Value of adding on programs this late

[WalterDonnie]

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Hey guys, what are your thoughts on adding more programs to ERAS this late. I'm not getting the amount of responses I expected, granted its still early, and would just feel more comfortable throwing a few more on there. But, would my app kind of be shunted to the bottom of the pile under everyone else that applied before me? I'm just trying to figure out if its worth it or if im just spinning my wheels. Thank you.

 

[splik]

your application was only complete less than a week ago. many programs are still reviewing most applications. you are also an osteopathic student applying to more competitive locale. though your scores are good, many of the more competitive programs will not consider your application until they've reviewed the allopathic students.

that said if you are a good applicant then applying later should not make a difference. it was not unheard of for people to apply a month in just a few years ago. i added a program a month after ERAS that was a highly regarded program and got an interview. don't expect it to speed anything up though

 

[OldPsychDoc]

Let me say something about how ERAS works. You end up with several hundred (or over 1200!) apps in your queue, and when you log on they show up in alphabetical order. There are numerous ways to filter and sort--and I presume one could sort on "date received" or some such thing, but it hasn't occurred to me to look because there are bunches of things that are much more important to me in searching for the few dozen we will interview in order to find our chosen few.
If you like a program enough to want to interview there, then go ahead and add it on. And it's not too late for anything right now.

 

[downwithDTB]

In the last match that we have data for, there were 30 US MD seniors who had better step 1 scores than you. Only 1 didn't match (probably had a real red flag). This is the only truly objective criteria that programs can use to compare you to others. If you applied to only the best 30 programs, I would think you'd have a decent chance. As long as you have ~15 programs that take ~1 DO/year, based on past years stats you should be fine if you really do interview ok. No harm except $ in adding more, but as everyone has said, most invites haven't gone out... Especially those from the competitive programs. Yes, the time to add would be now... But given that you applied to 30!!!, that your step 1 makes matching to psych a strong match chance on coitm (85+% for all Independents with your score, including fmgs), and for independents 10 ranks makes a psych match > 85%... But you're really above those stats since they are comprised largely of people trained outside the US.

Maybe I'm totally off base here... And there are always a few SDN super alarmists who will disagree... But most of the *best* applicants haven't heard from many places unless they live in and want to live in middle America (nothing wrong with that, just fewer applicants)...

 

[WalterDonnie]

Thank you guys for your responses, it relaxed me a bit. It would seem I'm just being overly neurotic at this point. One thing I thought may be a hindrance, aside from being a DO, is that I didn't take USMLE step 2. @OldPsychDoc do you think not having a step 2 score is something that would cause me to get filtered out when you guys are going through those mounds of apps?

 

[clausewitz2]

A lot of us who did take Step 2 and are allopathic are still not getting many responses, so it is definitely not the only factor.

 

[OldPsychDoc]

Thank you guys for your responses, it relaxed me a bit. It would seem I'm just being overly neurotic at this point. One thing I thought may be a hindrance, aside from being a DO, is that I didn't take USMLE step 2. @OldPsychDoc do you think not having a step 2 score is something that would cause me to get filtered out when you guys are going through those mounds of apps?

Depends--if you have neither COMLEX or USMLE 2, and your Step 1 on either is marginal...well, you might be waiting quite a bit longer. But if you have a decent COMLEX 2, it shouldn't matter, depending on the strength of the rest of your paper.

 

[nereids]

I heard from a lot of regional programs (Midwest) and one program outside of that, although significant connections through research. Now I have hit a lull in invites. I think I'd be nervous if my preference wasn't the Midwest. But I think things should pick up in the next two weeks. It is hard waiting; makes scheduling life more difficult.

 

[WalterDonnie]

Ok great, thank you oldpsychdoc!! Oh ok Clausewitz, ya i guess we just need to be a little patient. I actually did just hear from a couple today, so hopefully we all start having them roll in soon. Ya it is stressful waiting nerieds. I think seeing people post that they got interviews, on the other thread, at places I want to go is what really started my anxxiety up. I would have been better off without that thread, to be honest.