Little research access, no name medical school-need advice for dermatology

[FlashJackson]

Hi. I'm a 3rd year med student at a community based new medical college with little research access and not much of a significant dermatology faculty. I recently became interested in dermatology but am dismayed by the fact that besides case reports (I am working on one now), I really can't get involved in significant research unless I use aways in the 4th year. I was published in a few basic science papers involving pharmacology in college if that helps anything. My step 1 score is 262, I am among the top of my class I am fairly certain as far as grades but we'll see how i do in my rotations (we don't rank students so its hard to know)- so my grades are excellent and that's the main thing I have going for me. I fear though that I am not going to be competitive without research aside from a case report or two and maybe an away rotation- am I totally screwed? I wish I had known earlier I wanted to do derm but hey, I didn't so that's that. Should I just give up, or what else can I do? What are my odds (I know you guys are probably sick of that question-sorry). Also, someone told me you really can't delay taking the step 2 to avoid getting a lower score and having interviewers see it anymore due to the new ERAS reporting system or something- is that true? I really don't think I can beat my step 1 and have been enjoying letting myself take a day off a week to be happy and enjoy life since step 1s over.

Any advice is appreciated, please don't troll.

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[WaylonS]

If you want, you can consider doing a research year, but your Step 1 score seems solid. One of the nice things about research years (I'm on one now) is that you have time to relax, time to write and publish projects/cases you saw during third year, and it gives you the opportunity to study for Step 2. Also, the mean for Step 2 is about 14 points higher than Step 1, so it is not as difficult as you might think to score just as well. Good luck

 

[asmallchild]

I would recommend a research year as well

 

[doc MD]

Your score is solid and have some research and publication experience. I would wait for aways and make connection then and pick up some research. The other option is contacting even the private derm ppl in the community and most attending state derm function that can end up helping you build a network (nearly every state has some derm event where PDs and others attend). The year off option for research is a good idea as well if you want to solidify your application but you'll still have a chance with what you have to get in any program (if you really after a top tier program, take the year off and research).

btw, don't worry about step2 score. for interviews at least, we don't care.

Hi. I'm a 3rd year med student at a community based new medical college with little research access and not much of a significant dermatology faculty. I recently became interested in dermatology but am dismayed by the fact that besides case reports (I am working on one now), I really can't get involved in significant research unless I use aways in the 4th year. I was published in a few basic science papers involving pharmacology in college if that helps anything. My step 1 score is 262, I am among the top of my class I am fairly certain as far as grades but we'll see how i do in my rotations (we don't rank students so its hard to know)- so my grades are excellent and that's the main thing I have going for me. I fear though that I am not going to be competitive without research aside from a case report or two and maybe an away rotation- am I totally screwed? I wish I had known earlier I wanted to do derm but hey, I didn't so that's that. Should I just give up, or what else can I do? What are my odds (I know you guys are probably sick of that question-sorry). Also, someone told me you really can't delay taking the step 2 to avoid getting a lower score and having interviewers see it anymore due to the new ERAS reporting system or something- is that true? I really don't think I can beat my step 1 and have been enjoying letting myself take a day off a week to be happy and enjoy life since step 1s over.

Any advice is appreciated, please don't troll.

 

[sweatybrain]

I think if you have a home department, you can get away with not doing a year off. If you don't have a home derm program, it's too hard to make a strong impression. I have read around 600 derm LORs over the past week, and I'd say that favorable letters (gotta read between the line), generally comes from people who know you beyond your four week rotation.

 

[FlashJackson]

Thanks for the advice everyone, It's clear I have a lot of work to do. Geisinger has a local branch with away rotations and I can try to contact them and see if they'll let me shadow ahead of time to get my foot in the door (I already have clearance to be at geisinger due to following another patient's surgery there, only took me 2 months to get lol). Meanwhile i'll work on case report(s) and any other research, derm or not. I'm not sure about state derm functions, i'm from PA and am not aware of any.