2008 Season

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I don't think I was clear in my question -

I understand that a letter from a community doc does not hold up as well compared to a EM residency faculty letter. However, one of my letters must come from an EM physician at my home program (which doesn't have a residency program for EM). Can this letter be a SLOR or is it just a "regular" letter of rec.

Sorry for the confusion - if anyone knows if a community doc can write a SLOR let me know. I have been told that only EM faculty affiliated with a residency program can write SLOR's and I am trying to find out if this is true.

Thanks! ;)
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lacyann said:
I don't think I was clear in my question -

I understand that a letter from a community doc does not hold up as well compared to a EM residency faculty letter. However, one of my letters must come from an EM physician at my home program (which doesn't have a residency program for EM). Can this letter be a SLOR or is it just a "regular" letter of rec.

Sorry for the confusion - if anyone knows if a community doc can write a SLOR let me know. I have been told that only EM faculty affiliated with a residency program can write SLOR's and I am trying to find out if this is true.

Thanks! ;)
Click to expand...


A NON academic associated EM physician should write a reagular/old fashioned letter of rec, and NOT a SLOR.

The SLOR is specific for letter writers who are associated directly with a residency program. Most of the questions are 'compared to other applicants, this applicant is likely, not likely, heck no, probably going to match at your program'...etc



As an FYI, my home EM attending/mentor (NO EM program) wrote me a normal letter of rec (just as the IM attending at my program did). I received a SLOR from an away rotation at a place WITH an EM program...



One other thing, techincally, ANYONE can fill out/sign a SLOR... however the expected person to do such is an EM attending associated with a residency program....
 
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Hello,

I'm new to this forum and am applying for an EM residency for 2008. Who are most of you using for your letters of recommendation?

My dilemma is that my very first EM rotation is this August, and it is at my #1 choice. Should I wait until this rotation is over and get a letter from them?

Is it okay to just have 1 EM letter, or should I wait until after my rotation at my #2 choice in September to have 2 letters? My concern at that point would be applying later.

I currently have a general surgeon and a internal medicine attending who have offered to write me letters.

Thanks!
 
MavsFan08 said:
Hello,

I'm new to this forum and am applying for an EM residency for 2008. Who are most of you using for your letters of recommendation?

My dilemma is that my very first EM rotation is this August, and it is at my #1 choice. Should I wait until this rotation is over and get a letter from them?

Is it okay to just have 1 EM letter, or should I wait until after my rotation at my #2 choice in September to have 2 letters? My concern at that point would be applying later.

I currently have a general surgeon and a internal medicine attending who have offered to write me letters.

Thanks!
Click to expand...

answer: D) all of the above.

I would most definitely get a letter from your August rotation, if you find someone there who will give you a STRONG LOR. Also, many EM programs will wait until your Dean's letter (or MSPE, whatever) is released in November before they offer the bulk of their interviews. Many programs interview until early January. Getting a letter from your September rotation should not be too late, provided the writer does not take 3 months to get your letter done.

I would absolutely get the letters from the surgeon and the medicine attendings. If they have offered, they are almost guaranteed to write you glowing letters.

Just a couple of other points:

Waive your right to see the letters

You can submit your application without all of your LORs already submitted. LORs can be added and released to programs at any time, even after they have downloaded your file from ERAS.

Don't forget to also register for NRMP... I know a couple of people who forgot early on and almost didn't make it before the deadline was up. It would suck to apply, go on a bunch of interviews and then not match because you didn't register for the stupid match program...

best of luck,

jd
 
bump....closer and closer we get to sept. 1
 
so im a DO student; just took step 2 and i'm not sure how i did on usmle step 2; so can i submit to eras, wait until i get my scores and then decide if i want to report my usmle scores after i submit; or do we have to make that decision before we submit to eras
 
FowlersGap said:
so im a DO student; just took step 2 and i'm not sure how i did on usmle step 2; so can i submit to eras, wait until i get my scores and then decide if i want to report my usmle scores after i submit; or do we have to make that decision before we submit to eras
Click to expand...


Just go ahead and submit it all. One way or another, everyone will know that you have taken it.... they only know the score if you 'submit' it to be released. If they see you have taken it, and they have no score, they become concerned.

Just pass, thats the largest key. Obviously the higher the better. But I assure you a barely pass is MUCH better than a not released score. If you fail it, its a hard a call. I would say release it, and start doing whatever to re-take it and be ready to do some serious explaining when (if) you interview...
 
ill come out of the closet and add myself too


AmoryBlaine
BklynWill
breaker1919
Carliecat
chumbojumbo
cnn
DIVA01
DjDoc96
dkpwalker
Dr. McNinja will kick ass
Doc Gator
EM OR BUST
Hard24get
heliotrope
JBlue
Lacyann
MushieCookie
Pinner Doc
Quideam
scoutfire1
sleepymed
stoic
Sweet Tea will take names
Universe_Explorer
vacoug
Vytorin77
vmed
Zinjanthropus
Iliacus
EMpb
 
welcome "the closeted" one. We hope you enjoy things on this side :D
 
UT Southwestern in Dallas...what do y'all think? Here anything? Good, bad, or ugly?
 
iliacus said:
UT Southwestern in Dallas...what do y'all think? Here anything? Good, bad, or ugly?
Click to expand...

Certainly popular due to location. People that like really large cities seem to enjoy the DFW area. Parkland is an uber busy place and the ED is set up there in such a fashion that some people question the theory behind it. There is something on the order of a medical ED, surgery ED, trauma ED, psych ED, etc... and you may work in the medical ED tonight or psych ED tomorrow night. I think the concern is that after training in an ED system such as that, how well do you function in the other 95% that are setup that all adults go to one ED?

I personally think that type system should have little reason to sway you away. One of my classmates rotated there, duke was number one and UTSW was his number 2. He ended up at 1. He liked it and he was high quality....

I think there are some people on this board from there. If you like the DFW area, you'll be a good doctor when you are done...
 
ANNOUNCEMENT:
ALL EM-BOUND MEMBERS OF THE CLASS OF 2008 MUST POST AT LEAST TWICE IN THE "Rearview Mirror" THREAD IN ORDER TO BE CONSIDERED TRUE EM APPLICANTS.

Your application will be removed from the system if this is not done by midnight tonight.

PS - this is just a joke and NOT an official SDN announcement.
PPS - please post...we need to kill that thread so that it doesn't say "It's JULY" when it's actually August
 
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When your ERAS packet gets to ERAS with the LORs, MSPE, etc shouldn't the number of LORS you submitted be reflected under the documents tab? my ERAS packet was received 1 week ago today and the LOR is still saying 0 instead of the 6, the number of LORs i submitted. anyone know anything about this?
 
ERAS said it will take about 4 weeks to scan and upload any documents sent in. Maybe they dont update the documents until after they are scanned and uploaded?
 
EM OR BUST said:
ERAS said it will take about 4 weeks to scan and upload any documents sent in. Maybe they dont update the documents until after they are scanned and uploaded?
Click to expand...
thanks for your response, i think that applies to time from when they actually get your package to the time that it is reflected in OASIS that your package was received and scanned. That lag time can be up to one month. The thing is my package was sent in during the time when they were scanning the documents supposedly "the same say they were received" . when i checked OASIS it said that my package was received on July 23 and when i checked ERAS they said the were scanning the documents the same day they were received but when i checked quick stats in the ERAS work space, the number of LORs were still 0.I guess i will have to wait for two more business days before i get concerned, i saw another note that said that it can take 5 -7 business days for documents to be scanned after they are received but this was posted after my package was received. maybe i am just overreacting but i just don't want anything to go wrong for this season....:(
 
This thread is already stressing me out, lol!

I'm applying for the first time this season. I've studied in NYC but I'm mostly applying out west and in New England.

I'm committing the month of August to getting all my stuff done (ERAS, perfecting the personal statement, tweaking the CV), because I'll be doing an away ED rotation across the country in September.

Good luck to all....:luck:
 
whats up team. well i just got to see a copy of the SLOR an attending at a reputable program wrote me...all i can say is wow, brutally honest, i am not in the top 10% of anything, lol. The funny thing is that I got an A, but it doesnt even get to be on my transcript cuz I did it at the end of my rotations after I had enough credits for graduation. Anyway, any advice on whether or not to assign it to programs? I have another one that I didnt get to see, but I am pretty sure it was great since it came from a comunity doc. Good luck everyone...pump away on those PSs and CVs.

CJ
 
chumbojumbo said:
BKN-

thanks for the info...I have asked for an SLOR from a community doc already, cant hurt I guess, but now I am thinking about asking one from where I did my away rotation at....the problem is, since I already have enough rotations to graduate, I am doing the rotation and technically will not receive a grade for it, will my attending still be able to write an SLOR or would that be uncool to ask of him?

CJ
Click to expand...

Of course he can. He'll just put in some boiler plate about he wasn't graded because not for credit but he would have gotten highest honors.:D
 
dkpwalker said:
thanks for your response, i think that applies to time from when they actually get your package to the time that it is reflected in OASIS that your package was received and scanned. That lag time can be up to one month. The thing is my package was sent in during the time when they were scanning the documents supposedly "the same say they were received" . when i checked OASIS it said that my package was received on July 23 and when i checked ERAS they said the were scanning the documents the same day they were received but when i checked quick stats in the ERAS work space, the number of LORs were still 0.I guess i will have to wait for two more business days before i get concerned, i saw another note that said that it can take 5 -7 business days for documents to be scanned after they are received but this was posted after my package was received. maybe i am just overreacting but i just don't want anything to go wrong for this season....:(
Click to expand...

I believe the post office opens Sept 1. If it's still that way, no PD will see your data until then. And frankly though I try to get on it so I can stay up, I usually can't face it until at least Sept 15.:eek:
 
chumbojumbo said:
whats up team. well i just got to see a copy of the SLOR an attending at a reputable program wrote me...all i can say is wow, brutally honest, i am not in the top 10% of anything, lol. The funny thing is that I got an A, but it doesnt even get to be on my transcript cuz I did it at the end of my rotations after I had enough credits for graduation. Anyway, any advice on whether or not to assign it to programs? I have another one that I didnt get to see, but I am pretty sure it was great since it came from a comunity doc. Good luck everyone...pump away on those PSs and CVs.

CJ
Click to expand...
It is always hard to decide which LORs to use, I have 5 and only gonna use 4, all 5 are good, just have to decide of the best 4.
 
Just wanna say, good luck :luck: to everyone applying this year!
 
Is anyone applying to other specialties just in case. I only ask cuz last year EM was so competative and I think we will see the same trend this year. I am thinking about applying to IM or FM as a back up. What about you guys?

CJ
 
chumbojumbo said:
Is anyone applying to other specialties just in case. I only ask cuz last year EM was so competative and I think we will see the same trend this year. I am thinking about applying to IM or FM as a back up. What about you guys?

CJ
Click to expand...

And the million dollar question...can you apply to two specialties at the same place?
 
chumbojumbo said:
Is anyone applying to other specialties just in case. I only ask cuz last year EM was so competative and I think we will see the same trend this year. I am thinking about applying to IM or FM as a back up. What about you guys?

CJ
Click to expand...
I am never one to "put all my eggs in one basket", i am applying to IM as a backup, come what may i am definately getting into residency this year.
 
If i'm not doing EM, I don't think there is anything else i could possibly do! I'm only applying to one specialty
 
In addition to EM programs you could apply for a transitional year or a preliminary medicine or surgery year, then reapply the following year to EM programs if you don't get into any the first time around. That would allow you to apply to PGY2-4 programs the second year with your intern year already completed, and thus ready to start immediately if you get into one. Or you may end up starting over as an intern in a PGY1-3 or PGY1-4 program, but I think that the extra intern year (especially of medicine or surgery) could only be helpful, even if you only did it as a contingency plan.
 
You actually couldn't re-apply and go directly into a 2-4 program after internship unless there was a vacant second year spot. You match into a 2-4 program during your 4th year of medical school just like 1-3 and 1-4 programs. It's just that you have to rank separate internships (pre-lim medicine, surgery, or transitional years) along with your 2-4 programs. It is true that it is possible to re-apply and get into a 2-4 program after your internship year if there is a vacant second year spot somewhere, as it is also true that you could possibly re-apply and get into a 1-4 program as a second year (if vacant) or a 1-3 program as a second year (again, if vacant). Although, I would say most 1-3 programs would not take you as a second year because you probably wouldn't have had enough ER months during your internship. I do agree that it could be worthwhile (depending on how bad you want ER) to start over as an intern in a 1-4 or 1-3 program after internship.
 
npdoc28 said:
You actually couldn't re-apply and go directly into a 2-4 program after internship unless there was a vacant second year spot. You match into a 2-4 program during your 4th year of medical school just like 1-3 and 1-4 programs. It's just that you have to rank separate internships (pre-lim medicine, surgery, or transitional years) along with your 2-4 programs. It is true that it is possible to re-apply and get into a 2-4 program after your internship year if there is a vacant second year spot somewhere, as it is also true that you could possibly re-apply and get into a 1-4 program as a second year (if vacant) or a 1-3 program as a second year (again, if vacant). Although, I would say most 1-3 programs would not take you as a second year because you probably wouldn't have had enough ER months during your internship. I do agree that it could be worthwhile (depending on how bad you want ER) to start over as an intern in a 1-4 or 1-3 program after internship.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the correction about PGY2-4 programs. That was careless of me.
 
dkpwalker said:
I am never one to "put all my eggs in one basket", i am applying to IM as a backup, come what may i am definately getting into residency this year.
Click to expand...

I'm with you walker...there is no way I am sitting out another year! But do you think, in a worst case scenario, that a residency in IM or FM will better serve us for a career in EM, knowing that more and more hospitals are requiring BE/BC EPs to staff their EDs? I plan on working in a community hospital in a rural setting, so I think I may be ok with IM or even FM as a backup.

But, I am gonna do everything I can to do EM first. I will rather do a transitional year or prelim year than getting stuck in a FM or IM residency. Thanks for the help everyone. I love this forum. Good luck to all:luck:

CJ
 
chumbojumbo said:
Is anyone applying to other specialties just in case. I only ask cuz last year EM was so competative and I think we will see the same trend this year. I am thinking about applying to IM or FM as a back up. What about you guys?

CJ
Click to expand...

If you really want to do EM, then you won't accept the others as a backup.

There are plenty of ACGME EM programs to apply to as backups. You couldn't possibly make it to all the interviews if you applied to all of them.
 
I applied to 60 programs last year and got a total of 4 interviews...not the same story when your an IMG with "average" board scores...no one to blame but myself, that is why I have to be prepared for a backup, cuz I am not sitting out another year.

CJ
 
Hello everyone! I am new to this Forum. I am a senior applying for EM this year so I am looking forward for what is ahead of me. Right now I'm studying for STEP 2 CK and hopefully I'll do better than STEP 1( I really really need to). I will be applying to pretty much all types of grograms 1-3,1-4,2-4. I may even rank some preliminary mecidine programs after all my EM programs just in case!!! Last year was crazy. I do believe that IMG and FMG do have it harder than us USMG so I wish you all the best. I am concern about my board scores so we'll see what happens with STEP 2 :) Good luck
 
chumbojumbo said:
I'm with you walker...there is no way I am sitting out another year! But do you think, in a worst case scenario, that a residency in IM or FM will better serve us for a career in EM, knowing that more and more hospitals are requiring BE/BC EPs to staff their EDs? I plan on working in a community hospital in a rural setting, so I think I may be ok with IM or even FM as a backup.

But, I am gonna do everything I can to do EM first. I will rather do a transitional year or prelim year than getting stuck in a FM or IM residency. Thanks for the help everyone. I love this forum. Good luck to all:luck:

CJ
Click to expand...

i have no problem with a career in IM, and even subspecializing. I now work in a mini ER and i really love it and that is why i want to do EM but i am not fooling myself, we IMGs have to fight to get a spot in a residency in EM. my board scores are all over the map and as such i am applying sensibly this year. I know the PDs look at the complete application and each applicant has something unique that makes them get invited for an interview and i am hoping that i may have that "something". In the mean time, all we IMGs have to do is keep hope alive.:D
 
Holy batman! that is alot of SDN applicants!
 
HEllo! I was wondering if you are invited to interview at the places you are doing your away rotation while you are there how does it really work? Is it a little more informal? I'll be going away for two rotations so does that mean I have to carry around a suit with me just in case?
 
Txed said:
HEllo! I was wondering if you are invited to interview at the places you are doing your away rotation while you are there how does it really work? Is it a little more informal? I'll be going away for two rotations so does that mean I have carry around a suit with me just in case?
Click to expand...

Good question. I know at the nebraska program, they interview you while you are on your away...good question about the formality of it. I'm curious too.
 
Speaking of which... I still need to go out and buy a suit for my interview!!

this is going to be an extremely expensive year!!
 
Anyone have their lists going yet. Im up to 29 and I think I'll stop there. Im not sure if I can get 10 interviews with that but we'll see....the rest will have to come from Family Med. What is the magic number this year? 12 interviews to Match?

CJ
 
Oops.
 
hey all my fellow applicants - i am just studying for step 2 and wanted to wish everyone else good luck who might be doing the same, or working on applications, or hopefully having fun on an EM rotation.

i can't wait for this test to be over! and i look forward to meeting everyone on the interview trail!
:love:

any one else know how many programs they are applying to? last year was so competitive that it makes me want to apply to many, many programs...
 
lacyann said:
hey all my fellow applicants - i am just studying for step 2 and wanted to wish everyone else good luck who might be doing the same, or working on applications, or hopefully having fun on an EM rotation.

i can't wait for this test to be over! and i look forward to meeting everyone on the interview trail!
:love:

any one else know how many programs they are applying to? last year was so competitive that it makes me want to apply to many, many programs...
Click to expand...

Our program director suggested to apply to around 20, and interview at about 10. That was my plan, but people seem to be suggesting that a bit more might be needed with the increase in competitiveness?
 
I think that we need to apply to as many programs as we think it might take to get a minimum of 10 interviews. Some people only need to apply to 15 or 20 places. Others, such as myself need to apply to twice as many. I dont think, however, that we should all apply to the same 30-40 programs...which is what may have happened last year.

The same candidates were getting interviews from all the same programs, and while theses candidates deserved all of those interviews, it just makes it that much more competitive for the "average" candidate. Another possible problem may have been that some "above average" candidates received over 20 interviews, which I think is a little overboard. There is nothing wrong with that if they plan on going to all 20 interviews, but if not, I think they should cancel early enough to allow second offers to go out. Anyway, we will see. Good luck to all. This is one of those situations where the best man (or woman) should win.;)

CJ
 
chumbojumbo said:
I think that we need to apply to as many programs as we think it might take to get a minimum of 10 interviews. Some people only need to apply to 15 or 20 places. Others, such as myself need to apply to twice as many. I dont think, however, that we should all apply to the same 30-40 programs...which is what may have happened last year.

The same candidates were getting interviews from all the same programs, and while theses candidates deserved all of those interviews, it just makes it that much more competitive for the "average" candidate. Another possible problem may have been that some "above average" candidates received over 20 interviews, which I think is a little overboard. There is nothing wrong with that if they plan on going to all 20 interviews, but if not, I think they should cancel early enough to allow second offers to go out. Anyway, we will see. Good luck to all. This is one of those situations where the best man (or woman) should win.;)

CJ
Click to expand...

as someone who went thru the process last year, if a competive app withdraws from an interview offer, programs will fill it with the next best applicant. And diff programs and applicants have different critera, so the same applicants will not necessarily get the same interviews. E.g. location, length, urban vs rural vs suburban, peds exposure, etc.
 
met19 said:
as someone who went thru the process last year, if a competive app withdraws from an interview offer, programs will fill it with the next best applicant. And diff programs and applicants have different critera, so the same applicants will not necessarily get the same interviews. E.g. location, length, urban vs rural vs suburban, peds exposure, etc.
Click to expand...

Yeah, it's quite a bit to ask a strong applicant to think about his fellow applicant's plight. Not even sure where this discussion is meant to go. If some disaster happened and a decent applicant failed to match it would be pretty hard for him/her to console themselves with "well, at least I didn't screw over anyone else."
 
yeah, the above posters are correct. Its just a competitive field right now. There is no need for a discussion. I think we all feel that the best man should get the job. Hopefully, in the future more programs will open up, and the ones that are open will have more spots available so that more and more emergency physicians are trained.

CJ
 
chumbojumbo said:
yeah, the above posters are correct. Its just a competitive field right now. There is no need for a discussion. I think we all feel that the best man should get the job. Hopefully, in the future more programs will open up, and the ones that are open will have more spots available so that more and more emergency physicians are trained.

CJ
Click to expand...

This competition thing is making me nervous. I get the butterflies before my shifts and feel stupid if anyone makes adjustments to my plan :scared:
 
i'm partly drawn to EM bc of the relative egalitarianism and normalcy among its physicians. i hate competition! let's all get along :)
 
so i thought.. we were applied to submit our application to ERAS mid-August, and then programs were allowed to see our apps Sept 1. Is this true? Cuz I am getting a little confused.
 
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