Ok gang. I have been a pretty below avg student with several bumps in the road. The main ones being a failed step 1 (passed on 2nd attempt) and a failed IM shelf (passed on retake). Both fails have pretty extenuating circumstances but nobody really cares. Besides that, no failed classes, and I have gotten a mix of pass and HP on all core rotations with good written evals. All shelf exams have been around 40-50th percentile (with exception of IM but my retake was right back to normal 50th percentile). I've been on a few underwhelming research projects, have a fair amount of involvement in ECs/student groups, and have extensive work experience before med school as I am a non-trad with a good narrative leading up to the pursuit of medicine.
Anyways, I have been figuring I'd go into psych since day 1 due to pre-med school interests and multiple years of pertinent meaningful work experience....w/ subsequent research and ECs in med school. However, I am questioning that path not only because it is getting really competitive compared to previous years, but also because I have enjoyed other rotations and didn't love my psych rotation much. I figure I would like it more in the future if I stick with it, but that feels risky.
I loved being in the hospital doing more traditional medicine stuff like analyzing labs/imaging, helping out with minor procedures, learning ultrasound, ventilators, lines, all that. I really like performing the physical exam, especially neuro exam which I embraced and got pretty decent at for a 3rd year. Also, my favorite rotation was actually peds. I am a parent of two young kids and truly loved working with the kiddos. I am seriously intrigued by some peds specialties such as EM/PICU/NICU. I also really loved neurology including the prospect of child neuro, but I am thinking I screwed myself out of any chance of neuro due to limited research, my academic dumpster fires mentioned earlier. The fact that I didn't do well on IM shelf really felt like the nail in the coffin for neuro.
Anyways, what do you think I should focus on? I am trying to optimize my situation to get the best field I could match into. Psych, (heading toward child adolescent), neuro, child neuro, peds, hell I'd take family med if necessary for a little bit of all of the above I guess. It is not too late for me to adjust my fourth year schedule in terms of sub-i's, electives, aways, etc. if I want to head in one direction. Currently I am scheduled for psych rotations. What do now.
US MD/MPH class of 2025, upper-ish tier southern school
Anyways, I have been figuring I'd go into psych since day 1 due to pre-med school interests and multiple years of pertinent meaningful work experience....w/ subsequent research and ECs in med school. However, I am questioning that path not only because it is getting really competitive compared to previous years, but also because I have enjoyed other rotations and didn't love my psych rotation much. I figure I would like it more in the future if I stick with it, but that feels risky.
I loved being in the hospital doing more traditional medicine stuff like analyzing labs/imaging, helping out with minor procedures, learning ultrasound, ventilators, lines, all that. I really like performing the physical exam, especially neuro exam which I embraced and got pretty decent at for a 3rd year. Also, my favorite rotation was actually peds. I am a parent of two young kids and truly loved working with the kiddos. I am seriously intrigued by some peds specialties such as EM/PICU/NICU. I also really loved neurology including the prospect of child neuro, but I am thinking I screwed myself out of any chance of neuro due to limited research, my academic dumpster fires mentioned earlier. The fact that I didn't do well on IM shelf really felt like the nail in the coffin for neuro.
Anyways, what do you think I should focus on? I am trying to optimize my situation to get the best field I could match into. Psych, (heading toward child adolescent), neuro, child neuro, peds, hell I'd take family med if necessary for a little bit of all of the above I guess. It is not too late for me to adjust my fourth year schedule in terms of sub-i's, electives, aways, etc. if I want to head in one direction. Currently I am scheduled for psych rotations. What do now.
US MD/MPH class of 2025, upper-ish tier southern school