WAMC MD-PhD with no desire to run a lab

[SippyLord]

Deleted. Thanks for the replies!

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[eyeeye_captain]

I’ll be honest, this is a tough one. Your Step scores are fine, and a lot of programs love a PHD. I don’t see much in the way of extracurriculars, and your research output, despite 3 extra years of school, is below what the average applicant does on the side during rotations. You’re kind of in limbo unless your home program loves you or that retina letter is a glowing one from Yannuzzi or Stanley Chang etc. who would call programs. Maybe your mentor has some connections as a former chair.

There are a few low tier programs in NYC if you really want to stay local. You 100% should be geographically flexible. And to be as nice as I can, you shouldn’t be worried about rural at this point. There aren’t many truly rural programs anyway. The middle to lower tier spots vary on if they care about research so there are places that can fit. I don’t think they would rank you particularly low just because of the PHD, and you probably need them on your list since everyone applies everywhere today.

 

[eyeeye_captain]

Per SF Match, the average matched applicant over the last 3 years had 80+ applications with 10+ interview invites and 4-5 interviews. That’s a lot of money and time, but you might need it if your home program doesn’t like you as much as you think.

*As a heads-up and as you mentioned before, with all the info you provided, you’re definitely doxxing yourself. You’re easily findable on Google. Not meant to be creepy, but to let you know that if you want to be reasonably anonymous, I would strongly consider editing/deleting your posts.

 

[PLA2]

average matched applicant has only 4-5 interviews

This is incorrect. https://sfmatch.org/files/0f1e87a92f4d42609fa8ce1377a57e70

Average matched individual has 12 interviews, average unmatched has 4. This number is biased by the ~120 IMGs who apply and get low numbers of interviews. 60 IMGs get 0 interviews per the SFM data.

 

[Slide]

This is incorrect. https://sfmatch.org/files/0f1e87a92f4d42609fa8ce1377a57e70

Average matched individual has 12 interviews, average unmatched has 4. This number is biased by the ~120 IMGs who apply and get low numbers of interviews. 60 IMGs get 0 interviews per the SFM data.

Can confirm. The ones with fewer than 5 interviews I've seen rarely match.

 

[eyeeye_captain]

I hate the way they chart their data, for some reason it always makes me read it wrong. 10+ interviews was usually the rule of thumb when I was applying.

 

[MstaKing10]

One thing not mentioned by many who ask others to evaluate their credentials is their appearance, race, ethnic background, gender. It makes a big difference. I was privy to a chairman who got so excited about an attractive female applicant and wanted to rank her #1. She was eventually ranked so that she would have been accepted had she ranked the program higher. The applicant's credentials were decent but not perfection.
it too critically? It was a race for last place, ha

Probably not mentioned because this is illegal! Racism, sexism, etc is unacceptable and if this is going on explicitly as you mentioned should be reported. That said I’m certain it continues to happen to the detriment of medicine.

 

[Gonio5]

Probably not mentioned because this is illegal! Racism, sexism, etc is unacceptable and if this is going on explicitly as you mentioned should be reported. That said I’m certain it continues to happen to the detriment of medicine.

That is a recipe for ending your career in ophthalmology before you finish residency. The ACGME makes it a point of not helping the resident if the resident is fired in retaliation. The ACGME is only concerned that there is a process in place, even if it is a show trial.

A chairman can fire a resident for any reason and make up specious reasons. The fact that it doesn't happen every year in every residency is because chairmen are not always corrupt and evil. That is a positive trait for humanity. (There are also other constraints that chairmen have, such as the medical school may or may not want to spend too much for legal fees or even worries about personal safety, which has happened with at least 2 fired pathology residents)

And who are you going to report it? Report Putin to the chief of the Russian Army? Besides, nobody was harmed because the pretty medical student matched somewhere else and that chairman has retired.

 

[Dusn]

I’ve never seen a corrective action taken after an inappropriate behavior (or really any problem) has been reported.

The only thought that goes through an administrator’s head when they pretend to be listening to you is, “is this person making my life easier or harder?”