OMS IV AMA

[Meekor]

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I’m bored and feeling benevolent. So ask away.

 

[workaholic181]

I’m bored and feeling benevolent. So ask away.

How much debt are you looking at? Would you do HPSP or NHSC looking back?

 

[Meekor]

How much debt are you looking at? Would you do HPSP or NHSC looking back?

I luckily did not have any undergrad loans, but it’s close to 350k right now. Thought about them but never really cared much for it to be honest.

 

[workaholic181]

I luckily did not have any undergrad loans, but it’s close to 350k right now. Thought about them but never really cared much for it to be honest.

I was lucky not to have UG debt either but am prob looking at similar amounts of med school debt by my 4th year. It's just concerning because when I google the national avg. indebtness upon graduation, it states like 189k and I'll probably have a littler less than double that. What are your plans for dealing with this if you dont mind my asking?

 

[Meekor]

I was lucky not to have UG debt either but am prob looking at similar amounts of med school debt by my 4th year. It's just concerning because when I google the national avg. indebtness upon graduation, it states like 189k and I'll probably have a littler less than double that. What are your plans for dealing with this if you dont mind my asking?

To be honest im still trying to figure that out, income based repayment and forbearance may come into play for now. The debt is ridiculous and stressful.

 

[workaholic181]

To be honest im still trying to figure that out, income based repayment and forbearance may come into play for now. The debt is ridiculous and stressful.

Well I appreciate your insight, its just dawning on me now how big an impact the debt is gonna have on me so thanks for answering.

 

[Meekor]

Well I appreciate your insight, its just dawning on me now how big an impact the debt is gonna have on me so thanks for answering.

Yeah everyone kept telling me to study and do well and not to worry about it, but how can you not worry about that?

 

[workaholic181]

Yeah everyone kept telling me to study and do well and not to worry about it, but how can you not worry about that?

I apologize to have hijacked this thread but if you've still got time could you talk briefly about your clinical rotations you've done, what you're hoping to match in?

 

[Meekor]

I apologize to have hijacked this thread but if you've still got time could you talk briefly about your clinical rotations you've done, what you're hoping to match in?

Just matched gen surg, for fourth year I did three months of gen surg, a month of trauma, some IM and EM. Basically done with school at this point other than some minor electives left to go. 3rd year was pretty straight forward: IM/SURG, FM, Peds, psych, obgyn, omm

 

[Cranjis McBasketball]

Just matched gen surg, for fourth year I did three months of gen surg, a month of trauma, some IM and EM. Basically done with school at this point other than some minor electives left to go. 3rd year was pretty straight forward: IM/SURG, FM, Peds, psych, obgyn, omm

What made you decide General Surgery and were there any other specialties you were seriously considering?

 

[Meekor]

What made you decide General Surgery and were there any other specialties you were seriously considering?

I thought there were other specialties but when I was doing ERAS I realized I always wanted to do general surgery. For me, once I’m scrubbed gowned and gloves I’m at my happiest. It’s what I love doing, I found that I was happy waking up at 4am on no sleep and wanting to be at the hospital when I was on surgery months. It’s rather long winded answer so you can DM me if you want more info.

 

[Chibucks15]

I was lucky not to have UG debt either but am prob looking at similar amounts of med school debt by my 4th year. It's just concerning because when I google the national avg. indebtness upon graduation, it states like 189k and I'll probably have a littler less than double that. What are your plans for dealing with this if you dont mind my asking?

Just incorporate it into your normal bills and live like a resident for a few years as an attending and I've been told its managable

 

[sab3156]

Do you know what the deal is with AOA programs (any specialty) that didn't make the cut for ACGME - are they still able to take residents until 2021 and keep them for the full residency even after 2021 (graduate people past 2021)? Not really relevant for me since I'll be applying after merger, but just curious.

 

[Meekor]

Do you know what the deal is with AOA programs (any specialty) that didn't make the cut for ACGME - are they still able to take residents until 2021 and keep them for the full residency even after 2021 (graduate people past 2021)? Not really relevant for me since I'll be applying after merger, but just curious.

So from my understanding, if you’re still in preaccredditation by May of 2018, you won’t be allowed to match a class in the 18-19 match cycle until the program submits a plan stating how and what they’re going to do to get accreditation by 2019. This is because by 2019 if you’re not fully accredited (initial accreditation’s) you will not be allowed to match a class at all. At that point programs have one of two options: teach out and graduate the remaining residents under the restricted accrediting authority the AOA has after 2020, or transfer the residents out and close the program. from my understanding get taught out of the program and being allowed to finish only carries AOA accreditation and not ACGME. Not sure how it will play out in terms of applying for fellowship, I haven’t gotten that far yet.

 

[frosted2]

What were the most worth-while questions that you asked when interviewing at the school that you chose?

 

[Meekor]

What were the most worth-while questions that you asked when interviewing at the school that you chose?

What their five year plan was, if they had one. Based on what they say It’ll tell you a lot. What raised my eyebrows is if there is too much change or none at all. Another question I found helpful was with curriculum, that honestly swayed me more for one school over another depending on how they taught the first two years. I preferred a more systems based approach so look for a style you like more. Also ask about clinical rotations, having to set them up yourself or is there a good infrastructure in place are also important.

 

[Siromas]

I’m bored and feeling benevolent. So ask away.

What's the best advice you wish you could go back and tell yourself on how to spend your last bit of free time before matriculating?

 

[Meekor]

What's the best advice you wish you could go back and tell yourself on how to spend your last bit of free time before matriculating?

Nothing, I feel like I did it right. I partied, traveled, Netflix and Hulu binges etc., I did it all. There was probably a week or two leading up to med school where I got home every night and my mom would be making breakfast getting ready for her day.

If anything, I’d tell myself to quit my job sooner so I’d have more time. There were a few things I wish I could have done with my friends before med school, but ironically managed to do them while I was in med school. So i guess it all worked out in the end.

 

[Osminog]

What do you wish you had known before starting medical school?

 

[Meekor]

What do you wish you had known before starting medical school?

How clique-ish it can and will be. To me it felt like high school all over again but with adults. Also how expensive your 4th year of medical school will be compared to every other year.

And just to say it because everyone else will, how much you need to learn in the short amount of time you have.

 

[Siromas]

Also how expensive your 4th year of medical school will be compared to every other year.

What makes your 4th year so expensive?

Things that could make it expensive:
- Traveling for residency interviews
- Housing for away rotations

Things that make it cheaper than other years:
- No board exam fees (already done at this point, right?)
- No books

 

[frosted2]

Care to share which residency you chose to pursue? What made you pick it? Did you start medical school with it in mind?

 

[Meekor]

What makes your 4th year so expensive?

Things that could make it expensive:
- Traveling for residency interviews
- Housing for away rotations

Things that make it cheaper than other years:
- No board exam fees (already done at this point, right?)
- No books

You would be surprised how expensive traveling to interviews are especially if you’re going to smaller cities or towns that don’t have many flights. Air bnb is the way to go for rotation housing as well as interviews if they don’t book one out. Don’t forget applications fees. That’s the cost of 3 written board exams if you apply to more than 50 programs like I did for surgery.

So no major board expenses but a lot of miscellaneous fees and costs that add up over the course of six months. Costs that you could be saving for debt and burritos.

 

[Meekor]

Care to share which residency you chose to pursue? What made you pick it? Did you start medical school with it in mind?

If you read above I matched gen surg, how I got into is a thesis in and of itself. Long story short I love it, it’s fun, I’m excited to wake up to it. And while I thought I would’ve been more open minded when I started med school, I had really decided on what I want to do way before I even applied. PM me if you want the full story.

 

[RNthenDoc]

How hard will people cringe in OMM if I say the word “Subluxation?”

 

[Meekor]

How hard will people cringe in OMM if I say the word “Subluxation?”

I’m cringing right now