Hello. Second application cycle for me . I feel like I am getting shut out. I received two interviews last year applying to 25 programs. I upped the applications to 35 this year and have not had an invite. Also did four one week externships last year to try and improve my CV. I was #8/140 class rank. Board scores were 88/89. Private practice experience close to ten years. If I were to do a year long internship, how much would this improve my chances to get interviews next year?? Any advice would be appreciated.
OMFS advice for an older candidate
- Thread starter chuckd303
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Internships are hit or miss, IMHO. A great internship can open the door at a lot of places for interviews, but a local no-name internship with little exposure only allows you to have a crappy year. One thing I also find is that many people who do internships get into a program when one of the current categorical residents drop out. Your best answer is to talk to program directors and see what they want. If I were in your shoes I'd imagine that being in private practice for ten years and then applying shows that you really really want OS. However, my experience is that residencies tend to shy away from private practice guys because they have to take a big risk in taking a candidate who will have to cut his salary and time with family and then may eventually drop out.
It sounds like you're a decent candidate with numbers, but the bottom line is numbers only get you so far. I feel for you, I'm also a second time applicant with private practice experience.
best of luck.
It sounds like you're a decent candidate with numbers, but the bottom line is numbers only get you so far. I feel for you, I'm also a second time applicant with private practice experience.
best of luck.
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The nbde was far far easier 12 years ago...an 88 or 89 is not a solid score
hindsight is 20/20. I would love to go back and put more time and energy into the boards. At this point if I performed well in an intern year could I anticipate getting 8+ interviews if I applied to 35-40 programs? What say ye?
Yes, you probably need to do an intern year. 88/89 is not terrible, either. You should get enough interviews to have a decent shot at matching if you do an intern year and get strong letters of recommendation.
Keep it up and don't give up.
Keep it up and don't give up.
I don't really know how you can substantiate this unless you took the test a decade ago and took the test today and compared your experiences.
I'm no advocate of the NBDE but from my experience a great board score today isn't a sure way to get into a program. If you look at last years acceptances from people who posted where they matched, your score is very competitive.
My guess is that your lack of interviews is NOT because of your test scores, but more because of experience and risk perception from directors. But that is my guess. Your sure-fire answer will be if you talk directly to PDs.
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The average scores went way down...science!
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I would consider doing an internship at a program that has a reputation of taking their own interns into the program. This will allow you to prove yourself to the program prior to them accepting you (its basically a 4 month working interview). Programs for the most part do not like applicants who have private practive experience since it is so drastically different from hospital OMFS. All the experience you have will not help one bit when you taking trauma call and you come across a severe ear lac and you need to do an auricular block.
An intern year is a gamble but if you really want OMS then it shows your devotion to the profession and you can show that you are able to do the job!!!
An intern year is a gamble but if you really want OMS then it shows your devotion to the profession and you can show that you are able to do the job!!!
Thanks for the responses. Would you know some of the programs that are known for taking their own interns?
