How to Match Into Competitive/top-mid Tier Program from low-tier/community program?

[Dr. Forssmann]

How does one Match Into Competitive/top-mid Tier Program from low-tier/community program?

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[deleted980918]

How does one Match Into Competitive/top-mid Tier Program from low-tier/community program?

Things you can’t control- AMG vs IMG, Step scores

Things you can control
1. Quality research- not bs ACC abstracts but first author publications in top journals with big names in the field
2. Chief residency
3. Connections- important people who will put their personal rep on the line for you

 

[Dr. Forssmann]

Things you can’t control- AMG vs IMG, Step scores

Things you can control
1. Quality research- not bs ACC abstracts but first author publications in top journals with big names in the field
2. Chief residency
3. Connections- important people who will put their personal rep on the line for you

How much research do you think would get me into the ball park/get me an interview. ( I am a us MD, low board scores, going to low-tier university program) Our program has little to no research going on unfortunately and I am driving all of my research. I am working on 2 IRB approved retrospective studies, and published a case report in major journal, 2 chapters in a book. Now starting my PGY2.

I am wondering if I should reach out to other programs to make connections on my own now? Or if I should just hold off and pump out more research on my own. I'm not a talented resident (I would say middle of the road) but for whatever reason I can pump out research. I'm not confident that I will be offered a chief year. I am very close with our cardiology PD. (I am confident I can have the internal spot if I apply straight out as there are no chiefs competing with me; I do not want to appear or be seen as greedy. I just want to aim as high as I can). Any advice would be appreciated! thank you for your help!

 

[aafisahar]

The real question is why do you need to go to a fancy pants place? There are tons of programs that'll give you great training that aren't at the Mayo, Brig, or Hopkins.

 

[Dr. Forssmann]

The real question is why do you need to go to a fancy pants place? There are tons of programs that'll give you great training that aren't at the Mayo, Brig, or Hopkins.

Great question. I am very happy going anywhere. I know I'm not an impressive candidate. The honest answer is: I'm from a major city in California and all my family is in California. All the programs in California are extremely competitive to my knowledge and I'm just wondering how I can go back. Also I enjoy research and nerding out on stuff. I would like to go to a program that values that.

 

[deleted980918]

How much research do you think would get me into the ball park/get me an interview. ( I am a us MD, low board scores, going to low-tier university program) Our program has little to no research going on unfortunately and I am driving all of my research. I am working on 2 IRB approved retrospective studies, and published a case report in major journal, 2 chapters in a book. Now starting my PGY2.

I am wondering if I should reach out to other programs to make connections on my own now? Or if I should just hold off and pump out more research on my own. I'm not a talented resident (I would say middle of the road) but for whatever reason I can pump out research. I'm not confident that I will be offered a chief year. I am very close with our cardiology PD. (I am confident I can have the internal spot if I apply straight out as there are no chiefs competing with me; I do not want to appear or be seen as greedy. I just want to aim as high as I can). Any advice would be appreciated! thank you for your help!

Come on man, if you made this far in life I think you are pretty talented!
I agree @aafisahar, why do you want to go a big name place in the first place? If your goal is to go back to California then that’s a different story. Just to give you a comparison, an IC fellow in Hopkins or BWH will get to do about 250 PCI in one year and the IC fellows I know in my program (a high volume PCI center, not big names but reputable one) did >850 in a COVID year. Which one do you think will be better suited in a real world practice? Not saying research is not important but let’s be honest, how many of us out there will do research for research?
To answer your question, I think your best bet is to do as much as your resource allows, think about chief year +/- a dedicated productive research fellowship at a major center. And even then I think you are still gambling and whether all these effort/time/opportunity cost is worth it is really up to you.

 

[Dr. Forssmann]

Come on man, if you made this far in life I think you are pretty talented!
I agree @aafisahar, why do you want to go a big name place in the first place? If your goal is to go back to California then that’s a different story. Just to give you a comparison, an IC fellow in Hopkins or BWH will get to do about 250 PCI in one year and the IC fellows I know in my program (a high volume PCI center, not big names but reputable one) did >850 in a COVID year. Which one do you think will be better suited in a real world practice? Not saying research is not important but let’s be honest, how many of us out there will do research for research?
To answer your question, I think your best bet is to do as much as your resource allows, think about chief year +/- a dedicated productive research fellowship at a major center. And even then I think you are still gambling and whether all these effort/time/opportunity cost is worth it is really up to you.

Haha thanks for the confidence booster. My goal is go back to California.