Competition

[Hot mama]

I am a current PGY-1 that is applying to anesthesia after a career change. I was wondering if there was any place to figue out the competitiveness of programs. I read about people apply to the various tier programs, but what schools fall where?

Thanks for any help.

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[amyl]

search the regular forum and you will see this is highly debated here. everytime someone posts a list ranking programs, 10 other people disagree for this or that reason. i remember hearing from last years class the competitiveness seemed random at times... for example, a resident ended up at Yale after being denied an interview at mcg, which ended up not filling. who knows? apply widely...this is the advice i have been given... best of luck!

 

[flynnmd]

I just checked in with my old residency program in the Midwest. Here's their response;
"New residents are good - the USMLE scores
are going through the roof of late. I guess because we are so
competitive (Anesthesiology) that they are studying harder. We don't
even look at applicants with board scores under 85 and most of them have
scores in the 90s - 99 is a very common score."

I assume they mean Step II. FYI, mine was a 79 but back in '96 they would've propped up Lenin himself and put him on call.

BTW, brains does not necessarily equal a clinically capable anesthesiologist. Surgery and hubris don't mix well.

 

[proman]

. Surgery and hubris don't mix well.

Could you explain what you mean by this?

 

[flynnmd]

Sure. I've too often seen "Board-certified" docs (from 20 years ago) act in far too cavalier fashion during the workday. This is more than skimming the newspaper - this is roaming the OR hall with a cell phone glued to the ear, taking real estate. This is starting an endovascular AAA with a single 20 gauge iv and surprise, surprise, there's a perforation. Or not being available as 2nd call and sauntering in after the c/s under local with a dead baby.
The point is, treat everyone like family, and question the surgical staff only as much as you're willing to question yourself. The best anesthesiologists are those who never slack off or back off, until retirement. That's the joy and curse of the profession.
Fly safe.

 

[climbingdocs]

Since USMLE scores don't have percentiles attached to them anymore can you guys convert 2 digit percentile in your posts to the 3 digit score?

 

[amyl]

Since USMLE scores don't have percentiles attached to them anymore can you guys convert 2 digit percentile in your posts to the 3 digit score?

it think 90 to 99 is about upper two teens to 250+. 75 is passing which is about 210 i think.

 

[Dryacku]

Passing is 186 I believe

90 is about a 220

94-96 230's
96-99 is 240

 

[PriorityMed]

Passing is 186 I believe

90 is about a 220

94-96 230's
96-99 is 240

The mean as well as the standard deviation is given. I'm not sure that it's a completely Gaussian curve, but this year's average was around a 220 and a standard deviation of like 20 or 21 I believe as per my roommate who just took it. There's sites on the web with z score tables, etc. to figure out percentile based on symmetric bell curve data, so you can gauge where you stand based on that.

 

[SkylineMD]

i just took the exam about 6-7 months ago and the avg was 217 with a 18 point standard deviation. I think getting 218 netted a 90 according to a friend of mine. I don't know if the avg changed but thats what it was a few months ago

 

[Emily2009]

step1 or step2?

if the score is low, will they actually look into your application package at all?

I just checked in with my old residency program in the Midwest. Here's their response;
"New residents are good - the USMLE scores
are going through the roof of late. I guess because we are so
competitive (Anesthesiology) that they are studying harder. We don't
even look at applicants with board scores under 85 and most of them have
scores in the 90s - 99 is a very common score."

I assume they mean Step II. FYI, mine was a 79 but back in '96 they would've propped up Lenin himself and put him on call.

BTW, brains does not necessarily equal a clinically capable anesthesiologist. Surgery and hubris don't mix well.