Can't understand this

[SoCuteMD]

I'd like to give my somewhat objective take on what you've been saying after reviewing some of your old posts
1) You scored "slightly below average" on Step 1 as per a post earlier this year. That's fine if you're going into most fields, but just isn't going to cut it going into derm.
1a) You never took Step 2 to prove that you could improve on your Step 1. Huge mistake for someone with a "slightly below average" Step 1. I have a hard time believing that anyone who advised you in the process of applying failed to notice and suggest that taking Step 2 might improve your chances.
2) You certified ERAS fairly late (sometime in October).
3) You only applied to 30 derm programs. Most people who match in derm apply to ~70.
4) You never took the time to understand how the rank list works. Yes, I know you called the NRMP twice, but I can definitely imagine how that conversation went. You, "I'm going into derm." NRMP, "Well, then you should rank all your derm spots, with a supplemental list." You, "But what if I don't match?" NRMP, "Well, that happens sometimes." You should have been discussing your rank list and how to make it WITH YOUR MENTOR.
5) You didn't match. Instead of springing into action and making personal contact with EVERY person in a position to help you immediately, you hid out for a few days while aggressive scramblers snapped up all the prelim spots. Meanwhile, you only applied to prelim programs in your home state (I recall you saying this earlier, but I could be wrong).
6) You didn't scramble successfully. You continued to hide out, while the tiny number of open spots (and the power of the people in a position to help you to CREATE a spot) dwindled.
7) Instead of taking a good hard look at yourself and saying, "Damn, this sucks. I am hurting and I just HATE this. What can I do to make sure this NEVER happens again" you turned around and blamed the NRMP, IMGs, and everyone else within striking distance.
8) Instead of taking this time, while you are still enrolled in medical school and have malpractice coverage and a dean's office at your disposal to rotate through anesthesia and radiology, you sit back and say, "I've already taken enough courses to graduate. I'm going to finish up my research and be done" thus ensuring that any attempt to match in anesthesia or radiology will be as fruitless as this last attempt.

You are waiting for someone to hand you something. It's NOT going to happen. You have two choices - flop on your bed and cry, or TAKE ACTION AND MAKE IT HAPPEN FOR YOURSELF. I truly believe that luck is 10% "luck" and 90% the aftereffects of the opportunities you create for yourself.

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[Medstudentquest]

You have said some version of this again and again, and it is tiresome. You are an adult and are well aware that your previous health issues and your current situation are unrelated. We're sorry about all your problems, but you chose an extremely competitive specialty and failed to match into it, like a whole lot of people who applied to it. And due to a completely avoidable mistake - which was not about your "struggles" and "hardships" but about your failure to understand the match - you are now without a position of any kind. Yes, that sucks. But just because you have personal health concerns that have made you especially interested in dermatology, and just because you have been through tough times in the past, does not entitle you to a derm spot.

There's only so much sympathy we can muster. You are not the only AMG who didn't match, but you are the only one who is so publicly declaring how cheated and robbed you feel about it.

Sorry, I am very frustrated. It is not my intent to bother or tire anyone out. I'll just go away then. Sorry again.

 

[Medstudentquest]

I'd like to give my somewhat objective take on what you've been saying after reviewing some of your old posts
1) You scored "slightly below average" on Step 1 as per a post earlier this year. That's fine if you're going into most fields, but just isn't going to cut it going into derm.
1a) You never took Step 2 to prove that you could improve on your Step 1. Huge mistake for someone with a "slightly below average" Step 1. I have a hard time believing that anyone who advised you in the process of applying failed to notice and suggest that taking Step 2 might improve your chances.
2) You certified ERAS fairly late (sometime in October).
3) You only applied to 30 derm programs. Most people who match in derm apply to ~70.
4) You never took the time to understand how the rank list works. Yes, I know you called the NRMP twice, but I can definitely imagine how that conversation went. You, "I'm going into derm." NRMP, "Well, then you should rank all your derm spots, with a supplemental list." You, "But what if I don't match?" NRMP, "Well, that happens sometimes." You should have been discussing your rank list and how to make it WITH YOUR MENTOR.
5) You didn't match. Instead of springing into action and making personal contact with EVERY person in a position to help you immediately, you hid out for a few days while aggressive scramblers snapped up all the prelim spots. Meanwhile, you only applied to prelim programs in your home state (I recall you saying this earlier, but I could be wrong).
6) You didn't scramble successfully. You continued to hide out, while the tiny number of open spots (and the power of the people in a position to help you to CREATE a spot) dwindled.
7) Instead of taking a good hard look at yourself and saying, "Damn, this sucks. I am hurting and I just HATE this. What can I do to make sure this NEVER happens again" you turned around and blamed the NRMP, IMGs, and everyone else within striking distance.
8) Instead of taking this time, while you are still enrolled in medical school and have malpractice coverage and a dean's office at your disposal to rotate through anesthesia and radiology, you sit back and say, "I've already taken enough courses to graduate. I'm going to finish up my research and be done" thus ensuring that any attempt to match in anesthesia or radiology will be as fruitless as this last attempt.

You are waiting for someone to hand you something. It's NOT going to happen. You have two choices - flop on your bed and cry, or TAKE ACTION AND MAKE IT HAPPEN FOR YOURSELF. I truly believe that luck is 10% "luck" and 90% the aftereffects of the opportunities you create for yourself.

I'm sorry but I disagree with you. But I won't post anymore ok. I don't mean to bother anyone. Sorry.

 

[Medstudentquest]

MSQ,
This was the advice YOU had given an IMG/FMG awhile back that you should take to heart.
(sorry, first post here and not good with the quotes yet)

"Although unfortunate about your failures, like others have said on here, don't give up yet. It's difficult for those who are not in the whole med school/residency application process to understand how complicated all of this is. I'm sure it's difficult for your parents to understand. Congratulations on finishing medical school and all of your requirements. That in itself is a great accomplishment. You should be proud of yourself.

I think you should take this year to recharge, study for CS and pass, maybe get a job in something medically related, and possibly doing some networking. You seem to be a congenial person like someone else said, and I think that can be to your benefit. I think especially for fields like IM or peds, you still have a shot. I also wouldn't take CS again until you are sure you can pass. "

That advice was indeed to an IMG and I felt terrible for their situation. But they also failed Step 2 twice, again, were an IMG, and I think they were an average student. So it's a bit different. And unfortunately, I really dislike Peds and don't really like IM.

 

[SoCuteMD]

I'm sorry but I disagree with you. But I won't post anymore ok. I don't mean to bother anyone. Sorry.

You don't have to agree with me. It's no skin off my back if you don't match next year either.

 

[Tigerz_Fan]

To be honest, even though the whole IMG issue won't really affect derm per se realistically, there are other competitive specialties where this issue comes into play. And to be honest, I don't think it's fair. I was at an interview for a prelim position and mostly everyone was from the US. There were 2 people from India, a couple, who wanted to match into ophtho and ras respectively. Some of the people within the group were also trying to get into those specialties, and obviously, they were not happy. How is it fair for highly competitive specialties to be taken up by those who did not even complete their studies here, especially given their poor knowledge of the language, and the fact that they went to a school in a completely different country.

Why not practice in their country?

I am amazed this is coming from someone who immigrated into this country. I am done here.

 

[Elfy]

I do believe that IMG's should either be obligated to complete a period of service post-residency in their home country or in this country in underserved communities or in research.

That's exactly what many IMGs are required to do already in exchange for a US medical residency and/or green card. J-1 visa equals service in home country for at least two years (home residency requirement). National Interest Waiver equals service in a US medically underserved area for three to five years. The rest of IMGs are sponsored for a green card by hospitals if they are stellar academic employees, and then some are sponsored for a US green card by a family member (spouse or parent, the latter not being that different by the OP who after all immigrated with her parents).

BTW, there's no such thing as a free lunch in America. Sooner or later it all evens out. Once they are born or arrive in this country, all people pay their dues, some in money, some in sweat, some in tears, some a little bit of each. But all evens out. That's what makes it such a great country despite of no claims of being an egalitarian one.

Again, I am so disappointed to see this thread being opened as an old-immigrant-physician versus-new-immigrant-physician rant. There have always been petty issues between immigrants from different generations or countries. I'd rather keep my distance from these minor issues, they do a great job at obscuring the big picture. This thread has great self-serving value, all disguised in the name of public benefit of course.

 

[Medstudentquest]

You don't have to agree with me. It's no skin off my back if you don't match next year either.

Why would you say something like that? That's pretty mean.

 

[BlondeDocteur]

I said it before:

For many of us, failing to match/failing to match well is the first real "failure" any of us has experienced in life. Lots of us have always done well, always won all the prizes, gotten high test scores, and all the rest. Your character is determined not by how you react to success, but how you respond to challenge. Can your ego and resolve survive failure? Can you continue to soldier on?

Your character is revealing itself. Do you like what you see?

 

[SoCuteMD]

Why would you say something like that? That's pretty mean.

It's not mean, it's TRUE. Take my advice, don't take my advice - it doesn't affect me.

 

[Medstudentquest]

I said it before:



Your character is revealing itself. Do you like what you see?

BD,

I am sorry if I've offended anyone here. It's not my intent to do so. I am frustrated and overwhelmed and no one of the several people that I've contacted has been able to help.

I am not sure whether you've gone through a great deal or through little in your life, but I've gone through a great deal, and I'm tired. I guess since no one knows me here, obviously it's hard to understand. But I"m tired of constantly struggling.

So I guess I'll just do myself the favor at this point and withdraw.

 

[Medstudentquest]

It's not mean, it's TRUE. Take my advice, don't take my advice - it doesn't affect me.

I hardly see how it's true. If i applied to any of several less competitive specialties, I would get in without a hitch. I've already been offered an outside the match position for next year, and I was offered a spot in ortho as well previously. So what you are saying is hardly true.

 

[SoCuteMD]

I hardly see how it's true. If i applied to any of several less competitive specialties, I would get in without a hitch. I've already been offered an outside the match position for next year, and I was offered a spot in ortho as well previously. So what you are saying is hardly true.

You clearly didn't read what I was saying properly. I wasn't predicting that you wouldn't match. I was saying that IT DOESN'T AFFECT ME IF YOU DON'T.

 

[VMSmith]

I'm sorry but I disagree with you. But I won't post anymore ok. I don't mean to bother anyone. Sorry.

Not really sure what the point of you continuing to post on SDN about this is if you're going to ignore all the good advice you've been given and continue to rehash the same things over and over again.

Like everyone else has already told you, there are reasons you didn't match that are beyond IMGs taking your spot, or people not giving you what you feel like you deserve.

To match in a competitive specialty, you want as many things going in your favor as possible. It does not look like you had that many things in your favor (below avg Step 1 score, no Step 2 score, too few programs, applied to late, didn't rank properly, didn't use your networks properly, etc).

If you want to do derm, you probably still can. I have a family friend whose husband applied to derm for 3 or 4 years before finally getting a spot. He did a prelim year and didn't match again, then the next few years doing derm research for basically minimum wage. If you're willing and able to keep trying, it's possible, but you need to identify your weaknesses (which other people here have already done for you) and address them this year.

Whining won't solve anything. Quitting won't solve anything. It's okay to fail as long as you get back up; in fact, this failure can end up being a positive thing for you. If you really are a Christian, you must believe that good things can come out of bad situations.

 

[Medstudentquest]

You clearly didn't read what I was saying properly. I wasn't predicting that you wouldn't match. I was saying that IT DOESN'T AFFECT ME IF YOU DON'T.

Very well. Best of luck on your match next year. I hope you get what you want.

 

[Law2Doc]

Why would you say something like that? That's pretty mean.

It's not mean at all. You have the power to help yourself, or you have the power to curl up in a ball and whine, blaming everybody but yourself. The prior poster was simply saying if you continue down your chosen path, things aren't going to look any better next year.

20,000 people not smart enough for derm seemed to be able to fill out the NRMP ROL just fine. Most the the US students who didn't match were able to scramble into "something" prior to match day. And virtually everybody else in your situation would be living in the office of mentors and deans since last Monday, working to fix the situation. The plight of IMG's wouldn't enter anyone else's mind.

You shot high, were cocky about it (based on the late app and too few applications) and didn't understand how to do a ROL well enough to give yourself a back-up. That sux. But As of monday of last week, it was up to you to fix it. On Monday there were decent prelim spots out there you could have snared, if you truly had the stats for derm. Now, over a week later, not as much out there. So you probably should find a way not to graduate, spend a year doing research and additional electives (if you truly have an interest in other things), and otherwise prepare yourself for next year. Whining that maybe you should throw in the towel since you probably can't do derm is not productive. If you do that, I don't think anybody can have much sympathy for you.

 

[SoCuteMD]

Very well. Best of luck on your match next year. I hope you get what you want.

I don't have to match next year. I matched this year.

 

[asmallchild]

If you were going to withdraw, you would've done it already. No need to keep announcing it to us.

 

[Medstudentquest]

Not really sure what the point of you continuing to post on SDN about this is if you're going to ignore all the good advice you've been given and continue to rehash the same things over and over again.

Like everyone else has already told you, there are reasons you didn't match that are beyond IMGs taking your spot, or people not giving you what you feel like you deserve.

To match in a competitive specialty, you want as many things going in your favor as possible. It does not look like you had that many things in your favor (below avg Step 1 score, no Step 2 score, too few programs, applied to late, didn't rank properly, didn't use your networks properly, etc).

If you want to do derm, you probably still can. I have a family friend whose husband applied to derm for 3 or 4 years before finally getting a spot. He did a prelim year and didn't match again, then the next few years doing derm research for basically minimum wage. If you're willing and able to keep trying, it's possible, but you need to identify your weaknesses (which other people here have already done for you) and address them this year.

Whining won't solve anything. Quitting won't solve anything. It's okay to fail as long as you get back up; in fact, this failure can end up being a positive thing for you. If you really are a Christian, you must believe that good things can come out of bad situations.

Listen, I got slightly below 240 on my step 1, which is not the worst, but not the greatest step 1 score for derm. Like other residents in my school program, they didn't take step 2 until much later, which is what I was planning on doing. I had 2 people in the dept. write me great letters. I am doing research in PD's lab. I have gotten great clinicals evaluations.

I've seen people match with much lower.

 

[Smashweasel]

If i applied to any of several less competitive specialties, I would get in without a hitch. I've already been offered an outside the match position for next year, and I was offered a spot in ortho as well previously. So what you are saying is hardly true.

You were offered a spot before the match in ortho?

 

[Medstudentquest]

I don't have to match next year. I matched this year.

Excellent. congratulations. What will you be?

 

[asmallchild]

I smell a liar now.

 

[Medstudentquest]

You were offered a spot before the match in ortho?

I was told I was the ideal candidate and highly encouraged to apply

 

[Medstudentquest]

I smell a liar now.

Not a liar at all. Just distraught.

 

[SoCuteMD]

Listen, I got slightly below 240 on my step 1, which is not the worst, but not the greatest step 1 score for derm. Like other residents in my school program, they didn't take step 2 until much later, which is what I was planning on doing. I had 2 people in the dept. write me great letters. I am doing research in PD's lab. I have gotten great clinicals evaluations.

I've seen people match with much lower.

http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?p=5753172#post5753172

240 is not "slightly below average"

 

[Medstudentquest]

http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?p=5753172#post5753172

240 is not "slightly below average"

For derm it is

 

[VMSmith]

Listen, I got slightly below 240 on my step 1, which is not the worst, but not the greatest step 1 score for derm. Like other residents in my school program, they didn't take step 2 until much later, which is what I was planning on doing. I had 2 people in the dept. write me great letters. I am doing research in PD's lab. I have gotten great clinicals evaluations.

I've seen people match with much lower.

But you didn't match, so for you, it wasn't good enough. Each program you ranked had enough people they liked better that you did not match. Maybe it was the Step 1 score. Maybe it was the Step 2 score. Maybe you didn't do enough research. Maybe your letters weren't good enough. Maybe your interviews didn't go so well. Maybe everyone else knew someone who pulled some strings.

The point is, there is always room to improve your application, no matter how good you think it already is. You've done a good job so far - you are in a far better position than someone for example who scored 200 on both Steps, has no research, failed several rotations, etc.

The only way for you to guarantee that you WON'T get into derm is to continue complaining about how you deserved to get in the first time, and to decide to give up after trying once and failing.

Get back up and try again. Nobody's going to hand you anything, you have to go out and get it yourself, as you should know already.

 

[Medstudentquest]

But you didn't match, so for you, it wasn't good enough. Each program you ranked had enough people they liked better that you did not match. Maybe it was the Step 1 score. Maybe it was the Step 2 score. Maybe you didn't do enough research. Maybe your letters weren't good enough. Maybe your interviews didn't go so well. Maybe everyone else knew someone who pulled some strings.

The point is, there is always room to improve your application, no matter how good you think it already is. You've done a good job so far - you are in a far better position than someone for example who scored 200 on both Steps, has no research, failed several rotations, etc.

The only way for you to guarantee that you WON'T get into derm is to continue complaining about how you deserved to get in the first time, and to decide to give up after trying once and failing.

Get back up and try again. Nobody's going to hand you anything, you have to go out and get it yourself, as you should know already.

Apparently it wasn't good enough, no. But I have asked, emailed, contacted everyone who could possibly help me and it has not worked out. I can't get water out of rocks. I can't force anyone to give me a spot. right?

Should I email constantly the PD who said he may be able to do something? No. Just like you and other say here, it's annoying to constantly post and stuff, so it's not like I can overwhelm someone who can potentially help me with constant emails.

What if I just made a mistake in going to med school? that may be an option. Maybe it's not for me. It's something I have to think about and consider. Maybe things DO happen for a reason, and maybe i'm not supposed to do medicine after all.

 

[SoCuteMD]

For derm it is

You weren't specifying derm in that thread, and it was in the general residency forum. That doesn't add up.

 

[Medstudentquest]

You weren't specifying derm in that thread, and it was in the general residency forum. That doesn't add up.

Again, it's your choice to believe me or not.

 

[Samoa]

I have a few things to say about this whole thread.

1. When you had every reason to think you would match, and then you don't, it feels like the floor just dropped out from under you. It takes time to regain your balance, and adjust to the new reality of your situation. The reality is this: you are now in far worse shape to match in anything than you would have been had you tried something less competitive the first time around. It doesn't mean that you're any less of an excellent future physician (or even dermatologist) than you were two weeks ago. It does mean that people will treat you as though you are less worthy. It's not fair, but the faster you deal with it and get your head back in the game, the better off you'll be.

2. The rest of you people, the ones who matched safely and are certain of your future, need to get off your high horse about her behavior in the wake of such a huge career setback. It is huge, and potentially unrecoverable. I quite frankly don't believe any of you would feel differently, or are "resilient" enough to behave with anything even remotely resembling equanimity, if you were in her shoes. You might be more private about it, and do and say more acceptable things in public, but you'd be just as crushed.

3. Having said that, OP, what's troubling people about you right now is this victim mentality you're displaying. Yes, you have a medical condition, and your record may well represent a substantially greater achievement in your case than in someone else's. But medicine is a binary field on our end: all that matters is, did you, or didn't you? No one cares how hard it was to do whatever it is, and I guarantee you there's someone out there whose struggle puts yours to shame.

No matter whose bad behavior or faulty instructions contributed to your failure, there was probably something you could have done to prevent it. And there's a big difference between saying "they gave me bad instructions"/"nobody's helping me" and "I misunderstood what I was supposed to do"/"please give me an opportunity to prove myself."

My advice: pick yourself up, dust yourself off, find a medicine prelim (they're out there), talk to the derm department there and see if you can get involved in whatever research they have going on, apply again next year and look for openings in the meantime. Also, solicit feedback on where you fell short compared to the applicants who were ranked higher than you. There had to have been some reason that another person was ranked higher than you, and maybe someone will actually tell you.

Most likely not, but you never know.

 

[VMSmith]

Apparently it wasn't good enough, no. But I have asked, emailed, contacted everyone who could possibly help me and it has not worked out. I can't get water out of rocks. I can't force anyone to give me a spot. right?

Should I email constantly the PD who said he may be able to do something? No. Just like you and other say here, it's annoying to constantly post and stuff, so it's not like I can overwhelm someone who can potentially help me with constant emails.

What if I just made a mistake in going to med school? that may be an option. Maybe it's not for me. It's something I have to think about and consider. Maybe things DO happen for a reason, and maybe i'm not supposed to do medicine after all.

You wait for the PD to get back to you. In the meantime you look elsewhere. You contact other schools to do an away rotation in derm during your last month of medical school while you still have malpractice insurance. Or you do a rotation in some other specialty at your home school in case you decide to apply to something else. You contact your PI about doing research full time for the next year, or apply for research positions elsewhere. You set up observerships at other institutions because you can't do rotations without malpractice insurance.

Or you can give up on medicine. Are you looking for someone on the Internet to tell you that it's okay to quit? Talk to your family, talk to your friends. Don't come to SDN looking for permission to make such a life-altering decision.

 

[Medstudentquest]

I have a few things to say about this whole thread.

1. When you had every reason to think you would match, and then you don't, it feels like the floor just dropped out from under you. It takes time to regain your balance, and adjust to the new reality of your situation. The reality is this: you are now in far worse shape to match in anything than you would have been had you tried something less competitive the first time around. It doesn't mean that you're any less of an excellent future physician (or even dermatologist) than you were two weeks ago. It does mean that people will treat you as though you are less worthy. It's not fair, but the faster you deal with it and get your head back in the game, the better off you'll be.

2. The rest of you people, the ones who matched safely and are certain of your future, need to get off your high horse about her behavior in the wake of such a huge career setback. It is huge, and potentially unrecoverable. I quite frankly don't believe any of you would feel differently, or are "resilient" enough to behave with anything even remotely resembling equanimity, if you were in her shoes. You might be more private about it, and do and say more acceptable things in public, but you'd be just as crushed.

3. Having said that, OP, what's troubling people about you right now is this victim mentality you're displaying. Yes, you have a medical condition, and your record may well represent a substantially greater achievement in your case than in someone else's. But medicine is a binary field on our end: all that matters is, did you, or didn't you? No one cares how hard it was to do whatever it is, and I guarantee you there's someone out there whose struggle puts yours to shame.

No matter whose bad behavior or faulty instructions contributed to your failure, there was probably something you could have done to prevent it. And there's a big difference between saying "they gave me bad instructions"/"nobody's helping me" and "I misunderstood what I was supposed to do"/"please give me an opportunity to prove myself."

My advice: pick yourself up, dust yourself off, find a medicine prelim (they're out there), talk to the derm department there and see if you can get involved in whatever research they have going on, apply again next year and look for openings in the meantime. Also, solicit feedback on where you fell short compared to the applicants who were ranked higher than you. There had to have been some reason that another person was ranked higher than you, and maybe someone will actually tell you.

Most likely not, but you never know.

Ok, thanks, I guess you more clearly communicated what I was feeling and indeed if you expect to match, it's something hard to take when you don't. However, now I kind of feel worse if you say that it is huge and unrecoverable!!

 

[Medstudentquest]

You wait for the PD to get back to you. In the meantime you look elsewhere. You contact other schools to do an away rotation in derm during your last month of medical school while you still have malpractice insurance. Or you do a rotation in some other specialty at your home school in case you decide to apply to something else. You contact your PI about doing research full time for the next year, or apply for research positions elsewhere. You set up observerships at other institutions because you can't do rotations without malpractice insurance.

Or you can give up on medicine. Are you looking for someone on the Internet to tell you that it's okay to quit? Talk to your family, talk to your friends. Don't come to SDN looking for permission to make such a life-altering decision.

I have been looking elsewhere. I haven't just sat on my butt doing nothing. I have proactively looked at all the possibilities that are out there.

And I may not continue medicine after all. I haven't asked SDN to tell me if it's ok to quit medicine. That's a decision that I will make shortly.

 

[novastorm]

I have been looking elsewhere. I haven't just sat on my butt doing nothing. I have proactively looked at all the possibilities that are out there.

And I may not continue medicine after all. I haven't asked SDN to tell me if it's ok to quit medicine. That's a decision that I will make shortly.

You have quite the sense of entitlement, get over yourself and find another specialty, try again or by all means get out of medicine. But if you are considering quitting, you don't seem to be concerned with debt and your situation becomes all the more clear.

 

[VMSmith]

It's not fair, but the faster you deal with it and get your head back in the game, the better off you'll be.

It is huge, and potentially unrecoverable.

OP, there's a difference between unrecoverable and potentially unrecoverable.

There's a lot of good advice in this thread (and the other threads), and there are things you could be doing now other than contacting your home institution's PD and Dean's office repeatedly.

One of the big advantages AMG's have over IMG's is the support of their home institutions. BUT people do fall through the cracks, and sometimes you don't always get the best advice. Whatever the case is, you are going to have a lot less support this coming year than you have had for the past 4 (or 5) years. You need to start learning how to get things arranged for yourself on your own, and to appreciate whatever help you can get. That's what makes it an uphill battle, and is why you need to start acting on your own behalf ASAP.

 

[Medstudentquest]

You have quite the sense of entitlement, get over yourself and find another specialty, try again or by all means get out of medicine. But if you are considering quitting, you don't seem to be concerned with debt and your situation becomes all the more clear.

How do I have a sense of entitlement?

It's quite ironic that whatever I do, it seems to be wrong by everyone's standards. If i look proactively, I'm entitled?

Yet if I don't, I'm not doing what i should be. So which is it?

I am considering quitting because there is no point in doing something you'll hate for the rest of your life. I am concerned with debt of course, but I have lived very conservatively during med school, so I don't have massive debt.

 

[VMSmith]

And if it is really true that you have already done everything in your power, then I wish you the best of luck and hope everything works out for you.

 

[sleepingas]

Hay buddy,
It's really sad to hear your story but i think you screwed up yourself by being a little bit arrogant/grandios during the match/Inv season. I know an IMG a friend who got into derm this year, he posted a thread here months ago....he speaks fluent, graduated in europe, was a derm resident for 2 yrs, got 251 and 263 in step 1 and 2 and has 13 articles in JAAD, Archives,... with PHD in immunodermatology......be honest and fair, if you were a PD, who would be your choice?

 

[Smashweasel]

MSQ,
Throwing away all that you accomplished because you didn't get derm straight up is just plain stupid. The only shot you will always miss is the one you don't take.

 

[Medstudentquest]

OP, there's a difference between unrecoverable and potentially unrecoverable.

There's a lot of good advice in this thread (and the other threads), and there are things you could be doing now other than contacting your home institution's PD and Dean's office repeatedly.

One of the big advantages AMG's have over IMG's is the support of their home institutions. BUT people do fall through the cracks, and sometimes you don't always get the best advice. Whatever the case is, you are going to have a lot less support this coming year than you have had for the past 4 (or 5) years. You need to start learning how to get things arranged for yourself on your own, and to appreciate whatever help you can get. That's what makes it an uphill battle, and is why you need to start acting on your own behalf ASAP.

My school has not been terribly helpful at all throughout the years. That's first. second, I have arranged most things by myself-research electives, self designed electives, electives at other institutions, etc. etc.

I have contacted other PD's at other schools where I interviewed, etc. etc. It's just that it's very close to the match and positions are not opening up so soon. Like i said I have being proactively searching and there may be a possibility at an institution I interviewed at, but I am not sure. And like someone else said, it's hard to get back in balance when you get handed news you dont expect

 

[Medstudentquest]

Hay buddy,
It's really sad to hear your story but i think you screwed up yourself by being a little bit arrogant/grandios during the match/Inv season. I know an IMG a friend who got into derm this year, he posted a thread here months ago....he speaks fluent, graduated in europe, was a derm resident for 2 yrs, got 251 and 263 in step 1 and 2 and has 13 articles in JAAD, Archives,... with PHD in immunodermatology......be honest and fair, if you were a PD, who would be your choice?

He/she was already a resident. How is that not an advantage?

 

[Law2Doc]

I was told I was the ideal candidate and highly encouraged to apply

FYI, This is not the same as being offered a spot in ortho. Lots of folks get this kind of lip service which doesn't mean they will be at the top of any program's list. Programs want a lot of qualified people to apply. But then they still pick and choose.

 

[Medstudentquest]

MSQ,
Throwing away all that you accomplished because you didn't get derm straight up is just plain stupid. The only shot you will always miss is the one you don't take.

Well the thing is that I keep getting conflicting information. I get the "oh no! your career is over" comments. And then I get the, "go back out there and re apply!"

So when I post that my career may be over and then it's best to quit, I get the "oh you are an idiot for quitting."

If i'm too proactive in trying to talk to people, I am "entitled." If I don't try hard enough, I am aloof.

 

[asmallchild]

How do I have a sense of entitlement?

It's quite ironic that whatever I do, it seems to be wrong by everyone's standards. If i look proactively, I'm entitled?

Yet if I don't, I'm not doing what i should be. So which is it?

I am considering quitting because there is no point in doing something you'll hate for the rest of your life. I am concerned with debt of course, but I have lived very conservatively during med school, so I don't have massive debt.

You've sampled all other fields of medicine in 4 years of medical school?

Or are you just closing your mind off to everything because of your disappointment in failing to match in derm?

I'm inclined to think it's the latter.

 

[sleepingas]

He/she was already a resident. How is that not an advantage?

was in france

 

[abbaroodle]

Last I checked, didnt you get offered a residency spot yesterday???? At NY Methodist? If you want an internship, I suggest you take it. Like, yesterday!!!!!

After you sign the contract, start dusting yourself off. Do a psych rotation your last month of med school to apply for that for next year. Study for Step II and rock it. Do some reading to be prepared to rock your intern year. Get off SDN and stop posting here!!!

 

[Medstudentquest]

You've sampled all other fields of medicine in 4 years of medical school?

Or are you just closing your mind off to everything because of your disappointment in failing to match in derm?

I'm inclined to think it's the latter.

I have sampled quite a variety of fields in med school. I don't like primary care, esp. Peds/FP, I cannot tolerate OB, and no to surgical fields. IM I don't like too much.

I have been working towards matching in derm for a while now, and it's frustrating as heck. And I don't know who to believe here-is the career over because I don't have a prelim or will I be able to redeem myself ever? That's the thing.

I am not saying i "deserve" to have gotten in the first time. Tons of people don't get in the first time. And I'm willing to put in the work necessary to get in. But if my career is forever damaged, then what's the point!?

 

[Medstudentquest]

Last I checked, didnt you get offered a residency spot yesterday???? At NY Methodist? If you want an internship, I suggest you take it. Like, yesterday!!!!!

After you sign the contract, start dusting yourself off. Do a psych rotation your last month of med school to apply for that for next year. Study for Step II and rock it. Do some reading to be prepared to rock your intern year. Get off SDN and stop posting here!!!

No, I wasnt offered a position at Methodist. And someone else said they only take IMG's.

Lastly, I have done psych rotations in school already. But psych is not ultimately what I want.

 

[abbaroodle]

I know I am feeding a troll, but I feel the need to add this in:

I have seen some amazingly impressive IMG's!!! They often have completed some or all of a residency in their home country and know more about medicine than any AMG starting an internship. They are prepared to work their ass off and do so every single day and night. They are nice to everyone and incredibly grateful for the opportunity to slave away. They have extra obstacles to overcome, including language and cultural barriers, not to mention a huge bias against them!

If I were a PD, I would take one of them in a heart beat over certain American grads!!! Especially if they have amazing Step I and II scores (and maybe Step III too), have great LORs, and interview well.

Is it fair to take a great FMG over a mediocre AMG who I dont think will be a good resident? Why not.

Besides, life isnt always fair.

Why do some FMG's come to the US? The same reason many of our parents or grandparents or great-great-great-great grandparents did. Better opportunities. Better quality of life. A chance to learn from some of the world's medical leaders. Or because of what is lacking in their home country. Its no fun practicing medicine in a hospital where you have no medical supplies, no drugs, no electricity or running water or regular blackouts. It really limits what you can do for pts and is just down right depressing more often than not!