03-24-2005, 08:33 AM
This post is for candidates like me with low scores or attempts or old grads.
I did not match last year, so I know what it feels like not to match and then desperately scramble to seek any position that is unfilled and not getting any of those.
It feels like the end of the world but it is just the beginning. I just want to share some of the things that prove to be helpful.
1. Start right now:
before u realize, it will be July again, ERAS will open and u will realize that nothing in ur application or resume has changed. Make sure that doesn™t happen.
2. Get USCE:
This is the number one, most important thing for most PDs next to the scores, some PDs will rank candidates with USCE and low scores higher than others with high scores. Its an arduous task to find opportunities to work in US clinical settings but not impossible. Get in touch with physicians around, faculty of departments u r interested in, email, call or go meet personally. Be persistent. This helps to get LORs and also understand the US clinical settings which proves to be advantageous at the time of interviews. It also helpful for step 3. Attend morning report, noon conferences, grand rounds if you are close to any hospital/university and interact with the program people.
3. Get certified:
If u r not certified already, this might be the number one thing to do, get the damn ecfmg certificate. Quite a few programs will preferably send interview calls to certified candidates and being certified is also a requirement to take the step 3.
4. Step 3:
Take it as soon as you can but make sure u pass it on the first try especially if you have attempts on step 1 or 2 or have low scores. Getting a good score on step 2 will put you above candidates with only step 1 and 2 scores.
5. Clinical/Basic Research:
This does help a little bit but not a whole lot. It helps candidates with good to excellent scores get into university programs. If you do research at a university, it will give you an opportunity to get in touch with the faculty there or the PDs of programs u r interested in and make them aware that u exist.
6. Application:
Request LORs well in advance. Get atleast 2 preferably 3 (if you send 4 LORs) from US doctors. Ask the writers if they will write atleast one page (2 paragraphs) about you. One of my LORs was just 5 lines and I think that hurt my application. As I had waived my right I didn™t realize that until I got to see my file at one of the interviews. Write a personal statement that reflects maturity and a thorough understanding of what you expect in residency. Sound practical and realistic. Explain low scores/attempts/gaps in career etc in one paragraph. Several books recommend not to do that but most PDs where I interviewed gave a positive feedback about such explanation. Remember ur personal statement is the only way to say what you want to say about yourself to get an interview. So be very original and minimally generic. Don™t read sample personal statements before you make ur first draft. Use samples only to improvise on urs.
7. Research Programs:
This is a vital step as randomly applying to program is a waste of time and money for both candidates and programs. I tried to email but didn™t get a good response, so I called all the programs to ask for requirements (min scores, attempts, yr of grad, USCE, visa sponsorship, how many IMGs in the program etc) and then applied only to those that fit into my credentials. Even if you plan to get into Derm, interview at a few FP programs to make sure u match.
8. Get help:
Get residency books. Getting into residency by Iserson and others. Get help from agencies who help IMGs get observerships/externships etc. Athough I personally did not get help from any of these, they might be helpful.
9. Apply early:
Most programs send out interview invitations by end of sept. or early oct. So apply in the week when ERAS opens.
10. Await interviews:
you can take it from here.
GOOD LUCK
I did not match last year, so I know what it feels like not to match and then desperately scramble to seek any position that is unfilled and not getting any of those.
It feels like the end of the world but it is just the beginning. I just want to share some of the things that prove to be helpful.
1. Start right now:
before u realize, it will be July again, ERAS will open and u will realize that nothing in ur application or resume has changed. Make sure that doesn™t happen.
2. Get USCE:
This is the number one, most important thing for most PDs next to the scores, some PDs will rank candidates with USCE and low scores higher than others with high scores. Its an arduous task to find opportunities to work in US clinical settings but not impossible. Get in touch with physicians around, faculty of departments u r interested in, email, call or go meet personally. Be persistent. This helps to get LORs and also understand the US clinical settings which proves to be advantageous at the time of interviews. It also helpful for step 3. Attend morning report, noon conferences, grand rounds if you are close to any hospital/university and interact with the program people.
3. Get certified:
If u r not certified already, this might be the number one thing to do, get the damn ecfmg certificate. Quite a few programs will preferably send interview calls to certified candidates and being certified is also a requirement to take the step 3.
4. Step 3:
Take it as soon as you can but make sure u pass it on the first try especially if you have attempts on step 1 or 2 or have low scores. Getting a good score on step 2 will put you above candidates with only step 1 and 2 scores.
5. Clinical/Basic Research:
This does help a little bit but not a whole lot. It helps candidates with good to excellent scores get into university programs. If you do research at a university, it will give you an opportunity to get in touch with the faculty there or the PDs of programs u r interested in and make them aware that u exist.
6. Application:
Request LORs well in advance. Get atleast 2 preferably 3 (if you send 4 LORs) from US doctors. Ask the writers if they will write atleast one page (2 paragraphs) about you. One of my LORs was just 5 lines and I think that hurt my application. As I had waived my right I didn™t realize that until I got to see my file at one of the interviews. Write a personal statement that reflects maturity and a thorough understanding of what you expect in residency. Sound practical and realistic. Explain low scores/attempts/gaps in career etc in one paragraph. Several books recommend not to do that but most PDs where I interviewed gave a positive feedback about such explanation. Remember ur personal statement is the only way to say what you want to say about yourself to get an interview. So be very original and minimally generic. Don™t read sample personal statements before you make ur first draft. Use samples only to improvise on urs.
7. Research Programs:
This is a vital step as randomly applying to program is a waste of time and money for both candidates and programs. I tried to email but didn™t get a good response, so I called all the programs to ask for requirements (min scores, attempts, yr of grad, USCE, visa sponsorship, how many IMGs in the program etc) and then applied only to those that fit into my credentials. Even if you plan to get into Derm, interview at a few FP programs to make sure u match.
8. Get help:
Get residency books. Getting into residency by Iserson and others. Get help from agencies who help IMGs get observerships/externships etc. Athough I personally did not get help from any of these, they might be helpful.
9. Apply early:
Most programs send out interview invitations by end of sept. or early oct. So apply in the week when ERAS opens.
10. Await interviews:
you can take it from here.
GOOD LUCK