Rheumatology application cycle 2018 -2019

[deleted392989]

Matched to my #1! I interviewed at 8 programs.
My advice for future applicants would be getting involved in rheumatology research early in residency. Posters, case reports/series, chart review, meta analyses.... present at ACR conferences like the national conference or rrw. Faculty can tell if you are genuinely interested in rheumatology and/or if you are a hard worker when you are interviewing with them and talking about your CV. Rheumatology is also a small world, especially at university programs... people know each other and having a LOR from a recognizable name can get you interviews. If you go to a community program, I highly recommend doing a rheumatology rotation at a university program and getting a strong LOR from there.
Congratulations to everyone!

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[Aspyn]

Soooo does this mean that rheum is more competitive than heme/onc and pulm/crit now?

 

[dota2004]

Which 3 positions are unfilled? Which 3 programs are unfilled? Any idea? I heard Harvard and Yale?

 

[SLE2018]

Which 3 positions are unfilled? Which 3 programs are unfilled? Any idea? I heard Harvard and Yale?

I doubt they are still available but It's one program in NY, Brigham and 1 Rheum/research position. You can also check under reports section.

 

[SLE2018]

I doubt they are still available but It's one program in NY, Brigham and 1 Rheum/research position. You can also check under reports section.

Good luck and congrats to all who matched.

 

[FohBay]

Which 3 positions are unfilled? Which 3 programs are unfilled? Any idea? I heard Harvard and Yale?

ZUCKER SOM-NORTHWELL NS/LIJ-NY
UC DAVIS MED CTR-CA
BRIGHAM & WOMENS HOSP-MA

 

[885815]

You are just unlucky that the specialty you are applying is getting more and more competitive. Matching rates this year are...
GI 64.4%
Rheum 65.1%
Cards 71.9%
Heme/Onc 75.7%
Pulm/CC 72.3%

Rheum is pretty much close to match rate for GI. But still people can argue that different candidates apply.. May be 5 years later, rheum candidates could be as competitive as GI. Who knows...You said you are first author for many metaanalysis and presented at ACR. You clearly have interest in rheum. The best chance you can do is approach to the rheum program director and publish paper and do research so that PD will want to take you....Put the PD name in your meta-analysis.. PDs need publications....

May I ask where exactly you got the match rates from? Website and page number? Thanks!

 

[rokshana]

May I ask where exactly you got the match rates from? Website and page number? Thanks!

its on the nrmp website under match outcomes

 

[885815]

its on the nrmp website under match outcomes

Not exactly

I finally found it here labeled "2018 MSMP Match Results Statistics Report" if anyone wants to take a look. URL: Medical Specialties Matching Program - The Match, National Resident Matching Program

 

[rokshana]

Not exactly

I finally found it here labeled "2018 MSMP Match Results Statistics Report" if anyone wants to take a look. URL: Medical Specialties Matching Program - The Match, National Resident Matching Program

close enough

 

[deleted595450]

I had 14 publications.

I applied to approx. 100 programs. Basically all the programs except California.

I just got 4 interviews

I did not match

Even though I may not be able to complete a fellowship in my medical career I will continue to write manuscripts and continue to publish.

 

[Successor12]

I had 14 publications.

I applied to approx. 100 programs. Basically all the programs except California.

I just got 4 interviews

I did not match

Even though I may not be able to complete a fellowship in my medical career I will continue to write manuscripts and continue to publish.

14 publications in Rheumatology and only got 4 interviews? Why? Visa? Board scores? It cant be that competitive

 

[FohBay]

I had 14 publications.

I applied to approx. 100 programs. Basically all the programs except California.

I just got 4 interviews

I did not match

Even though I may not be able to complete a fellowship in my medical career I will continue to write manuscripts and continue to publish.

Was it your first time applying? You may want to evaluate your application to see what the weaknesses are and see if you can improve it for next cycle.

 

[rokshana]

14 publications in Rheumatology and only got 4 interviews? Why? Visa? Board scores? It cant be that competitive

Have you not been paying attention to Rheum? For the last few year, it has become fairly competitive...not GI or Cards competitive, but still not easy...I have a co-resident that applied 4 times and finally scrambled into a spot...

 

[deleted595450]

Was it your first time applying? You may want to evaluate your application to see what the weaknesses are and see if you can improve it for next cycle.

It was my first time. And yes I had to apply 3 times to match into internal medicine. I am planning on doing academic primary care. I like outpatient. I may like it enough that I forget about rheumatology.

 

[deleted595450]

14 publications in Rheumatology and only got 4 interviews? Why? Visa? Board scores? It cant be that competitive

IMG/ US Citizen/ 251/ 244/ 218
I think may be one of my letter writers may have ill recommended me without me knowing. If I do apply again, which I may not, I would probably get unwaived letters.

 

[Kakoy]

IMG/ US Citizen/ 251/ 244/ 218
I think may be one of my letter writers may have ill recommended me without me knowing. If I do apply again, which I may not, I would probably get unwaived letters.

not sure that is a good idea. unwaived letters are pretty much useless

 

[deleted595450]

not sure that is a good idea. unwaived letters are pretty much useless

May be that is entirely true. I think my chances of getting into a fellowship are slim now anyways. I may just go without doing a fellowship. I just want to be able to make a living and support myself and do not really care about fellowship at this point.

 

[FohBay]

May be that is entirely true. I think my chances of getting into a fellowship are slim now anyways. I may just go without doing a fellowship. I just want to be able to make a living and support myself and do not really care about fellowship at this point.

If your heart is not set on fellowship, then it only makes sense to save your money and time. Also, you wouldn’t want to potentially take the interview spots from people who really want them.

 

[mputman]

Congrats to all who matched! Rheum is great. DM me if any questions.

I’m at RWCS right now (awesome conference in Maui, rheum fellows can get flights and 5 days at Wailea resort covered for free if you just submit a poster). Definitely come next year!

Keep up this year on Twitter - I’m tweeting info from the conference (@EBRheum) and also recommend following @UpToTate.

Best of luck to y’all!

 

[Successor12]

Congrats to all who matched! Rheum is great. DM me if any questions.

I’m at RWCS right now (awesome conference in Maui, rheum fellows can get flights and 5 days at Wailea resort covered for free if you just submit a poster). Definitely come next year!

Keep up this year on Twitter - I’m tweeting info from the conference (@EBRheum) and also recommend following @UpToTate.

Best of luck to y’all!

Oh MANNN
I wish I knew this

 

[QualityProcess]

Any advice for this year's applying residents?

I'm coming from a community program where our rheumatology exposure is limited. I won't be a super competitive candidate based on board scores and research. Our attendings are great teachers and very kind/helpful to us but they're private practice and not really in touch with the academic world anymore.
I have an upcoming rotation scheduled with a university program and of course plan to try and earn myself a LOR there.

I'm starting to research programs now... what should I be looking for in a program if I'm interested in going into private practice? My gut tells me the best programs clinically are the ones where you see lots of patients, get your hands dirty (so to speak... this isn't GI), and have lots of autonomy. but of course every program will say they offer that if you ask. What are the right questions to ask?

 

[deleted392989]

Any advice for this year's applying residents?

I'm coming from a community program where our rheumatology exposure is limited. I won't be a super competitive candidate based on board scores and research. Our attendings are great teachers and very kind/helpful to us but they're private practice and not really in touch with the academic world anymore.
I have an upcoming rotation scheduled with a university program and of course plan to try and earn myself a LOR there.

I'm starting to research programs now... what should I be looking for in a program if I'm interested in going into private practice? My gut tells me the best programs clinically are the ones where you see lots of patients, get your hands dirty (so to speak... this isn't GI), and have lots of autonomy. but of course every program will say they offer that if you ask. What are the right questions to ask?

Apply very broadly. A lot of programs still use Step 1/2 scores to filter apps so don't be discouraged.
Good on you for scheduling the rotation at an university program already. Now it's on you to impress them and get strong LORs there. Strong LORs from the university faculty can go a long way, since academic rheumatology is a small world.

 

[vasc1987]

Any advice for this year's applying residents?

I'm coming from a community program where our rheumatology exposure is limited. I won't be a super competitive candidate based on board scores and research. Our attendings are great teachers and very kind/helpful to us but they're private practice and not really in touch with the academic world anymore.
I have an upcoming rotation scheduled with a university program and of course plan to try and earn myself a LOR there.

I'm starting to research programs now... what should I be looking for in a program if I'm interested in going into private practice? My gut tells me the best programs clinically are the ones where you see lots of patients, get your hands dirty (so to speak... this isn't GI), and have lots of autonomy. but of course every program will say they offer that if you ask. What are the right questions to ask?

Hi! Advice for applying which I realized during my journey and meeting such great people along the way was to show early interest. They like when you start a project , case report, abstract early on not close to application season just to put something on your resume. Having at least a research project or quality improvement study will definitely help you obtain interviews and get you in the door. Definitely Apply broadly , rheumatology has become very competitive - almost tied with GI with number 1 most competitive ! ( just to highlight how awesome rheum is right? Lol)... researching each program is key you can tell if it’s more clinically or research based and pending what route you want to go to Will help with your choosing.
Don’t be discouraged because some places still filter through step scores, but majority of places want abstracts presented at conferences, at least a quality improvement study ( preferably in rheumatology but doesn’t have to be) to get an interview then when you get the interview, that’s everything !!!! At your elective at the university , try to start something there , become involved and get a LOR- will go a long way! Best of luck !!!!

 

[mputman]

Quick plug for State of the Art (SOTA), the Chicago based rheumatology meeting from April 5th through April 7th. I went in 2017 before I became a rheum fellow and loved the conference - it's smaller than ACR and more manageable + has a great lineup of speakers. You can still register and come join us there! Send me a note @EBRheum and I'd be happy to meet up to answer any pre-fellowship questions / jitters . Also, I'll be tweeting out important slides / updates from the conference (and the ANCA conference in Philly right afterwards), so feel free to follow along if you can't make it!

 

[tacowithgreensauce]

Hello,

Was hoping for some insight regarding rheum programs

- Could anyone clarify the partnership between Brown University and the Roger Williams programs? Is it more in the sense of splitting weekend call? Are there shared didactics? Is there difference in how much time each program spends at the affiliated hospitals?

- Similar question regarding the Washington D.C. programs? My understanding is there are 3 programs? Pardon my ignorance, but is there any "hierarchy" to these programs?

Thank you

 

[deleted392989]

Hello,

Was hoping for some insight regarding rheum programs

- Could anyone clarify the partnership between Brown University and the Roger Williams programs? Is it more in the sense of splitting weekend call? Are there shared didactics? Is there difference in how much time each program spends at the affiliated hospitals?

- Similar question regarding the Washington D.C. programs? My understanding is there are 3 programs? Pardon my ignorance, but is there any "hierarchy" to these programs?

Thank you

Brown and Roger Williams interview together. So you are interviewing for both programs on the same day. You will meet with faculty from both programs and rank the programs separately. The curriculum is slightly different between the 2 programs and you get a handout that explains the main differences between the 2 programs.

For DC programs by reputation IMO, Georgetown > GWU > WHC.

 

[Rheumie07]

I will be re-applying for Rheum this upcoming cycle after not matching last year. Can I re-use LORs, or is that not a good idea?
I should be having one new LOR from a rheumatologist this year.

 

[Kakoy]

I will be re-applying for Rheum this upcoming cycle after not matching last year. Can I re-use LORs, or is that not a good idea?
I should be having one new LOR from a rheumatologist this year.

Unless you think one of the letter messed you up last cycle, you can re-use your LORs. Also important to figure out what went wrong last year!

 

[mszzeta]

I will be re-applying for Rheum this upcoming cycle after not matching last year. Can I re-use LORs, or is that not a good idea?
I should be having one new LOR from a rheumatologist this year.

From what I was told, most program would like to see the most "updated" LORs, which means the writers should re-date the LOR to the current date, even though it could be the exact the same content

 

[tacowithgreensauce]

I got a silly question to ask.

I asked a rheum program director to write me a letter of rec.

For ERAS, can someone help figure out which box I should click off to properly identify the letter writer? (I don't want to confuse ppl and make it seem like I have two PDs for residency.)

"1) This LoR Author is a Program Director in a current/previous residency or fellowship where I trained. (Applies to Residents/Fellows only)

2) This LoR Author is a Department Chair where I completed my clerkship training. Group departmental letters must be signed by the team composing the letter.

3) None of the above."

I think option "1" best identifies the LoR?

Thank you.

edit: i will go with #3 ty

 

[gutonc]

I got a silly question to ask.

I asked a rheum program director to write me a letter of rec.

For ERAS, can someone help figure out which box I should click off to properly identify the letter writer? (I don't want to confuse ppl and make it seem like I have two PDs for residency.)

"1) This LoR Author is a Program Director in a current/previous residency or fellowship where I trained. (Applies to Residents/Fellows only)

2) This LoR Author is a Department Chair where I completed my clerkship training. Group departmental letters must be signed by the team composing the letter.

3) None of the above."

I think option "1" best identifies the LoR?

Thank you.

Option 3.

He isn't/wasn't your PD, which is what #1 is about. #2 is more about the Chair's Letter that some programs require, or SLOEs that EM uses.

 

[rokshana]

I got a silly question to ask.

I asked a rheum program director to write me a letter of rec.

For ERAS, can someone help figure out which box I should click off to properly identify the letter writer? (I don't want to confuse ppl and make it seem like I have two PDs for residency.)

"1) This LoR Author is a Program Director in a current/previous residency or fellowship where I trained. (Applies to Residents/Fellows only)

2) This LoR Author is a Department Chair where I completed my clerkship training. Group departmental letters must be signed by the team composing the letter.

3) None of the above."

I think option "1" best identifies the LoR?

Thank you.

No it’s #3