Questions regarding the next two months..

[huckbear]

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Hi all-
I'm currently in the process of preparing my applications and was hoping to ask a few questions. Background: MS4 at a top 15 school, MD/PhD, GPA-3.67 (yeah MD/PhDs have GPAs), Honors is all but medicine, boards 1=230, 2=248, lots of immunology research (12+ papers, chapter, reviews, etc). I decided on ophthal late, and am now trying catch up. So far I think I have a reasonable chance at matching and I'm hoping that I can actually sort of be discriminating. Reasons for ophthal - clinical - diagnosis to treatment - the full spectrum, time and funding for research (stem cells transplantation perhaps?), and international humanitarian work (very satisying). Not a reason for my interest : money or lifestyle ( I want to do research with the extra time not play golf).

Issues:
1) College transcript - my grades were lousy, seriously. Do they care?

2) I'm from a huge city, and can only see myself going to a large academic program with lots of research in Boston, NYC, Seatlle, SF bay, LA, (maybe SD, Phil.). Am I being ridiculous given some of my lowish scores etc?

3) Letters of rec - I plan on getting 2 from ophthal guys I know, and one from my PhD mentor. Good idea?

4) Prelim year - I plan on Gen Surg prelim and will change the letter to one Gen Surg, Ophthal, PhD mentor. Good?

5) Additional super strong letters - can I take them with me to interview (hopefully I'll get some) or is it pointless or worse?

6) If I don't match someplace good I am seriously contemplating either doing research alone, or getting out of medicine altogether. Any ideas other than these?

Sorry about the long post and prob too many questions. Thanks in advance.

 

[wright]

It's only August 1st....you have plenty of time. I would recommend doing as many externships as possible...externships mean more than any of your papers, boards, med school, etc.....Try and get your application in by no later than mid-September....a letter from a well known ophtho guy means more than 2 from people no one knows..

Issues:
1) College transcript - my grades were lousy, seriously. Do they care? NO--they just look at where you went...med school, boards, and RESEARCH mean a lot more

2) I'm from a huge city, and can only see myself going to a large academic program with lots of research in Boston, NYC, Seatlle, SF bay, LA, (maybe SD, Phil.). Am I being ridiculous given some of my lowish scores etc? No..your scores are competitive at all of these places...be sure to discuss your research endeavors in your personal statement and relate it in one way or another to ophtho....separate yourself from everyone else that way...

3) Letters of rec - I plan on getting 2 from ophthal guys I know, and one from my PhD mentor. Good idea? Refer to above

4) Prelim year - I plan on Gen Surg prelim and will change the letter to one Gen Surg, Ophthal, PhD mentor. Good? No----you will be absolutely off your rocker to do gen surg during your prelim year. First of all, you do no surgery...ur stuck in the hospital up to 100 hrs week...and your miserable.....do a transitional year that allows you a ton of elective time..and spend that time doing ophtho or something else your interested in. The hours are less taxing, your happier, and you make the same amount of money doing less work...you will not find one resident who will tell you to do surgery..if they like you of course..

5) Additional super strong letters - can I take them with me to interview (hopefully I'll get some) or is it pointless or worse? San Fran Match allows you the option of mailing them extra letters and they will disperse these to your programs requested..can't hurt..

6) If I don't match someplace good I am seriously contemplating either doing research alone, or getting out of medicine altogether. Any ideas other than these? That is not a good attitude...getting out of medicine all together???? Ophtho is fun...if you want it...go out there and get it...do externships at the programs ur interested in..that is the best advice I can give you...good luck

 

[huckbear]

very helpful advice, it clarified quite a bit.

i'll keep at it, and see what happens. thanks again.

 

[Sam MD]

Thinking about leaving medicine altogether? Don't quit so easily unless you really don't like medicine.

Think you have to stay in a big city? There are quite a few big city programs that aren't that good and don't have that good research. There are a number of good research programs that are not in very large cities (just smaller or medium sized cities).

College grades lousy? Use the excuse that Nixon used.."I was a young man".