To drop out of match or not

[DrRUSM2017]

IMG - ROSS UNIVERSITY
STEP 1 - 236
STEP 2 - 222
GPA - 3.9
Great LORs

Only received 2 preliminary interviews for Gen surg and late (one early Jan and one early Feb both at pretty good hospitals in NYC). At this point is attempting to match with one of these 2 programs worth the risk? Is it better to drop out of match, gain some experience in either research or MPH to improve on my CV then enter match fresh.

Thoughts?

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[SLUser11]

IMG - ROSS UNIVERSITY
STEP 1 - 236
STEP 2 - 222
GPA - 3.9
Great LORs

Only received 2 preliminary interviews for Gen surg and late (one early Jan and one early Feb both at pretty good hospitals in NYC). At this point is attempting to match with one of these 2 programs worth the risk? Is it better to drop out of match, gain some experience in either research or MPH to improve on my CV then enter match fresh.

Thoughts?

What is the risk?

Also, it will be very hard for you to do anything to improve your chances. PDs will pass on Ross graduates with MPHs just as fast as those without.

I believe your best chance is to either match or scramble into whatever prelim positions will have you, then work as hard as humanly possible to earn a categorical spot. You will likely also need some luck along the way, e.g. a categorical from your program dropping out.

It's an uneven playing field, and the odds are against you, but I have plenty of anecdotal stories of the situation working out in your favor, so if you love surgery it's worth giving it your best shot.

 

[thedrjojo]

My guess is your chances at gen surgery is very low.

Strike 1 is the img status at Ross
Strike 2 is the img status at Ross
Strike 3 is the img status at Ross the fairly sizable drop in your step 2 score.

You were behind the 8 ball and you really blew it. It's very likely why you only received the 2 prelim interviews.

Unless you walk on water as a prelim, it's unlikely to matter.

And while not impossible, it's likely your 'great' letters of recommendation aren't that great or aren't by anyone who matters enough to make a difference.

Too late now, but if you try again, you need to apply to every community program in the country, and I wouldn't waste my money on any academic programs as they will auto filter you out. Hope, pray, beg, borrow, steal, barter, and then accept that you still won't likely get into surgery

 

[SLUser11]

Unless you walk on water as a prelim, it's unlikely to matter.

I disagree. I believe a lot of what goes into prelims snatching categorical spots is pure luck.

Outstanding residents demonstrate worth and bust their @$$, and never get a categorical spot, while others are simply warm bodies in the correct location when a need arises, and they get to become surgeons.

I agree, though, that walking on water would be helpful....just not mandatory.

 

[ram006]

Agree with all of the above.

Currently at a program that needed to fill with IMGs for a while because of various changes of leadership which really hampered our recruitment of traditional US MDs.

Some of the prelims that got spots were outstanding. They were, in more than one instance, people that did a full residency somewhere else and outshined actual interns without prior experience. But as SLU said, in one instance we just needed a body and they were there. He's not an alumni the program is going to brag about but I doubt he cares. He got what he wanted.

Fortunately, for the program, that period of time has now passed and we're getting students that we clearly did not attract 5 years ago.

Unfortunately for those like you it means IMGs, particularly US citizens who went to Caribbean schools, get put on a the "better than not matching anyone" list. We haven't gotten close to that list in quite some time so the demographics of the program are now starting to reflect that. In a couple years, we'll probably be down to 1 or 2.

To be frank without trying to hurt feelings, Caribbean IMGs are most of the time (not always) not even an factor unless the program has gotten down to the bottom of the list.

You really need to apply to every program available and take whatever you get. There's nothing you can do about your pedigree now and MPH is not going to do much. You just have to put in your best effort and take what life gives you. If you end up with a spot run with it. If not, you'll need to be an adult and move on. Most of us don't get everything we want.

 

[caffeinemia]

Same with a program I am very acquainted with. They had a history of 1 or 2 IMGs a year. Over the last 3-4 years, it's gone down to 0. Maybe one IMG nondesignated prelim, who subsequently gets shuffled off to another place.