Tag: Step 2 CS

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What happens when you don’t match

What happens to medical students who don’t match? Here’s what one unmatched psychiatry applicant had to say.

 

Thanks for letting me interview you Steven. You have a pretty unique story that my readers would love to hear about but before we delve in can you tell us a little bit about yourself? Who are you professionally? Did you go straight from undergrad to Ross? Who are you outside of the hospital?

My pleasure, Marc. I appreciate the opportunity to share my story as I feel people can learn from any experience in this process, both good and bad. I graduated from NYU in 2010 with a Bachelor of Arts in Mathematics. After graduation, I had about six months before starting with Ross University’s MERP (Medical Education Review Program) and I knew I needed to make money. So I took a job that any medical school bound person takes – working in the jewelry and diamond industry. I did mostly bookkeeping but I also prepared orders for a wholesale company that dealt with Macy’s, JcPenney, Sears, HSN, QVC, etc. It taught me a lot about dealing with large staffs and it was a nice break away from the science and math world I had spent so much time with in undergrad.

Professionally, I’m the one making jokes in the office but I focus on the patient when I’m in the room. I like to be a reason people enjoy coming to work, because they know it’ll be fun and productive. On the same token, I’m also someone who isn’t afraid to call someone out for their BS because I expect someone to do the same to me if I ever act out of line. I also am one of the first people to teach someone how things run in the office, how to order labs, do procedures, etc. Not only do people feel comfortable if it’s a peer teaching them but it helps me better my skills as well.

 

 

What specialties did you apply for? How many programs in each specialty? What was your reasoning for that number of programs?

I applied to psychiatry, internal medicine, and internal medicine-psychiatry combined. For psychiatry, I applied to 76 programs. For internal medicine, I applied to 10. And for IM-psych, I applied to all 9 programs in the country. My step scores weren’t that competitive and there are only 196 psychiatry programs in the country. I went through each program on FREIDA and checked to see if I matched their step requirements. If I did, I tried to see who the residents were. If there were zero or one Caribbean grad in all the PGY positions, then I didn’t apply as I felt that that one particular Caribbean grad may have had a connection there or had stellar scores. Plus, why would I spend money on programs that were going to outright reject me?

For IM, I applied to where I had rotated and since I could apply up to 10 for one fee, I applied to some hospitals in the NY/NJ area (which is where I’m from). And for IM-psych programs, there were only 9 so it made the most sense to apply to all of them.

 

 

How many interviews did you end up receiving? How did you feel your chances were at matching?

Formally, I received three interviews, but in total, I ranked four positions. I received 2 for psychiatry and I was taken off the waitlist for 1 IM-psych program. All of them were university-based programs. At the IM-psych program, I had mentioned that I had also applied for a psychiatry categorical position at the same place and I wanted to know if I had to come back for another interview, which I was totally willing to do. Ten minutes after that mini-interview, I had an impromptu meeting with the program director of psychiatry and she told me that she will see what the other four interviewers had to say about me from that day and she would let me know if I needed to come back or not. Two weeks later, I’m notified that she had enough to consider me for a position. Throughout the next two months prior to match day, I had received several emails about how the psychiatry program is expanding and there’s new facilities and all these wonderful things. I didn’t think I was a shoo-in but I felt that maybe I had a great shot.

 

 

So, it’s Monday, March 14th. The day applicants find out if they matched. You open the e-mail and find out that you did not obtain a residency. What’s going through your head?

Before that day, I told myself whatever happens, happens. I actually slept well the night before! I was driving in Fort Lauderdale and taking care of some errands and I happened to look at my phone. For five seconds, I was completely numb. And then it hit me. My biggest fear came true. All that work, all that money, all the stress, and for what? Nothing.

*cue Kim Kardashian ugly crying*

I can honestly say that it is one of the most devastating experiences and I would not even wish it upon an enemy. The e-mail just says “you did not match”. Not even a “good morning” or “hey girl!” Just one line that says you’re not good enough to continue in your career. After quickly doing my errands and a few snot-filled tissues later, I sped home passing several cops on the way and began on SOAP.

Most of us aren’t familiar with the SOAP, or the Supplemental Offer & Acceptance Program. Can you walk us through your experience with it? (Here’s a link to the SOAP schedule for my readers)

SOAP is a chance for unmatched applicants to apply to unfilled spots in all fields of medicine. However, this means that you will have to come up with new personal statements in the matter of hours, which is exactly what I had to do for family medicine. As Markus said in a previous posting, the website was down and no one could send in applications (because like LOL, heaven forbid the ERAS website works when it needs to).

I spoke with a friend who match into IM the year before through SOAP and she guided me through the process while she was at work. She told me to apply to the IM prelim, IM categorical, and family med programs that had the MOST open spots. I had only 45 spots to pick from and I used 5 of them on psychiatry programs that were unfilled. Then I went through family medicine and internal medicine. In retrospect, I could’ve used those 5 on family medicine or IM spots but what’s done is done.

 

 

So on Monday you found out that you didn’t match. Then during the week you went through the SOAP.  Friday comes along and you find out that you didn’t SOAP into a residency. How did that feel?

By that point, I had already gone through the five stages of grief. Denial set in when I was in the car. Then anger when I was cursing at anyone on the road that was slowing me down from getting home (which is what I do on a regular basis and I’ve been trying to work on but YOU try driving on I-95 in Fort Lauderdale and Miami and tell me you don’t have road rage, but I digress…). Bargaining was SOAP. Depression set in when the 5th round of SOAP happened and I hadn’t received any offers. It continued for a week when all I saw on Facebook were my friends posting that they matched at their number one or number two choices. It wasn’t that I wasn’t happy for them. Every single one of us had a unique journey and even the people I didn’t like, I respected them enough in a professional sense to be proud that they get to continue their journey. It was more about the fact that I didn’t get to continue my journey with them.

Several months had passed and I hadn’t reached the acceptance stage of grief. It wasn’t until I went to the AAFP National Conference in Kansas City at the end of July that I had realized that I had been in the wrong field all this time. I realized within the first hour of the conference that I had such a wrong idea as to what family medicine and primary care entailed. There are so many opportunities for me as a family medicine doctor, whether it be to provide medical care for a whole family, work as a hospitalist, deal with mental health issues, or even perform procedures. After I didn’t match, I had told myself that something big was in store for me, and I finally believed it. Networking at the expo hall with the residency programs made me realize that I was a perfect fit for family medicine and that there are programs out there that WANT me. As I’m writing this, I can definitely say that I wasn’t supposed to match into psychiatry because I realized that I was meant to match into family medicine (I’m hoping). It feels good to be in that acceptance part of grief!

 

 

Why do you think you didn’t match? What were your step scores? Was your application particularly weak in any one specific area?

I had thought about not giving exact numbers here, but in all honesty, who cares? Step 1 was a 208, and step 2 CK was a 209 (yes, the EXACT passing score). Step 2 CS was a pass and everything was on the first try. I expected my Step 1 score but my CK was an absolute miracle. I had worked harder for CK than I did for step 1 and yet, I was not getting anywhere with my studying. I took a UWorld assessment two days before just to get more questions in and I had about 179. So in two days, my score JUMPED 30 points. (This is NOT a plan I recommend to ANYONE, by the way.) I know I’m a terrible test taker and that in rotations, I shined and my letters of recommendation reflected that.

In addition, I had failed one course in basic sciences, and THAT was a reason why a program didn’t take me. They were too worried that I may not pass step 3 (which I’ll go into below) and therefore, not be able to be licensed. However, my scores were good enough to get some interviews at university programs so I must have done SOMETHING right.

 

 

Do you think the fact that you attended a Caribbean medical school played a factor?

Not at all. The places I had interviewed at were very IMG friendly, as were the residencies I spoke with at the AAFP National Conference.

 

 

What do you plan to do while you wait to apply for the 2017 match?

I am currently a Clinical Teaching Fellow for Ross University. Some of my colleagues know it as “junior faculty” but teaching fellow is the formal title and you better believe I am using that on my CV. For those who don’t know what that is, my role is to act as a standardized patient for the incoming 3rd year medical students and assist other junior faculty in teaching how to handle difficult patients and certain common primary care cases, as well as how to begin to formulate an efficient style of medical interviewing. I also assist in Ross’s Ambulatory Care Competencies elective, where we prep the 4th year students for Step 2 CS by presenting cases and critiquing their notes.

Outside of Ross University, I tutor for Huntington Learning Center (which I have been doing since 4th year of med school), where I mostly do SAT/ACT math and high school subject tutoring in math as well. In addition, I’m getting my MBA in Health Services Management through Keller Graduate School of Management, which is one of the sister schools of Ross University. What’s great about that is that they have an “MD to MBA” program where I was able to get credit for 5 out of the 16 courses, so now I only need to complete 11 of them. In addition to working, I plan on taking Step 3 by the end of October. Needless to say, I only know one speed and it is full speed ahead.

 

 

How are you handling your loan debt?

Some of my loan debt could not be deferred or put into forbearance, so I have been paying that off. However, since starting grad school, I’ve been able to defer most of my loans while taking out more. Thanks, Uncle Sam!

 

 

What words of wisdom would you give to someone knowing what you know now?

Have plans A through Z ready to go from the jump. You don’t want to rely on them, but you want them ready if you have to execute them.

Go to as many networking conferences as you can. I know those things can cost money, but at the very least, go to the big ones run by the specialties to which you are applying.

But most importantly, it’s not a matter of “if” you become a resident, but rather it’s a matter of WHEN. 2016 was not my time and I realize that now. However, come 2017, I will be a better applicant and in a better frame of mind to continue on in the next chapter.

 

 

Thank you Steven for an informative and entertaining interview. I look forward to finding out where you match in 2017.

 

Next week I interview a Ross University graduate who matched into a categorical general surgery position. Be sure to subscribe to my blog, like me on Facebook, and follow me on Twitter so you don’t miss it!

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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.

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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.

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