- Joined
- Mar 15, 2016
- Messages
- 37
- Reaction score
- 3
First, Congratulations on all of you that matched!!!
Then, I wanted to post this to let everyone that did not match this year to know, you still have lots of hope!!!
I was in this same situation last year, and I am not ashamed to share my journey. I am a graduate of 2016 from an international medical school. I had always been a straight A student, like any other one of us that made it to medical school. But because of family issues, I struggled a bit during my second year in med school, result was that I had a semester where I barely passed all course with C’s, which greatly dropped my GPA, took off a couple months to fly to my family’s country resulting in a half year gap, and I got a step 1 score of about 200ish (at that time, the passing score was 188). I was shocked when I received the score, doubting life and doubting myself if I made a correct choice with a career in medicine. Thanks to my very supportive family and friends, I realized that if I just work hard enough, I still have a shot.
I returned to school with the right mindset this time, making sure to do all my studies and work on time. Making sure I work and study hard for every single rotation getting minimum a B+ occasionally with great comments, trying hard for step 2 CK (got 240-ish), volunteering and making connections, passed Step 2 CS first attempt, got good LORs from attending’s I worked with, and so forth.
I applied for the 2016 Match, and failed miserably. I was too stressed on interviews I believe, and did not make the best impression. I was in the middle of a tough rotation and could not take days off, I did not make the best travel plan, and missed interviews because of flight delays. I was so anxious, I probably also asked questions I shouldn’t have asked. Result: I spent 15,000+ USD in application, travel expenses, hotels, flights, and so forth; received 7 interviews (2 of which were from rotation connections), did not match. Of course, SOAP is always a disaster for any IMG, especially non-US IMG’s.
I was shocked and depressed; I was sad and worried. Thanks to supportive family and friends again, and like my personality, I will not be defeated. I stood back up again, analyzed my “case” and application, identified my weaknesses, found many ways of improving them. For example, I obtained several LORs from Chief Attending’s, both from Rotations and from School. I asked for many advises from lots of people with more experience than me. I followed tips and advises from others, I signed up to do a Post-Graduate course which will eventually lead to a Master’s degree for me. I applied for research positons, I sat for step 3 and received a 230-ish score, and when application came, I carefully researched each program, made an excel spreadsheet, wrote down each program’s details, called all the coordinators for every program multiple times, wrote down date and details of conversation for calling for next time, and marked and sent letters to the nice ones. I received, in the end, over 30+ interview invites for the 2017 Match. As a non-US IMG, with several red flags and a step 1 of 200-ish. That is not bad at all. Scheduled for as many as I could go, treated each interview as my only one, despite what I think was good or not good program. Carefully researched every person that I might see, read their published articles, marked down important things that I should cover, dressed nice and got there early. Worked very well this year, received many, many positive feedback interviews. Emailed and mailed Professional Thank You Letters (on watermarked, professional paper and envelop), mailed out thank you cards, and mailed out interest letters at time of ranking.
All hard-work has not been wasted! I matched this time! MATCH of 2017! To one of my top choices in internal medicine. Thank you so much, my supportive family who has been paying for all my expenses, thank you so much for all my friends who have stood by me when I needed most. Thank you all for letting me know that I CAN DO IT!!!
And if I can, so CAN YOU!!! You have made it thus far, suffered through the hardest exams and the most tiresome rotations. You are a Medical Doctor, and you should be able to reap the fruit of your hard work.
Feel free to contact me if there is anything that I might be of help with, I would be happy to help. I know the hard, the bitter, and the pain that we have been through. I know YOU can DO IT!!!
Then, I wanted to post this to let everyone that did not match this year to know, you still have lots of hope!!!
I was in this same situation last year, and I am not ashamed to share my journey. I am a graduate of 2016 from an international medical school. I had always been a straight A student, like any other one of us that made it to medical school. But because of family issues, I struggled a bit during my second year in med school, result was that I had a semester where I barely passed all course with C’s, which greatly dropped my GPA, took off a couple months to fly to my family’s country resulting in a half year gap, and I got a step 1 score of about 200ish (at that time, the passing score was 188). I was shocked when I received the score, doubting life and doubting myself if I made a correct choice with a career in medicine. Thanks to my very supportive family and friends, I realized that if I just work hard enough, I still have a shot.
I returned to school with the right mindset this time, making sure to do all my studies and work on time. Making sure I work and study hard for every single rotation getting minimum a B+ occasionally with great comments, trying hard for step 2 CK (got 240-ish), volunteering and making connections, passed Step 2 CS first attempt, got good LORs from attending’s I worked with, and so forth.
I applied for the 2016 Match, and failed miserably. I was too stressed on interviews I believe, and did not make the best impression. I was in the middle of a tough rotation and could not take days off, I did not make the best travel plan, and missed interviews because of flight delays. I was so anxious, I probably also asked questions I shouldn’t have asked. Result: I spent 15,000+ USD in application, travel expenses, hotels, flights, and so forth; received 7 interviews (2 of which were from rotation connections), did not match. Of course, SOAP is always a disaster for any IMG, especially non-US IMG’s.
I was shocked and depressed; I was sad and worried. Thanks to supportive family and friends again, and like my personality, I will not be defeated. I stood back up again, analyzed my “case” and application, identified my weaknesses, found many ways of improving them. For example, I obtained several LORs from Chief Attending’s, both from Rotations and from School. I asked for many advises from lots of people with more experience than me. I followed tips and advises from others, I signed up to do a Post-Graduate course which will eventually lead to a Master’s degree for me. I applied for research positons, I sat for step 3 and received a 230-ish score, and when application came, I carefully researched each program, made an excel spreadsheet, wrote down each program’s details, called all the coordinators for every program multiple times, wrote down date and details of conversation for calling for next time, and marked and sent letters to the nice ones. I received, in the end, over 30+ interview invites for the 2017 Match. As a non-US IMG, with several red flags and a step 1 of 200-ish. That is not bad at all. Scheduled for as many as I could go, treated each interview as my only one, despite what I think was good or not good program. Carefully researched every person that I might see, read their published articles, marked down important things that I should cover, dressed nice and got there early. Worked very well this year, received many, many positive feedback interviews. Emailed and mailed Professional Thank You Letters (on watermarked, professional paper and envelop), mailed out thank you cards, and mailed out interest letters at time of ranking.
All hard-work has not been wasted! I matched this time! MATCH of 2017! To one of my top choices in internal medicine. Thank you so much, my supportive family who has been paying for all my expenses, thank you so much for all my friends who have stood by me when I needed most. Thank you all for letting me know that I CAN DO IT!!!
And if I can, so CAN YOU!!! You have made it thus far, suffered through the hardest exams and the most tiresome rotations. You are a Medical Doctor, and you should be able to reap the fruit of your hard work.
Feel free to contact me if there is anything that I might be of help with, I would be happy to help. I know the hard, the bitter, and the pain that we have been through. I know YOU can DO IT!!!
