WAMC For OBGYN

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Posting for my partner
Hey guys, ive been getting cold feet about my signal list. feel like im not taking enough risk but also maybe taking too much? im also couples matching with IM applicant (who is a strong applicant with similar app but good research) for context. We are based in Midwest + NYC/NJ/PA.

Med School: Unranked MD in midwest

M1-M2 grades: Pass/Fail

M3 grades: H in OB, IM, Neuro, Psych P in Surg, Peds

M4 grades: P/F Sub-I

Class rank: N/A Step 1: Pass Step 2: 264

AOA/GHHS: not offered, but other awards from school and external programs

Demographics: ORM, first gen in medicine

Research: 2 pubs (submitted and under review), 1 of them is first author, both not OBGYN related. 14 other research items (abstracts, posters, presentations and non academic pubs)

Extracurriculars: Unique extracurriculars (non traditional research + meded), Strong leadership and service work.

LORs: 1 from our Obgyn PD, 1 from the APD+research mentor, SLOE and chair

Gold: UIC, Icahn MSW, Thomas Jefferson

Silvers: Rush, Loyola, Uchicago, Upenn, Pennsy, Temple, Rutgers RWJ, Cooperman Barnabas, NYU, NYU-LI, LIJ/Northshore, Mt Sinai, Montefiore, UWisc, +1 More undecided

Concern: From my analysis I have 9 safeties, 4 reaches and 5 targets? For my last signal, should i got for a reach program like Northwestern or should I go for a target/safety like Indy? I am okay with either, however, am I undershooting my own competitiveness?

 

[Dral]

If you were at a top school or applying to a bit of a less competitive specialty, I'd say go for the reach program. If I were you, I'd go for the target/safety though.

Look at this way. Which of the following is more acceptable to you:
1. Match (maybe at the safe program you signal), but never know if you might have matched at a more prestigious program.
2. Not match but never know if you might have matched at the safer less prestigious program if you would have signaled them.

I'd personally rather have the first happen.

 

[Nontrad_FL_LGBT]

If you were at a top school or applying to a bit of a less competitive specialty, I'd say go for the reach program. If I were you, I'd go for the target/safety though.

Look at this way. Which of the following is more acceptable to you:
1. Match (maybe at the safe program you signal), but never know if you might have matched at a more prestigious program.
2. Not match but never know if you might have matched at the safer less prestigious program if you would have signaled them.

I'd personally rather have the first happen.

265 Step 2 and 16 research items isn't competitive for OBGYN?

 

[Dral]

It is. But I'm thinking in terms of my experience with the type of candidates who are invited to top programs. I went to a top 30 school. I went in with a PhD so I think I had a bit of a 'pass' to getting invites to top programs. What surprised me is that when I interviewed at Hopkins for instance, the vast majority of others were from Harvard, Yale, Cornell, Hopkins, etc. A signal might land an interview. I like to think that once you land an interview, you're on somewhat even ground with other candidates, but unfortunately not true all the time.

Check out Harvard's match list for instance. It's like the top schools just trade around their students for residency spots. Can a competitive student from a low ranked school get into one of those programs? Of course! Just playing numbers though, I'd want to play it a bit safer.

There are many factors. Maybe it was the day I interviewed, maybe it was a different time before signals, maybe it was because I interviewed for a different specialty. However, I also didn't match first time around, so I always think about what I should have done differently. So with all that in mind, my general thought is that maximizing matching is first priority over 'prestige' in general any day of the week. Just my experiences and biases so of course, take with grain of salt.

An argument could be made that if one was almost certainly going to match somewhere, why not use that one last signal for a place one might be really happy with? True. However, that goes back to my thoughts on competitiveness with the specialty. When it comes to a career move, I generally like to play it safer, but you know, playing it risky can certainly pay off.