I'll start off by saying I did conduct a search on threads about research positions. I still wanted to go ahead and discuss my situation as someone might have something else to say and this would also probably get a little more attention than bringing back a thread from the dead.
I'll start off by saying im an IMG (US Born) from a Carib school who was withdrawn from the match this year because of a failed CS (yes yes I know, pathetic I'm still kicking myself over it). I can't believe I overlooked it either. Anyhow I had applied for IM this year in California alone. I had been willing to go to jsut about any hospital in CA, but in some sense I'm kind of glad I didnt match this year.
I now know I definitely want a university IM program (willing to go anywhere in the US), and from there I either want to pursue nuclear medicine or heme/onc. My board scores are *gasp* decent (I=215/87 and II=200/82)... both were first attempts. Some program directors did ask about Step II on interviews this last season and I was able to tel lthem that II was taken prior to having OB or Peds rotations. GPA is about 3.4-3.5. Got honors in all my core rotations except OB.
So the likely choice for the year off is to do research. I'm pretty much happy with anything that will help me pay the rent and start to chip away at the student loans. I'm also thinking about taking step III in this time away from Medicine (to get it out of the way and show programs that I can do alot better than what my I and II scores are).
Oh: I've been involved in one research project before (also heme/onc), but the project was at a community hospital which I rotated at and took a while to develop. I'm really not sure what happened with it.
My questions:
1) How easy would it be for me to get a research spot (paid) as a research assistant/associate or so? About how long does something like that take to setup?
2) How much does doing research at one school help as far as that program looking at my application there / more seriously considering me next year?
3) I've heard of students getting pre-matches (IMGs as well) in situations like this where they do research at a program. Does anyone know of any other specific programs like that?
4) I've got fairly decent letters, but how much weight do PDs put into letters that you've recieved from research situations?
5) Would a good Step III score help programs look beyond my pitiful step II score?
6) Any other tips/comments/recommendations?
*Edit* Thanks in advance.
I'll start off by saying im an IMG (US Born) from a Carib school who was withdrawn from the match this year because of a failed CS (yes yes I know, pathetic I'm still kicking myself over it). I can't believe I overlooked it either. Anyhow I had applied for IM this year in California alone. I had been willing to go to jsut about any hospital in CA, but in some sense I'm kind of glad I didnt match this year.
I now know I definitely want a university IM program (willing to go anywhere in the US), and from there I either want to pursue nuclear medicine or heme/onc. My board scores are *gasp* decent (I=215/87 and II=200/82)... both were first attempts. Some program directors did ask about Step II on interviews this last season and I was able to tel lthem that II was taken prior to having OB or Peds rotations. GPA is about 3.4-3.5. Got honors in all my core rotations except OB.
So the likely choice for the year off is to do research. I'm pretty much happy with anything that will help me pay the rent and start to chip away at the student loans. I'm also thinking about taking step III in this time away from Medicine (to get it out of the way and show programs that I can do alot better than what my I and II scores are).
Oh: I've been involved in one research project before (also heme/onc), but the project was at a community hospital which I rotated at and took a while to develop. I'm really not sure what happened with it.
My questions:
1) How easy would it be for me to get a research spot (paid) as a research assistant/associate or so? About how long does something like that take to setup?
2) How much does doing research at one school help as far as that program looking at my application there / more seriously considering me next year?
3) I've heard of students getting pre-matches (IMGs as well) in situations like this where they do research at a program. Does anyone know of any other specific programs like that?
4) I've got fairly decent letters, but how much weight do PDs put into letters that you've recieved from research situations?
5) Would a good Step III score help programs look beyond my pitiful step II score?
6) Any other tips/comments/recommendations?
*Edit* Thanks in advance.
