Time to reconsider?

[letstravel]

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Hi guys, first off sorry for the all too familiar what should I do thread...but I just had to do it as the questions just kept mounting..

Anyways here's the deal. I'm a 3rd year DO student wanting to match into MD ophtho. Step I-220, no ophtho research, but 2 good ortho publications; good first and second year grades.

My plan--take Step II early (June) and do very very well (I think I can-I only did 25% of USMLEWorld for Step I and didn't even finish reading First Aid one time + the shelves haven't been a problem thus far).

Also I have to try and find some research! but the hospital I'm at, while a level I trauma center, has no ophtho program. So all I can do is try to find some connection and send begging emails to the the 2 residencies that are both 1 hour away from me.. hoping for maybe a lit review or something. Any suggestions for strategy or other suggestions??

I think my best and only chance at matching are going to be the programs I do auditions with. One big road block I'm having is scheduling away rotations....I've contacted 5 programs, and most have told me the same thing..."we can't schedule you until we schedule our own students first, which will probably be late spring sometime"....wellll this is less than ideal. Is this a common occurrence???And if so what strategies did you guys take to scheduling away rotations, or was it just wait until spring and hope for the best??

Next question, when is the last month you would schedule an away rotation?? Oct or Nov I'm guessing? And I'm assuming only 4 week rotations vs 2? I take boards end of June, so I'm looking at 4-5 away rotations from July-November.

Now with an avg step I score, being a DO student, and probably no research...I think I will have to dazzle on my rotations. I spend any free time with a local ophthalmologist (my ophtho rotation with him won't be until April)..also I have "Basic Ophthalmology for Medical Students and Primary Care Residents".. This book is OK and..well..basic, but I would really appreciate any suggestions for a better book!! Also any ideas, any strategies for a medical student to shine??
And lets not forget letters of rec...I have to hope my first or maybe 2nd rotation goes well enough that I can get a good letter. Stress mounting.

The big question is am I crazy for trying to do this?? It's hard to have this in the back of my mind and wonder if I'm being incredibly naive or very brave. If I get the 240+, some decent research, and a good audition rotation, I think I have a shot...right??!
I could just stick to the DO programs, but I would rather not, most are in less desirable places and only have a 1-2 spots usually--so its competitive as well.

Other random questions:
Do you think I should try and do a research month anywhere? It would have to be after all my audition rotations given my schedule.

What are people's opinions on pre-residency fellowships (e.g. ocular pathology) vs traditional 1st year? Any other questions I should be asking?

Thank you thank you for reading and any help you can spare!

 

[alEXatosu]

I'm just a med student but I would say DON'T DO IT.

But I am curious about the weight of Step I vs Step II...you would logically think Step II carries the most weight.

 

[MstaKing10]

a few suggestions:

Research: certainly look around for a residency programs that would love to have an eager med student do the leg work to publish a case report or two. The only problem is traveling hours away to accomplish this, but if you have the time and ability then go for it. A research elective would be money but you need to do this soon to get a pub/poster/significant project in time for applications. In fact, this may be your best bet at getting a strong letter of rec. A local private practice ophthalmologist with strong academic ties/interest may also be a good avenue. Talk to dean or local MD's about which ones might be interested.

Step2: do well, but your step 1 isn't horrible, just not as good as the average or above average applicant. Kill it and you will make a difference in your application. In my experience, step 1 is more strongly emphasized in terms of admission criteria than is step 2, but a strong step 2 can influence the selection committee.

Away rotations: Do them as early as possible. Sounds like you may have a hard time getting a good letter of rec from an ophthalmologist so an away rotation may be the best way. They are not necessarily your "best bet" for admission into a program but some places do like to see what your made of beforehand. An away rotation in November is a bit late, as most places have handed out their interviews at this point, and (hopefully) you will have to leave a lot to interview as well. This will not make a good impact on the program where you are rotating, so don't bother. Most places do fill up early (particularly competitive programs) so search early for a spot.

Chances: all in all, the deck is stacked against you, but if you really want this, you should try your best. Many foreign grads do fellowships before residency, but this is a tough route to go. I would recommend a research year (ie. NIH or the like) vs a strong prelim medicine/surgery year in hopes of matching into a first year residency spot. If not, you can continue on and complete a internal med or surgery residency without losing much time. Also, do aways and apply to middle and lower tier programs. There is no comprehensive list but use common sense and apply to a broad range of places.

Best of luck!