What to do during a Transitional Internship?

[transitiontoem]

Advertisement - Members don't see this ad

Welp, I didn't match into EM. Been going through a week of hell wondering what happened because it really took me by surprise. DO student, USMLE step 1 242, step 2 250, COMLEX 1 667, 2 692. Ranked 11 programs, including some that stated they wanted me. Couples matched, but had the rank list set so only one of us had to match and the other could go unmatched. I don't think I'm a weirdo on interviews and I think I have a personality and can actually talk to people. Rotated at several of the places I interviewed at. And monday comes along and BAM, no match. Feel like I've got the Takosubo going.

In considering the (few) options that are available to me, mainly being scramble into IM, FP, or an osteo TRI, I think I want to do the rotating year and try again. Sure, I could be a competent internist, family doc, hospitalist whatever... But there is nothing I love like being in the ED and there is nothing else that I am passionate about.

Which brings me to the point. If I am doing a rotating internship, what can I do over the course of the next year to increase my chances at matching the next time? The scary part is that it is March, the intern year will start in July, and right around then it will be time to get applications going. It seems like there isn't any time to make very many changes. So what can I do? What are programs looking for, especially from someone coming out of a TRI?

If I don't make it after one more try then okay, it isn't meant to be. But as much as I worry about "wasting" another year of my life, I feel as if I don't give it one more shot I'll regret it forever.

Thanks in advance.

 

[bad virus]

Welp, I didn't match into EM. Been going through a week of hell wondering what happened because it really took me by surprise. DO student, USMLE step 1 242, step 2 250, COMLEX 1 667, 2 692. Ranked 11 programs, including some that stated they wanted me. Couples matched, but had the rank list set so only one of us had to match and the other could go unmatched. I don't think I'm a weirdo on interviews and I think I have a personality and can actually talk to people. Rotated at several of the places I interviewed at. And monday comes along and BAM, no match. Feel like I've got the Takosubo going.

In considering the (few) options that are available to me, mainly being scramble into IM, FP, or an osteo TRI, I think I want to do the rotating year and try again. Sure, I could be a competent internist, family doc, hospitalist whatever... But there is nothing I love like being in the ED and there is nothing else that I am passionate about.

Which brings me to the point. If I am doing a rotating internship, what can I do over the course of the next year to increase my chances at matching the next time? The scary part is that it is March, the intern year will start in July, and right around then it will be time to get applications going. It seems like there isn't any time to make very many changes. So what can I do? What are programs looking for, especially from someone coming out of a TRI?

If I don't make it after one more try then okay, it isn't meant to be. But as much as I worry about "wasting" another year of my life, I feel as if I don't give it one more shot I'll regret it forever.

Thanks in advance.

I wish I had something more wise to say, but all I have is, I am really wishing you a better year next year.

Good luck, and just remember, it can't always rain.

 

[dotcb]

Do whatever you can to bolster your application. You could ask a few programs if they have any feedback for you. Try again while you make alternate plans.

 

[StevieStud]

Couples matched, but had the rank list set so only one of us had to match and the other could go unmatched.

status of the significant other?

 

[drak]

You can play safe and do DO EM programs. There are some good programs out there.

 

[NERDY]

Try to be at a place that has a EM residency.

 

[Redrox]

Welp, I didn't match into EM. Been going through a week of hell wondering what happened because it really took me by surprise. DO student, USMLE step 1 242, step 2 250, COMLEX 1 667, 2 692. Ranked 11 programs, including some that stated they wanted me. .

Well, same boat for me couple years ago and it turned out okay round 2. Had better numbers, well rounded, solid app, but with the DO after the name it is still quite possible to fall through the cracks, Know of three other DO's who didn't match with much much lower step numbers who successfully reapplied. It's a hurdle and a big one, yet feasible.

Reapplying, I recieved 30 some MD interviews out of ~60 applications, didn't reapply to anyplace that had not matched me the year before and didn't apply to any DO residencies for various reasons. Found a program that would take me for an away elective in June before starting internship but this seemed not have an impact or impress much folk.

More important was the letter from the transitional program director, think of it as dean's letter 2.0. Let him know from July you'll be needing one and encourage your attending each month to write a little something extra on your evaluation for the PD to copy and paste in November or December, contact the EM programs as you apply to them to let them know one will be coming down the pipe and Sept 1st would be a little early. I hadn't thought of this myself until the interview trail when multiple, multiple interviewers expressed concern as to why I hadn't included one, having adding one from the TY's ER director instead.

You have good scores which is a plus in alota respects and in others a problem. You'll face more than a bit of suspicion and sceptacism on the interview trail, quite likely on SDN, too. Folk will wonder and even ask out loud what you are hiding, why didn't match, what is secretly wrong with you. Practice a bunch with mock interviews so you won't be rattled.

One of the benefits of a TY is 1st year of EM feels comfortable, off service easy as cake and you can make a huge impression as a solid resident quickly. That being said, your TY will be hard, doubting yourself as a doctor as a person, fielding questions from nurses and peers each month as you move around the hospital.

Remeber EM is the greatest field in medicine and a damn fine job, worth the wait and worth the worry and know every off-service month I'm reminded how lucky I am to be so priveledged as practice to this specialty, even with baggage behind me.

Please by all means PM me with any questions, I'd be happy to help and/or listen, give the names of the programs that offered me interviews, etc