Residency Planning: to-be MS1 student PLEASE HELP!!

[medhopefuls2016]

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Hi all,

I am currently planning on attending medical school in the States. I already have one acceptance in hand, and I have been very fortunate to be offered 8 other, to date, interviews from top-tier schools in the U.S.

Besides the mandatory fun and travel (obviously LOL), I have been thinking about what I should do for the summer. I am wondering, in your professional opinion, what should I do this summer to make myself a more attractive candidate for some (as much as I hate to use the phrase) competitive residencies?

The reason I ask the question is because

1) I have done tons of research (publication included, abroad and in Canada). However, I would imagine that one should do research in the specialty of interest. Currently, I haven't got the faintest idea (like 99.9% of all to-be MS1 students) on what I REALLY want to go into. So what do I do in this case?

Some ideas I have in mind: research, shadowing (how?), volunteering (still useful?)...etc??/


PLEASE HELP!!!

 

[Potatoman1800]

WAY too early to worry about residency. Enjoy the time you have off until school starts.

 

[Law2Doc]

WAY too early to worry about residency. Enjoy the time you have off until school starts.

Agreed. First, most people change their minds at least once about which residency they like along the way. Second, it's silly to focus on "competitive residencies" as a group. You will like some, hate some. You might find you hate all the competitive fields and find that something less competitive is in your wheelhouse. These are not decisions you make before you are further into med school. Third, competitive fields value research done after you start med school more than before med school. Partly because undergrads all too often just get thrown onto the papers even if they just help run a few gels, while med students are expected to have been more integrally involved in the project, partly because of the notion that more recent research is more valuable to places that will hope you continue doing research. So the short answer is that before med school is not the right time to start something like this, and even if it were, you have no basis for targeting it to any particular specialty. Most troubling is deciding you are bound for some competitive residency, but not a particular one, without yet having been exposed to the majority of the options. Better to ask the question later down the road.

 

[medhopefuls2016]

First of all, look at the bottom end of my original post: I know that I have no idea what specialty I want to go into. Secondly, I use the phrase "competitive residencies" in the most generic sense possible. Do I really know what dermatology or radon really mean? I DON'T. That's why I am asking for advice. I guess the better way to phrase my original post is "how do I make myself a more competitive applicant to residencies"

Lastly, I first-authored a paper while I was in undergrad. I designed the experiments and wrote up the manuscript. That work took me nearly a year and a half from start to finish. I was slightly offended by your comment on "running a few gels" and "got thrown onto papers."

 

[sirenomelia]

Its never too early to plan/ think ahead.
You want to get a copy of Iserson's "Getting into a residency" 10$ at amazon or barnes and nobles. This is the bible outlining the match process and what you should do from early on to give yourself the best chance at your desired specialty. Its a great read and everyone I know who wanted something competitive but didnt look at it until MS3 regretted it.

 

[flatearth22]

Its never too early to plan/ think ahead.
You want to get a copy of Iserson's "Getting into a residency" 10$ at amazon or barnes and nobles. This is the bible outlining the match process and what you should do from early on to give yourself the best chance at your desired specialty. Its a great read and everyone I know who wanted something competitive but didnt look at it until MS3 regretted it.

This. When I posted on here about advice for getting into med school as a freshman in college everyone told me to enjoy myself and not come back until at least junior year......no way I'm making that same mistake again. Is there much lost from getting older editions (say, the 4th)? The latest edition (7th) is about $35 on Amazon and was published 5 1/2 years ago.

 

[willen101383]

Probably better to post this in the med student forum rather than the premed forum since premeds likely know very little about what is needed to match.

Either way, horse before the cart IMO. I am sure you are a great student and all, but how do you even know you are going to be able to perform at that "competitive" level in med school? Everyone thinks they are going to be academic aces in med school, but most find that they wont.

 

[medhopefuls2016]

Again, if I come off the wrong way, I apologize for it. However, my question is merely how can make make myself a more attractive/competitive applicant for the so-called "competitive" residencies. I DO NOT imply that I will definitely get there. I DO NOT mean that I want to pursue such residencies necessarily. In fact, right now what really intrigues me is primary practice.

Second of all, I already got into medical school. Summer is in 4 months. I don't think that this is called planning WAY ahead.

Third, I have no idea whether I will perform well in medical school. However, given the strong correlation between MCAT, GPA, and USMLE board scores (Kleshinski, James et.al (2007). "Impact of preadmission variables on USMLE step 1 and step 2 performance". Advances in Health Science Education (Springer) 14: 69–78), I think that I will at least do semi-decent. (38R, 4.0GPA)

 

[mauberley]

However, my question is merely how can make make myself a more attractive/competitive applicant for the so-called "competitive" residencies.

I think the below quote from Law2Doc answers your question with respect to activities started before med school.

Third, competitive fields value research done after you start med school more than before med school. Partly because undergrads all too often just get thrown onto the papers even if they just help run a few gels, while med students are expected to have been more integrally involved in the project, partly because of the notion that more recent research is more valuable to places that will hope you continue doing research. So the short answer is that before med school is not the right time to start something like this,...

 

[235009]

Some ideas I have in mind: research, shadowing (how?), volunteering (still useful?)...etc??/

the only one of these that will actually help you in residency apps is research. the rest don't matter. continue to use whatever connections you have to wrap up research you've started or doing significant work on a new project that you can write up and publish while in med school or that someone can take over for you when you leave.

it doesn't matter whether or not you want to do a competitive specialty. research will help you no matter what specialty you eventually decide on. in "competitive" specialties research is required. that's the only difference.

shadowing can help you decide on specialty but it's a bit premature. Wait until you are a med student and your experience will be better since right now you will likely still be viewed as a premed by the docs you shadow, especially if they're random docs not affiliated with your future med school.

Third, competitive fields value research done after you start med school more than before med school. Partly because undergrads all too often just get thrown onto the papers even if they just help run a few gels, while med students are expected to have been more integrally involved in the project, partly because of the notion that more recent research is more valuable to places that will hope you continue doing research. So the short answer is that before med school is not the right time to start something like this, and even if it were, you have no basis for targeting it to any particular specialty.

with all due respect i couldn't disagree with this more. simply judging research according to when someone did the research is silly. obviously the best way to judge would be where your name is on the paper. noone will ever think that you did less work to be second author before med school than being fifth author while in med school.

 

[medhopefuls2016]

with all due respect i couldn't disagree with this more. simply judging research according to when someone did the research is silly. obviously the best way to judge would be where your name is on the paper. noone will ever think that you did less work to be second author before med school than being fifth author while in med school.

I couldn't agree with you more. I spent a year and a half working on a project from starting to finish in my undergrad. I was first-author on my paper. I designed the experiments, carried them out, wrote up the manuscript eventually, and contributed significantly to the revision. I was also the only undergrad admitted to an internaitonal conference made up of a couple thousand profs and physicians in the field.

 

[sirenomelia]

The fundamentals of the match and the overall strategies to be competitive havent changed but I havent seen renewing editions of Iserson. I assume its mostly updated to reflect most recent statistical data of who applied for what with what %degree of success.

If you're research inclined, I would peruse the school's faculty roster/ website which often describe their research interests and ongoing projects. I wouldnt latch on to anyone until you talk with students ahead of you to see which labs/ clinical-translational activities are more productive but if you are familiar with whats available from day one than you can be more directed with where to aim your attention when you get there. Thing about med school is its the early bird gets the worm for alot of opportunities.

 

[medhopefuls2016]

Sirenomelia thank you for all your advices on this post. Those were the concrete things (esp. the book) I was looking for. I have already ordered it from Amazon. Best wishes to your medical practice!

 

[sirenomelia]

Sirenomelia thank you for all your advices on this post. Those were the concrete things (esp. the book) I was looking for. I have already ordered it from Amazon. Best wishes to your medical practice!

You're very welcome. Thx for the kind words. Congrats on your acceptance. I hope you have a great med school experience. Im sure you'll do well.

 

[CaramelFrapp]

in "competitive" specialties research is required.

Is this true that this research has to be in the particular competitive specialty? Or any research counts? How would you know what research to do while you are an MS1, chances are you won't be certain about your specialty so early on?

Let's say someone's dream specialty is derm, he does research in derm during and after first year, gets a great score on step1 and then realizes he no longer wants derm he wants rad-onc. So, would the previous research still count? or should he get an exposure to research in radonc?

thanks

 

[235009]

Is this true that this research has to be in the particular competitive specialty? Or any research counts? How would you know what research to do while you are an MS1, chances are you won't be certain about your specialty so early on?

Let's say someone's dream specialty is derm, he does research in derm during and after first year, gets a great score on step1 and then realizes he no longer wants derm he wants rad-onc. So, would the previous research still count? or should he get an exposure to research in radonc?

thanks

i haven't gone through the match nor will i be applying to one of these specialties but the conventional wisdom is that these specialties want to see you showing interest in doing research in their particular specialty.