Urology

[i_bite]

All good questions.

I interviewed at 17 places, got 22 interview offers. Will rank all 17. Here's why. I have heard from several people on the trail that this year, urology is second most competitive specialty after derm. Don't know the sourse, but sounds pretty scary. So...you bet I am ranking all 17!

I think "the magic number" of interviews that guarantees a spot can only be determine in retrospect, looking at the average # of 'views that people who matched had. I would imagine it is related to the total number of applicants as well as total number of people interviewing for a spot. I would also be careful about 1 resident per year programs. I would probably only count them as 1/2 of interview out of the magic 12. Just thoughts, no scientific reasoning behind them.

As far as what choices on the rank list people usually get, I remember talking to quite a few residents who indicated that they got their number 8 or 9 choice. So here is my non-scientifically based advise Rank them all unless you absolutely cannot imagine surviving at a program.

Just out of curiosity, what programs are people thinking of not ranking?

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[thacaveli]

hey fellow GU applicants,

well i've just finished....i don't know about you all but I'm mentally and physically exhausted....i got kind of paranoid about the match this year and applied to 62 programs. it made it alot easier b-cuz of ERAS. we had a bad match rate last year at our program so I decided to play it safe... I got 26 offers and 36 rejections. granted the programs I got invites to were all not even close to top notch schools...I went on 20 and spent so much money that I believe I set a record. What really peaves me is that I have yet to hear official rejections from several schools. It is very obvious now that I was rejected but if I spent $25 dollars applying to your school it would be nice to hear from them (e-mail, letter, phone call, etc) that really makes me angry...i met lots of great guys and girls and i met a few annoying ones also...keep writing!!!

 

[jt999]

I wish I was finished. I too am mentally fried. I've been on 17 interviews so far and still have 6 scheduled. I even have one on 12/31! I too was paranoid about my chances of matching, so I also applied to alot of programs and trust me it was more than 60. I plan on ranking all of them with the exception of maybe one program. I've lost count of all the interview offers and rejections, but I think I was offered over 30 interviews with a ton more rejections. I got some interviews form very good programs, but seemed to be rejected left and right by the top name programs.

It is definately possible to match at programs lower down on your rank lists. I know of residents who have matched to their 11th and 17th ranked programs.

 

[bh1]

To all of you out there on the interview trail, I heard this year's crop of Urology applicants had some of the highest Step 1 scores in a while. Any truth to that rumor? I'm a third year now, I was curious if my scores are competitive enough to get an interview. Right now I have 3.7 GPA and 247 on Step 1, but I don't really have too much research experience. Also, does it really matter for Urology when I take step 2? Thanks for any help you can lend. Good luck to all those still interviewing.

 

[jt999]

BH1-

Don't worry. You should be fine. With Step 1 scores that high, I wouldn't take step 2 until after you apply.

 

[bh1]

Hey jt999,

Thanks for the quick response. I appreciate it.

bh1

 

[jt999]

Has anyone received any type of feedback from programs after interviewing? Do you think programs send emails to all interviewees saying they are very strong candidates or do they just send these emails to candidates they are really interested in?

 

[calico]

I would love to know the answer to that question!! I have had post-interview contact from U of MN and memphis as a thank-you for coming. I have had an email from UKMC and I have heard of someone getting aphone call from UKMC faculty. Otherwise hearsay from residents is that Mayo sends letters for those that are highly ranked.

I would love to know what others have to say about feedback. It just helps put things in perspective.

I have a question for all of you.

I am about to send letters out to programs I am ranking highly and I have gotten mixed feedback from residents and faculty about whether to let my number 1 program know that info. Whats your opinions' about that??

Good luck to all of you and happy new year!!!

 

[i_bite]

What other programs have people heard from post-interview? I have not heard from any, makes me a little worried.

When I interviewed at UT Houston, one of the faculty members told me that he was a chair of AUA education comittee (or something like that), and he is the guy who handles all the problems and ethical questions about the match. He personally told me to let my number 1 choice know they are #1 on my list. He literally said... "It's all nice and good to send letters to programs telling them they are on top of your list, but everyone does that, and nobody reads those anyway. When you let them know they are your number 1 choice, that's what makes a difference".

Any other thoughts?

Good luck to us all!

 

[jt999]

I've heard things from Albany, Kansas, and Washington Hospital Center either saying something about being a strong candidate/higly ranked. However, I think the letters from Albany and Kansas were form type letters because they seemed to be sent through the eras distribution lists. Anyway, I don't really think you can read much into these emails. I have not gotten any phone calls or letters with feedback.

 

[bh1]

Has anybody out there done an visiting month in Urology at Vanderbilt or know someone who has?

 

[bh1]

One other question. I'm planning to do a month of urology at my own institution and then an away month somewhere. I had hoped to get my LOR from my own school as well as one possibly from the school where I do the away month. Is Aug and Sept. of my fourth year (2003) too late to do this? Or, should I do them July and Aug? Thanks for any advice.

 

[jt999]

I would recommend doing your electives in july and august. You want to make sure you have plenty of time for your LOR writers to finish the letters. I asked for five letters from various urologists this past summer and it took anywhere form one day to 2 months for their letters to be completed. You want to make sure your letters are submitted in time.

 

[unregistered]

Less than one week 'til match day
I'm so nervous I think I'm gonna pee my pants; where did I put those Ditropan samples.....

Good luck!

 

[Pureride]

How do IMG's find out about the URO match result?