really that tough?

[placeboy]

Hey guys,

I may not be in the mix of most of you guys, cuz i'm still a medical student and just beginning to the application process for residency. I do have a question that maybe you guys could help me out on....

I attended the 'career confusion' seminar at our medical school--to guide med students to pick an appropriate field...during the seminar, our dean brought up GI and said, 'don't go into a residency for the fellowship without liking the residency in the first place....there was one student who wanted to go into gi, but i told her that she should like intern med, because in the chance she doesn't get in, she should be content with some other aspects of medicine.'

My concern is NOT "do I like medicine?"...i already know that there is a good chance that medicine is for me. I like the academics of it-- but i do like digestive disorders and want to do procedures...therefore i have a great interest in gi...but am worried about not matching when the time comes...so my questions are:

1. i understand matching for GI is really tough--but is it really that tough? do a lot of ppl not match? is it comparable to getting into a really tough subspecialty straight out of med school--like derm or plastics. how many ppl usually apply for how many spots?

2. if ppl don't match the first time, can they do things to ensure that they get in later, if that field is there passion? and if you do take, for example, a year off (during residency) to do research, does it help your chances?

3. what can i do right now (i'm a third year medical student) and in the years ahead to give myself the best chance of being in a comfortable position when the time comes, to match into gi? anything people may have learned that they wish they had done, etc would be extremely helpful.

thanks!

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[BerkeleyMD]

Its funny, I am more out of place on this sub-forum than you are bro, but I can still give you some advice. I work in a GI lab with 4 MD's and the Chief. I already have a "connection" into a GI fellowship if needed (even though its 7 years from now). If you are truly interested in GI, then you should consider doing GI electives at the hospital you see yourself doing IM- that will make you seem really interested.

As for the competitiveness... I think its true, but misleading. If you are truly interested, a US Med grad, have decent scores and a few publications its easy. Alot of applicants are FMG's and US grads that are applying across the board for residency. I think the amount of truly motivated GI applicants that get in is much higher. I haven't even started med school and I have 4 GI publications in the works. You still have all next year and 3 yrs of IM to prove that you want it.

If you don't match the first time, most people just re-apply. Being an internist is not a bad deal!

Also, check out the subspecialty IM section of this forum (not the GI or Cards, but the last section). You will find a closed thread that has all this info summarized. Here is that link: http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=199551