What happens to the "average" students?

[footcloud]

What to do if you know you're just "average"? Which really isn't that bad in med school, means you're meeting all the milestones and getting okay eval's (nice comments about how hard working, enthusiastic you are, appropriate for level, blah blah) but no "superstar comments" like ("student exceeds level", "student clearly shows superior skills and knowledge" etc).

Obviously there's only 10-15% of the class that's well...10-15% top of the class. Obviously most other people do get matched.

So what's the strategy? I suppose a student can be average "overall" but excel in certain areas. But I find I'm kind of just doing "average" in all my rotations so far.

Yes yes I know I can try to improve to impress, but really there's only so much one can do to be the top 10-15%.

Will people still write references for you if you're not a superstar?

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[Smurfette]

YES. Everyone in med school gets LORs...the key is to find an attending whom you got along with and will write you a good letter. Generally when you do sub-i's as a MS4 attendings KNOW you are looking for a LOR as well, so that makes things easier for you as they often will assume or offer you a LOR (always ask, but they may offer first). Usually they play up your good qualities and why you will be a good physician. The Dean's Letter will provide residency programs with grade breakdown within your class and general comments from your rotations.

Unless there is something glaringly wrong with your performance in med school, or you apply poorly (to programs/specialty that are out of reach, or rank too few programs), you will match and you will be just fine. Remember that the majority of med students are not AOA, but still find a residency program that they want to go to. Remember, the joke "what do you call the guy who graduates last in his med school class?" "Doctor". No one in residency will know what your class rank was unless you tell them. For all they know, you were #1.

Super-competitive specialties like ophtho/ortho/radonc/plastics/ent are tough for a non-superstar student to get into, but not impossible (my class had people in the middle third of the class match into each of the above specialties...but they also had back up plans, good advising and were realistic about it. There were others in my class in this category who matched into their back up specialty).

 

[2012mdc]

YES. Everyone in med school gets LORs...the key is to find an attending whom you got along with and will write you a good letter. Generally when you do sub-i's as a MS4 attendings KNOW you are looking for a LOR as well, so that makes things easier for you as they often will assume or offer you a LOR (always ask, but they may offer first). Usually they play up your good qualities and why you will be a good physician. The Dean's Letter will provide residency programs with grade breakdown within your class and general comments from your rotations.

Unless there is something glaringly wrong with your performance in med school, or you apply poorly (to programs/specialty that are out of reach, or rank too few programs), you will match and you will be just fine. Remember that the majority of med students are not AOA, but still find a residency program that they want to go to. Remember, the joke "what do you call the guy who graduates last in his med school class?" "Doctor". No one in residency will know what your class rank was unless you tell them. For all they know, you were #1.

Super-competitive specialties like ophtho/ortho/radonc/plastics/ent are tough for a non-superstar student to get into, but not impossible (my class had people in the middle third of the class match into each of the above specialties...but they also had back up plans, good advising and were realistic about it. There were others in my class in this category who matched into their back up specialty).

SDN can make people crazy

 

[Dirt]

Just look at the charting outcomes in the match as those numbers don't lie.

 

[cpants]

Average is fine. You don't even have to rule out the supercompetitive specialties if you take steps to make yourself more competitive in other ways (research, aways, leadership activities).

 

[45408]

They go on to become residents.

Only a very few people in my class scrambled (two, I think, and one got a categorical spot in a field similar to what he wanted), and two people didn't apply for the match at all. Everyone else matched into a categorical program of some sort (or a prelim spot with an additional match in an advanced track).

 

[AgentRaiden]

Interesting thread.I scored below average on Step 1 and I know that Step 2 is gonna be a make- or -break issue.Most of my med school grades have been ok.At the same time I wonder how bad my prospects will be cuz I've had good leadership experience,fellowships,pubs,scholars programs,and an award or two to date,and still counting.

and oh yeah,I am an IMG.

Thanks to onus being placed on being *flawless*,I am still haunted by my dismal step 1 and have nightmares about my Step 2 cuz I think that's critical to salvage my application.

But then again,there would be days I would think I'll match and be ok,who knows?!!