What are my chances?

[plasticsur]

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[rueby25]

This is a good place to start:

http://www.nrmp.org/data/chartingoutcomes2011.pdf

Obviously this data is 2 years old, but it should give you an idea. Matching with those stats would likely be challenging, but I'm not in charge of any admissions, so take my advice at your own risk. If you have a home program, I would highly recommend sitting down with your home chair, expressing your interest, discuss your application as it stands, then explore what you can do to better your application. This will likely include several rotations that result in stellar LORs.

Best of luck in your endeavor!

 

[Footprints13]

I agree with previous poster, take a look at the NRMP to give you a idea of what baseline is for people getting accepted into plastic surgery programs.

I don't know how good you are at standardized tests, but do everything in your power to hit a homerun on Step 2, you probably need >250 to try and overcome the Step 1 score. But realize even with that, programs will still have minimum cut-off scores in order to view your file and several of the California schools won't look at your file unless you are >240. You need to be strategic with your aways and you need to absolutely destroy them, you only need one program to fall in love with you, and I have known people who only got 1 plastic surgery interview and still matched.

Realize that this will be an uphill battle, and you will need to be extremely pro-active at getting LOR's from your home institution. I would also advise to try and spend as much time with your program as you can to get a more personalized letter. The personalized letters will help you a lot more than any form letter from an away rotation that doesn't know you very well.

 

[maxheadroom]

Good evening, all!

I recently developed an interest in plastic surgery and was wondering what my chances would be for successful match into an integrated program?

ABOUT ME
US Medical School: Ranked from 50-100
GPA: 3.4/4.0
Class Rank: 50-75% (3rd quartile)
Clinical Grades: 1 A, remainder Bs
USMLE Step 1: 210
Awards: none
Publications: 2

OK, here's some tough love.

Without something miraculous, you will receive very few interviews. I've counseled several students at my institution with similar issues -- most programs will not consider someone with 210 when we have more people >230 than we have spots available. Even with an excellent Step 2 (which is probably unlikely, as you almost certainly studied hard for Step 1), it will be a very steep climb to get any notice at all. You need to either focus on getting into a strong General Surgery program with the intention of doing Plastics later or go into the lab for at least two years. An attempt at Integrated Plastics with your current CV will not be fruitful.

 

[plasticsur]

Thanks! Would I have a chance after general surgery? What factors are used to select general surgery residents for plastic surgery residency?

 

[maxheadroom]

High ABSITE scores, excellent recommendations from "known" Plastic Surgeons and Gen Surg PD, research helps.

 

[plasticsur]

Thanks! My school does not have plastic surgery so how do you recommend that I get letters?

 

[maxheadroom]

External rotations, if possible.