Tag: Interview

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Top Blog Posts for Medical Students

I recently came back from a trip to Barbados where I gave the incoming first semester class of Ross University some advice on how to succeed in med school. Here’s a summary of my top med school blog posts broken up into various categories:

Med School Study Tips

Med School Study Resources

USMLE resources

Clinical Rotations

Should You Go To a Caribbean Med School

Discusses the discrepancy in the match rate between US-IMG’s and US MD and DO graduates

Residency Tips for Med Students

Residency Tips for Residents

Ross University Specific

Interviews with Residents in Various Specialties

Interview with Fellows in Various Specialties

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Intern Interview Spotlight Update- The Life of a Pediatrics Intern

Prior to starting intern year I interviewed Zack Manier about the residency application and interview process. Today he is six months into his intern year, the first year of his pediatrics residency at The Children’s Hospital at St. Peter’s University Hospital in New Brunswick, NJ. I sat down with Dr. Manier to find out what it’s like to be a freshly minted medical doctor.

Thanks for taking the time to let me interview you again. I introduced my readers to you a few months ago before we both started residency in an interview about the residency application and interview process. Fast-forward to today and we’re a little more than six months into intern year. What’s it like being a doctor?

Ummmmm…so many feels. Important, accomplished, nerve-wracking, busy, overwhelmed, stimulated, stressed, anxious, lost, rewarding, powerful, prolific…shall I go on?

 

That sounds like the all too familiar. So what’s the most rewarding part of being a pediatrician?

Honestly, the gratitude from the parents. Hearing parents (and even adolescent patients) compliment me or compliment me to an attending saying things like “best doctor we’ve had” (yes, that’s happened…I’m not just bragging) is so amazing. It makes all the times I feel completely stupid and useless worth it. Also, definitely having parents ask to specifically have me as their child’s doctor and come to my Thursday afternoon office hour. Clearly my competence (or confidence) is showing, and that is just as rewarding.

 

 

To contrast that story what has been the most frustrating part of residency?

Continuing to be at the bottom of the totem pole. “Yay, I’m a doctor now and no longer a student! I’ve moved up in the ranks!” Wrong. You’re back on the bottom. You’re just the intern. And yes, interns still do [female dog] work. Definitely not as much as when I was a student, but it happens. Oh, and overnight nursery pages. It’s frustrating, but hey…that’s the way the cookie crumbles, right? Now I want a cookie…

 

 

Ah, answering pages. Grey’s Anatomy made it always seem like every page was life and death. Turns out its more often that the patient is having too few or too many bowel movements. So what about residency do you find most challenging?

Trying to be confident with my decisions and not just looking to my senior for everything I’m unsure of (even though they are the best and are always happy to help). I’m not a student anymore. I’m not supposed to just ask my senior to do everything. I have to do it. It’s on me now. I make the phone calls. I order the medications. I call the attendings in the middle of the night. I tell the parents that Child Protective Services is taking their child away. I decide a baby’s respiratory status is improved enough to discontinue oxygen. And if that baby decompensates? It’s on me now. That’s something that you have to realize from day one…you’re a doctor now. This is the start of the rest of your career.

 

 

Our jobs can indeed be quite humbling and terrifying at times. Can you speak on what your biggest fear going into intern year was? 

 Probably what I just discussed above…that even though, yes, you have your seniors…you have to make your own decisions and become a self-sufficient physician. It was hard a first, but I quickly realized I didn’t have a choice. I couldn’t be passive (not that I am that type of person anyway). You have to. That made that fear dissolve within the first two months.

Also, one fear that I’m sure everyone shares…feeling incompetent. You’re going to enter feeling like you know nothing, especially when you’re put on the spot. I imagine that’s what tabula rasa feels like. But magically, somehow…from somewhere…the answers pop out. Your hand starts writing the corrects words. You’re entering medications like you’ve been doing this for years, and you start to realize you know more than you think. The knowledge is there…you just have to apply it.

Thankfully, my co-interns were/are all in the same boat. Having them around and spending time outside of the hospital with them to talk and vent (and drink) have helped to depress those fears.

 

 

Ah your co-interns. As corny as it sounds, I’ve found that they truly are the best part of any residency program. You spend so much time with them in the hospital that it’s nice to enjoy their company too. Speaking of hours, what are yours like? What’s a typical day for a pediatric intern?

This is obviously institution-dependent, but I guess I’ll give you a little snapshot into mine…

It all depends on the rotation. ER is just 18 shifts/month, and we basically make our own schedule— clutch. Lighter rotations like nursery and neurodevelopment as well as outpatient electives are typical M-F 8-5, with weekend floor calls here and there. Floor sucks. Floor sucks everywhere. Sign-out is at 6:30am, and intern sign-out to the oncoming evening intern is at 7:00pm. Yes, that’s 12+ hours a day, usually 6 days/week. Morning report every morning from 8-9am, noon conferences daily from 12-1pm, grand rounds from 9:30am-10:30am every Thursday, and my office hours (or continuity clinic) Thursday afternoons.

Oh, and nights…nights are great. We specifically do 3 sets of 2 weeks of nights as interns, which are 7pm-9am Sunday-Thursday. Which means weekends off (for the most part). Lovely.

My institution is (amazingly) different in a way…interns get every Friday night off. Every one. For the entire year. All eight of us. Those nights…we drink and complain. I also usually get at least one entire weekend off per month, and use that time to get the hell out of New Brunswick for sanity purposes.

 

 

Speaking of sanity, what do you do outside of the hospital to keep it? 

I guess I covered a lot of that above. But yes…relax, drink, travel…in that order. I need it. We all do. Get close with your interns. Go out when you can. If not to drink then for dinner. Vent. Complain without your seniors around. Even if you think you’re in the most amazing place at the start (which I did), you will start to realize the flaws as you become familiar with the inner-workings and the politics. Every institution has them. And you need close people to talk about it with. That’s what we do. I can’t stress enough how important it is to be close with your co-interns, or as in my case, even your second (and sometimes third) years. Also, I get away when you can. I have friends and family all over, and getting out of the little hospital bubble with all your (likely) hospital friends is necessary to stay sane. Plus, I’m in the cold…I hate the cold. Winter sucks. I go to Miami every chance I get.

 

 

That’s great advice. How about exercising? How often do you find yourself exercising compared to before residency started?

This will be a short one. I don’t. I exercise the same amount as before, because I didn’t. Should I? Definitely. Quite honestly though, my feet hurt (I hate dress shoes). And after the day is over, I want to be horizontal. In my bed. Am I complaining? Yes. Do I plan to change this soon? Yes! You can’t be a doctor (especially a pediatrician) promoting health and wellness when you don’t do it yourself.

 

 

How often are you able to see your family or significant other?

This is something I struggle with daily. My family is in one city, my SO is in another, and I’m in a third. So when I get the chance, where do I go? To see my SO. It’s a hard decision, but I’m used to being away from my family…I went to college out of state, medical school internationally, and I haven’t lived at “home” in almost 10 years. It’s difficult being apart from my SO, and we need frequent visits to maintain our relationship, just like all long-distance relationships. Thankfully, we see each other at least monthly (whether I go there or he comes here), and Facetime is a live-saver. Since I moved to NJ in June, I haven’t been back home. My family did come visit for Thanksgiving, and I’m currently writing this on the plane home for Christmas. Holidays and occasions…that’s been pretty typical for seeing my family over the past years.

 

 

How are you handling the debt?

Debt? What’s that? Oh, right…I mean, the cronies automatically take money from my account monthly, and I don’t think about it. And that’s all I have to say about that.

 

 

When do you plan on taking step 3? 

Bleh. Adult medicine. I don’t want to study it. It’s like, I want to take it and get it over with so I never have to study adult medicine again, but at the same time…I don’t want to start studying adults again. But alas, I must. I’m either taking it mid-February or end of April, as those are the times that work with my lighter rotations. I’m getting UWorld for Christmas (yay, adulting), so I’m about to start on that. Mainly, I don’t want to spend the $900 or whatever is it to take the exam. I’d rather spend it on drinks. Medicine is a damn money pit, ya know?

 

 

What’s it like having the responsibility of teaching medical students?

I love it. It’s great. I’ve tutored in the past and was a head anatomy TA in medical school, so it’s something I enjoy. It’s also nice to have attendings tell me that medical students compliment me and enjoy working with me. They don’t think I’m dumb! However, it is sometimes hard to give them full attention as the intern…especially on floor when it’s super busy and I have one million things to do. That’s what the seniors and attendings are for.

Also, pro-tip: get the medical students to follow your patients. That’s what I do. Why? Because on floor rounds, the student presents and gets pimped, not me.

 

 

In retrospect, with the knowledge that you have now, are there any questions you would recommend to medical students to ask during their interviews? 

Other than all of the medical knowledge, you mean? I don’t think there is anything that I now wish I had asked…I pretty much knew what I was getting into, and I feel like it’s on par with my expectations. The most important thing is to ask the resident’s if they’re happy. We won’t lie. We really do tell it like it is. And definitely ask how they feel they attendings are and what their relationships are with the attendings. It will make a world of difference. I’m fortunate enough to have amazing attending physicians. It’s something I have been bragging about to all the interviewees this season. Like, you know how in medical school or residency even there are those physicians that people are “scared” to work with or grumble about being placed with? Yeah, we don’t have any. None. I would say 90-95% of ours are absolutely amazing, and the rest are good but ever-so-slightly more intimidating. That might be the best part of my residency. Definitely ask about that.

 

 

Speaking of medical students, do you strongly feel that there is anything you wish you did differently while you were in medical school that would have better prepared you for residency?

My one and only regret is not taking USMLE Step 3 prior to residency. I was going to, but I ended up drinking and traveling instead. (A common thread here, clearly) So, if you have time, seriously consider taking it. It will save you a load of stress and annoyance later, when that is the last thing you have on your mind or want to deal with. Otherwise, just be proactive. Act like a resident on rotations, not a student or a shadow. Ask to do procedures, to see extra patients, to write notes, to have your H&Ps checked and reflected on, to stay later, to make phone calls. These are all things you have to do as a resident, and the sooner you start, the better. These are all things I did, and not only did it get my outstanding grades and letters of recommendation, but it also significantly prepared me for residency. If you have all of these things (mostly) down before starting, you can focus on expanding your knowledge and being the best provider for your patients you can be.

 

 

For the current medical students reading this, what general advice do you have regarding residency?

First and foremost, the last line I just said. Be the best provider you can be FOR YOUR PATIENTS. That’s what it’s really about, and why (most) of us all are in this profession. It’s for the patients. Check your egos at the door. This isn’t about you, it’s about them. The rest…the knowledge, the fearlessness, the confidence, the competence…that will come with time. But your patients always come first, no matter what.

 

 

Zack, thank you so much for taking the time to let me interview you. I appreciate your words of wisdom and motivation.

Check back next week for my next intern interview update. And as always subscribe so you don’t miss out!

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The Life of a Pediatrics Intern

I sat down with a first year resident in pediatrics to find out what her life is like as a pediatrician in training. Here’s what she had to say.

 

 

I’m getting flashbacks of interview season but can you tell my readers a little bit about yourself?

Hello readers! I’m Sarah with an h, currently working as a 1st year pediatric resident at Cooper University Hospital in South Jersey. I’m a born and raised Jersey girl from a middle class family right outside of Philadelphia. I grew up playing soccer which I played at Widener University, a small private college in Chester, PA. The only medical blood in my family is my mother who is a NICU nurse. My original major at Widener was nursing, but halfway through my sophomore year I realized there was SO MUCH to learn and I wanted to continue my education past my four undergrad years. I switched to pre-med and it was at that point that my advisor told me about Caribbean medical schools, which accept applicants year round and geared more to the less traditional student like myself. I attended Ross University in Dominica, West Indies where I had the most amazing experiences and made lifelong friends. While I feel I did not get as many residency interviews as I would have liked because I went to a foreign medical school, through hard work, perseverance and constant contact with the programs I was interested in I wound up matching to my top ranked residency at Cooper back home in South Jersey.

 

 

So we’re about a quarter of the way through intern year and you’ve been a doctor for about four months. How’s it feel?

I feel like I’m finally settling into my role as a decision maker. The first couple months it was difficult transitioning from a closely monitored medical student to a doctor being pressed for urgent decisions and orders to be placed. I had to fight the urge to call a senior resident when being faced with medical decisions for several weeks before I felt comfortable in my new role. Even decisions I KNEW were correct, I suddenly became much less sure of when I was the one writing the order or telling the nurse which dose of medication to give. You are immediately thrown into the role as a team leader, which is daunting but extremely rewarding. I’m now at a place where I feel much more comfortable with my knowledge base, but know I have a long road to go.

 

 

What has been the most rewarding part of being a pediatrician?

Hands down seeing my patients’ laugh, smile or feel better. People always ask me what I love about my job, and it’s 100% the kids. The connections I make with children and their families make a 14 hour day all worth it. It can be one thank you, or one hug, or a colored picture and suddenly my hectic day where I haven’t sat down is put into perspective. It is so rewarding to be a part of the connections between the patients, to see the sigh of relief when they realize they’re not alone, and to be a part of an amazing team of medical personnel from social workers to physical therapists to nurses. Sometimes it’s surreal to think about what a critical role you play on that team. I am so grateful for the opportunity I’ve been given to positively impact children and there isn’t a day that goes by, even if it’s just for a brief moment, that I don’t remember that.

 

 

What has been the most frustrating part of residency?

I think a lot of frustration during residency comes from having a life and schedule that is no longer your own. Just know that for however long your residency is, mine being 3 years, you are more or less signing over your freedom. It sounds harsh, but when you look at it that way it makes you appreciate the time you do have off!

I went into residency with that outlook, and I found myself far less frustrated with the long hours.

The thing I would say I struggle with the most is disagreeing on medical care with other residents, more importantly my senior residents. Residency is a hierarchy, post graduate year 1 (PGY-1), PGY-2, PGY-3, and then fellows and then of course your attending. Medicine is also not black and white. Yes we have guidelines and peer reviewed articles, but in all honesty until I became a resident I didn’t realize how much of medicine was up to your own discretion.

Turns out, my treatment plan isn’t always the same as my senior residents. I think it’s important for interns to be prepared for differences of opinion and to know there is no one right answer in medicine. Like a bad USMLE question, it’s your job to choose the MOST correct answer, grapple with the opinions of other people around you, but ultimately do what is best for your patient. This is not as clear cut as you’d think, so pick and choose your battles and surround yourself with a strong support system.

 

 

What are you hours like? What’s a typical day for a pediatrics intern?

The hours vary depending on what rotation you’re on. There are more intense rotations which require 80+ hours and some less intense rotations where you work 40 hours a week or less. I feel that most programs do a good job of interspersing the two types of rotations so you have some time to breath in the middle of your tougher one.

For me, being on the “floors” or a pediatric hospitalist is the rotation that requires the most time and not only mental but emotional energy. Days start at 6am when you rush to get all of the vitals, history, updates and see all of your patients before rounds. The day ends at 7pm, but you usually have 2-3 hours of notes after that (14-15 hour days if anyone was keeping count). And you also have to remember you’re taking about two to three 12-hour weekend shifts per month.

But keep your head up! I’m in outpatient Behavior and Development now and I’m working a regular 9-5 (and some days less!).

 

 

What do you do outside of the hospital to keep your sanity?

Anything BUT medicine! I love doing guided meditation, which you can find on YouTube. I find the less time I feel like I have, the more that means I need to meditate. I hang out with my friends, I read non-medical books, I go to music shows, I go out to eat, drink and be merry. I travel on my vacation weeks. It’s so important to remember to do the things you love to do. So have a good idea of what makes you happy (outside of medicine) before you start residency and never lose sight of that.

 

 

What has been your most challenging aspect of residency?

Time management has probably been the most difficult for me. Not just in the hospital, but managing being a good resident, friend, sister, aunt and daughter. And going grocery shopping, keeping my apartment clean and bills paid. And on top of that studying enough to keep up with your own specialty, what you’re interested in, and preparing for the USMLE. It always feels like you should be doing more. Deep breaths throughout the day help.

 

 

The average medical school graduate finishes their schooling with roughly $160,000 of debt. How do you plan on paying it off?

The government really helps us out. They have amazing repayment plans you can enroll in now, which you can talk to your loan provider about. I’m currently enrolled in the Public Service Loan Forgiveness plan with an income-driven repayment plan. What that basically means is that if I work for a non-profit hospital and pay 10% of my income for the next 10 years, all of my loans are forgiven. It’s something to think about when ranking residencies, because this plan only applies to non-profit organizations. There are a lot of other plans available so definitely something to talk to your financial aid counselor or loan provider about!

 

 

You grew up playing soccer. In fact, that’s where we met! So you’ve always been an active person  How much are you exercising these days compared to before residency started?

Significantly LESS. Like I say, if exercising is one of your passions, you really have to set aside protected time for it. I try to just work exercise into my daily routine. I set a goal of 15 sets of stairs a day when I’m on floors. 100 squats any time before I take a shower. Stretching anytime you have the space to bend. Drink TOO much water. Take deep breaths throughout the day. Even if you don’t feel like you can be your most fit self, you can always lean in the direction of health.

 

 

Do you strongly feel that there is anything you wish you did differently while you were in medical school that would have better prepared you for residency?

Honestly, no. I wish I could have done more elective rotations in the hospitals where I wanted to match, but for insurance reasons Ross University students couldn’t rotate in the states of NJ and PA. But it’s absolutely something you SHOULD do if possible. And if you have the opportunity to rotate in a hospital where you’d like to match, to try to be in the hospital on the floors because some of the subspecialties are pretty far removed from the doctors and residents who make up the bulk of the program.

Take your role seriously, because the type of student you are is the type of doctor you will eventually become. And every skill you’ve learned will help contribute to making you the best doctor you can possibly be, regardless of what rotation you’re on.

But most importantly I enjoyed myself. That’s something I tell all my medical students now, just take time to really enjoy your role and learning experience because it’s a big change once you enter residency.

 

 

What was your biggest fear going into intern year? Have they come to fruition? How have you dealt with those issues?

The biggest fear was that I’d be a bad doctor. I’m sure people want to know more specifics, but really just that I would not be able to help my patients, or know what to do, or what to say, or that I wouldn’t be as good as the other interns. Luckily, these have NOT come to fruition! Turns out, you know a lot more than you think you know. And a lot of what patients’ need to hear is that they’re going to be ok and you’re here for them no matter what. And the other residents aren’t my competition, they’re my biggest allies. I go to work every day knowing that I am here to do the best I can for my patients. With that motivation, a good team, and a lot of hard work, you have all you need to succeed. Never forget WHY you’re doing this.

 

 

What’s it like having the responsibility of teaching medical students?

As an intern, you feel so overwhelmed by your work and getting used to everything yourself, you almost feel like you don’t know enough or have enough time to really make any difference in their education. But I found that just carving out a little time to explain how I’m approaching certain patients or problems, or how I like to write notes can help contribute to how they will eventually practice. And every single one has been SO grateful for the time. If they ask me a question I don’t know, I say let’s look it up together. I try to incorporate them into the team, ask them something I don’t know that they might, or ask them to look certain things up so we can learn together. It’s so rewarding when you see a student you taught succeed on rounds or pick up new interviewing techniques they saw you do.

 

 

When do you plan on taking step 3?

I plan on taking Step 3 mid-April, which is a little more than half way through my intern year. I tried to coordinate taking the test with a month I was on a lighter rotation. I know people who took it before residency started which I commend. I knew I wanted that time to celebrate, travel, and enjoy myself so it was not an option for me. I feel like it takes a good 6 months to settle into your new role as a resident, so I would recommend sometime before or after that period.

 

 

For current medical students, what advice do you have for residency interviews?

Just be personable. I think the questions are just a formality. I really feel interviewers are just trying to see if you can hold a conversation and will fit well with the other residents. I would ask questions about the interviewer, “Where are you from? What do you like to do in the area? What brought you to this place/position?” Start a conversation. Be a real human. Actually get to know the person.

 

 

For the current medical students reading this, what general advice do you have regarding residency?

Take DEEP breaths as often as you remember and DRINK plenty of water !!!

 

Thank you so much for taking the time for this interview Sarah!

 

And keep on the look out for a follow up interview with a family medicine resident who failed step one.

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The Most Frequently Asked Questions on Residency Interviews…by Medical Students

It’s my first interview season as a resident and I am loving the free lunches. Uh, I mean…meeting all of the applicants. It’s kind of strange being on the other side of things because I remember asking the exact same annoying inquisitive questions that all of you are asking. However, I’m realizing most of my answers are not specific to my program and I end up giving general residency advice like how to survive your intern year and how to create your residency rank list. Here’s what I tell the prospective fourth years:

 

 

What’s your favorite part of your residency program

My co-residents. It’s annoyingly corny but true. This is a highly sensitive test for weeding out unhappy residency programs. Residency sucks but you should at least be able to get along with the people you are stuck in residency with because the only thing worse than going through residency is going through residency alone.

 

 

If you could change one thing about your program what would it be?

Daily free lunches, a personal assistant, and a raise would be nice. Otherwise, well…every residency program has there bugs but the tell of a good program is that the administration will listen to their residents and make appropriate changes. A better question to ask is ‘what are the most recent changes that were made to your program based on complaints or concerns raised by residents’. Ask that. You’ll look like, really smart.

 

 

Why did you choose this program?

It was a gut feeling. Every program I interviewed at had essentially the same things. Maybe some had more or less research, was in a bigger or smaller city, had a bigger or smaller residency class size, or had varying degrees of fellowship opportunities. But you will likely be a successful doctor wherever you end up. The question you have to ask yourself is ‘will I be happy in this city at this hospital if I match here’. And the answer to that question depends a lot on you (and your family’s) priorities.

 

 

What stood out about your top choice residency programs compared to the rest on your list?

The program director’s leadership and enthusiasm when meeting us (despite likely giving the same speech and presentation hundreds of times before), the impressive amount of teaching that occurs during morning report (yes, it’s like this every morning), and my interactions with the other applicants and residents . Again, these residents and fellow applicants are the people you’re going to be stuck with for the next three years. If you can’t enjoy an afternoon with these people then that residency program likely isn’t a great fit for you. My favorite interview days were ones with the best lunches. And also when I got along well with the other residents and applicants. But also lunch.

 

 

So lunch is really important to you, huh?

It’s all about the little things. When a program would take us to their cafeteria for lunch it made me feel like they weren’t even trying to impress us. Sure, maybe they have an amazing cafeteria and all of the residents eat there everyday. Except it ends up coming across like a cheap date who forgot their wallet at home. It would never be a reason to rank a program higher or lower but it consistently served as a surrogate marker for other things that may be awry. Like someone who wears ankle socks with dress pants. Judged.

 

 

So you get along well with your residency class?

I enjoy hanging out and working with most of my co-interns and residents. You find your people early on and you go through hell with one another. Working on the same floor together for a month builds some pretty strong bonds. Especially if chased with tequila. Just recognize you aren’t going to get along with everybody and that’s okay. Hopefully the bell-curve is skewed towards positivity and most attendings, fellows, and residents there aren’t jerks. Again, big red flag if lots of people within the residency program don’t like one another.

 

 

Are you involved in any research at the moment?

I’m currently four months into residency. I finally have my feet underneath me and I can navigate the hospital system pretty well. Don’t get me wrong, I’m still a bumbling intern but I am more efficient bumbling intern compared to July 1st. I now feel comfortable pursuing research projects and am currently getting involved in a QI project. However, I’m waiting to take step 3 before I jump into some bench research going on in my hospital. Just beware, the only thing worse than not performing any research is getting involved in research and dropping out because you weren’t available or weren’t interested. It’s unprofessional, word will spread, and people will be less willing to offer you future research opportunities.

 

 

When are you taking step 3?

ASAP! More specifically the middle of December. Many of my friends in OB/GYN and pediatrics have already taken and passed step 3. Internal medicine constitutes a large proportion of the exam so there isn’t a huge rush for IM residents to take step 3 because you’re going to learn the majority of what’s on the exam during your training anyway. However, non-medicine residents are often advised to take the exam as soon as possible so they can get it out of the way. Personally, I’m taking a middle ground approach and will be taking it six months into my residency. It really depends on your schedule. Mine is lighter early on so I have time to finish UWorld (yes, it is the only resource I am using. Will confirm that it was a good decision once I pass). Getting step 3 out of the way also let’s you finally focus on the more important things in residency. Like research and not killing your patients.

 

 

Should I take step 3 before starting residency?

Only if you have an insane amount of time prior to residency. Otherwise, go enjoy your life and follow up on my next blog post about what to do the summer before residency! You can also check out my two blog posts on this exact subject:

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Spotlight Interview: DO graduate earns OB/GYN residency

Tell us a little about yourself. What are your career goals in medicine? Who are you outside of medicine?

I’m Maureen. I’m 27 and originally from California. The first question people ask me when they learn that is “why did you leave beautiful sunny California to come to gross Philadelphia?” but I actually really love it here. I guess you could say I’m more of an east coast, fast paced type of person…probably part of why I love OB/GYN. I hope to be an adolescent gynecologist but I’m sure I will change my mind in the next four years. Outside of medicine, I love to cook, travel, and hang out with my friends with a glass of cab.

 

 

What should fourth year medical students do the summer before medical school? What did you do?

Before medical school, I took a vacation. I stopped working about two months before med school started to travel with friends and reset my mind. I also had to move from San Diego to Philadelphia, so I road tripped across the country with my dad. I wouldn’t suggest anything else. Relax. Don’t study. Spend time with family and friends. Work on your friendships because free time will be compromised.

 

 

Where did you go to medical school?

I went to PCOM—the Harvard of DO schools! I only applied to DO school. I had a 33 MCAT, but my GPA was only a 3.2. I knew I wasn’t competitive for MD schools in locations I wanted to live (California, Philadelphia, NYC). PCOM was the first school I interviewed at, in the beginning of October. I got my acceptance October 31st. I went to one other interview and cancelled the rest. I knew PCOM was the right place for me.

 

 

What advice would you give to pre-med applicants about applying to medical school?

I would tell pre-med students to do well on their MCAT and to not neglect their GPA. Scores get you in the door—a theme that will ring true again for residency. Nothing else will guarantee interviews like solid numbers.

 

 

So for those of us who don’t know, what’s the difference between a DO and an MD medical school?

At DO schools you learn osteopathic manipulative medicine (OMM). It means 1-2 extra lecture hours a week along with one 90-minute lab session to practice the techniques. It means taking a different board examination. Otherwise, I don’t think there are any differences—but I am a little biased.

 

 

Do you plan on continuing to use OMM in practice?

Unfortunately it’s not realistic to use OMM in residency. You just don’t have time. If I end up in private practice then I will 100% use OMM. It really does help patients with musculoskeletal issues. If you learn to bill correctly, it can also be extremely lucrative. I spent two months of my fourth year working in my school’s OMM department so I was able to see what consistent treatment can do for a patient with low back pain or carpal tunnel. I probably have a bigger appreciation for OMM than most other current DO students.

 

 

Let’s fast forward to fourth year of medical school. How many OBGYN programs did you apply to? Any backup specialties?

I applied to 59 programs. Philadelphia, New Jersey, and NYC. I didn’t apply to any backup specialties. I got around 20ish interviews and stopped counting. I really wanted to be in either Center City, Philadelphia or NYC, so I cancelled most of my NJ interviews when I had a few in Philadelphia. I went on 9 interviews—much less than the average candidate. I would say most people did 15-20 at least. I also took a big risk and only ranked 6 programs. I honestly just had a hard time picturing myself being happy at any program outside of my top 4. It was a hard decision but I risked it. Luckily, I got my first choice and it’s been 6 weeks and I haven’t cried yet. Complete success.

 

 

Do you think you had an advantage or disadvantage applying to residency as a DO?

Definite disadvantage in a few areas. First, certain schools do not accept you. Waste of money to apply. Second, some sites, especially those tied to Caribbean schools, do not allow you to rotate there. Which takes away the chance to do sub-internships there which are important for almost every specialty. I definitely got asked awkwardly on interviews “What is a DO?” and it sucked.

 

 

Every potential applicant is probably dying to know, so what were your step scores? Did anything on your resume separate you from the crowd?

  • COMLEX level 1: 629
  • COMLEX level 2: 627
  • USMLE step 1: 233
  • USMLE step 2: 251

Those scores definitely helped me land interviews at solid allopathic university programs like Drexel, Temple, SUNY- Downstate who have a paucity of DO’s in their resident pools. I was often the only DO or one of a handful on interview day. I also did research between first and second year of med school and got a paper published in Menopause. I think my research my scores are 100% what got me interviews. I also was president of PCOM’s OB/GYN club, served as a class representative in our student government, and taught gymnastics during first and second year.

 

 

What advice do you have for someone who wants to apply to OBGYN but didn’t score that well on step 1 and/or step 2?

Apply early and broadly for sub-I’s and show up and work your ass off. That’s the single best, and in some cases only, thing you can do to get an interview.

 

 

What were OBGYN interviews like? Any advice on how to succeed on interview day?

Lots of women, ha. I actually made some great friends on the interview trail. It was really comforting. Know your application, know your research, know where you want to be in five years. Have questions ready—my favorite was “how do you hope to see the program improve in the next 5 years?” Know where the program director trained. Otherwise, just be friendly. Talk to the residents about their personal lives. Ask if they residents hang out together—if the answer is anything other than “oh yeah! We’re all friends!” you know that program probably isn’t very social. Really try to see how you fit with the residents. That’s the most important thing. Who do you want to be stuck on 15-hour nights, 6 nights a week with?

 

 

What should current applicants look out for in an OB/GYN program? (besides free food on interview day)

They should look how they fit in with the residents. Go to the pre interview dinners and talk to them about how they feel about the program. Interviews will get very cumbersome by the end so you will cancel a few. Rationalize it in that you’re opening the door for someone else who might really want that spot. Figure out your non-negotiables and make your rank list from there.

 

 

Any other advice that you’d want to give fourth year medical students currently applying for the match?

Breathe!

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Spotlight interview: from California to the Carribbean, an emergency medicine resident shares his advice

Tell us a little bit about yourself. Who are you professionally? Who are you outside of the hospital?

Well hello there everyone! My name is Ami, pronounced Ah-mee.

I’m an easy going but sometimes intense guy from Los Angeles, California (cough cough the best city in the world). I grew up in the suburbs or “the valley.” I went to UC-Irvine for my undergrad and double majored in International Studies and Biology, but mostly spent my time surfing… hence my atrocious bio GPA, average MCAT that eventually led me to Ross like many other people. As I answer these questions I’ll give a line of advice from my experience thus far.

There is a small caveat before Ross University where I decided to get serious towards the end of senior year of college (too late to take the “correct” path to med school). I graduated, then took some bio classes at UCLA, did some research in the ER at Children’s Hospital in LA (CHLA) and got EMT certified to boost the résumé. This still wasn’t enough.

Now bear with me because the story below has a lot to do with the next 5 years of my life.

The story: I had been surfing the same spot in North LA for around 5 years at the time and there was always this guy in the water, who was there so often, I just figured he was some surf bum with no job. So I start talking to this guy and I ask him “well what do you do?” and he causally answers, “Well, I’m a doctor…” I actually laughed out loud and said, “No, really what do you do?” He’s like “no, seriously.”

So at this point I’m intrigued and ask “well, what type of doctor are you and where do you work?” And to my surprise, he says “I’m an Emergency Medicine doctor and I work at UCLA for the past 15 years” So we talk more in depth about how I’m trying to go to med school and he tells me how he just started this Med-tech company and because I’m used to taking tests, “why don’t you come over to the office and do some quality assurance/beta testing on the ultrasound simulator…”

Thus begins my mini, 1 year career working for SonoSim, Inc. Being in that start-up environment where 9-5 is unheard of and 1 position equals 5, was the best experience of my life. It taught me how to actually work hard and made me responsible for the progression of a company where others depend on you and if you fail, the entire team/business fails. All this combined with a lot of ultrasound scanning made for the best med school prep I could’ve hoped for. It also gave me a close look into the world of emergency medicine, which is likely why I went for EM over Surgery in the end.

***Advice #1: Always say yes to new opportunities, the smallest door can change your life.

 

 

What specialties did you apply to? What attracted you to emergency medicine and surgery?

I double applied to Emergency Medicine and General Surgery, no back ups in Internal Medicine/Family Med etc. I’m an ADD, instant gratification, need challenges type of guy and I know that I would never find happiness in other specialties. I also love using my hands so I needed a specialty that was heavy on procedures. As many of my friends and wonderful girlfriend can attest to, I struggled immensely deciding between Surgery and EM. I applied to both realizing that I would love both for different reasons: EM would provide enough procedures and diagnostic challenge with great lifestyle. Surgery would be all procedures and the fulfillment of definitive care. Also, I still personally believe Surgery is slightly more intellectually stimulating/challenging than EM (says the EM resident lol).

***Advice #2: Introspection, knowing yourself, is the key to every life decision.

 

 

How many programs did you end up applying to? How many EM? Categorical? Prelim? What was your reasoning for that number of programs?

I applied to every single Emergency Medicine program in the country, some 180+ programs. I applied to about 100 general surgery programs and every prelim position at those programs as well. It cost upwards of $6,000 JUST. TO. APPLY.

Was it worth it? YES. For most, you are already in debt; the only thing that matters is that you give yourself the best chance possible to get a residency. Obviously, be realistic about your résumé, scores, personality, etc.

***Advice #3: You end up in the place your supposed to be. Trust the process.

 

 

How many interviews did you go on for each specialty?

EM: 8, Gen Surg: 3, Pre-lim: 2. I went to every interview I got, it was logistically difficult and expensive. I flew across the country about 5 times. Again, you’re a “foreign” graduate; you have to take every opportunity possible. The statistics and amount of people applying for certain specialties are in flux every year, so advice doesn’t hold true year-to-year. My interview excel sheet is below.

***Advice #4: You are never too good for a certain place or program. Be humble.

 

 

How did you end up ranking the programs? (Surgery higher than EM? Better the program the higher it went regardless of surgery or EM?)

It’s a combination of things. I really wanted to be close to home in California so I ranked those programs first, it was just a bonus that those programs had everything I wanted as well. UConn had everything the California programs had and I absolutely loved the leadership and residents, more than any other place I went.

Jackson Memorial was a gamble because the program is brand new, but you can’t beat the patient pathology/experience. The Detroit programs are amazing, well established programs, also with great patient pathology. I was really impressed with Detroit and would have been grateful to go there as well. I only ranked one Surgery program higher than some EM because I would’ve been happier with those people doing surgery than the others doing EM. Like everyone says, it’s a feeling during the interview that really sets your decision.

Below is the excel sheet of my interviews/dates/ranks

I ranked them:

1) Stanford Univ: EM

2) UCSF-Fresno: EM

3) UConn: EM

4) Jackson Memorial: EM

5) St. John: EM

6) DMC-Sinai Grace: EM

7) Cleveland Clinic – Florida: Gen Surg

8) Crozer Chester: EM

9) Lehigh Valley: EM

– The rest of Gen Surg

– Prelims

***Advice #5: Trust your gut.

 

 

Any crazy stories from the interview trail?

Noone I interviewed with ever passed out or threw up, but I heard one good story.

Apparently the year before at one of the hospitals an applicant for Emergency Medicine got so drunk at the meet-n-greet the night before, he blacked out, got alcohol poisoning and ended up in the hospital. The kicker is that the next morning when the applicants were getting the tour of the Emergency Department, he was passed out in one of the ED beds with an IV, recovering…

Needless to say, don’t be that guy.

***Advice #6: Don’t let your insecurities steer you into bad decisions.

 

 

What did you find to be the most frustrating part of the interview process?

Simply the cost. It’s hard to justify applying to so many places. A lot of people hedge their bets and apply only to places with a history of taking foreign grads, but you just never know. I pulled every string I could, called acquaintances, went to conferences to network, and tried everything I could. Now I’m at a program that usually never took Ross grads and I had interviews in places I would’ve never expected.

It’s a numbers game in the end; you want your face and résumé in as many hands as possible.

***Advice#7: Never give up because the feeling of comfort can be dangerous.

 

 

Do you feel that coming from a Caribbean medical school hindered your chances to match in one of the more competitive specialties?

Absolutely, 100% yes. It’s just the reality of the situation and you have to make the best of it. Interviewing in California as an IMG, likely means I would have easily been accepted as a US-grad. Everyone will ask on interviews “Why Ross/Caribbean and how was your experience?” The answer is always “It made me more resilient, hardworking and appreciative.”

I was very bitter about this fact for a long time, if you’re like me, my advice is to just let it go. You have to make peace with this because people will feel your animosity and energy during the interview, which will never end well. If you’ve made it into the match, then by definition you have worked your butt off and don’t let anyone make you feel any different.

***Advice #8: Be a politician. Being able to spin your story might make or break you. Practice.

 

 

What do you think were your greatest strengths about your application? What set you apart from the other applicants?

I think my work experience and ultrasound research were really the 2 things that set me apart. I had really great letters of rec for Emergency med. I even had my old boss before med school write me a letter, remember he’s an ER doc at UCLA so his input was relevant. Besides the other 2 SLOEs (specific EM letters you need to apply in EM) I had the Ob/Gyn Program Director who I did ultrasound research with during my 3rd year write me a letter as well.

Letters of Rec are extremely important; on almost every interview people mentioned the letters. Its one of the only ways for programs to get an idea of who you really are, your work ethic, your personality, etc. For surgery, I had few interviews and I think this is a direct correlation to weaker more generic letters of rec in surgery. I was also only able to do 1 real surgery sub-I before applications, which hurt as well.

***Advice #9: Tell your story, figure out what part of your story is interesting, and let others give you feedback.

 

 

In contrast, what were your greatest weaknesses about your application?

I think my greatest weakness was the places I did Sub-I’s and away rotations. All my EM rotations were within the Ross network: 2 in Chicago at Mt. Sinai, and 1 in LA at California hospital. I would have had more interviews if I had set up better away rotations. It’s important to do Non-affiliate rotations. I have friends from other foreign med schools with similar scores and resumes that had 15+ interviews because they did a lot of away rotations and set them up early. Most places will give you a curtsy interview, but if you do well there, they will definitely consider you for a real spot. Again, you have to spin your story: I had great experiences from my rotations, inner city ED’s are very similar and an important exposure to have.

***Advice #10: Be informed about the process and plan ahead.

 

 

How did you do on the USMLE’s? What were your step scores? Do you think your step scores negatively/positively affected the number of interviews your received?

Step 1: 237, Step 2: 252, CS: Pass

Clearly these scores are critically important. For EM, 220 range might keep your application from going in the trash. But remember, the program coordinators are just clicking check boxes for criteria. If you call a program with any legitimate reason that you want to go there (i.e. spouse, family, I like snow, you guys look cool, my grandma’s brother’s daughter’s dog can’t live without me, whatever) they will pull your application out of the trash and look, hopefully. Have people make calls for you and never be afraid to call yourself and ask.

***Advice #11: Nothing beats a personal touch to create an empathetic connection. People will work harder for you if they feel connected.

 

 

What advice would you give to other international medical graduates who want to pursue residency in emergency medicine?

Work and study hard. Do many non-affiliate away rotations. Get your SLOEs in early. Go to ACEP and SAEM and get at least 3 program directors emails. Follow up! This is not the time to be shy but of course there is a balance and “business etiquette.” Be direct and if possible a little playful and funny. In the end, and maybe most importantly, these people have to like you and want to work with you.

***Advice #12: Regardless of what happens (match, no match, prelim or dream job) it’s a life long journey in medicine and you will end up in the right place.

 

 

Wow Ami (Ah-mee), thanks for a great interview and some amazing advice.

 

Subscribe and check back next week for an entertaining interview with another Caribbean graduate who matched into Physical Management & Rehabilitation!

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Spotlight Interview: a family medicine resident who failed step 1

Emily Chan is a Ross University graduate who successfully matched into her top choice residency program. However, it wasn’t an easy route to residency. As a Canadian citizen she could only apply to programs that would sponsor her visa. Oh and she also failed USMLE step 1. Here’s her story.

As a close friend, I know you pretty well. Can you tell my followers a little bit about yourself? Who are you professionally? Who are you outside of the hospital?

I’m from the beautiful area of Niagara Falls, Canada. True to stereotype, I am polite, love maple syrup, and say “eh” often. I received my Bachelor’s in biomedical sciences at the University of Montréal – in French.

Professionally, I am a hard worker and a team player. I show up to the office or the hospital with a smile and do my best. People have described me as a problem solver because I will come up with quick solutions for anything.

Outside of the hospital, I indulge in my hobby of cooking and baking. Nothing makes me happier than sharing good homemade food with friends. I also attempt, with varying degrees of success, to justify my paid gym membership even though I hate working out.

You matched into your top choice family medicine program. That’s an amazing accomplishment. Why did you choose to apply to family medicine?

Thank you! It is the most amazing feeling. I knew since I was 12 years old that I wanted to be a family doc. I’ve always loved talking to people and listening to stories about themselves, their families, and their lives. I believe that every personality fits in a certain branch of medicine. How will you know? Trust me, you’ll just feel it, you’ll know. Family medicine was my perfect fit.

Where are you from originally? Did you want to match in the US or Canada? Did you experience any extra hardships trying to match in American programs as a Canadian?

As a Canadian, I knew the odds were not in my favour across the board. Many factors influenced my choice to not pursue a Canadian residency. Canada made it very difficult for me to apply (poor matching stats, inconvenient availability of mandatory tests, and difficulty to obtain Canadian electives). I felt that if my own country made it so challenging for me to come back, then I wasn’t going to put up a fight. Instead, I concentrated all my energy to match in the US. I am very glad my strategic gamble paid off. Yes, you face discrimination because as a resident you will require a visa. I was ineligible to apply to many programs because they did not want to deal with the headache of visas. Disappointing, sure, but I don’t blame them.

Speaking of hardships, I remember the day that we all received our step one scores. You and I, along with three close friends of ours, were living together in Florida. I remember the moment when you came downstairs from your room and told us what every medical student dreads to even think of. That you failed step one. What happened? Why do you think you failed? Were you doing poorly in school? Did it come as a shock to you?

Oh that dreadful day… It was awful! I was so glad to be surrounded by friends like you when I found out I failed. You all rallied around me in a big group hug and reassured me that everything was going to be ok.

Failing Step 1 was a huge blow and I did not expect it at all. Granted, I’m not the strongest student so by no means did I expect to have a stellar score. I just expected to pass. So when I learned I was a few points shy of passing, I was crushed. I had done fine in school up to that point. I never failed any tests on the island, never repeated a semester, and I even passed the comp on the first try. Everything suggested that I’d be fine.

In hindsight, I realized what I thought was enough preparation for the test ended up being insufficient. To tackle Step 1 a second time around, I had to prepare more than ever before.

What was step 2 CK like for you? What steps did you take to make sure you didn’t make the same mistakes again?

Step 2 CK was definitely better than Step 1. I will say, all the self-doubting and insecurities resurfaced when I was prepping for Step 2. I spent 6 months studying and even delayed my test till October – meaning I applied to match without a CK score. As anyone and everyone will tell you, it’s best to apply to match with a full and complete application but mine lacked the CK. It was a risk I was willing to take. I absolutely could not afford to fail a second USMLE exam. Aside from doubling the time I dedicated to study, I got weekly tutor help to go over questions on UWorld that I got wrong. I also made sure that I took plenty of practice tests.

How many programs did you end up applying to? How many categorical? How many preliminary? How many interviews did you end up going on?

I applied to every single FM program in the US for which I was qualified. All categorical, no prelim. I spent a little over $3,100 on my 140+ applications. In the end, I only had 2 interviews. Yes, you read that right, two interviews. One interview was where I did all my core rotations in 3rd year. I got the other interview because I clicked well with residents from that program while attending the AAFP National Conference. I knew from the get go that on paper I was less than stellar so I worked hard on networking. I attended family medicine residency fairs like it was going out of style. In 12 months, I attended 3 residency conferences.

What was match day like for you?

Every medical student will tell you that match day is a nerve-wracking day, and for me, it was no different. I was hoping to match but I also mentally prepared myself that there was a good chance I would not match. When I learned that I successfully matched, I cried tears of joy and relief. Knowing that I beat the odds was the most incredible feeling. It validated all the people along the way who believed in me and said I would make it. I now had proof that outside people (not just family and friends) believed I was worthy of pursuing this profession.

I know we’ve talked a lot about a major weakness in your application but what do you think were your greatest strengths about your application? What set you apart from the other applicants?

Academia has never been my forte. I knew clinical years were my time to shine. It’s what I do best; it’s where I feel most comfortable. I worked diligently and was rewarded with A’s in all my core and elective rotations, except surgery. I genuinely connected with my attendings and they wrote me beautiful letters of recommendation. My strong LORs were undoubtedly a key component to my match success. I’ve always been a people person so interviews came naturally to me. When applying to medical schools, I had 4 interviews and was accepted to all 4. I knew I had strong interview skills. I harnessed that same energy and left my 2 residency interviews feeling confident.

The fact that you failed step one, the proverbial kiss of death to any applicant’s dream of obtaining a residency, but still managed to match into your top choice family medicine program is quite an accomplishment. In closing, what advice would you give to a medical student who failed or didn’t do well on step one?

I want people reading this to say to themselves, if she can match her top choice in her dream specialty with a 203 Step 1 score, a 215 Step 2 score, and only 2 interviews, I can do it too. One failure does not define you. You will encounter people along the road who will encourage you to quit medicine (one of my Ross professors counseled me to pursue non medical careers) or take time off (I was strongly encouraged to delay my graduation date and my match by a year) or give up all together. Take all that advice as fuel to prove them wrong.

Thank you Emily for bravely sharing your inspirational story. You are proof that it is possible to fail USMLE step 1 and still earn a residency. I’m sure it was an emotionally tumultuous path and taught you a lot about yourself along the way.

—

UPDATE: Unfortunately due to the high volume of requests to speak with Dr. Chan I can no longer forward her private email. If you have questions for her please comment below. After sufficient questions have been posted we plan to release an updated blog post with the most frequently asked questions. Thank you for your understanding.

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Spotlight Interview: a pediatric resident who also applied to OB/GYN

I sat down with Zack Manier, a Ross University School of Medicine graduate from St. Louis, who will be starting the first of his three year pediatrics residency at The Children’s Hospital at St. Peter’s University Hospital in New Brunswick, NJ. He is the first interview in a series of blog posts that will shine a light on the match process.

 

Tell us a little bit about yourself. Who are you professionally? Who are you outside of the hospital?

Let’s see…I grew up in a typical Midwest suburb outside of St. Louis, MO. I was one of those 4.5 GPA kids who could study the morning of with little effort and get an A and was in every AP class you could think of. I was a big band and orchestra nerd (hey, it was the cool thing at my school! We had football players in marching band, okay?) but a beach bum at heart. I love the sun and the sand, and can’t get enough of the ocean. I got out of the Midwest and moved to the Sunshine State for undergraduate, completing my BS in psychology at the University of Central Florida in Orlando.

Professionally, I feel like I’m empathic and relatable with my patients, and definitely a good listener. I consider myself more common-sense and witty knowledgeable than book smart, and am most definitely not a gunner. I am not afraid to speak out when I know something and will not back down if I know I am correct, but I am a team player and refuse to make others look bad for personal gain, as so many do (you will come to unfortunately find out).

 

How did you end up at Ross University?

That last-minute study mentality caught up to me in my science classes in college, causing me to not be accepted to medical school the first time I applied (study hard, kids!). I had not considered nor heard about Caribbean schools and was looking into go down unda’ to Australia for school, when I discovered the “big three” Caribbean schools. Because they accepted year-round applications, and I did not want to delay starting medical school another year, I decided to apply. I applied in April, interviewed in May, and was accepted to all three in June for the August class. I went with my gut and chose Ross University, and I couldn’t be happier with my decision. My eternal wanderlust and love of the tropics had me going to the right place.

 

What residency specialties did you apply to? How did you come to choose them?

Pediatrics and OB/GYN and I ended up matching into pediatrics. It was always pediatrics from the start, and my core rotation confirmed that. I was actually dreading OB/GYN (as most medical students do). It was my last core rotation; my attending told me, “You’re not going to be a pediatrician. I’m going to make you an OB/GYN by the end of this.” I highly doubted her, but she was right. She was amazing, and working side-by-side with her opened my eyes to the world of OB/GYN. I think it completely depends on your core experience…I had a friend who had a HORRIBLE OB/GYN core, so she hated it. I probably would have never come to love OB/GYN if I was in her situation. I can fully say that Dr. McDonald at AMC single-handedly kindled my love for OB/GYN.

So I ended up applying to both because I had a genuine interest in both. I would have been happy with either. Neither was a backup.

 

How many programs did you end up applying to? What was your reasoning for that number of programs?

I applied to 75 pediatrics programs and 50 OB/GYN programs, so 125 total. Some may say that’s a small number, especially within the individual specialties…they’re probably right. I felt I was less competitive for OB/GYN, hence the lower number of programs. Basically, I went to every program’s site and added it to my list as long as I met their requirements listed. I then removed any programs I knew I definitely did NOT want to go to, whether based on location or other things I found on their sites. That landed me at roughly 125. I’m also super anal/obsessive-compulsive, so applying to 126 or 124 would have driven me nuts (aka not a rounded number). I know, maybe that’s not the time to act that way, but I can’t help it. So I may have tacked on or removed one here or there. In the end, I was comfortable with that amount of programs and amount of money I was spending. I never once felt I over- or under-applied.

 

How many interviews did you receive in each field?

I received six pediatrics interviews and four OB/GYN interviews. Whoa! That’s not very many! No, it’s not (see below). But hey, they say if you have 10 interviews, you’ll basically match. Checkmark. Plus, I know people who matched with way less than me and people who didn’t match with more than me. Don’t let it get you down.

Of note—I only ended up going to 9/10 interviews. The more I looked into one of them, the more I felt it wasn’t for me. Yeah, canceling an interview when I had so few may be crazy, but hey…why spend extra money and time on a program you have no interest in? How do you know you don’t like a program? I can’t tell you that…you just do. It’s just a feeling you get. I was confident enough with how my interviews had been going that I didn’t think I needed that one.

 

How did you end up ranking the programs? (looking at the perspective of why you ranked a pediatric program higher or lower than an OB/GYN program)

I sincerely ranked my programs based on the programs themselves (and partly based on location). I was not going in ranking one specialty higher or lower. As soon as I returned from an interview, I inserted it into a list appropriately based on comparison with previous interviews. You just get a “feeling” when you’re there.

One program was already lacking in pre-interview communication, so I already had a bad taste, and ten minutes into the interview, I knew it was not for me. It was so bad that I considered not ranking it at all. I ended up ranking it just because I really felt I would not end up there (and I didn’t), but I ranked it very last, and even that was a struggle.

My top choice happened to be OB/GYN (so I obviously didn’t match my top choice), but that was solely because it was a new program that I felt was amazing, and it was in the south (no snow, hell yeah!). It was Atlanta, to be exact, where I had done my cores and a city I fell in love with.

One program was pretty amazing, but the location was so rural that I didn’t think I would even enjoy any free time I did get. It just didn’t meet my lifestyle needs. Even the residents said that they flew somewhere every chance they got, even if it was just a weekend. I ranked it lower on my list because of that.

If you must know, they ended up ob—ob—peds—peds—peds—ob—peds—peds—ob. Completely mixed, like I said. That’s based on things like program directors, attendings, residents, schedules, various opportunities, and the overall feeling I had at each program.

At the end of the day, I said I would be happy if I matched within my top five, which I did. I am excited about the future, and feel like I ended up exactly where I was meant to be. (But we can follow up on this in a year lol)

 

What was the most challenging aspect of applying to two different fields?

Definitely writing two personal statements! This is so critical…you can’t really even tweak one to fit the other specialty. Okay, maybe you could for internal medicine and family medicine, but definitely not my two specialties. It was a lot of extra time.

Keeping track of what type of program I was at was also key. There are two ways you can go about it…the honest, “I’m applying to [insert specialty] also,” or the not-so-honest “I love [insert specialty] and am only applying to it.” I went with the latter. I was confident enough that my interviews were not going to overlap or affect each other, so why put any doubts in a program’s mind? As far as I’m concerned, treat each program you interview at like it’s your top choice and you are so excited to be there, and give everyone you meet that same impression.

Originally, there was also the concern of “What if I get interviews for both specialties at the same hospital?” I decided I would deal with that if/when the time came, but, fortunately for me, that never happened. I can’t give any advice on what to do there except to go with your gut and be prepared to deal with the consequences, whether good or bad…you don’t want to get caught in a lie.

 

Any crazy stories from the interview trail?

So, one OB/GYN program (that awesome but rural one), we were each supposed to have three 30 minute interviews. Someone cancelled last minute, so a few of us got an extra interview. Lucky me, I ended up with four 30 minute interviews. TWO HOURS OF INTERVIEWS?! I thought that was crazy. To top it all off, one of them had me suture during the interview, and another had me do laparoscopy WHILE asking me interview questions. Good thing I can multi-task! Side note, we were also given an article about REI ahead of time and told to read/be prepared to discuss it…only the program director was asking about it, and I didn’t have an interview with him. So I basically read it just for fun.

I was also told in advance that one pediatrics program I was interviewing at basically just pimped the entire time and that several people came out crying. Although I did hear that some people were asked medical questions depending on the interviewer while I was there, I was not. So, do not believe everything you hear or get worked up/nervous in advance over something. Just be confident with yourself. I did have two interviewers there though…one lasted 45 minutes, and she just grilled me on if I think Caribbean schools are akin to US schools, and whether or not our USMLE step scores reflect that. Okay? Whatever. My second interview was the assistant program director and basically told me my file looked good and she would be happy to have me, and I was done in five minutes, no questions asked.

The program I said I almost didn’t rank? Basically, everything was bad. Too much to type. But let’s just say that it was an OB/GYN program, and the resident who was giving us the tour had wanted pediatrics, but ended up in OB/GYN (don’t ask me how that happened). On our tour, we passed the pediatrics group, and he said, “Hey peds, have fun! It’s a great program…unlike the OB/GYN program.” Um…ok. That sealed the deal. If your own residents are bad-mouthing your program to prospective residents…not a good sign.

Finally, you will run into “talkers”—people who talk themselves up way more than they should just to feel good about themselves and make you feel worse. Ignore them. You can tell who they are. I had heard about one girl who I had not yet had the pleasure of meeting yet on the trail, until I finally ended up at an interview with her. I knew right away it was her. She poopooed on anyone who went to a foreign school and acted like she came from the Ivy League, even though she was simply at an average run of the mill Midwest med school. She was also reapplying, as she didn’t match her first time applying to OB/GYN. She was gloating about how she now had over 60 interviews but couldn’t find the time. “I had a program call me last week and say they really want me but just don’t have an interview slot.” Bullshit. That’s how you know. You don’t go from not matching to 60+ interviews in your year off. You’re not Mother Teresa. Ignore those people, please.

 

What were your greatest weaknesses about your application?

My biggest weaknesses, I felt, were my step scores, without a doubt. I was actually surprised at how many interviewers told me my scores were just fine, but who knows if they were just saying that. I didn’t really get grilled about them at all. I found most people want to get to know you for you…they’re already past what is on paper. So focus on that in your interviews. I did feel, however, that my scores limited me in the application phase, as I didn’t meet score requirements for some programs here and there. That’s when scores really matter…they will get you more interviews.

 

In contrast, what do you think were your greatest strengths about your application?

My biggest strengths? Everything else. I had all A’s in my cores and electives (which led to a strong MSPE), and I had STRONG letters of recommendation. Almost every (if not all) program complimented me on my letters. Those rec letters are so important…scores/grades are just numbers on a page, but letters tell the program who you are and how you work. I also feel that I’m a strong writer, and I was pretty pleased with my personal statements. I was only asked about them occasionally. Finally, thankfully I had a pass on CS and I improved from Step 1 to Step 2, which are both critical, especially with weaker scores.

 

You’ve already given a lot of great advice but many of my readers will still ask, how did you do on the USMLE’s? What were your step scores? Do you think your step scores negatively/positively affected the number of interviews your received?

I kind of touched on this above, but as for the scores: 217 on Step 1, 222 on Step 2, and first-time pass on CS. Why? I don’t think I put as much effort into studying for them as I should have. Based on my school’s exams/shelf exams/GPA, most would’ve thought I would’ve done much better. I expected higher scores and was disappointed with them, but there’s nothing you can do at that point except make sure the rest of your application is strong, which I did. I do think it affected the number of interviews I received…I obviously would have received more with higher scores. Many programs filter initially solely on Step 1 scores…even though you may meet their online requirements, they eventually have to filter out people once they receive so many applications. My saving grace was CS and the score improvement between steps, no matter how small the jump. Just don’t go down!

 

Lastly, what advice would you give to other Caribbean and/or American medical graduates who want to pursue a career in pediatrics?

Obviously you want to do well in your pediatrics core, but don’t slack in the others! An A in pediatrics and a B in everything would be the same as a B in pediatrics and an A in everything else. You need to be well rounded. Pediatrics is basically all the adult specialties combined into one, just for little people.

Strive for an A in your pediatrics rotation, and go above and beyond to make sure you can get a STRONG letter from your attending. However, if you end up having a bad pediatrics core, do not let that deter you from pediatrics or make you feel like you have to choose another specialty. Just make up for it in pediatrics electives.

Speaking of electives, take pediatrics electives and take them early. Get letters from each attending, even if you think you have enough…you can never have too many! Your application is due in September, so only electives up until then will appear on your application. I made sure to take my pediatrics and OB/GYN electives prior to that. After I submitted my application, I just took easy/blah electives so I could focus on interview season…they don’t really matter THAT much, after all (especially when you just can’t wait to be done with school).

Think long and hard about why you want to go into pediatrics. Convey that in your personal statement. Don’t lie. The most common interview question is “Why [insert specialty]?” You need to be able to convey to the interviewers that pediatrics is where you belong and what you’re meant to do. Don’t half-ass anything.

Join the American Academy of Pediatrics, and try to go to a conference. I didn’t make it to one because of my schedule, but even membership shows interest and dedication, and you’ll be ahead of the game.

Finally, try to get some inpatient experience. Many foreign schools don’t have a lot of inpatient pediatrics opportunities, so if not in your core, try to find an inpatient elective…a non-affiliate if necessary. I’m going in with only one week of inpatient experience, and that was in the NICU. I was questioned about it twice (I think) throughout my interviews, but I had a good answer/explanation prepared, and my interviewers seemed to like my response. I’ve been reading and studying a lot, but I can only imagine inpatient experience will only help better prepare you for residency.

 

Wow, thank you Zack for sharing your story about your route to a pediatrics residency. I look forward to hearing about your intern year in the months to come.

Next in the Spotlight Series will be an interview with an unmatched surgical applicant. Scroll down and subscribe below so you don’t miss out!

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The Residency Interview- like dating, but worse!

Residency interviews are like a series of first dates only worse. Unfortunately, you can’t have your friend call you to bail you out because you’re not enjoying yourself. You have to sit through each powerpoint presentation on why each residency program is far superior to all the rest and pretend like you haven’t heard the same spiel from every other program. Here’s some advice on how to excel on your residency interviews.

 

 

1. Be the best version of yourself

When I asked my dad for advise before my first interview he said, ‘just be yourself’. I looked back at him incredulously and he corrected himself by adding, ‘maybe just tone it down a little bit’. This could also easily be titled ‘hide the crazy’. Be yourself but don’t come on too strong. Be the person your dog thinks you are.

 

 

2. Know what you want…and share the important details

I wanted a residency program with a strong cardiology program in a big city in the northeast. Sure, I left out the ‘northeast’ part when I interviewed in Pittsburgh and Miami. And it was a little awkward when I mentioned my interest in pursuing cardiology to the one program that didn’t have my desired fellowship. Kind of like the time I met a Tinder date at my favorite Brooklyn hipster bar only to learn that she ‘doesn’t drink’. My point being that you should know what is important to you and know what is a deal breaker. Just don’t shoot yourself in the foot in the process.

 

 

3. Have interests outside of medicine

It really doesn’t matter what hobbies you have. You can be a tequila aficionado, coffee connoisseur, or an amateur chef. Sure, on a medical residency interview its good to mention your interests and long-term goals in medicine but it gets old after a while. Just think how many other applicants talk about how much they love saving lives. We get it. You want to be a doctor. Just remember to show them who you are outside of what is inside your application.

 

 

4. Prepare for the most commonly asked questions

This shouldn’t have to be mentioned but I’m going to do so anyway. Your interview day should not be the first time you think of your answer for the most frequently asked questions like (1) tell me about yourself, (2) where do you see yourself in 10 years, (3) what would you have done in life if you didn’t pursue medicine, (4) why this specialty, (5) what are your biggest weaknesses/strengths. Talk these out with your friends. You don’t need to memorize your answer. In fact, don’t. It will sound memorized. Just make a few bullet points about things you want to mention.

 

 

5. Use every question as an opportunity to sell yourself

I’m not sure if you knew this or not but sometimes during the presidential debates the candidate doesn’t always answer the question they were asked. They use the question as an opportunity to talk about something important that they want to convey. You should do the same with your interview. For instance, on one interview I was asked ‘if you could be any type of animal, what type of animal would you be?’. There wasn’t one right answer but there are certainly wrong answers. I said, ‘a bee’. After the interviewer looked at me funny I explained ‘bees are intelligent animals proficient at fulfilling their individual tasks for the betterment of the hive much like how in medicine each specialty must work together and communicate effectively for the betterment of the patient’. This specific answer might be catered to internal medicine and the primary specialties so it might not go over so smoothly on an orthopedic surgery interview but you get the idea.

 

 

6. Make them remember what you said, not how you dressed

How you dress is kind of like your personal statement. You just want it to keep you par with the other applicants. You have very little to gain by being risky with both your personal statement and how you dress but unfortunately a lot to lose by trying to show off. Blend into the background of black and grey suits or skirts and laugh when the program director makes  the old joke ‘oh wow, a colorful bunch!’.

 

7. Send a ‘thank you’ after the interview

Many programs told me about a study that showed many applicants changed their rank order list based on post-interview communications. As such, most programs have a strict ‘business only’ communication after the interview. This means that they will answer questions that you have about their program but shouldn’t tell you much more than that. Regardless, send a thank you e-mail. Hand written letters are okay too. After each interview remember to write down something memorable that you talked about so you can include ‘I enjoyed discussing what we would do with our lottery winnings. Do you mind sharing with me where that elephant sanctuary was in Thailand that you recommended?’ (Yes, this actually happened. The interview went pretty well).

 

8. Take notes after the interview and keep a running rank list

Each program begins to blend together after each interview. Make note of important things you like and dislike about each one. You’d be surprised at how good/bad some hospital cafeterias are.

 

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Medical Student Sunday Interview with Daily Medicine

The following interview was originally published on Daily Medicine, a blog full of quotes, ideas, lists, and general knowledge. Check it out for your daily dose of medicine!

In the first “Medical Student Sunday” of 2016, Daily Medicine Blog welcomes fourth year medical school student Marc Katz! Many of you have asked me for a look into a Caribbean medical school and now the chance has come to meet a great student from Ross University. Soon he will be matching into a residency spot and I can not wait to congratulate him. Until then, peek into his life through this candid interview:

 

Who are you to the world?

I’m a first generation American born to South African immigrants, a fourth year medical student currently finishing up my last few interviews for residency in internal medicine with plans to pursue a fellowship in cardiology. I also run a blog, MyKatz, where I advice pre-med and medical students about the hidden curriculum of medical school and try and teach others through my mistakes and experiences. My hope is that I can one day I can use my blog as a medium to educate my patients and expand their understanding of disease, health, and wellness. When I’m not in the hospital or library you can find me playing basketball at the gym, playing Call of Duty, finding a new show to watch, or reading a new book in the park. Right now I’m finishing up Scar Tissue by Anthony Kiedis and the next book on my list is The Man in the High Castle. My cousins told me that the show the book is based on is really good so I want to try and read it before I watch it. It’s the same way that I got into Game of Thrones. Except for GoT I binge watched the first two seasons and then didn’t want to wait for the next season to come out next year so I just read the books instead.

 

What has been your journey to medical school? (Were you a traditional or non-traditional student? Did you always want to be a doctor? Etc)

I went straight from undergrad at SUNY- Binghamton to Ross University School of Medicine. I didn’t realize I truly wanted to pursue medicine until my junior year of college so unfortunately my GPA was ever so slightly below average when I was applying. Ross accepted me for the fall semester so I jumped at the opportunity to start my medical career.

Although my grandfather was a well-respected pediatric surgeon in South Africa I was never really pressured into pursuing medicine. It just kind of happened. I blame the years of watching ER growing up. Fun fact, Christiaan Barnard, the man who performed the first successful human-to-human heart transplant in the world, was my grandfather’s resident!

 

What is it like attending a Caribbean medical school? (A lot of students ask me this and I would love a more detailed answer to this particular question)

I loved attending Ross University! It was an amazing experience to study abroad in such a beautiful country. Sure, we had some annoyances. Dominica’s water filtration system was gravity. So when it rained heavily it would trudge up mud and our water would be turned off. I remember walking home from the gym and it started to pour. Lo and behold when I got home I had no running water. Luckily I prepared for this situation and I had a nice shower with bottled water the day before my exam. But it’s not all bad. My strongest memories are those spent with the friends I made on the island. Attending medical school in Dominica is like going to war because only those who experience it can truly understand what it’s like. I spent almost every waking moment with the friends I made on that island for four semesters straight. I seriously wouldn’t have gotten through medical school without my island family and I’ll love them forever for it. Just please don’t tell them I said that. It would be sooo embarrassing if they knew.

 

To you, what is the hardest part of medical school?

Hell, where should I begin? I almost appreciated being on a literal and figurative island during my first two years of med school. We had no distractions and nothing to do besides study…and maybe drink. So focusing on my studies wasn’t difficult but figuring out how to study was. It took me a few weeks to realize how I study best and it was my first major hurdle in medical school. It’s also been the basis of a few blog posts I’ve authored, like How To Study In Medical School, because of how important it is during any graduate education. The next part, actually studying, is even worse.

You have an average of five to six hours of lecture material every day followed by five to six hours of studying every day. It sucks and there is no shortcut. Thankfully I’m a huge nerd and I enjoyed learning about most of the material, but let’s be real…nobody actually enjoys memorizing the enzymatic steps of the Kreb’s cycle.

 

What is a normal day like for a 4th year medical school student?

I actually wrote a blog post about the day to day life of a third year which you can check out here, The Day To Day Schedule of a Third Year, but I’ve never been asked about fourth year before because there really is no ‘normal day’ of a fourth year medical student. The day-to-day life of a fourth year really depends on the rotation and the individual. I’m willing to bet someone who is going into a surgical residency might have a completely different clinical schedule than I do. I wanted to tour everything internal medicine has to offer so my fourth year schedule has been cardiology, nephrology, hematology & oncology, a medicine sub-internship, gastroenterology, pulmonology, and I’ll be finishing up medical school with an HIV/AIDS elective. Some rotations work you hard and keep you long hours while others let you enjoy your last year of freedom before residency starts. So in that regard fourth year is kind of like third year…you’re just slightly less of an idiot.

Fourth year also includes interview season and it leaves you tired and drained during November and December. That being said, my fourth year has been my favorite year of medical school so far. I’m not constantly anxious about having to go study for step one or step two and there aren’t any more tests, just patients. So I finally get to be self-driven about studying and pursue learning about what interests me. I’m just really excited for residency to start. And for my trip to South East Asia with my friends before residency starts.

 

What is the best advice you ever received?

Never yell at the food staff before you get your food and always pay for your date’s meal. Though I have a feeling you meant it with regards to medicine. If that’s the case then I must admit that the best advice I’ve been given isn’t all that original. I distinctly remember two different people telling me the same advice for two different reasons.

As a third year I was growing frustrated in my attempts to impress my attending whom I wanted a strong letter of recommendation from. And as a fourth year on my medicine sub-internship I was growing frustrated by my patient’s family’s indifferent attitude about the medical care of their loved one. In both instances my roommate and senior resident, respectively, gave me the same advice that was applicable to both situations. They told me to provide and coordinate the best possible care for my patient.

Instead of trying to read my attending’s mind I simply focused on taking care of my patient. I did what I could to make someone feel better everyday. I learned that I can sleep at night knowing that at the end of the day I did everything in my power to take the best care of my patient to the best of my abilities.

 

What qualities in a shadowing pre-medical student impresses you? 

The most impressive pre-med students are those that are awake. Seriously, if you’ve got a heartbeat, a smile on your face, and a skip in your step then you’re already better than half the kids I’ve seen. I remember my favorite pre-med student that was shadowing a surgeon I was working with for the month. During surgery she would diligently write down notes about things she wanted to look up later. She would come back with information that she looked up and asked us follow up questions. When we were waiting for rooms to be cleaned she asked to go watch other surgeries. She showed us that she wanted to be there by being engaged. She was visibly excited to be there and it made my day more fun when she was around. They are the same values and characteristics that make for a good medical student. You can read more about what qualities in a shadowing pre-medical student impress me the most in my blog post, Premeds: How To Shadow Like a Boss.

 

What do you like to do for fun?

Does brunch count as a hobby? Well besides drinking coffee, Bloody Mary’s, and mimosas, I also like to visit my brother at Barclay’s Center where he works and try to go to as many Brooklyn Nets and Islander’s games as I can. I’m also currently trying to knock out my New York City bucket list just in case I don’t match here. By the way, turns out the MOMA closes at 5:30pm during the week in case you wanted to go. Made that silly mistake last week. Still trying to find time and someone to go to the top of One World Trade Center with.

 

Do you have a few tips for medical school students & premeds?

I have too many tips for medical students and premeds! I could preach for days about mistakes I’ve made en route to medical school and how to avoid them as well as how to succeed in medical school. But I do have one real piece of advice for premeds and medical students alike and its not going to be very popular with your friends or family. It is to be selfish. Nobody else is going to make your medical education as their number one priority. That is your job. You are going to miss birthdays, anniversaries, weddings, holidays, parties, and average day to day moments that your friends and family will spend together. You on the other hand should be in the library or hospital studying. As I’ve stated before in a post about The Match, you need a strong step score in order to get past residency program filters and the only thing standing in your way is you. So be selfish and go study.

That being said, if anyone reading this has a more specific questions you can always comment on my blog and ask me a question here or tweet at me at @MarcKittyKatz and I’ll do my best to get back to you as soon as I can!

 

If you are in a relationship, how do you handle balancing school and a committed relationship? 

I am probably the worst person to ask about this…because science is my lady. Just kidding! My life isn’t that sad. I am currently single but I can comment that having a relationship during medical school is totally doable. Tons of classmates of mine met their significant others on the island and during rotations. In my humble opinion, you just have to be honest with yourself and your partner about your med school obligations and make your relationship a priority. It’s just like when people say ‘they don’t have time to exercise’. Nobody in medical school has an extra hour or two in their day but you can make time to exercise and you can make time to date and have a relationship. You just have to make it a priority. I mean, it’s not like it’s going to get any easier in residency. And when in doubt, swipe right.