Questions about Prelim Surg - help!

[Lotuseater]

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I'm an IMG who is applying to PM&R, and I was considering applying to Prelim Surgery as well Prelim IM. Surgery was one of my favorite med school rotations, and I don't mind getting yelled at , but what I was wondering was:

-- For Prelim Surgery, what kind of a personal statement do you write? Do you write about the field which you are pursuing advanced training in, and then talk about how surgery will help you with that endeavor? Or is it mostly about surgery?

-- Do you need letters of rec from surgeons? Or would letters of rec from your Advanced field (PM&R/EM/Anes) be OK?

-- Would surgery directors think I'm crazy for applying to Prelim Surg if I'm going into PM&R afterwards? How common is this?

-- What happens if you match into an advanced position of your real field (PM&R/EM/Anes), but don't get any Prelim in the match or in the scramble? Are you kicked out of the advanced program or...?

-- is it possible to match into a Prelim position, but no advanced position (No PM&R/EM/Anes)? Or is there an option to place a "clause" on the rank order list, such that we can choose to only match into a Prelim position IF we match into a Advanced position too? It would suck to get stuck in a Prelim without an advanced position! Is this possible? Cause otherwise I might just rank FP higher than both!

Thanks for any info!

 

[Winged Scapula]

I'm an IMG who is applying to PM&R, and I was considering applying to Prelim Surgery as well Prelim IM. Surgery was one of my favorite med school rotations, and I don't mind getting yelled at , but what I was wondering was:

-- For Prelim Surgery, what kind of a personal statement do you write? Do you write about the field which you are pursuing advanced training in, and then talk about how surgery will help you with that endeavor? Or is it mostly about surgery?

You needn't write a separate personal statement for your Prelim year. If you wish you can add a line or two about why you are choosing Prelim Surgery for your required year as surely some will question choosing it over Prelim Medicine. Since you aren't choosing a surgical career, it would seem a bit disingenuous to write about how much you love surgery in your statement, so it should be all about PM&R.

Do you need letters of rec from surgeons? Or would letters of rec from your Advanced field (PM&R/EM/Anes) be OK?

It doesn't matter. Prelim surgery is exceedingly noncompetitive; many programs are not very interested in who they get for their non-designated spots. Someone to fill the call schedule, a warm body, etc.

Would surgery directors think I'm crazy for applying to Prelim Surg if I'm going into PM&R afterwards? How common is this?

Probably. Uncommon.

What happens if you match into an advanced position of your real field (PM&R/EM/Anes), but don't get any Prelim in the match or in the scramble? Are you kicked out of the advanced program or...?

Depends on the program. You'll have to talk to your future PD...they may let you delay a year while you look for a Prelim position, or they may give your spot away if you failed to match for your Prelim year.

is it possible to match into a Prelim position, but no advanced position (No PM&R/EM/Anes)?

Sure.

Or is there an option to place a "clause" on the rank order list, such that we can choose to only match into a Prelim position IF we match into a Advanced position too?

Nope. The only way you can prevent that is to rank only advanced programs which have an intern year included (ie, at the same program). It happens every year that people don't match into their advanced program but do get a Prelim spot and have to sit out a year.

 

[Lotuseater]

Are the deadlines for applic for PRELIM surgery the same as the deadlines for applic for Cat Surgery? I'm not seeing prelim surgery deadlines on their websites....

 

[Winged Scapula]

Are the deadlines for applic for PRELIM surgery the same as the deadlines for applic for Cat Surgery? I'm not seeing prelim surgery deadlines on their websites....

Deadlines are usually the same. Many programs flll their non-designated slots in the scramble and don't waste much time on interviewing Prelims. Program independent.

 

[wexy]

yeah- i applied to some programs as a surg prelim as a backup to gen surg because i am regionally restricted. i havent heard anything. do you think its safe to assume you can scramble into a prelim spot at a strong program in the NE?

 

[Pir8DeacDoc]

yes

 

[Winged Scapula]

yeah- i applied to some programs as a surg prelim as a backup to gen surg because i am regionally restricted. i havent heard anything. do you think its safe to assume you can scramble into a prelim spot at a strong program in the NE?

Yes. We never used to interview our Prelims, at least not on a regular basis, just preferring to take our pick from the scramble candidates for the non-designated spots.