P3 here, need some advice

[squirtle138209320]

Hey everyone, I'm reaching out here because I’ve been feeling a bit disheartened about my residency prospects due to my stats. Like many of us, I poured myself into this path, but after applying to clerkships, I was turned down by some hospitals with the more competitive residencies, which stung even though I anticipated it.

SSM Depaul in Missouri is my dream program—close to home and where my favorite mentor trained. He spoke so highly of the experience there, and I’ve long admired the program’s approach. They have a minimum GPA requirement of 2.9, though, and my GPA falls around 2.65-2.7 (maybe 2.75 if I do well these next few months). I’m in the bottom 30% of my class, but I passed Part 1 on my first try, and I’ve tried to compensate with a lot of volunteering and leadership roles, although I lack research experience.

I’ll be doing an externship at SSM Depaul before CRIP, and I want to make the best possible impression to show them my genuine interest and dedication. If anyone has advice on how to maximize my time there, demonstrate my commitment, or anything else that might strengthen my chances, I’d be so grateful. I know the odds, but I want to give it everything I’ve got. Thanks in advance for your thoughts!"

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[shadesofgrey]

Just do your best, work hard, and be yourself. It was a different era (residency shortage) but I can name probably 3-4 classmates easily that did worse in school and got better training than me. Grades get you in the door, after that it's up to you. As long as you have had an in person experience with them, I think you've got a chance.

And now I've used up my entire positive podiatry vibes for the year...

 

[Weirdy]

You'll get in there. GPA cutoffs are listed but a place like that will still take you because they are trying to ensure they fill all their spots.

 

[Flip-flop-flerpity]

Same general rules apply for any clerkship- always show up on time and prepared (read the night before about the next day's cases- my go to was Easley). Never try to leave early, act like you want to be there. Stay engaged the whole month- theres a tendency to get complacent or too relaxed the last week or so. Be present and helpful but don't get in the way. Be personable. That's how anyone lands a program. The current residents are unlikely to have access to your stats. Don't talk about your GPA- save that for the interview and only if asked. It's good to come across as humble and grounded, but never talk yourself down.

 

[podiatryresident]

Hey everyone, I'm reaching out here because I’ve been feeling a bit disheartened about my residency prospects due to my stats. Like many of us, I poured myself into this path, but after applying to clerkships, I was turned down by some hospitals with the more competitive residencies, which stung even though I anticipated it.

SSM Depaul in Missouri is my dream program—close to home and where my favorite mentor trained. He spoke so highly of the experience there, and I’ve long admired the program’s approach. They have a minimum GPA requirement of 2.9, though, and my GPA falls around 2.65-2.7 (maybe 2.75 if I do well these next few months). I’m in the bottom 30% of my class, but I passed Part 1 on my first try, and I’ve tried to compensate with a lot of volunteering and leadership roles, although I lack research experience.

I’ll be doing an externship at SSM Depaul before CRIP, and I want to make the best possible impression to show them my genuine interest and dedication. If anyone has advice on how to maximize my time there, demonstrate my commitment, or anything else that might strengthen my chances, I’d be so grateful. I know the odds, but I want to give it everything I’ve got. Thanks in advance for your thoughts!"

I think you have heard a lot of advice from other people. I just want to say you will have a higher chance if you graduate in 2026. On aacpm website, only 506 students went to 2nd year last year. I believe less or much less than 500 students are doing 3rd year now. I assume there will be less than 470 students will apply for residency in 2026 for ~ 550-570 slots. You will have good chance!

 

[Feli]

Once you get the clerkship, gpa doesn't matter... they will go mostly/exclusively off of that month's performance.

Quit with the volunteering/leadership and get to the library and read core manuals, texts, journal articles before and during clerkships. That's goal #1 when you have a 2.7, wow. That "leader" stuff does nothing to compensate; that should have been a big wake up call getting rejected from some clerkships. You need to learn more, know more, and to perform well on clerkships. You can do it.

You are not exactly shooting the moon with an average quality/interest program as your "dream program," but you will definitely want some backups with your stats. You never know who else in any given match cycle will want what spots. Try to do well on all of your clerk months and apply for interviews at all of them... and for anywhere else you'd reasonably want to go (rejected for clerkship = probably don't bother with applying to interview). As mentioned, it's easier in years with surplus of spots... but I would absolutely try to avoid scramble with such a low gpa/rank. 👍

 

[MoostashPod]

Try not to put all the eggs in one basket is the usual saying. It'll give you the best possible outcomes and you're prepared for the worse. Don't depend on convenience (close to home, travels, etc) because this is your surgical training and you want the best residency training you can get, and that may require you to go further distance than you initially wanted. Do well on your clerkships and focus on your academics. Those volunteering and leadership roles can be halted as you focus on academics. They're not that important for most programs, but can help you shine if you're in a high powered program. Same goes for research/publishing papers - high powered programs can look at this more, and of course it depends on who's running it (program director). Again, focus on your academics. You don't have much time left. When you go on clerkships, be on time, be prepared, be normal, humble. Do not make it too obvious to everyone that "you're trying too hard" to get them to like you. It annoys the heck out of them and they know and can usually tell (they're used to seeing so many students already). Give the month your best and that's all you can do. The rest you can't control, no matter how you think of it. GL.

 

[deleted1162946]

that program sucks OP. Unless things have changed. Director would pimp the residents on the most old school biomechanical stuff. The second attending in line was just a flat out bitch. I think they’d train you to be decent at forefoot surgery but yeah was toxic when I externed years ago. I actually got yelled at by an attending there because a resident told me to go see a patient. Just realized I’ll probably hold these grudges for life. Reminder to be nice to externs.

 

[Adam Smasher]

that program sucks OP. Unless things have changed. Director would pimp the residents on the most old school biomechanical stuff. The second attending in line was just a flat out bitch.

Never externed, but I interviewed with them way back when. This is assessment is accurate. Easily the most hostile interview I'd ever been in. I walked out of the room wondering why they even granted me an interview, they seemed intent on looking for a reason to reject me.

 

[Weirdy]

Had similar experience to above.
Interviewed and was pimped on minutiae
Was berated for visiting the neighboring residencies and told I would have known the answers to their questions if I had gone to their program for a month instead.

 

[squirtle138209320]

Wow thank you so much for the insight into the program! My God that sounds horrible, slightly dreading my upcoming externship with them now 🤣 I'll definitely be keeping my options open for residency

 

[bloxxeeey]

Had similar experience to above.
Interviewed and was pimped on minutiae
Was berated for visiting the neighboring residencies and told I would have known the answers to their questions if I had gone to their program for a month instead.

Welcome to podiatry where you're a failure in residency program's eyes if you don't know what the ipsilateral elbow joint is doing in a patient with Hemophilia during the late phase of the midstance phase of gait in a patient with an abductory twist while wearing a shoe with a medial heel skieve.

 

[heybrother]

Some of my friends went to this program, graduated, and seem pretty happy now, but ...they did describe an obscenely obnoxious matching process.