RESIDENCY within medschool

[OnMyWayThere]

Once in medical school, is it important to do things in addition to rotations to be competitive for a residency?

For example, if you want to go into dermatology... is it important to work with a derm on your free time and do research to be competitive or is it just based on your UMSLE's and grades? I am asking in general, not derm. I am a bit anxious to how this works.

Thanks!

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[ny skindoc]

Its not just grades and scores If you want a competitive residency then ..Yes.doing things such as research projects etc will help.If you want a primary care field such as internal med or peds,OB, you will get a residency regardless,but if you want them at a prestige hospital then showing that you have something special to offer will be necessary.It will also help in getting strong LORs.If you have an interest in a particular specialty it can only help to get involved outside the standard curriculum.In a field such as Derm its vital few will match without it,in other things like ortho,ophthalmology,rads it can make all the difference.If you you have outstanding USMLE/grades many programs will look the other way otherwise you will need to supplement your application.