--Board Scores: Step 1 246/99, Step 2 256
--AOA and class rank: AOA, no rank at my school
--Reputation of medical school: Not big name program.
--Research: 1 paper in orthopedics published (2nd author), 2 presentations on orthopedics, 5 tumor board presentations.
--Honors in clerkships: H in Surgery, OB/GYN, Family Med, Peds
--# and where you did away rotations: 1 at upper middle tier program on west coast.
--# of programs you applied to: 70
--Where invited for interviews: BPEI, UCLA, Kellogg Eye (Univ Michigan), DMEI, Univ of Washington, OHSU, UNC, Univ of Florida - gainsville, Kresge Eye, Loma Linda, UTSW
(invited but declined to go: Indiana, UT houston, UT san antonio, UMDNJ, Rochester
--Where matched: #1
--Anything that helped your app: Very Strong LORs from unknown, no name faculty (medicine, surgery, ophthalmology). Even though my attendings were just community physicians, everyone I interviewed with commented on them. I am testament that you don't need big wig LORs as long as the people writing for you are willing to go to bat for you. Other than that, I think just being down to earth, humble, honest, all go a very long way. Also, doing an away rotation can really help you. the place where I did my away told me they ranked me to match. So just be chill, hardworking, willing to learn. not a gunner, and things will fall into place for sure!