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??i like anesthesia and would like to know where are good places to apply? avg student no insane aoa or publications, avg clinicals ??
where can i match with a 251 step 1 for gas
- Thread starter amherstguy
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Anywhere you want to live. The average scores aren't that high, publications aren't common, and most (>90%?) applicants aren't AOA.
If you don't match at a given program, it's not your scores.
If you don't match at a given program, it's not your scores.
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wherever your little heart so desires
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You will have trouble matching, even with a 251, if you are:
-Arrogant or have an attitude (that comes across during an interview)
-Have "non-stellar" letters of recommendation
-Are seen as a threat
-Don't want to lube-up each day and take it like the rest of us
-Think you don't have to work hard
I've been on the candidate selection committee for the past two years at my institution. I've seen candidates with stellar scores not get ranked as highly as those with average scores who seem like they'd be a better "fit" for our program. Great scores only prove that you can take tests well. Some of our greatest "academic" attendings are the worst clinicians. Everyone pretty much understands that being "book smart" doesn't necessarily translate to being "street smart" in every instance.
Having said that, nice job. You rocked it. I'm sure that score will keep your app at the top of many piles. 🙂 But, getting the interview is only the first step. As I've said before on this forum, once you get in the door you're back to a level playing field. If you got a 251 coming out of Meharry (no offense intended to those of you who go to/went to Meharry) with average letters, this may not hold as much weight as your competitor who got a 220 coming out of UCSF or Yale with a strong letter from Miller or Barash. That's just the way it works.
-copro
-Arrogant or have an attitude (that comes across during an interview)
-Have "non-stellar" letters of recommendation
-Are seen as a threat
-Don't want to lube-up each day and take it like the rest of us
-Think you don't have to work hard
I've been on the candidate selection committee for the past two years at my institution. I've seen candidates with stellar scores not get ranked as highly as those with average scores who seem like they'd be a better "fit" for our program. Great scores only prove that you can take tests well. Some of our greatest "academic" attendings are the worst clinicians. Everyone pretty much understands that being "book smart" doesn't necessarily translate to being "street smart" in every instance.
Having said that, nice job. You rocked it. I'm sure that score will keep your app at the top of many piles. 🙂 But, getting the interview is only the first step. As I've said before on this forum, once you get in the door you're back to a level playing field. If you got a 251 coming out of Meharry (no offense intended to those of you who go to/went to Meharry) with average letters, this may not hold as much weight as your competitor who got a 220 coming out of UCSF or Yale with a strong letter from Miller or Barash. That's just the way it works.
-copro
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Just out of curiosity, how many people have you seen with a strong letter from Miller?
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hey copro, how does the step 2ck factor in vs step 1? does the committee use the better of the 2 scores?
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For what?
It's very, VERY simple (at least at my program): If you get an interview, you are on equal footing. Candidates are not "ranked" based on their board scores. Applicants are "triaged" based on, among other things, board scores, LoRs, school attended, class rank, research, good subspecialty grades, etc. You may not get an interview if you have a crappy board score. You may not get an interview if you have great board scores but crappy LoRs.
There is this obsession with board scores when there shouldn't be. If you went to Hopkins or Columbia or Harvard and got a 210 on Step 1, you're going to get an interview pretty much anywhere you apply. If you went to Podunk U. School of Medicine and got a 240, you may not get an interview where that Hopkins dude will. Both candidates will almost undoubtedly get a spot somewhere. Step 2 scores only matter if you're on the fence, and they only matter regarding getting an interview.
I'd imagine that if you have your heart set on going to UCSF or Hopkins or any of the other supposed "top tier" programs for gas, you gotta be the total package. That includes a good med school pedigree, solid board scores, good LoRs, and probably at least a feigning desire to be an academician. For everyone else who just wants to pass gas, it doesn't really matter unless the program is on probation or something.
-copro
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Somebody leaked an internal document from Stanford at one point that showed that both Step I and II (if available) had a significant role in their ranking process, based on their internal analysis of their residents showing correlation between both scores and desirable resident traits.
Based on my (limited) communication with their PD and Chairman, they said things that are consistent with this use of test scores.
On the other hand, I didn't get interviews at UCSF or Brigham & Womens with scores over 260 on both...
Based on my (limited) communication with their PD and Chairman, they said things that are consistent with this use of test scores.
On the other hand, I didn't get interviews at UCSF or Brigham & Womens with scores over 260 on both...
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i think programs use one of two systems. one, like copros: you get in the door, you start over.
most programs use some kind of a points system. you get points for board scores, rotations, grades, interviewer ratings...
most programs use some kind of a points system. you get points for board scores, rotations, grades, interviewer ratings...
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You posted a very similar question in the Ortho forum; deciding which specialty you prefer might be of benefit in the long run, unless you REALLY need to be at one hospital regardless of which type of residency you do.
Either way, nice score.
dc
These are very interesting comments, and I'm wondering if you could elaborate more on the two points above. Thanks.
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basically he's saying, be a team player ,"fly under the radar". Other than that, lube it up and take it should be pretty self explanatory since thats the med school and residency motto.
+ for top academic programs
1. Board score
2. MD/PhD
3. Substantial research or commitment to research (see 2)
4. LOR from big names
5. Home program (related to 4)
Any one or two is not a guarantee of your no.1, but w/ 3+ you are getting close. And no brainfarct at the interview.
1. Board score
2. MD/PhD
3. Substantial research or commitment to research (see 2)
4. LOR from big names
5. Home program (related to 4)
Any one or two is not a guarantee of your no.1, but w/ 3+ you are getting close. And no brainfarct at the interview.
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just want to say i think its lame to call our specialty gas!
thanks
thanks
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Where did you happen to match then? Congrats!
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I think my program drew names from a hat when creating rank list, only way to explain how I got in!
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UCSD (ranked it #2)
Why did you rank it so highly? There seems to be other places with better research, location, and/or reputation?
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better location than san diego?
and UCSD has a pretty solid reputation - it's extremely competitive because for some strange reason a large contingent of applicants have a strong desire to live there
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I like the faculty.
I'm extremely interested in chronic pain and I know the pain fellowship director and fellows. In my opinion, the quality of procedural training there is better than any other CA program, except possibly UCLA. When I talked to the pain people at UCLA they told me that they don't give preference to their own residents and bragged about how many of their own they had turned down, so I didn't see a reason to rank that program to get into a good pain fellowship. Whereas UCSD won't usually consider outside applicants unless there is no interest from within.
As for research in pain they have Tony Yaksh, who does lots of great basic science stuff (and I believe is the second most cited author in pain), and in the clinical area they're working with vaporized cannabis for pain, which for political reasons I find an interesting thing to get into.
Location. I'm not that fond of Northern CA, and less so of LA.
Overwhelming resident happiness.
Relative ease in getting San Diego jobs when its over.
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UCSD is freakin awesome that is probably why he ranked it so highly!
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Fair enough, but my experiences living in SF and Palo Alto have been
SF - brrrrrr ("The coldest winter I ever spent was a summer in San Francisco" - Mark Twain)
Palo Alto - 😴
What is the status on that? Maybe it's as simple as "would you rather be in meetings or at the beach?"
On the other hand UCSD residents were the happiest I've met anywhere. Pain and difficult airway are strong there. Most residents are going into private practice, so the low number of liver or cardiac cases may not be a big deal. It will be tough to match there no doubt, but probably not as much as UCSF.
On the other hand UCSD residents were the happiest I've met anywhere. Pain and difficult airway are strong there. Most residents are going into private practice, so the low number of liver or cardiac cases may not be a big deal. It will be tough to match there no doubt, but probably not as much as UCSF.
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