- Joined
- Dec 10, 2018
- Messages
- 16
- Reaction score
- 6
Brief overview: Current OMS-III student. Hoping to match into pediatrics residency with hopes of going into neonatology fellowship. Big red flag would be my low COMLEX level 1 score at 418 and advisor has advised me not to take Step 1 since we are moving into P/F the following year.
What happened here was a series of events that did not stack well. I gave birth to a newborn in late January which I took care of 24/7. My partner has Bipolar 1 and his current medications knocks him out at night so he physically could not wake up to help feed the little one. My newborn was completely breastfed hence why he was my sole responsibility while my partner cares for our 2 year old toddler. Come dedicated board studying time, my partner was feeling stressed about moving for my 3rd year rotations and decided to relieve it by screaming my name repetitively for an hour multiple times a day. I couldn’t even move to a different location to study because I had my newborn and the walls in the house was VERY THIN. He decided to put a cherry on top of that by deciding to move 1 week before my exam because that was the only time his dad could come help us move. Since my school had a designated timeline for the Students to take level 1, I wasn’t even able to postpone it.
TLDR: sleep deprived + newborn + screaming toddler&partner + poor study location + unable to postpone exam + moving to a new location 1 week prior to exam = low score
Clinical rotations: They don’t give out honors but I have been receiving As in all my rotations so far (IM1+2, FM1+2, Peds, Psych) and passing my elective rotations (P/F only; neonatology, Heme/Onc). I had 1 week elective rotation in Peds ID but got kicked out because the attending herself was getting fired(?; at least that’s what the attending said was happening, not really sure what happened but essentially they said it wasn’t my fault and the other student on the same rotation had to rotate elsewhere as well). Pretty sure I have good LORs since on my evaluation, the student director (also one of the attending in IM rotation), said that should I be interested in the field of IM, they would take me in as a resident in their program.
Current LORs (5): student director/IM, neonatology, Peds, Heme/onc, FM
Research: single publication pending
Leadership roles/extracurricular activities (med school only/ not including undergrad activities): VP of SaGE club, VP of Wellness committee, pediatrics club member, participated in multiple community outreach activities, St.baldricks and coopers carnival.
Several Qs:
1. What rotations should I be taking for 4th year to make myself stand out more and where would you recommend? I heard Peds ID and Peds Endo would be a good start in addition to SubIs.
2. I am originally from NY and would like to go back and be closer to home. A lot of the programs require a minimum COMLEX level 1 score of 450 which I don’t have. Would it still be wise to try to get an audition rotation in those programs?
3. I know with my low board score and lack of research would not make me a competitive contender and its best to apply broadly. Problem with this is that I’m having difficulties finding programs that take DO students with low board score. Is there a specific program or site that people use to make this process easier to compile other than going into the individual sites to look for info that may not even be there (some programs I looked at literally only says apply via ERAS). Seriously on the struggle bus in this department.
Thank you all in advance for any input you may have!
What happened here was a series of events that did not stack well. I gave birth to a newborn in late January which I took care of 24/7. My partner has Bipolar 1 and his current medications knocks him out at night so he physically could not wake up to help feed the little one. My newborn was completely breastfed hence why he was my sole responsibility while my partner cares for our 2 year old toddler. Come dedicated board studying time, my partner was feeling stressed about moving for my 3rd year rotations and decided to relieve it by screaming my name repetitively for an hour multiple times a day. I couldn’t even move to a different location to study because I had my newborn and the walls in the house was VERY THIN. He decided to put a cherry on top of that by deciding to move 1 week before my exam because that was the only time his dad could come help us move. Since my school had a designated timeline for the Students to take level 1, I wasn’t even able to postpone it.
TLDR: sleep deprived + newborn + screaming toddler&partner + poor study location + unable to postpone exam + moving to a new location 1 week prior to exam = low score
Clinical rotations: They don’t give out honors but I have been receiving As in all my rotations so far (IM1+2, FM1+2, Peds, Psych) and passing my elective rotations (P/F only; neonatology, Heme/Onc). I had 1 week elective rotation in Peds ID but got kicked out because the attending herself was getting fired(?; at least that’s what the attending said was happening, not really sure what happened but essentially they said it wasn’t my fault and the other student on the same rotation had to rotate elsewhere as well). Pretty sure I have good LORs since on my evaluation, the student director (also one of the attending in IM rotation), said that should I be interested in the field of IM, they would take me in as a resident in their program.
Current LORs (5): student director/IM, neonatology, Peds, Heme/onc, FM
Research: single publication pending
Leadership roles/extracurricular activities (med school only/ not including undergrad activities): VP of SaGE club, VP of Wellness committee, pediatrics club member, participated in multiple community outreach activities, St.baldricks and coopers carnival.
Several Qs:
1. What rotations should I be taking for 4th year to make myself stand out more and where would you recommend? I heard Peds ID and Peds Endo would be a good start in addition to SubIs.
2. I am originally from NY and would like to go back and be closer to home. A lot of the programs require a minimum COMLEX level 1 score of 450 which I don’t have. Would it still be wise to try to get an audition rotation in those programs?
3. I know with my low board score and lack of research would not make me a competitive contender and its best to apply broadly. Problem with this is that I’m having difficulties finding programs that take DO students with low board score. Is there a specific program or site that people use to make this process easier to compile other than going into the individual sites to look for info that may not even be there (some programs I looked at literally only says apply via ERAS). Seriously on the struggle bus in this department.
Thank you all in advance for any input you may have!
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