my chances

[rossuniversity]

I believe my calling is PM&R.....I will find out for sure once i do an elective in it. However my board score is horrendous! I passed it on the first try..but barely within a few points! So be brutally honest and what are my chances?

Thanks so much for ur honesty

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[cyanocobalamin]

I believe my calling is PM&R.....I will find out for sure once i do an elective in it. However my board score is horrendous! I passed it on the first try..but barely within a few points! So be brutally honest and what are my chances?

Thanks so much for ur honesty

Why is PM&R your calling?
I'm sure if you can convey that your chances increase dramatically.

I'm not a PD nor do I play one on tv, but this is such a vauge question..do you go to Ross University? How are your evaluations? Do you have any research experience? Do you want to go to a top tier, middle tier, or lower tier program? Do you interview well, appropriately, and believably? Can your interview follow a compelling yet believable personal statement?

I mean I've heard of 208 step 1 people going to ortho
and 260 step 1 scores going to medicine

My impression is that while PM&R is becoming more competitive, it is still a relatively open field (as compared to derm/ophto/ent/uro/ortho/radonc/etc).

 

[normalforce]

I believe my calling is PM&R.....I will find out for sure once i do an elective in it. However my board score is horrendous! I passed it on the first try..but barely within a few points! So be brutally honest and what are my chances?

Thanks so much for ur honesty

If PMR is your calling, doing these things may increase your chances to match:

1. 2-3 PMR rotations and get 2 strong PMR LORs. Do an audition rotation at a midtier program that will increase your chances to match, esp. if you KICK BUTT while you are there.
2. Take step 2 early and score above the mean
3. APPLY EARLY, like Sept. 1 or whenever you can at the earliest.
4. apply broadly, apply to at least 30+ programs
5. interview at as many as you possibly can afford to interview at.
6. pray.

 

[Wifty]

Do you want to go to a top tier, middle tier, or lower tier program?

I am helping hubby do some research into PMR (he is a 3rd year) and I was wondering how you find out what is considered a top, middle, or lower tier program?

For us, there is a PMR program that is close by at the U. of Missouri in Columbia......how would I find out specifically how good this program is?

Thank you for any help thrown my way!!

With smiles,
Wifty aka Rebecca

 

[inscape2004]

Hey, the posters above gave some good advice
one thing though -- there is matching into rehab and then there is matching into rehab.
What I mean is that overall, if you just wanna do general rehab and dont give a crap where u match, I think u will do fine (I doubt they fill all the spots nationally even after the scramble period, PM&R overall is still pretty non competitive). Where u get into muddy waters is when u started talking about needing to match competitively because u wanna do a competitive fellowship later (pain, spine, whatever). Then things get a lot rougher and since there are so few of these "top" programs and they all offer relatively few spots (like 6-8 per program), u may actually have a problem.
But all in all, in general, to say that a step 1 score makes or breakes an application is bull**** not only in rehab, but in most other fields, everything is considered -- research, LORs, rotations, 3rd year grades, etc etc.
Good luck man.

 

[DigableCat]

I am helping hubby do some research into PMR (he is a 3rd year) and I was wondering how you find out what is considered a top, middle, or lower tier program?

For us, there is a PMR program that is close by at the U. of Missouri in Columbia......how would I find out specifically how good this program is?

Thank you for any help thrown my way!!

With smiles,
Wifty aka Rebecca

Top/Middle/Lower Tier Program....First he needs to find out if he likes PM&R. That comes in the form of doing an elective.

If he likes PM&R, he'll have to figure out why? And that's where the decision tree begins.

Some programs emphasize inpatient, some emphasize outpatient, some are more research oriented. Some give residents more experience in sports medicine, pediatric rehab, spinal cord injury, or pain managment.

Based on his interests, he will be able to narrow down which programs to apply to.

There is a Medical Student Mentorship Program on the AAPM&R website:

http://www.aapmr.org/medstu/resmedment.htm

And there is specifically a resident from University of Missouri-Columbia who has volunteered to serve as a contact person for medical students interested in PM&R. I would suggest contacting that resident.

Hope that helps.

 

[DigableCat]

What I mean is that overall, if you just wanna do general rehab and dont give a crap where u match, I think u will do fine (I doubt they fill all the spots nationally even after the scramble period, PM&R overall is still pretty non competitive).

I think a few forum members that posted on Match Day will tell you otherwise. If you overestimate your credentials and competitiveness, you may in fact be left without a spot....even after scramble.

Times have changed and applicants are no longer GUARANTEED a spot in PM&R, even if they don't "give a crap" where they match.

 

[Wifty]

Thanks DigableCat! The site does help and he is going to get in touch with the contact.

He is doing an elective in PMR at columbia this summer. It really stinks that you have to wait to do electives until the fourth year.....that doesn't give you much time to try things out and make a decision about the rest of your life.

Thanks again.....though I still have no idea top/mid/low tier! Ah well, I will find out eventually.

With smiles and thanks,
Wifty

 

[sixteenstones]

Thanks DigableCat! The site does help and he is going to get in touch with the contact.

He is doing an elective in PMR at columbia this summer. It really stinks that you have to wait to do electives until the fourth year.....that doesn't give you much time to try things out and make a decision about the rest of your life.

Thanks again.....though I still have no idea top/mid/low tier! Ah well, I will find out eventually.

With smiles and thanks,
Wifty

Top programs (in no order and in my opinion and usually most other peoples):
Northwestern/RIC, UMDNJ/Kessler, Harvard/Spaulding, Mayo, Baylor, University of Washington, Ohio State, University of Michigan

Mid-tier/Close to top (lots of these):
LSU, VCU-MCV, Stanford, NYU, UVa, Emory, Penn, Columbia-Cornell, Hopkins, Wisconsin, UC-Davis, UC-Irvine, the list goes on.....

Rest:
IU, Tufts, USF, EVMS, U Kentucky, U-Louisville, Wayne State, Beaumont, Loyola, list goes on......

Disclaimer: Remember that many people choose programs based on location, spouse/couples match, and many other factors. This is just a very rough look at some general programs. ALL programs are good and will train you to be a good physiatrist. The list that I have briefly given is "what most people would condsider in terms of competitiveness of matching". By no means is the list inclusive, just to give you an idea. And please no turf wars or PM about this stuff.

Best of luck to you.

 

[mehul_25]

I know several people with similar situations who were successful in matching into good programs. My advice mirrors that which you have already received. Make sure to do at least 2 months of PM&R rotations. If possible consider doing them in an institution that you would one day like to match. This puts additional pressure on you to perform well, but it is worth it if they like you. Try to connect with some of the residents, attendings, dont be afraid to tell them a little bit about your situation. Those relationships can take you further than you think.

Also take Step 2 as soon as you can...as long as you are ready. Try to do well on Step 2. An upward trend is always helpful.

As others have stated, PM&R is getting more competitive every year, but it is still not radiology, derm, etc. My advice is to treat your applications like previous applications to college, medical school, etc. Apply to a broad spectrum of programs that you are willing to go to. Apply to 5-10 "reach" programs, 5-10 "mid-tier" programs and 5-10 "easy" programs. I would apply to at least 30 programs. You might be suprised at what geniune interest and passion can overcome.

Mehul

 

[Jekyll&Hyde]

Top programs (in no order and in my opinion and usually most other peoples):
Northwestern/RIC, UMDNJ/Kessler, Harvard/Spaulding, Mayo, Baylor, University of Washington, Ohio State, University of Michigan

Mid-tier/Close to top (lots of these):
LSU, VCU-MCV, Stanford, NYU, UVa, Emory, Penn, Columbia-Cornell, Hopkins, Wisconsin, UC-Davis, UC-Irvine, the list goes on.....

Rest:
IU, Tufts, USF, EVMS, U Kentucky, U-Louisville, Wayne State, Beaumont, Loyola, list goes on......

Disclaimer: Remember that many people choose programs based on location, spouse/couples match, and many other factors. This is just a very rough look at some general programs. ALL programs are good and will train you to be a good physiatrist. The list that I have briefly given is "what most people would condsider in terms of competitiveness of matching". By no means is the list inclusive, just to give you an idea. And please no turf wars or PM about this stuff.

Best of luck to you.

I understand that the UT/Baylor program has a good rep. But is it because of the Baylor part or the UT part. I heard, that if you match the UT part, it looks slightly better on that diploma hanging on your wall.

 

[paz5559]

Top programs (in no order and in my opinion and usually most other peoples):
Northwestern/RIC, UMDNJ/Kessler, Harvard/Spaulding, Mayo, Baylor, University of Washington, Ohio State, University of Michigan

Mid-tier/Close to top (lots of these):
LSU, VCU-MCV, Stanford, NYU, UVa, Emory, Penn, Columbia-Cornell, Hopkins, Wisconsin, UC-Davis, UC-Irvine, the list goes on.....

Rest:
IU, Tufts, USF, EVMS, U Kentucky, U-Louisville, Wayne State, Beaumont, Loyola, list goes on......

Disclaimer: Remember that many people choose programs based on location, spouse/couples match, and many other factors. This is just a very rough look at some general programs. ALL programs are good and will train you to be a good physiatrist. The list that I have briefly given is "what most people would condsider in terms of competitiveness of matching". By no means is the list inclusive, just to give you an idea. And please no turf wars or PM about this stuff.

Best of luck to you.

I think you are absolutely right - it is a list based on your opinion. To add the "and usually most other people's" is where I would wholeheartedly disagree, and quite honestly, I would disagree with at least one entry in EACH of your categories, so for anyone else reading this thread (ie potential applicants) PLEASE do not view the above categorization as consensus or in anyway definitive. They are sixteenstones' opinion, just as I have mine. I would urge you to collect opinions from LOTS of people, and not let one anonymous poster define for you what is the generally held opinion of particular programs. Sixteenstones thinks he got a broad array of viewpoints. I would urge you to do the same, and not take his, my, or any other individual's view regarding the best, the middle, and what he euphamistically refers to as the rest.

Oh, and just for the sake of full disclosure, I am a fourth year resident at LSU, and agree where my particular program was placed.