reality check...

[threecoins]

Hey,I am just doing a little reality check before I apply this year. I am a FMG, Step 1: 207, step 2: 238, 2 months US Clinical experience (Emergency medicine and surgery electives ( not observerships), 4 LORs (3 EM Attendings, 1 General surgery professor and director of cancer institute, all of them supervised me firsthand) …my first choice is definitely surgery BUT I don't know what are my chances, with surgery getting that competitive. I would appreciate it if someone can help me with the following questions:
- I can contact the chairman of the department of the med school where I did my electives and ask him to write me a LOR, the guy would not mind , we have talked a couple of times together but he has not supervised me first hand. In other words can I apply to General surgery with one Surgery letter and two from emergency medicine?
- What do you think are my chances in matching?
- How many programs do you guys think I should apply to in surgery? I am thinking 50 – 80?
- What other specialties as back ups should I apply to with those letters…Emergency medicine is probably not a good choice as a back up as it is at least as competitive as surgery probably more. Do you think It would be fine to apply to internal medicine, peds…without a letter from an internist/pediatrician.
I would appreciate any input with these questions. Thanks.

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[doc05]

I'd recommend getting at least a 2nd surgery LOR.

Applying to IM or peds as a backup doesn't make sense. If surgery is your first choice, and EM your second, apply to those. The worst-case scenario is that you could always pick up a prelim spot somewhere to prove your worth. That means more work, possibly repeating internship, etc. But doing IM or peds for a career isn't sensible either if you're not really interested.

Best of luck.