Emergency Medicine Class Matching in 2013

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For the people that cold called programs/etc, can you list the programs that do require step 2 before they will offer an interview?
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UofM, UofC, and St. John. I think Frieda was correct in one of these three. Call and ask the programs you would want to match at in case you are unsure.
 
SeekerOfTheTree said:
If they would not have ranked you based on your step 2 then just by having another one on the rank list wont help you. Do most programs rank every candidate they interview? Chances are if institution X would not have interviewed you based on your step 2 then they probably wont rank you either if it is below their cutoff unless you are exceptional at your interview. Would make sense to me.
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Programs don't have unlimited spots for interviews. It's also in their best interest to fill their residency spots. So I doubt a program would use the resources to interview a candidate and then decide not to rank that person based solely on his/her Step 2. You might move down on their rank list but I find it hard to believe that they will entirely remove you from it.

I can't speak for other specialties but I didn't get an elitist vibe from EM.
 
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Not every program uses the ERAS score sheet on applicants but a lot do and so rank based on your overall score at the end of the day. Your step scores are definitely factored in but you're also scored on how well you interviewed, how well you would "fit in", how highly your SLORs recommended you, your transcript, and what the Dean's letter says. It's not completely black & white.
 
SeekerOfTheTree said:
UofM, UofC, and St. John. I think Frieda was correct in one of these three. Call and ask the programs you would want to match at in case you are unsure.
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U of M = Michigan?

U of C = Cincinnati? (I've heard this from people about Cali but later found they require Step 2 to rank you, not to interview you)
 
This thread is based on nothing. I emailed the 30 programs I am applying to... At least 25 of them being very competitive places and at least 10 of them saying they require step 2 on FRIEDA. Every single one of them said step 2 was not required to interview. A couple of them said the FRIEDA answer meant it was needed before match. They said having your SLORs in an having your EM clerkships done earlier meant a ton more.
 
Joey7 said:
This thread is based on nothing. I emailed the 30 programs I am applying to... At least 25 of them being very competitive places and at least 10 of them saying they require step 2 on FRIEDA. Every single one of them said step 2 was not required to interview. A couple of them said the FRIEDA answer meant it was needed before match. They said having your SLORs in an having your EM clerkships done earlier meant a ton more.
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Well done. :thumbup: Thats what I've heard all along. Thanks.
 
I wonder if they thought I was an FMG that's why they said that to me. I do have a bit of an accent.
 
Applying for 2013 here too. Home in July, Away in Aug, Hopefully Step 2 in late July/early Aug.
 
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In on this. Home in July, Away in August. That's probably it, toying with doing another away during heart of interview season but definitely souring on that idea so probably not. Step 2....probably sometime in-between interviews lol, haven't really even thought about it <yawn>.

Hope everyone here gets their #1.
 
Away July, away August, home in September ... Step 2 during my 4th block or early 5th which I'm taking off anyway.
 
Finishing up my intern year now, I don't think things have changed THAT drastically since I applied so here are my 2 cents.

CK is CLINICAL knowledge. Remember that and take solace in the fact that if you're going into EM, on the whole, we tend to be very clinically oriented, practical knowledge type people. Amongst my friends who were also applying to EM at the time, which is admittedly an N of about 10ish people, everyone did better on their step 2, except for one person who did 1 point worse (yes, we talked about our scores, i know, crazy).

As for when to take tests...I will echo others' sentiments of get it done early and get it over with, especially if you're trying to show improvement from step 1. I would say this is true with everything, SLORS, other letters of rec, personal statements...you want your application to be complete as soon as possible because some places won't consider you til they have that bare minimum of information (which varies from place to place), and wouldn't you rather them consider your application when they have 200 interview spots available instead of 100 interview spots available? Plus when you get it in early, you look like someone who really has their stuff together, which again, looks better to programs.

Good luck all.
 
Sub-I in July, home in Aug, away in late Sept-Oct. CK in July.

Starting to wonder if my app is going to end up being a little bit late, but there's nothing I can do about it now. I need the sub-I in July to get my feet wet clinically... I spent a yr away from clinical medicine and didn't want to come back to the ED cold.

What books are you guys using to study for your EM rotation btw? I can start ordering those on Amazon now....
 
So I know that having your application prepared and having everything in as soon as possible is the best situation, but when is the point where that matters? I know ERAS opens up in early July, but when do you have to have things in it like personal statement, LORs etc... so that you are on track with everyone else? I'm assuming just because somebody puts up everything they can the day ERAS opens they wont be in a better position than someone who took a few weeks right?
 
^^ You want to be ready to go on Sep-1, w/ 2 SLOR's, PS/transcripts etc...
 
engineeredout said:
So I know that having your application prepared and having everything in as soon as possible is the best situation, but when is the point where that matters? I know ERAS opens up in early July, but when do you have to have things in it like personal statement, LORs etc... so that you are on track with everyone else? I'm assuming just because somebody puts up everything they can the day ERAS opens they wont be in a better position than someone who took a few weeks right?
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I'm a little concerned with the fact that my SLOR from my away won't be done until closer to the end of Oct. I'm wondering how much the fact that they pushed up the release of the Dean's Letter this yr will affect things....

Also I know for a fact the committee letter for the EM rotation at my school takes a while to get their stuff out. So I'm pretty sure even my committee letter from my home rotation won't be done by 9/1 or 9/2.

Oh well. Crossing my fingers.
 
engineeredout said:
So I know that having your application prepared and having everything in as soon as possible is the best situation, but when is the point where that matters? I know ERAS opens up in early July, but when do you have to have things in it like personal statement, LORs etc... so that you are on track with everyone else? I'm assuming just because somebody puts up everything they can the day ERAS opens they wont be in a better position than someone who took a few weeks right?
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Your personal statement should be in with the rest of your app as soon as its time to submit. Mainly for the sake of completeness, most people that I spoke to said they don't count for a whole lot. If you have your LOR's ready with the rest of you app thats ideal but most programs will understand if you haven't finished your sub-I's and are still waiting on a SLOR/LOR. August-September are the 2 most common months, October is okay too but earlier is better. If you've got any non EM letters they should be in as you submit
 
Joey7 said:
This thread is based on nothing. I emailed the 30 programs I am applying to... At least 25 of them being very competitive places and at least 10 of them saying they require step 2 on FRIEDA. Every single one of them said step 2 was not required to interview. A couple of them said the FRIEDA answer meant it was needed before match. They said having your SLORs in an having your EM clerkships done earlier meant a ton more.
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Thank you for posting this. I nearly had a heart attack after reading this thread initially. Due to scheduling issues beyond my control, I can't take Step 2 until the beginning of October. :scared:

That being said, I'm in for EM 2013. Home rotation in July, no away rotations because I have a family.
 
anyone have any good suggestions for a pocketbook or good app with stuff for our EM rotations?
 
winkleweizen said:
anyone have any good suggestions for a pocketbook or good app with stuff for our EM rotations?
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I use WikEM on my smartphone (http://www.wikem.org/wiki/Downloading_Mobile_Notes) also the EMRA antibiotic guide (also on andriod/iphone). As far as pocket books go, I have Pocket Emergency Medicine (http://www.amazon.com/Pocket-Emergency-Medicine-Notebook-Series/dp/1605477311) which is working pretty well for me since you can look things up by chief complaint rather than specific disease.

EMRA and AAEM also have some good little pocket books too.
 
sylvanthus said:
I havent the foggiest clue, but I am guessing PDs don't care about the PS all that much unless they are terrible or somehow amazing. I imagine we all sound about the same in them.
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The people that "sound about the same" are typically the people I usually think can match happily elsewhere.

Your PS can easily set you apart and make your interviews MORE interested and pay MORE attention to you on interview day. Don't blow it off.
 
J U I C Y said:
Sub-I in July, home in Aug, away in late Sept-Oct. CK in July.

Starting to wonder if my app is going to end up being a little bit late, but there's nothing I can do about it now. I need the sub-I in July to get my feet wet clinically... I spent a yr away from clinical medicine and didn't want to come back to the ED cold.

What books are you guys using to study for your EM rotation btw? I can start ordering those on Amazon now....
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Out of curiosity, how could this possibly be late? People don't even start interviewing until November.

Be careful what you believe on here.
 
winkleweizen said:
anyone have any good suggestions for a pocketbook or good app with stuff for our EM rotations?
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Know your differential diagnosis as you walk out of a patient encounter. Your sick/not sick and subsequent DDx will help you establish: 1) Interventions 2)Work-up, 3) Disposition. A medical student who can determine whether a patient is sick/not sick, needs immediate intervention, has a plan for working them up and ultimately a disposition when leaving the bedside is already at intern level.

Don't be intimidated though! It takes time to develop pattern recognition and the requisite knowledge in emergency care to fully determine all of these items! ACEP has just issued the new "Milestones" program which outlines the progress of an EM resident. As a medical student, you could use these guidelines to "get ahead" of the game if you can meet the milestones ahead of time. These are not widespread yet, but they provide a good idea of an EM resident's expectations!

I hope that helps!
 
LabMonster said:
The people that "sound about the same" are typically the people I usually think can match happily elsewhere.

Your PS can easily set you apart and make your interviews MORE interested and pay MORE attention to you on interview day. Don't blow it off.
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Well if it is that important I would be happy to send you a copy of mine when I finish it for critique :).
 
Lol somehow I didn't expect that response, but I have come to learn ED docs are a bit more outspoken, blunt, and honest than most. I will shoot you a message in the next month since, as a DO, I apply soon.
 
im in for 2013, home right now and loving every minute of it, aways in august and september, took CK in june, glad to be done with that stupid thing. heres to us all matching our #1s this year
 
SeekerOfTheTree said:
Here's my thing. If they are going to use it to rank you then why not take it and do well on it early. Chances are sooner you take it after third year the better you will do. I imagine you might get an interview at a place with a 230 step 1 but when they rank you with a 210 step 2 they might end up not ranking you anyways so it was a wasted interview then right?

I personally don't want another thing that will limit the number of interviews I can get because I didn't take step 2.
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On the flipside, you don't want to put off getting your SLORS from away rotations. They made a huge difference for me. I applied last year, and did my aways first and then took Step II in October. Got almost all of my California interviews after my SLOR came in from an away out there. Had I put off the rotation a month or two for an early Step II- who knows what would've happened. So I think it depends on multiple factors.

And its cliche...but if you did well on Step I, you can do just as well on Step II if you take it seriously. Its an easier exam to deal with.

Just food for thought.
 
Reapplicant here currently doing a prelim medicine year. Question for any of those involved with residency applications. I was able to schedule an EM block next month that I plan to get a letter from, but my question is SLOR or regular letter? SLOR's seem more geared towards students so about half the form doesn't apply to a rotating resident. So do I give them the SLOR and have them put NA for half the stuff or have them write a letter that incorporates the questions that do apply?
 
I suppose I should post in order to contribute. I will be doing my home rotation from Aug-Sep, away from Sep-Oct, Step 2 CK probably sometime in December or January (some mellow rotations scheduled during interview season)
 
Currently doing my first EM rotation, an audition rotation at a big name place, and then doing my home institution EM rotation in August, Step 2CK in Sept. I'm 75/25 towards EM but still considering IM, most definitely will be applying to EM/IM programs.

Good luck all! :thumbup:
 
Phur said:
Reapplicant here currently doing a prelim medicine year. Question for any of those involved with residency applications. I was able to schedule an EM block next month that I plan to get a letter from, but my question is SLOR or regular letter? SLOR's seem more geared towards students so about half the form doesn't apply to a rotating resident. So do I give them the SLOR and have them put NA for half the stuff or have them write a letter that incorporates the questions that do apply?
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The problem is that any residency program will have to compare you to fourth year med students because that is the pool that you are in. Even the SLOR might not apply, it's the way that programs can best gauge your abilities when compared to the rest of the applicant pool. SLORs are quicker to write though, and there is always the possibility that you can find an attending that would write you both. Alternatively, find the "right" person to do the SLOR (program director, medical student coordinator, etc) and get another faculty member to write a personal LOR.
 
High Roller said:
On the flipside, you don't want to put off getting your SLORS from away rotations. They made a huge difference for me. I applied last year, and did my aways first and then took Step II in October. Got almost all of my California interviews after my SLOR came in from an away out there. Had I put off the rotation a month or two for an early Step II- who knows what would've happened. So I think it depends on multiple factors.

And its cliche...but if you did well on Step I, you can do just as well on Step II if you take it seriously. Its an easier exam to deal with.

Just food for thought.
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Any EM faculty should know this and if their letter was profound enough to be the difference between an interview or not they should know better. For the late rotation folks, be polite, approach early most people are reasonable and (if necessary to explain to them) the time constraints.
 
I'm doing my core EM at a small rural community hospital (assigned by school). My biggest surprise here is how little I am actually able to do. Not from lack of trying mind you. I've been told I am not allowed to suture because it cannot be billed for, they refuse to give me computer access so I cannot check labs/hx, its single coverage + mid-level, and the mid-levels take the lower acuity problems like abscess I&D or suture removal but then don't let me do any of those because "They are not responsible for me".

I'm just surprised considering for every other rotation I've done at these smaller hospitals I've been able to be more involved since there are no other residents or med students around.

/end of rant. One more week and I go to a larger institution. Just annoying because I feel like I'm getting little out of this.
 
That's absurd, you should give feedback to your school bc that sounds like a $hitty rotation... If they know that and still stuck you there then you're SOL I guess.
 
Does anyone know how the application to the combined EM/IM or EM/FP residencies work? Say a hospital has EM, EM/IM, and EM/FP. Do you apply to each program separately? If interviewed at the hospital, do you rank each program separately (if so desired), so it could be three rank listings at the same hospital?
 
engineeredout said:
Does anyone know how the application to the combined EM/IM or EM/FP residencies work? Say a hospital has EM, EM/IM, and EM/FP. Do you apply to each program separately? If interviewed at the hospital, do you rank each program separately (if so desired), so it could be three rank listings at the same hospital?
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They are separate programs and you apply separately. You would likely have to have three different personal statements to address each type of program and multiple types of letters of recommendation (i.e. FP for EM/FP and IM for EM/IM). From what I have heard, these programs are really looking for the "right" kind of person who will integrate both specialties in their practice. Many participants inevitably leave the program and go in to one or the other. If you applied to all three there would likely be suspicion as the programs share common faculty and they would most definitely question your motives in applying to all three.
 
Applying to EM this year! Took Step 2 CS and CK already in June. Doing my first away at UF JAX in August and UT Houston in Sept. Good luck to everyone!
 
I guess I should chip in on this:

For my EM app, I am pretty much done by having finished the following:

May = PEDS/EM (Home - Done) - Rec letter (from attending I did 12 - 8hr shifts with)
June = EM at big name (Loved it and so sad that it finished) - SLOR
July = Home EM (Last shift on Sunday/22 - loved it a bunch as well) - SLOR

I don't know how everyone knows how nice there Letters are, because I have no clue. I know I did my best on the rotations and I got excellent feedback after every shift, but its not like they let you read your SLOR, as I waved my rights to all of them. Do they read them to you guys, or what?

Step II CK is in October, but I am worried about being able to do as well as I did on step 1.

Upcoming electives all one month consults each and all of them are going to be fun/useful.

1. Cardiology (Every EKG in the hospital along w/ echos and cath lab for funsies)
2. Ortho (to get all my reductions down)
3. Optho (Slit lamps and Acute angle closure glaucomas galore)
4. ENT (Peritonsillars and retropharyngeals/traches etc . . . )
5. Neuro (CVA's, infections, and mass lesions)
6. ID (Doing all the consults - and seeing all the wierd stuff)
7. ICU (2 months, one in MICU and the other in the Trauma/burn/SICU)
8. Wilderness medicine (Backpacking and mountain climbing all month)
9. Disaster/EMS (Flight/Mountain/SWAT)
10. Anesthesia SUBI (airway and procedure whoring all month).

It sounds busy, but is fun as heck and all of the hospital ones except for anesthesia will be overnight consults. Basically, this means getting to do and see all the stuff with the residents and learning the skill sets.

I also got a job with the radiology department (3 six hour overnight shifts a week) at our school answering the phone to address questions about which studies to order for certain things. Basically, its like 10 phone calls a night and the rest of it is watching the residents dictate the emergency room studies. I try to guess the reads before they dictate them and thus am learning a bunch. As you can see, fourth year is a blast.

I can't wait to get to meet you guys, as most of y'all sound super chill and will be fun to work with.

Now that I threw out my Electives, I am curious to see what you guys had planned to see if anyone has better ideas so I can swap out/delete or add stuff.
 
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Bad Virus--Holy crap, where do you go to med school that you can do a fourth year like that? How many weeks each are you mr rotations? 2.5?
 
VickInABox said:
Bad Virus--Holy crap, where do you go to med school that you can do a fourth year like that? How many weeks each are you mr rotations? 2.5?
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Hey vick, looks like I lied on accident.

I rewent over my schedule stuff and I am going to have to slash off neuro, ENT and an ICU month (interview season and research stuff). I go to a pretty middle tier state school that does the first two years in 1.5 years so fourth year starts really early.

The consult months are cool. You can do/set this up at your school your self. Just tell the clerkship director that you are going into EM but you also love ortho, cards or whatever. Tell them you are interested in doing the consult service only and no floor stuff and 90% of clerkship coordinators will let you do that. Consult service months for students are pretty chill, think 12 or 13 shifts in a 4 week (28 day rotation). I think everyone should do an ortho month at least but I also love ortho so who knows.

But yeah, my bad, I need to take off the Neuro, ENT, and extra ICU month, which is sad.
 
bad virus said:
You can do/set this up at your school your self. Just tell the clerkship director that you are going into EM but you also love ortho, cards or whatever. Tell them you are interested in doing the consult service only and no floor stuff and 90% of clerkship coordinators will let you do that.
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I think it's great your school does this, but I tried that last year and most laughed at my face and said it would be "too much work" and that I was "just trying to be a lazy 4th year...".

Well, most of our coordinators were awful though. I mean it's worth a try, but doesn't work everywhere.

Good luck to all of you by the way. Enjoy interviewing and be yourself, it's a lot of fun!
 
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