What do I aim for?

[Kardio]

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I'm recently accepted, naive, and in need of help. What does a very good / great applicant for university IM look like?

For starters, I understand that I really need to just try my best. I take it that I should hit around ~240 and >600, at baseline. I’m also assuming (semi-arbitrarily) that I ought to be in the top ~30% of the class, honor many (?) clerkships, rack up good LORs and audition at programs that interest me. Am I about right here?

What else is there to do, and how do I go about it? If it’s research, what are the expectations? (clinical/cases/basic science/non-science? 1, 2, 3 papers? first author? posters or publications?).

I know there are several threads about applying academic IM - but I would appreciate a general picture of what a strong applicant looks like. What’s the best way to be that applicant?

 

[Chibucks15]

Search on here. There's a billion threads with your exact question. Good luck moving forward

 

[Rekt]

Aim for;
300
999
Ranked 1/X
All honors
Peer reviewed publications.

These questions never make sense. The bar is the best you can do. There's no "goal".

 

[deleted610572]

Aim for;
300
999
Ranked 1/X
All honors
Peer reviewed publications.

These questions never make sense. The bar is the best you can do. There's no "goal".

Unless you are DO school administration and then the goal is to soap all students into rural FM programs in the middle of nowhere

 

[JustPass]

Aim for;
300
999
Ranked 1/X
All honors
Peer reviewed publications.
AND
Volunteer to run codes as a medical student
Be proficient at central lines, permacath, cardiac catherization, EGD, colonoscopy, ERCP, or any other procedures
Know how to manage vents

 

[Shuazaki]

Aim for;
300
999
Ranked 1/X
All honors
Peer reviewed publications.

These questions never make sense. The bar is the best you can do. There's no "goal".

In a bubble no, these questions don't make sense. But if you are trying to balance life outside of medical school with life inside, then knowing what your targets are, and how comfortable you should be over your targets can help immensely.

 

[Deecee2DO]

I'm recently accepted, naive, and in need of help. What does a very good / great applicant for university IM look like?

For starters, I understand that I really need to just try my best. I take it that I should hit around ~240 and >600, at baseline. I’m also assuming (semi-arbitrarily) that I ought to be in the top ~30% of the class, honor many (?) clerkships, rack up good LORs and audition at programs that interest me. Am I about right here?

What else is there to do, and how do I go about it? If it’s research, what are the expectations? (clinical/cases/basic science/non-science? 1, 2, 3 papers? first author? posters or publications?).

I know there are several threads about applying academic IM - but I would appreciate a general picture of what a strong applicant looks like. What’s the best way to be that applicant?

If youve been on SDN long enough youll start to realize how ridiculous the standards are on here. Your post makes it sound like youre shooting for a surgical sub lol you dont need a 240+ Step score to do university IM as a DO unless you are shooting for IM powerhouses like MGH or Hopkins who havent taken DOs anyway (yet at least). There are plenty of solid uni IM programs-just dont score under a 230. Bottom line shoot for the stars but dont feel like your goals are shot if you dont land a 240+.

 

[Kardio]

If youve been on SDN long enough youll start to realize how ridiculous the standards are on here. Your post makes it sound like youre shooting for a surgical sub lol you dont need a 240+ Step score to do university IM as a DO unless you are shooting for IM powerhouses like MGH or Hopkins who havent taken DOs anyway (yet at least). There are plenty of solid uni IM programs-just dont score under a 230. Bottom line shoot for the stars but dont feel like your goals are shot if you dont land a 240+.

Yeah my man. I’m not thinking MGH/Hopkins, or thinking that any one specific data point is required. It just helps having targets to orient my prep around (rather than free-styling my ‘best efforts’).

 

[JustPass]

Yeah my man. I’m not thinking MGH/Hopkins, or thinking that any one specific data point is required. It just helps having targets to orient my prep around (rather than free-styling my ‘best efforts’).

I call B$ on what you said.
You don't study for a certain score, unless it's the max. Even if you have a score in mind, you study for the best possible score. Your aim should be perfect score, which we obviously won't get.
"having targets to orient my prep around....." is nonsense. What study plan is going to land you a 240 instead of 230 or 250?

Now it's a different story if you are dead set on a low competitive residency but even then people don't aim for a lower score than they can get because a high score can land you at a better location/program.

 

[BorntobeDO?]

Unless you are DO school administration and then the goal is to soap all students into rural FM programs in the middle of nowhere

Whoa whoa whoa, don't go putting my plans out there now... Next people will start claiming that a 800 student COM in Wyoming is too many for one class.

 

[Deecee2DO]

Yeah my man. I’m not thinking MGH/Hopkins, or thinking that any one specific data point is required. It just helps having targets to orient my prep around (rather than free-styling my ‘best efforts’).

I actually have the same goal as you. Im a DO student shooting for university IM and we should just study our butts off for the best scores we can get. As we know in any specialty higher scores will give you more opportunity (some more than others but you get my point)

 

[Kardio]

I call B$ on what you said.

I’d never just get in the internet and tell lies.

 

[deleted645092]

Honestly study every day as if you were shooting for the stars. If you find that you're killing it then great, you can dial back a little bit to fit other stuff into your schedule (gym, hobbies, etc.). But it's always easier to dial back the studying than to study more, especially if you're already maxed out. As for honors, being at the top of the class, etc, I personally don't think those are great things to "aim for" either. If you give 100% then you're going to settle out wherever you settle out. If it's at the top of the class then great, but if you're aiming to be a top student and end up in the bottom quartile, it stings a little bit less if you're honest with yourself knowing that you're giving it your all, rather than thinking you're better than everyone else and becoming resentful that you aren't achieving as much as they are.

As for research, extracurriculars, etc, depending on where you go to school, if you just pay attention things will pop up that interest you. Hop on the opportunities as they present themselves, you don't need to go searching. Research you might have to dig a little bit for but again in most places you'll hear about a project or be asked to present something, just take the initiative and say yes. You don't need a million projects and publications, but anything >0 is good.

 

[Fat_Albert]

Just do the best that you can. You’ll be studying your ass off just to even pass. Med school is hard af & you won’t realize it until you start & you’ll laugh at all these expectations you had before you started.

 

[deleted610572]

Whoa whoa whoa, don't go putting my plans out there now... Next people will start claiming that a 800 student COM in Wyoming is too many for one class.

The funny thing is these places need doctors but there isn’t the infrastructure. If these politicians actually cared to produce physicians then they would start a residency in their 1-2 bigger hospitals in the state. There has been data backing up that a majority of residents stay within 60 miles of where they train. But noooo cause money

 

[JustPass]

I’d never just get in the internet and tell lies.

Okay............. then you don't deserve any replies or advice anymore.

Hope you do well in medical school and I'm looking forward to work with you in the future.

Yes, that's sarcasm just like yours.

 

[Kardio]

Okay............. then you don't deserve any replies or advice anymore.

Hope you do well in medical school and I'm looking forward to work with you in the future.

Yes, that's sarcasm just like yours.

Your first very serious and non-sarcastic piece of advise to my OP:

Volunteer to run codes as a medical student
Be proficient at central lines, permacath, cardiac catherization, EGD, colonoscopy, ERCP, or any other procedures
Know how to manage vents

 

[Kardio]

As for research, extracurriculars, etc, depending on where you go to school, if you just pay attention things will pop up that interest you. Hop on the opportunities as they present themselves, you don't need to go searching. Research you might have to dig a little bit for but again in most places you'll hear about a project or be asked to present something, just take the initiative and say yes. You don't need a million projects and publications, but anything >0 is good.

This is exactly what I was thinking of! Thank you.

 

[Chibucks15]

Everyones so sensitive on here sheesh

 

[JustPass]

Your first very serious and non-sarcastic piece of advise to my OP:

I'm so excited for your next 4 years.

 

[Cornfed101]

The funny thing is these places need doctors but there isn’t the infrastructure. If these politicians actually cared to produce physicians then they would start a residency in their 1-2 bigger hospitals in the state. There has been data backing up that a majority of residents stay within 60 miles of where they train. But noooo cause money

There are residencies in Wyoming. Also, all Wyoming residents that go through WWAMI at university of Washington get med school paid for in exchange for coming back to the state. That’s where all the money is going

 

[AlteredScale]

Congrats on the acceptance. It's surprising you know that you are wanting to do university IM so early in your pre-medical school career.

Beyond doing well in class and board scores: it is nice to go to a DO school where there are neighboring MD schools or hospitals with ACGME residencies as it provides opportunities to get involved in research early on and start getting your name out there.

Make sure you get a good 3rd year experience. You want to be at least fairly confident in presenting, giving updates, and starting to have a decent assessment and plan on the patients you see. I personally found this to be easier rotating with an academic hospital with residents since this was the expectation vs at a community/preceptor rotation where presentations were very informal if ever expected. This will be a stepping stone in performing well during electives and potential Sub-I/Audition rotations in 4th year where you are looking to get letters from faculty at university programs.

 

[Kardio]

Congrats on the acceptance. It's surprising you know that you are wanting to do university IM so early in your pre-medical school career.

Thank you! I’m still elated about the results of my cycle so far. I’ve heard many students change their mind during school, but I’ve got a dream in mind that pushed me into medicine in the first place. I want to set myself up to fulfill that dream.

Beyond doing well in class and board scores: it is nice to go to a DO school where there are neighboring MD schools or hospitals with ACGME residencies as it provides opportunities to get involved in research early on and start getting your name out there.

I was thinking about this. I’ve got an upcoming interview at a school with strong ties to an MD program and good connections to academic hospitals. Your point reaffirms that school as being on the top of my list. I’ll have some free time before school starts - would it be overkill to start trying to network now?

Make sure you get a good 3rd year experience. You want to be at least fairly confident in presenting, giving updates, and starting to have a decent assessment and plan on the patients you see. I personally found this to be easier rotating with an academic hospital with residents since this was the expectation vs at a community/preceptor rotation where presentations were very informal if ever expected. This will be a stepping stone in performing well during electives and potential Sub-I/Audition rotations in 4th year where you are looking to get letters from faculty at university programs.

I had never considered this aspect. Fortunately, I have a few thousand hours of work in healthcare. I definitely feel more in-the-zone in clinical settings. I’ll have to look at the 3rd year rotation spots more closely when selecting a school (I never considered the impact of having residents present). I wasn’t even sure how to decipher “good” from “mediocre” 3rd year experiences.

Thank you so much!

 

[AlteredScale]

Thank you! I’m still elated about the results of my cycle so far. I’ve heard many students change their mind during school, but I’ve got a dream in mind that pushed me into medicine in the first place. I want to set myself up to fulfill that dream.



I was thinking about this. I’ve got an upcoming interview at a school with strong ties to an MD program and good connections to academic hospitals. Your point reaffirms that school as being on the top of my list. I’ll have some free time before school starts - would it be overkill to start trying to network now?



I had never considered this aspect. Fortunately, I have a few thousand hours of work in healthcare. I definitely feel more in-the-zone in clinical settings. I’ll have to look at the 3rd year rotation spots more closely when selecting a school (I never considered the impact of having residents present). I wasn’t even sure how to decipher “good” from “mediocre” 3rd year experiences.

Thank you so much!

Glad to help. I think you can wait till when you get closer to the start of the academic year.

I'm sure having the clinical will be really good for you.

 

[deleted610572]

There are residencies in Wyoming. Also, all Wyoming residents that go through WWAMI at university of Washington get med school paid for in exchange for coming back to the state. That’s where all the money is going

Wyoming is not the only state up there. And Wyoming seems to be doing it correctly. That’s what I’m talking about. What you just wrote.

 

[BorntobeDO?]

There are residencies in Wyoming. Also, all Wyoming residents that go through WWAMI at university of Washington get med school paid for in exchange for coming back to the state. That’s where all the money is was going

I fixed that for you. Don't worry RPC-COM will pass the savings on to students by lowering tuition to only 50k a year (with a 4% annual increase to keep up with 'inflation' of course). We need Wyoming students to stay in Wyoming. Unless they match somewhere else, as long as its in rural primary care.