestern

Good chance
Carolinas
Case-Western
Cleveland Clinic
George Washington
Georgetown
Hofstra-Northwell
Johns Hopkins-Bayview
Medical University of South Carolina
Rush University
Rutgers
Rutgers-Robert Wood Johnson
SUNY-Brooklyn
Temple
University of Illinois-Chicago
U Mass
U of Texas-Houston
Virginia Commonwealth
Wake Forest

Should be good
Albert Einstein-Philadelphia
Carilion-Virginia Tech
Cooper
Drexel
Eastern Virginia
Geisinger
Georgetown-Washington Hospital
University of South Carolina-Greenville
INOVA Fairfax
Lehigh Valley
New Hanover Medical Center
Penn State
Penn Hospital of U Penn
Sinai-Baltimore
U Mass-Baystate
Union Memorial-Baltimore
ECU

 

[Señor S]

Hey guys, just need some help with my list. I want to do my residency at an academic/university hospital as I am interested in doing a Cardiology fellowship (preferably on the east coast but willing to go anywhere). My goal was to apply to 50-60 but so far I have 66. Not sure what a good number is for a DO student. Also, I am aware some of these programs have never taken DOs so I am probably just wasting money.

Med school rank: One of the newer DO schools
USMLE Step 1/COMLEX Level 1: 251/695
USMLE Step 2/COMLEX Level 2: 265/803
COMLEX PE: awaiting result
Class rank: 3rd after first two years
AOA: Not offered
3rd year grades: So my school has a weird way of grading IM - there are two IM rotations, IM I (just preceptor eval) and IM II (preceptor eval + shelf score): I have HP in IM I and H in IM II, H in Ob/Gyn, Peds, FM, Surgery, Psych
Research: one published abstract and three poster presentations; one journal article is in the making but I don't think it will be published before applications
Extracurriculars: the typical volunteer work and stuff
LOR: 2 IM and 1 Psych letter which should be solid

Reaches
Boston University
Duke
Johns Hopkins
Mass General
Northwestern
Stanford
UCLA
UCSD
University of Chicago
UNC
U Penn
U of Southern California
U of Virginia
U of Pittsburg
Vanderbilt
Washington University
Yale

Medium-reaches
Brown University
Emory
Baylor-Houston
Icahn School of Medicine-Beth Israel
Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai
Jacobi Medical Center-Albert Einstein College of Medicine
Mary Hitchcock-Dartmouth
Mayo Clinic
Montefiore-Albert Einstein-Moses and Weiler
Thomas Jefferson
Tufts
University of Maryland
University of Rochester
U Texas-Southwestern

Good chance
Carolinas
Case-Western
Cleveland Clinic
George Washington
Georgetown
Hofstra-Northwell
Johns Hopkins-Bayview
Medical University of South Carolina
Rush University
Rutgers
Rutgers-Robert Wood Johnson
SUNY-Brooklyn
Temple
University of Illinois-Chicago
U Mass
U of Texas-Houston
Virginia Commonwealth
Wake Forest

Should be good
Albert Einstein-Philadelphia
Carilion-Virginia Tech
Cooper
Drexel
Eastern Virginia
Geisinger
Georgetown-Washington Hospital
University of South Carolina-Greenville
INOVA Fairfax
Lehigh Valley
New Hanover Medical Center
Penn State
Penn Hospital of U Penn
Sinai-Baltimore
U Mass-Baystate
Union Memorial-Baltimore
ECU

If you got more than 2 interviews from your "reaches" I would be surprised; most likely you will get 0. I would also be surprised if you got interviews from more than half of your medium reaches. But it's your money. My guess is you'll match with that list although frankly I don't know much about most of those places

 

[illinoisee]

According to NRMP's Charting Outcomes for DOs (2016), your chances in general are:

There's no NRMP Charting Outcomes for DOs who have taken Step 1/2, but you can compare yourself to US MDs (2016) to get some kind of idea even though it's far from perfect:

I think you have a fair chance at IM, especially since you're focused on the Midwest.

It's difficult to say what your chances are at each program without some knowledge about the kinds of people they accept or not accept, Step 1/2 averages of those accepted, and so on. FREIDA might give you some idea about Step 1/2 scores at places that list them, but it's far from perfect. But you could go to the IM program's website that you're interested in (e.g., Rush), and see if they have any DOs (I think Rush does).

If you get an interview, I think your cross country bike ride could make for a good topic of conversation at interviews. Regale them with some fun and interesting stories, and you could win them over!

Good luck!

Thanks for the length reply! I'll continue combing through websites to start getting an idea of DO presence. I've noticed in general that my step 1 score doesn't reach some minimum requirements, but my step 2 is fine. Any value/harm in emailing a program coordinator to make them aware of the improvement? Maybe that way they could be more inclined to look through the rest of my applications and interview me? Also, any other region I should focus on? I'm kind of at a loss for where to even start on the west/east coast.

Thanks!

 

[Xodus]

Can you name the programs for which you don't believe you meet their 'minimum requirements' for step 1?

 

[MyTachyBradyHeart]

Hey guys, just need some help with my list. I want to do my residency at an academic/university hospital as I am interested in doing a Cardiology fellowship (preferably on the east coast but willing to go anywhere). My goal was to apply to 50-60 but so far I have 66. Not sure what a good number is for a DO student. Also, I am aware some of these programs have never taken DOs so I am probably just wasting money.

If you got more than 2 interviews from your "reaches" I would be surprised; most likely you will get 0. I would also be surprised if you got interviews from more than half of your medium reaches. But it's your money. My guess is you'll match with that list although frankly I don't know much about most of those places

Although I always recommend over-applying (to not have any regrets) AND your academic accomplishments are comparable to competitive MD applicants, you are definitely wasting your money. First of all, some of your "medium reaches" are a few tiers above your "reaches" in terms of clinical training, academic reputation, and research opportunities (i.e. Mt.Sinai >> USC). Second, echoing Senor S, I highly doubt you will get any interviews to your first list and certainly not Mt.Sinai/Hopkins Bayview and probably not Emory,Jefferson,UT Southwestern,Mayo,Tufts,UMD,Monte. The rest of your list looks reasonable; I would strongly suggest you google whether the programs have taken DO applicants in the past and use that information to further guide your list.

On the flip side, you do not need to apply to so many community/low tier academic institutions. You have a good shot at CCF,Georgetown,GW,Wake,MUSC,Rutgers,Hofstra,VCU, and the likes and should match at one of them. I would pick a few community programs with academic affiliations in a location that you like as additional backup (i.e. Jacobi,Mt.Sinai Beth Israel, etc).

 

[Señor S]

Although I always recommend over-applying (to not have any regrets) AND your academic accomplishments are comparable to competitive MD applicants, you are definitely wasting your money. First of all, some of your "medium reaches" are a few tiers above your "reaches" in terms of clinical training, academic reputation, and research opportunities (i.e. Mt.Sinai >> USC). Second, echoing Senor S, I highly doubt you will get any interviews to your first list and certainly not Mt.Sinai/Hopkins Bayview and probably not Emory,Jefferson,UT Southwestern,Mayo,Tufts,UMD,Monte. The rest of your list looks reasonable; I would strongly suggest you google whether the programs have taken DO applicants in the past and use that information to further guide your list.

On the flip side, you do not need to apply to so many community/low tier academic institutions. You have a good shot at CCF,Georgetown,GW,Wake,MUSC,Rutgers,Hofstra,VCU, and the likes and should match at one of them. I would pick a few community programs with academic affiliations in a location that you like as additional backup (i.e. Jacobi,Mt.Sinai Beth Israel, etc).

I would also consider adding a few of the better academic programs that have taken DOs in the recent past; off the top of my head I think this would include UWashington, OHSU, Colorado, Minnesota, Iowa and maybe a few others. Loyola is another good and fairly DO-friendly program with a strong Cards department.

 

[mick978]

What's top 25 to you? I'd say your chances are slim at Duke, BWH, Michigan, Northwestern, U of C and Vanderbilt. You might get an interview or two from the Mayo/WashU/Emory group but lack of research and no AOA makes me concerned you won't end up very high on their rank lists. The rest you're very competitive for.

I was using doximity's top 25 list for IM (here). Thank you for the advice!

 

[gutonc]

I was using doximity's top 25 list for IM (here). Thank you for the advice!

As has been discussed here ad nauseum, that list is crap.

 

[illinoisee]

Can you name the programs for which you don't believe you meet their 'minimum requirements' for step 1?

Well, according to Frieda, I don't meet the minimum for UIC/Rush and I wasn't offered an away at Loyola because of my Step 1 score. Were you surprised about not meeting requirements or concerned that I was reaching?

 

[dcc23]

As has been discussed here ad nauseum, that list is crap.

Do you have a suggested better list? Obviously there are tons of subjective factors for where is best for each applicant, but narrowing down a list for someone without geographic preferences is pretty daunting for IM.

 

[gutonc]

Do you have a suggested better list? Obviously there are tons of subjective factors for where is best for each applicant, but narrowing down a list for someone without geographic preferences is pretty daunting for IM.

1. Pick a part of the country (or 3)
2. Research what the programs in those areas offer that interests you
3. Apply

It's really that easy.

And the Doximity rankings are based on reviews from graduates/faculty of those programs. So take that with a grain of salt.

 

[Valsalva83]

Hi,
I needed some advice on community IM programs. I am looking for something on the east coast, but honestly willing to go anywhere but the west coast. I am a DO student, so I have already applied to 60+ AOA IM residencies. Stats:
Comlex 1: 460-480's
Comlex II: 430-450's
Comlex II PE: awaiting result
Class Rank: top 25%
AOA: None at my school
rotations: Honored my IM I/IM 2 rotations. HP on all other rotations.
LOR: 3 solid IM letters + 1 FM letter
Research: 3 poster presentations, 1 abstract.
Didn't take the USMLE since I did not have the best luck with COMLEX.
Have most of the community/low tier programs added in NY/NJ/PA/Long Island. Can anyone suggest additional low-tier community IM programs that I may have some luck with in the acgme match? looking for some help.

Thanks

 

[pps34]

Hey everyone.

Med school: Northeast DO school
Step1/COMLEX: Didn't take / (591)
Step2/COMLEX: 250 / (662)
Class rank: 50%
AOA: N/A
Clinicals: Honors IM Sub I & FM, HP Medicine & Cardiology, P everything else
Research: 1 case report
LOR: IM Program Director, Infectious Disease, Department chair.
ECs: Campus tour guide, mentoring in Med school, Big Bros Big Sisters and Tennis Coach in UG

Would like a fellowship, potentially Heme/onc

Current List:

Uni / Affiliates:
Arizona, Cooper, Drexel, ECU, Florida, Florida at Jacksonville, Georgetown, Georgetown Wash, Greenville Health System, INOVA, Mercer, Georgia, Loyola, Maryland, Pennsylvania Hospital, Penn State Hershey, Rush, Rutgers NJ, Rutgers Wood, Temple, Tennessee Knoxville, Tennessee Memphis, UPMC (Mercy), USF, Wake Forest

Community:
Abington, Albert Einstein, Allegheny General, Carolinas, Crozer, Lankenau, Lehigh Valley, Providence Health, St Lukes

Would prefer a Uni / Affil, though am realistic that not having step 1 will limit that. Was wondering if its realistic that I would match with this list, or if I should expand significantly. Any suggestions would be appreciated!
Thanks

 

[mick978]

As has been discussed here ad nauseum, that list is crap.

Oh I didn't realize. I'm not on here a lot. Is there a better list?

 

[Milotic]

.

 

[nonamesleft]

Oh I didn't realize. I'm not on here a lot. Is there a better list?

from a research funding perspective: Ranking Tables of National Institutes of Health (NIH) Award Data 2016

 

[MyTachyBradyHeart]

Hi,
I needed some advice on community IM programs. I am looking for something on the east coast, but honestly willing to go anywhere but the west coast. I am a DO student, so I have already applied to 60+ AOA IM residencies. Stats:
Comlex 1: 460-480's
Comlex II: 430-450's
Comlex II PE: awaiting result
Class Rank: top 25%
AOA: None at my school
rotations: Honored my IM I/IM 2 rotations. HP on all other rotations.
LOR: 3 solid IM letters + 1 FM letter
Research: 3 poster presentations, 1 abstract.
Didn't take the USMLE since I did not have the best luck with COMLEX.
Have most of the community/low tier programs added in NY/NJ/PA/Long Island. Can anyone suggest additional low-tier community IM programs that I may have some luck with in the acgme match? looking for some help.

Thanks

You should apply to every one and match at one of the community programs in the states you mentioned.

Hey everyone.

Med school: Northeast DO school
Step1/COMLEX: Didn't take / (591)
Step2/COMLEX: 250 / (662)
Class rank: 50%
AOA: N/A
Clinicals: Honors IM Sub I & FM, HP Medicine & Cardiology, P everything else
Research: 1 case report
LOR: IM Program Director, Infectious Disease, Department chair.
ECs: Campus tour guide, mentoring in Med school, Big Bros Big Sisters and Tennis Coach in UG

Would like a fellowship, potentially Heme/onc

Current List:

Uni / Affiliates:
Arizona, Cooper, Drexel, ECU, Florida, Florida at Jacksonville, Georgetown, Georgetown Wash, Greenville Health System, INOVA, Mercer, Georgia, Loyola, Maryland, Pennsylvania Hospital, Penn State Hershey, Rush, Rutgers NJ, Rutgers Wood, Temple, Tennessee Knoxville, Tennessee Memphis, UPMC (Mercy), USF, Wake Forest

Community:
Abington, Albert Einstein, Allegheny General, Carolinas, Crozer, Lankenau, Lehigh Valley, Providence Health, St Lukes

Would prefer a Uni / Affil, though am realistic that not having step 1 will limit that. Was wondering if its realistic that I would match with this list, or if I should expand significantly. Any suggestions would be appreciated!
Thanks

List looks reasonable; I would suggest adding a few more safeties with in-house heme-onc as that will be your best route to fellowship. If you indeed want to do heme-onc, you should start looking into research as soon as you start residency, as strong research esp if you end up matching into a lower-tier program will go a long way in making up for the rest of your application.

Med school: mid-range East Coast MD school
Step 1: 265
Step 2 CK: pending (practice tests 260s)
Step 2 CS: pending
Class rank: top 25%
AOA: yes
Grades: Honors in Psych, IM, OB/GYN, Surgery, Peds AI. High Pass in Peds. IM AI probably Honors according to my attendings but still not final.
Research: 1 poster presentation locally from a basic science project, 1 clinical review article, both non-IM
ECs: leadership in 2 student groups
LOR: 1 IM, 1 Peds, 1 departmental - strong clinical letters but nobody super-connected in the IM medical education world

Switched from Peds to IM. Personal ties to midwest and east coast. I am looking for an academic program that would set me up well for Pulm/CC or Cardiology, though I realize I don't have the research background that is probably expected at the top programs. I see myself in a career with some clinical research and education.

Reaches - JHU, MGH, BWH, U Michigan, WashU, U Penn, U Washington, U Chicago, Northwestern

East Coast - Yale, UConn, U Maryland, Tufts, BU, BIDMC, Brown, U Vermont, UVA, UNC, Duke

Midwest - Indiana U, U Iowa, U Kansas, Mayo Rochester, U Kentucky, Ohio State, Case Western, U Cincinnati, UPMC, MCW

My questions:
1.Without a strong research background, is it reasonable to apply to the reaches?
2. Are there other programs I should be looking at with strong critical care and/or cardiology training?

Thank you!

1. Yes, that's why they are called "reaches". You will receive 4-6 IVs to top 15-top 20 institutions
2. I suggest adding CCF (cards), Colorado (pulm), Vanderbilt, UChicago (the latter 2 with obviously strong IM departments overall)

I don't know how active this WAMC thread is, but I'll be open to suggestions based on my stats alone.

School: Low Tier MD school. Originally CA resident - will be using all CA addresses on my app.
Step 1: Low 230's
Step 2CK: Pending (practice tests in 250's but I still feel like I scored 230's)
Class Rank: Top 1/3
Clerkship Grades: Honors in Internal med (on the top 5% bar graph).
Research: Minimal - presented poster from research. No publications.

Chances at NY + CA programs?
NY: Jacobi, Montefiore, SUNY brooklyn, Hofstra Northwell, Winthrop, Beth Israel Icahn, Stony Brook,
CA: Scripps Green, Cedars-Sinai, Kaisers, USC, UCI, Cal Pacific in SF, Harbor UCLA

Dreamer ones? U of Hawaii (no regional connection), Tufts, BostonU, UCSD.

Thanks!

Probably no shot at BU or UCSD. Doesn't hurt to apply. You will like match at one of the places you listed, but should apply to a few more safeties.

 

[W19]

Can you name the programs for which you don't believe you meet their 'minimum requirements' for step 1?

Most programs I look at in Freida have 210+ step1 requirement. Some mid tier have 220+...

I wonder if these things in Freida are accurate. If so, things are getting really competitive.

 

[Milotic]

.

 

[MyTachyBradyHeart]

Thanks! Do you know if its still possible to match at the university places I listed without significant research? I attempted to make up for it with the class rank/honoring IM.

Which safeties do you recommend in addition to the ones listed in CA and NY? I have a few community programs in Boston and a couple of other university hospitals like Temple, Drexel, Florida State. I prefer to stay at a coastal hospital.

BU on Freida had Step score 221-240 range. Are those typically BS?

Step scores are only a screening tool; they have little impact on your application (obviously a 260+ step 1 score doesn't hurt). BU is a solid program in a competitive city; that's why you won't get an IV. Not because of your scores.

I don't know the low tier/community programs in CA well. For the NYC area, I would add on NYMC, Lenox Hill, UMDNJ programs, Cooper.

 

[AlexMack12]

Hi there!

Recently spoke to an advisor at my school for assistance with picking residency programs for Internal Medicine, and while I appreciate his input, I feel like his list was a bit too top-heavy/reach programs.
I was hoping someone could help me out with some more realistic programs to apply to.

I'm from a state school in NY. I'd like to remain as close to NYC as possible for family reasons but am certainly willing to open up my search to the East Coadt (ideally D.C.-MA range).
Thank you!

Step 1: 250s
Step 2 CK: 250s
Step 2CS: pass on first attempt
Clinical grades: All honors in every core clerkship/elective thus far
Research: involved in a couple of projects, but no publications.
Extracurriculars: A lot, including several leadership positions, TA for two courses, student employee for the undergraduate health education office, clerkship exam tutor, graduate chair of our student health advisory committee
Class Rank: Top quartile
AOA: No
GHHS: Yes

I'd ideally like to match to a university program, as I'd like to teach one day and also boost my research productivity, since I will more likely than not apply for a fellowship (GI, PCCM, or hem-onc)

Reaches/Crapshoot: "Big 4" NYC programs (NYU, Cornell, Columbia, Mt. Sinai), Yale, UPenn

More Realistic: Montefiore, Georgetown, George Washington University, Temple, Thomas Jefferson, Stony Brook, Northwell/Hofstra, Winthrop University Hospital, Robert Wood Johnson, Rutgers

Any other suggestions would be much appreciated. I'm hoping to apply to 20 programs altogether, since some chart from the AAMC indicated people applying to IM with Step 1 scores in my range see diminishing returns thereafter.

Thanks for your time in reading this and any assistance you can provide me with!