Why Didn't I match?

[rrreagan]

Hi,

I'm a US graduate of an MD school in LA.

Have a 205 and 207 on STeps 1 and 2.

Was a decent student, nothing extraordinary. Graduated last yr.

Am doing a Transitional internship this yr.

Did an outpatient PM&R rotation with a private physiatrist and got a recommendation from him---my med school doesn't have a phyiatrist on the faculty or on staff at the affiliated hospital.

I've done relatively well as an intern and have a recommendation from my current program director.

I interviewed and ranked 11 programs in the match, and interviewed for 5 spots outside the match.

I didn't get anything.... Any thoughts as to why? It's hard to believe that FMGs can get in ahead of US grads.

I interviewed at several of the programs that went unmatched. I even declined an interview at UMich, which also went unmatched.

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[cyanocobalamin]

Hi,

I'm a US graduate of an MD school in LA.

Have a 205 and 207 on STeps 1 and 2.

Was a decent student, nothing extraordinary. Graduated last yr.

Am doing a Transitional internship this yr.

Did an outpatient PM&R rotation with a private physiatrist and got a recommendation from him---my med school doesn't have a phyiatrist on the faculty or on staff at the affiliated hospital.

I've done relatively well as an intern and have a recommendation from my current program director.

I interviewed and ranked 11 programs in the match, and interviewed for 5 spots outside the match.

I didn't get anything.... Any thoughts as to why? It's hard to believe that FMGs can get in ahead of US grads.

I interviewed at several of the programs that went unmatched. I even declined an interview at UMich, which also went unmatched.

Isn't USC the only medical school (of the 2) in LA without a PM&R program?
How did your interviews go?

 

[Stinky Tofu]

Looks like there is a PGY-2 openining for 07/01/05 at VCU. The opening was posted about 2 weeks ago.

http://www.physiatry.org/position.html

 

[Finally M3]

Hi,

I'm a US graduate of an MD school in LA.

Have a 205 and 207 on STeps 1 and 2.

Was a decent student, nothing extraordinary. Graduated last yr.

Am doing a Transitional internship this yr.

Did an outpatient PM&R rotation with a private physiatrist and got a recommendation from him---my med school doesn't have a phyiatrist on the faculty or on staff at the affiliated hospital.

I've done relatively well as an intern and have a recommendation from my current program director.

I interviewed and ranked 11 programs in the match, and interviewed for 5 spots outside the match.

I didn't get anything.... Any thoughts as to why? It's hard to believe that FMGs can get in ahead of US grads.

I interviewed at several of the programs that went unmatched. I even declined an interview at UMich, which also went unmatched.

You may want to call some of the programs you interviewed at where they didn't rank you, find out why & if there is anything you can do to make your application more attractive in the future.

Good luck!

 

[SCIronMike]

Isn't USC the only medical school (of the 2) in LA without a PM&R program?
How did your interviews go?

Maybe the original poster means Louisiana instead of Los Angeles? As far as I know, everyone from USC who wanted PM&R got one of their top choices.

 

[bigfrank]

Man, that is ridiculous. With 11 interviews and rankings, I would assume you'd safely match with your stats.

How did your interviews go?

 

[rrreagan]

Man, that is ridiculous. With 11 interviews and rankings, I would assume you'd safely match with your stats.

How did your interviews go?

<b>I got feedback from 2 programs suggesting I was a poor interviewer.</b>

I don't know what else to tell you....

Where do I go from here?

 

[rrreagan]

Isn't USC the only medical school (of the 2) in LA without a PM&R program?
How did your interviews go?

I'm from Louisiana, not Los Angeles.

 

[bigfrank]

<b>I got feedback from 2 programs suggesting I was a poor interviewer.</b>

I don't know what else to tell you....

Where do I go from here?

I would find people (your dean, friends, attendings) to mock-interview you. And make them be brutally honest about what is "poor" about your skills.

Good luck

 

[macman]

I agree w/ above on mock interview idea.

Can you do an academic PM&R rotation rather than private practice? Are you in New Orleans? Do an elective at LSU or other nearby program? I think having a PD LOR is very helpful.

Good luck!

 

[Strap]

Not to harp on the subject, but what did you talk about in the two interviews from which you got feedback?

I recently helped a friend of mine who had poor interview skills. He was a good guy, just didn't know how to say the "right" things. He got into Gas in a very strong program.

 

[Gauss]

there's a few things missing here:
Are you already matched to another field for PGY2? If so, why switch to PM&R? If not, why?

 

[rrreagan]

there's a few things missing here:
Are you already matched to another field for PGY2?

No. I have nothing. I don't know where I'm going or what I'm doing next yr.

 

[rrreagan]

Not to harp on the subject, but what did you talk about in the two interviews from which you got feedback?

"Low energy level."
"A minimal improvement in interview performance would have put you well relative to the match."
"Other [interviewees] had [more] clearly defined goals in the field."


I recently helped a friend of mine who had poor interview skills.

Are you proposing to do the same for me?

 

[rrreagan]

I agree w/ above on mock interview idea.

Okay, I'll do just that.

Can you do an academic PM&R rotation rather than private practice? Are you in New Orleans?

No and no.

Do an elective at LSU or other nearby program?

No.

I think having a PD LOR is very helpful.

Incidentally, my PMR letter came in very late in the application season, around Thanksgiving. This prevented me from getting some interviews. But I still did 11 for positions in the match and about 5 for positions outside the match.

But what I don't understand is how and why FMGs can get in ahead of me? NRMP data suggests that 30-40% of those who match in PMR are FMGs.

 

[rrreagan]

I agree w/ above on mock interview idea.

Can you do an academic PM&R rotation rather than private practice? Are you in New Orleans? Do an elective at LSU or other nearby program? I think having a PD LOR is very helpful.

I should point that I'm already a resident and COULDN'T do external rotations and the like....

As for the private PMR rotation that I did, I basically shadowed a pair of local physiatrists on my own time, while on another rotation.

So, anyway, what should I do now? I'm finishing up my Transitional Year but have nothing Categorical/Advanced lined up.....

Get a license, take moonlighting positions and re-apply?

 

[normalforce]

I agree w/ above on mock interview idea.

Can you do an academic PM&R rotation rather than private practice? Are you in New Orleans? Do an elective at LSU or other nearby program? I think having a PD LOR is very helpful.

I should point that I'm already a resident and COULDN'T do external rotations and the like....

As for the private PMR rotation that I did, I basically shadowed a pair of local physiatrists on my own time, while on another rotation.

So, anyway, what should I do now? I'm finishing up my Transitional Year but have nothing Categorical/Advanced lined up.....

Get a license, take moonlighting positions and re-apply?

Did you look into the open PGY-2 spot at VCU-MCV listed above by stinky. It is a GREAT program. I interviewed there and ranked it highly. Check that out.

If that does not work and if you are really interested in PM&R and like/or are ok with research, spend a year doing PM&R related research. Get some pubs, get excited and show that all off in an interview setting. You could also moonlight at the same time for some extra dough. If you are a DO, you still may be able to complete an OMM fellowship which would help you ALOT as well. Good luck.

 

[rrreagan]

Did you look into the open PGY-2 spot at VCU-MCV listed above by stinky. It is a GREAT program. I interviewed there and ranked it highly. Check that out.

Already filled.

If that does not work and if you are really interested in PM&R and like/or are ok with research, spend a year doing PM&R related research. Get some pubs, get excited and show that all off in an interview setting. You could also moonlight at the same time for some extra dough. If you are a DO, you still may be able to complete an OMM fellowship which would help you ALOT as well. Good luck.

Thanks. I'm an MD, though.

 

[macman]

Did you look into the open PGY-2 spot at VCU-MCV listed above by stinky. It is a GREAT program. I interviewed there and ranked it highly. Check that out.

If that does not work and if you are really interested in PM&R and like/or are ok with research, spend a year doing PM&R related research. Get some pubs, get excited and show that all off in an interview setting. You could also moonlight at the same time for some extra dough. If you are a DO, you still may be able to complete an OMM fellowship which would help you ALOT as well. Good luck.

have you looked into NRH? any openings there.....?

 

[rrreagan]

have you looked into NRH? any openings there.....?

======================================================
Their chairman called me up and said something like, "We're not in any hurry to fill these positions. We'll take the whole year to find the right people. If we find the right person, we'll hire [him] tomorrow."

As I haven't heard back from her, I'm guessing I wasn't the right person ):

 

[zarathustra]

Look dude, Undergrad medicine is the same all over the world. FMGs work hard, get excellent scores, so its no surprise that they beat u..

I agree w/ above on mock interview idea.

Okay, I'll do just that.

Can you do an academic PM&R rotation rather than private practice? Are you in New Orleans?

No and no.

Do an elective at LSU or other nearby program?

No.

I think having a PD LOR is very helpful.

Incidentally, my PMR letter came in very late in the application season, around Thanksgiving. This prevented me from getting some interviews. But I still did 11 for positions in the match and about 5 for positions outside the match.

But what I don't understand is how and why FMGs can get in ahead of me? NRMP data suggests that 30-40% of those who match in PMR are FMGs.

 

[Finally M3]

But what I don't understand is how and why FMGs can get in ahead of me? NRMP data suggests that 30-40% of those who match in PMR are FMGs.

Actually, the NRMP data tables show that roughly 50% of the matched candidates are USMGs. However, I would bet that 40% of the other spots are filled by DOs with the final 10% being FMGs. There was a page on AAMC re; the 2004 match showing that DOs out-applied USMGs by 2:1.

 

[SCIronMike]

Hello SCIronMike,

rrreagan has just replied to a thread you have subscribed to entitled - Why Didn't I match? - in the PM&R forum of Student Doctor Network Forums.

This thread is located at:
http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=189047&goto=newpost

Here is the message that has just been posted:
***************

Look dude, Undergrad medicine is the same all over the world. FMGs work hard, get excellent scores, so its no surprise that they beat u..

*edited by DrMom...offensive*
***************


There may be other replies also, but you will not receive any more notifications until you visit the forum again.

Yours,
Student Doctor Network Forums team

What a stand-up guy rreagan is It renews my faith in the ability of residency program directors to judge character in a short interview

 

[DrMom]

SCIronMike & others: I deleted rrreagan's post because it was a TOS violation. For the same reason I edited your reposting of it.

Just wanted to explain why I edited the post.

 

[glazed]

It's too bad that DrMom can't also delete personality disorders with a couple of keystrokes... maybe Nancy Reagan would've matched.