Application profile for those receiving interviews/matched previously?

[Blunt Dissection]

Hello everyone, I was just wondering if those of you that will be interviewing for an integrated PRS program or have matched in the last few years wouldn't mind sharing some of your details or if you have any great tips for 1st-3rd year medical students. I'm currently a 2nd year D.O student and follow Plastics Match Insider closely and have periodically read sections in the Successful Match 2017 and realize how big of a mountain it is for even an M.D candidate much less a D.O candidate to climb into PRS, so any advice from those interviewing and successful applicants would be greatly appreciated. Some information that would really help could include:

Step 1 score:
Step 2 score:
#of programs applied?:
Interviewed/Accepted?:
LORs from all plastic surgeons?:
Significant research experience (posters/conferences)?:
Any publications?:
Something you wish you knew before applying:

Thank you ahead of time to everyone that contributes! Data like this really helps to influence the goals and plans for the rest of 2nd, 3rd, and into 4th year!

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[Plastix]

I'll bite, I think this is a good idea. I participated in last year's match.

Step 1 score: 259
Step 2 score: 267 (took prior to applying)
#of programs applied?: All
Interviewed/Accepted?: 40 invites, 18 interviews attended, matched at my #1
LORs from all plastic surgeons?: Yes, 4 letters obtained from away rotations
Significant research experience (posters/conferences)?: Yes, several posters and presentations
Any publications?: 5
Something you wish you knew before applying: Now being on the other side of the application process and looking at applications, the importance of letters of rec from well-known plastic surgeons cannot be understated. After that, research experience. Step scores are important to get your foot in the door and keep you from getting screened out, but you won't really shock people with a high step score. Most applicants have them.

Good luck to you, let me know if I can be of any help.

 

[Blunt Dissection]

I'll bite, I think this is a good idea. I participated in last year's match.

Step 1 score: 259
Step 2 score: 267 (took prior to applying)
#of programs applied?: All
Interviewed/Accepted?: 40 invites, 18 interviews attended, matched at my #1
LORs from all plastic surgeons?: Yes, 4 letters obtained from away rotations
Significant research experience (posters/conferences)?: Yes, several posters and presentations
Any publications?: 5
Something you wish you knew before applying: Now being on the other side of the application process and looking at applications, the importance of letters of rec from well-known plastic surgeons cannot be understated. After that, research experience. Step scores are important to get your foot in the door and keep you from getting screened out, but you won't really shock people with a high step score. Most applicants have them.

Good luck to you, let me know if I can be of any help.

Thank you! Congratulations on the match! This information really helps especially being a D.O student at a rural institution, research is significantly harder to get rolling due to funding issues so a lot of the proposals that I write up have to be feasible and free. Thank you for sharing!

 

[rueby25]

Matched 5 years ago FWIW. Scores and applicant pool a little different, as are number of programs.

One year from chief and I already have a job lined up and contract signed for my ideal practice when I graduate. So things have certainly worked out well.

Step 1 score: 237
Step 2 score: 253
#of programs applied?: All
Interviewed/Accepted?: 10. Matched to number 1 and home program.
LORs from all plastic surgeons?: Yes, 4 in total. 3 from home and 1 from Away rotation
Significant research experience (posters/conferences)?: Single publication and one work in progress
Any publications?: 1 first author pub in ENT
Something you wish you knew before applying: Letters and performance on rotations seemed to be incredibly important and the thing I was asked about most often in interviews. After that, an interesting hobby was a very important talking point.

Hope this helps. My numbers aren't the strongest, so it should hopefully demonstrate that 1) numbers aren't the end-all-be-all. 2) There is a lot more to your application.

Best of luck.

 

[Blunt Dissection]

Matched 5 years ago FWIW. Scores and applicant pool a little different, as are number of programs.

One year from chief and I already have a job lined up and contract signed for my ideal practice when I graduate. So things have certainly worked out well.

Step 1 score: 237
Step 2 score: 253
#of programs applied?: All
Interviewed/Accepted?: 10. Matched to number 1 and home program.
LORs from all plastic surgeons?: Yes, 4 in total. 3 from home and 1 from Away rotation
Significant research experience (posters/conferences)?: Single publication and one work in progress
Any publications?: 1 first author pub in ENT
Something you wish you knew before applying: Letters and performance on rotations seemed to be incredibly important and the thing I was asked about most often in interviews. After that, an interesting hobby was a very important talking point.

Hope this helps. My numbers aren't the strongest, so it should hopefully demonstrate that 1) numbers aren't the end-all-be-all. 2) There is a lot more to your application.

Best of luck.

Seeing this also really helps to put my mind at ease. The one thing that seems to echo amongst all the tips is that hard work and patience is an asset in the plastic surgery world that can take one very far. Thank you for sharing this!