residency question

[gibna]

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I am a first year MD/PhD student in a non-top 50 state medical school and I didn't decide yet on what residency I am going to do since I am waiting for my clinical years to do that, which is in 5 years, but I want to keep my options open. So here is my question, for those of you applying to competitive residency programs across the country, how important is class rank when you apply. At this point I am just average, but from what I heard from some people is that you have to be at least in the top 25th percentile of your class in your first two years if I want to apply to something like neurosurgery or dermatology for example.
So my question is, is that true? and what else is important when you apply to competitive residency programs.
Any advice will be appreciated

 

[mpp]

Just like it was to get into medical school, a little bit of everything is considered. Each program makes it's own decision on what is most important and there aren't clear cutoffs for any particular residency specialty or program.

In a recent survey of 800 internal medicine residency directors, the applicant selection factors in order of importance from highest to lowest included:

Clerkship grades and honors
Class rank
Grades in senior specialty
AOA
Step 2 score if available
Academic awards
Step 1
Medical school reputation

But even so, you shouldn't change your mind or base your decision on whether or not people tell you things like 'class rank is the most important factor' or 'you can't apply if you are not AOA' or whatever. If people say 'class rank is not important' are you just going to slack off and do nothing?

Do your best no matter what and apply to whatever specialty you would like to go into. That's the best advice anyone can give.