SFmatch timeline

[gatormed]

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Sorry, had this in the wrong area.
Anyone who has matched via SFMatch, could you please give me a quick timeline of what I should be doing end of 3rd year and throughout 4th? I'm wondering how soon I have to get my externships done, letters of rec, Step 2, etc.

 

[neutropeniaboy]

gatormed,

I recently went through the match for ENT. If I recall, I registered May 1st, when the match permitted registration. I had all my application material in by September 1st.

I did my home rotation in July, and I did two away rotations in August and September (roughly). I would start calling your away institutions in April. Some will tell you to call back later since they're dealing with assigning posts to their own students.

Letters of rec: get them whenever you can.

Step II...huh? What's that?? 🙂 Take it AFTER the match...or between your last interview and the match.

 

[eyehope]

Hey.

Anyone care to mention the strategy of away rotations? Do you try to do rotations at your dream schools or at schools where you have a decent shot at matching? Is it normal to do more than one away rotation (in the same field)?

Thanks.

 

[neutropeniaboy]

•••quote:•••Originally posted by eyehope:
•Hey.

Anyone care to mention the strategy of away rotations? Do you try to do rotations at your dream schools or at schools where you have a decent shot at matching? Is it normal to do more than one away rotation (in the same field)?

Thanks.•••••This is a personal decision. You've mentioned two possibilities here; both are perfectly valid reasons for doing away rotations.

You can do them at places to improve your chances of being ranked highly there. The proviso is that the residents and attendings there might find that they have personality conflicts with you during your visit or (worse), you may prove to be marginal in terms of your performance, a trait they may not have picked up on during your interview day.

Another thought is that if you feel you are an excellent candidate that would have been otherwise overlooked by the committee, doing a rotation there might improve (or worsen, again) your chances.

Of course, you can do an away at a place you just don't know that much about but think you might like.

Lastly, you may want to do an away rotation at a place with a real "big shot" just for the letter. Again, you may shoot yourself in the foot in the process.

-NB