Path to good EM residency?

[kentnouri]

I'm currently a 1st year with average grades for my class interested in starting down the right path to an Emergency Medicine residency. Is it really competitive and if my grades aren't so good, what other things can I do to ensure success? Away rotations during clinics? Any advice appreciated.

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[turtleboard]

EM has recently become one of the most popular matches. Getting into it still doesn't require AOA and high honors in everything, but it requires a solid background, good board scores, and great recommendations.

Your chances of matching also depend on where you want to end up. I know some people with really mediocre records who applied for EM at small, no-name community programs in New York. They certainly matched, but it wasn't all that tough to begin with.



------------------
Tim Wu.

 

[alshepard]

Hey, everybody, it's Turtleboard.

You just can't stand for one of us to have an unanswered question hanging out there.

Who loves us, baby?

 

[GreatPumpkin]

I would also suggest during your 4th year doing some rotations at the places you are interested. Residency programs like to know what they are getting, and spending time with them will allow them to get to know you. This could really help you if your grades and USMLE scores are so-so.

This is only a good idea if you are a personable and a decent clinician.

------------------
-----------------------
Rob
4th year med student at MCV/VCU in Virginia. Matched to Pathology at MCV.

 

[turtleboard]

Al,

I do, I do!



------------------
Tim Wu.

 

[spunkydoc]

--write a great personal statement
--rotate thru as many of the programs to which you wish to apply
--work harder in the next few years to get your GPA up there.

good luck

 

[premedmijo]

There is a personal statement involved when apply to residency programs?

 

[JBERRI]

And you thought applying to med school was hell. Applying to residency programs is the same thing all over again.

 

[adismo]

OK, fine. But malpractice insurance is extremely high! Anyone know exactly what the premiums/payments are? I've heard about $750/mo. Say it aint so!

 

[kimberlicox]

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" size="2">Originally posted by adismo:
OK, fine. But malpractice insurance is extremely high! Anyone know exactly what the premiums/payments are? I've heard about $750/mo. Say it aint so!

•

Malpractice insurance varies considerably with the field of medicine you are practicing in. It will be covered for you during your residency training years and if you work for an HMO or other institution.

I honestly do not know the actual rates except to say that an Ob-Gyn family friend quit delivering high risk babies because his malpractice insurance was running nearly $250,000 a year (his income was more than double that). Might be an exceptional case, but some areas like Ob-Gyn and Neurosurg typically attract high malpractice insurance rates.

 

[kimberlicox]

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" size="2">Originally posted by premedmijo:
There is a personal statement involved when apply to residency programs?•

Yep. Its starts all over again. You submit either a Universal Residency Application or using ERAS complete a form which lists all your demographics, schools attended, USMLE scores, extracurriculars, research, publications, etc. Med school transcripts, USMLE transcripts, letter of recommendation, Deans letter and a photograph are also part of the application along with your personal statement. Fortuantely, using ERAS makes it easy to submit certain letters and individualized personal statements.

Instead of telling the PDs why you want to be a doctor, this statement should focus on why you want to enter that particular specialty. A good resource is First Aid for the Match. It details quite nicely the steps needed to complete your residency application.

 

[adismo]

kimberlicox,

Sounds a bit on the extreme side!! $250K per year, sucked out of your income?? I hope its not that common.

No thanks. I hope EM is not that bad, since its one of my top choices, right there with Diag. Radiology....

 

[kimberlicox]

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" size="2">Originally posted by adismo:
No thanks. I hope EM is not that bad, since its one of my top choices, right there with Diag. Radiology.... •

Perhaps I am wrong but since both of those specialties are Hospital-Based (HOBS) I would think that your malpractice insurance would be covered, at least in part, by the institution's policies or by the group you work with, in the case of DR. To tell ya the truth I haven't spent too much time worried about it because I figure its best to do what you want and not be concerned with details like how much malpractice you'll have to pay.

Perhaps SDN-Jim can weigh in with some info on this topic and whether you still pay out of pocket as a Hospital Based specialty.