Currently In Research Year...What Else Can I Do To Bolster Peds Residency App?

[Dr. Hook]

Howdy y'all.

I'm committed to matching in Peds next year alongside my girlfriend who is committed to ENT. I'm currently on a research year at my home institution between M3/M4 year to drop back into her class for the couples match (she's in the class below me).

My question is: what else can I do to help give us the best match chances? We're both good candidates for our specialties (stats below), but I'm neurotic and want to do everything I can. Some ideas:

• Should I get into some Peds-related volunteering?
• Try and shadow some docs at my local Peds hospital?
• Just focus on research work and chill the F out?

I've been scouring pediatrics threads across the internet to see what makes for the best possible applicant. Also a "hey buddy, relax ok?" is just fine if you feel that's warranted. Don't know if there's a couples match related forum, but if there's a better place to post this, please let me know.

[Info on Me]

• Applying to Pediatrics
• STEP 1 : 232
• STEP 2CK: 253
• STEP 2CS: Waiting for Scores
• USMD in mid-tier school in southeast
• Top 1/3 of my class in grades
• Clinicals have been As (Internal Med/OBGYN/Neuro/Surgery/Pediatrics) & Bs (Psych/Family Med)
• Previous research in Peds w/ academic peds physician at home institution Peds hospital (1 poster, 1 poster award, 1 pub)
• Current research in genetics on multiple projects, two of which are with Peds faculty

[Info on Her]

• Applying to ENT
• STEP 1: 255
• Clinicals so far have been As (Neurology/Psychiatry)
• Same USMD school as me
• Top 10% of her class in grades
• 1 Pub at world-renowned research institution
• Currently on multiple projects with ENT faculty

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[MEN2C]

Chill and continue to do research. Have 1-2 good letters lined up - you'll get a few next year from sub-Is but if you've worked with people who you think will write you a good letter, that will go far. If you're spending a year working with the same person for research, that letter would be valuable too. Obviously continue to do any leadership or other extracurricular activities that interest you.

Your steps are good for Peds, so you'll past the first step at most places. Now you can distinguish yourself via research and letters.

 

[Step Up]

Those ideas about volunteering and shadowing will absolutely not help. Best thing you can do is to get honors in your peds sub-I and the other 4th year rotations that are prior to the application. Don't worry about that now, just prepare to work hard during those rotations. The research experience will definitely help. Just enjoy life and enjoy your research time.