Official 2020-2021 GI Fellowship Application Cycle

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This sure adds another layer onto to this lol. A fellow applicant from my same program has been aggressively cold emailing and asking mentors to cold call since the very beginning of the cycle and got total of 16 interviews. I did not call anyone until few days ago and got 10. Both of us are reapplicants without any significant improvement in our app other than applying more broadly and both of us got less than 5 interviews last year. Hopefully we both match this cycle but who has higher chance? No one really knows since it depends on how many "courtesy" interviews he got.
curious why you think either of you did not match last year? are you IMG / AMG?

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I will consider it worked if you match at that program after ranking it last. many a times, PDs will give courtesy IVs as mark of respect to your mentor who called them. Have seen time and again that it doesnt translate to ranking the candidate unless one is truly stellar.

Maybe? I guess it is low stakes since it doesn't financially cost me anything to IV and I'm on elective so the pros of interviewing outweigh the cons? Plus it would be rude to not take the interview after my mentor put in the effort. And I just got the second place later this afternoon so to me it seems like calling works and it can't really hurt so why not. Thankfully have been fortunate to get enough interviews but maybe I won't cancel some of my safeties if these are possibly just courtesies?
 
Maybe? I guess it is low stakes since it doesn't financially cost me anything to IV and I'm on elective so the pros of interviewing outweigh the cons? Plus it would be rude to not take the interview after my mentor put in the effort. And I just got the second place later this afternoon so to me it seems like calling works and it can't really hurt so why not. Thankfully have been fortunate to get enough interviews but maybe I won't cancel some of my safeties if these are possibly just courtesies?
you should absolutely complete the IV. My point is do not be surprised if you rank those programs high and miss them. I don't know your full profile, you may very well be the candidate that might be a good fit for those programs, my comment is based on what happens in majority of cases
 
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Any IMgs willing to disclose IV numbers? On the spreadsheet it felt as if one dude was getting all the IVs as they were from very competitive locations and I imagine he had a strong app. Anyone lend insight to IMGs getting those 5 are of binaries interest and have a high chance of matching ?
 
Hi everyone,

Is there anyone who can consider switching their 10/16 interview slot for ochsner clinic with my 10/09? Cash is involved. Let me know.
 
w.r.t cold emailing/mentor emailing /courtesy iv etc , i agree that it usually does not result in matching. sometimes it may..however do it by all means as getting a courtesy iv still has a non zero chance compared to no iv...

that applicant is still a random resident who still isn’t their friend and they may not rank them very high or at all unless they blow them away with magic at the interview.

I have always wondered how someone could blow people away in the interview...People have always talked about that happening..but i always wonder what you could possibly say on a fellowship iv that would blow people away .. :) "i poop gold bricks"
 
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Still looking to swap USF interview dates. I have 10/9, and I will pay to switch to any other date!!!
 
AMG:
8/14: Mayo Jacksonville
8/18: UC Davis, URochester, Vanderbilt
8/19: U of Vermont, Temple, UVA
8/20: VCU
8/21: Rutgers RWJ, Boston U, Univ Southern Alabama
8/23: The Ohio State
8/24: UCSD, Cincinnati, Missouri-Columbia, LSU, UColorado
8/25: Duke, Brigham, MGH, Beth Israel Deaconess, WashU, Lankenau, Indiana University
8/26: WashU, Yale, UNC, UMaryland, University of Washington
8/27: Mayo Rochester, UNebraska, UChicago, Yale, UMichigan, Dartmouth
8/28: Oregon, Henry Ford, Lankenau, Medical College Wisconsin, UAB, Kaiser LA, California Pacific Health Center, U Arizona-Phoenix, Carolinas, Brigham, Cleveland Clinic-Florida, West Virginia
8/31: Henry Ford, Brown, Methodist Dallas, UT-RGV, UCSF, Tufts, Baylor Houston
9/1: UTSW, Georgetown, Cedars-Sinai, Maryland, Johns Hopkins, UPitt, Cornell, USF, Loma Linda, Lahey Clinic, Duke, Westchester
9/2: UCLA, Northwestern, Emory, Case Western-MetroHealth, Texas Tech-El Paso
9/3: Cleveland Clinic-Ohio, UPitt, Columbia, Yale, Mount Sinai (Icahn)
9/4: Albert Einstein Philly, Hofstra/Northwell (Northshore/LIJ), UWisconsin, Hopkins
9/7: NYU
9/8: Albany, UTMB, UPitt, Baylor Dallas, Case Western-UH, UF-Gainesville, Einstein-Philadelphia, Columbia, UMass
9/9: UPenn, Loyola, Einstein-Philadelphia, UT-San Antonio, Kaiser SF, Scripps, Tulane, SC-Greenville, UMiami
9/10: Columbia, Memorial Sloan Kettering, UMichigan, Tufts, Northwestern
9/11: Stanford, Johns Hopkins, UConnecticut, MUSC
9/12: Wake Forest
9/14: UMinnesota, Allegheny, UMiami, UPenn, USC, Baylor-Temple, UC Irvine, UT-Houston, Utah, GWU
9/15: Rutgers-NJMS, Medical College Georgia, Lehigh Valley
9/16: UPenn, UIllinois Chicago, UMississippi, UC Irvine, Creighton-Omaha
9/17: UArkansas, Brown, Stony Brook, Northshore, Ascension Genesys, UPenn
9/18: Buffalo, Wright State, Rush, Oklahoma, UNLV, Cook County

IMG requiring Visa:
8/13: VCU
8/19: UF Jacksonville
8/20: St. Luke's Hospital, University of Iowa
8/23: Ohio State
8/25: Baystate, Indiana University
8/26: WashU
8/27: Mayo Rochester, UMaryland, UNebraska
8/28: UAB, Medical College Wisconsin, Cleveland Clinic Florida, U of Arizona-Phoenix, Creighton-Phoenix
8/31: Baylor Houston
9/2: UConn, Emory
9/3: Coney Island
9/8: St. Joseph Mercy Ann Arbor, UTMB, Case Western-UH, UF-Gainesville
9/9: Loyola
9/11: UT-Houston
9/12: SC-Greenville
9/14: Allegheny, U Minnesota
9/16: Creighton-Omaha, UIllinois Chicago
9/18: Buffalo

IMG without visa:
8/28: Cleveland Clinic Florida
8/31: Creighton-Phoenix
9/1: Cornell, Georgetown, Baylor Houston
9/8: UT-RGV, UMaryland-Mercy, UMass
9/9: St. Joseph Mercy Ann Arbor, Loyola, Einstein-Philadelphia, Columbia, Tulane
9/11: MUSC
9/16: UMassachusetts
9/17: UArkansas
9/18: Cook County, Montefiore, Rush

Rejections:
8/19: UC Davis (IMG)
8/20: URochester (AMG and IMG)
8/27: Mayo Rochester (AMG)
9/5: UChicago (AMG and IMG)
9/7: University of Washington (AMG and IMG)
9/9: University of Missouri (AMG and IMG)
9/10: Tufts (AMG and IMG)
9/10: Northwestern (AMG and IMG)
9/11: BIDMC (AMG)
9/14: Allegheny (AMG)
9/15: UT-San Antonio (AMG and IMG)
9/15: Vanderbilt (AMG and IMG)
9/16: UMass-Baystate (AMG and IMG)
9/17: UWashington (IMG), Mt. Sinai (AMG)
9/18: WVU (AMG and IMG), Georgetown (AMG), Mt. Sinai (AMG and IMG)
9/28 Univ of Kentucky (IMG)
 
Anybody heard anything from U of Arizona Tucson? Thanks!
 
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Hi guys, wanted to ask if Yale Bridgeport, Kent Hospital in RI, and the University of Tennesse in Memphis have already sent interview invites. Thank you.
 
Can anyone switch USF dates? I have 10/9. I’ll pay $200 to switch.
 
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Can anyone post the link to the google excel sheet? For some reason the url wasn’t working for me. Thanks
 
w.r.t cold emailing/mentor emailing /courtesy iv etc , i agree that it usually does not result in matching. sometimes it may..however do it by all means as getting a courtesy iv still has a non zero chance compared to no iv...



I have always wondered how someone could blow people away in the interview...People have always talked about that happening..but i always wonder what you could possibly say on a fellowship iv that would blow people away .. :) "i poop gold bricks"
there's nothing you can do during interview ethically at least to go from worst to first, people can shuffle in the spheres They are already assigned to according to the predetermined benchmarks and metrics, for example if you are slated as a top 10 candidate already based on your application on the rank list the great interview can nudge you in the right direction
 
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there's nothing you can do during interview ethically at least to go from worst to first, people can shuffle in the spheres They are already assigned to according to the predetermined benchmarks and metrics, for example if you are slated as a top 10 candidate already based on your application on the rank list the great interview can nudge you in the right direction

So I have this to say I interviewed at one of the programs and the PD told me they initially didn't extend me an invite because they weren't sure I would leave my geographic area but once they heard from my mentor that I'm willing to move there since I have family in the area and am interviewing across the country they extended one immediately. These things are difficult to gather from an application and especially since this year since we can't put our time/money where our mouth is and travel to the area. They seem pretty genuine and have been in contact with me after my interview as well. So maybe they don't plan to rank me highly, but if I didn't even interview my chance is 0 and this way there is at least some chance should I choose to go there. I still would recommend people reach out their mentors to make phone calls because you never know the reason you didn't get an IV.
 
So I have this to say I interviewed at one of the programs and the PD told me they initially didn't extend me an invite because they weren't sure I would leave my geographic area but once they heard from my mentor that I'm willing to move there since I have family in the area and am interviewing across the country they extended one immediately. These things are difficult to gather from an application and especially since this year since we can't put our time/money where our mouth is and travel to the area. They seem pretty genuine and have been in contact with me after my interview as well. So maybe they don't plan to rank me highly, but if I didn't even interview my chance is 0 and this way there is at least some chance should I choose to go there. I still would recommend people reach out their mentors to make phone calls because you never know the reason you didn't get an IV.

if everyone was doing this and programs were actually receptive to it, those programs would end up interviewing Double the amount of applicants they are now in covid era.
 
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Anyone heard back from University of Arizona-Tucson ???? GOOD LUCK!
 
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has anyone heard back from university of new Mexico regarding confirmation if interview dates?
 
Anyone heard back from University of Arizona-Tucson ???? GOOD LUCK!

I emailed and have two mentors email. Nothing.

has anyone heard back from university of new Mexico regarding confirmation if interview dates?

Emailed the PC twice and was told I would get a certain date but no other official communication.
 
has anyone heard back from university of new Mexico regarding confirmation if interview dates?
I have actually, not sure why others here haven't yet? Also wondering if U Arizona Tucson has sent out anything. Same with Thomas Jefferson.

Any way to glean from interview day whether programs plan to rank you high or not? Subtle things interviewers say, who they schedule you to interview with (division chief, big name researcher vs satellite site attending, fresh junior attendingetc)
 
AMG:
8/14: Mayo Jacksonville
8/18: UC Davis, URochester, Vanderbilt
8/19: U of Vermont, Temple, UVA
8/20: VCU
8/21: Rutgers RWJ, Boston U, Univ Southern Alabama
8/23: The Ohio State
8/24: UCSD, Cincinnati, Missouri-Columbia, LSU, UColorado
8/25: Duke, Brigham, MGH, Beth Israel Deaconess, WashU, Lankenau, Indiana University
8/26: WashU, Yale, UNC, UMaryland, University of Washington
8/27: Mayo Rochester, UNebraska, UChicago, Yale, UMichigan, Dartmouth
8/28: Oregon, Henry Ford, Lankenau, Medical College Wisconsin, UAB, Kaiser LA, California Pacific Health Center, U Arizona-Phoenix, Carolinas, Brigham, Cleveland Clinic-Florida, West Virginia
8/31: Henry Ford, Brown, Methodist Dallas, UT-RGV, UCSF, Tufts, Baylor Houston
9/1: UTSW, Georgetown, Cedars-Sinai, Maryland, Johns Hopkins, UPitt, Cornell, USF, Loma Linda, Lahey Clinic, Duke, Westchester
9/2: UCLA, Northwestern, Emory, Case Western-MetroHealth, Texas Tech-El Paso
9/3: Cleveland Clinic-Ohio, UPitt, Columbia, Yale, Mount Sinai (Icahn)
9/4: Albert Einstein Philly, Hofstra/Northwell (Northshore/LIJ), UWisconsin, Hopkins
9/7: NYU
9/8: Albany, UTMB, UPitt, Baylor Dallas, Case Western-UH, UF-Gainesville, Einstein-Philadelphia, Columbia, UMass
9/9: UPenn, Loyola, Einstein-Philadelphia, UT-San Antonio, Kaiser SF, Scripps, Tulane, SC-Greenville, UMiami
9/10: Columbia, Memorial Sloan Kettering, UMichigan, Tufts, Northwestern
9/11: Stanford, Johns Hopkins, UConnecticut, MUSC
9/12: Wake Forest
9/14: UMinnesota, Allegheny, UMiami, UPenn, USC, Baylor-Temple, UC Irvine, UT-Houston, Utah, GWU
9/15: Rutgers-NJMS, Medical College Georgia, Lehigh Valley
9/16: UPenn, UIllinois Chicago, UMississippi, UC Irvine, Creighton-Omaha
9/17: UArkansas, Brown, Stony Brook, Northshore, Ascension Genesys, UPenn
9/18: Buffalo, Wright State, Rush, Oklahoma, UNLV, Cook County
9/20: UCSF Fresno
9/22: New Mexico
9/23: Hofstra-Lenox Hill, Ascension Providence, Mt. Sinai-Beth Israel
9/24: Hofstra-Lenox Hill, Saint Louis
9/27: NYU
9/28: UKentucky, SUNY Brooklyn, Rowan
9/29: NYP-Queens
9/30: Loyola, The Ohio State, St. Luke's Univ, Louisville, Howard, UKansas

IMG requiring Visa:
8/13: VCU
8/19: UF Jacksonville
8/20: St. Luke's Hospital, University of Iowa
8/23: Ohio State
8/25: Baystate, Indiana University
8/26: WashU
8/27: Mayo Rochester, UMaryland, UNebraska
8/28: UAB, Medical College Wisconsin, Cleveland Clinic Florida, U of Arizona-Phoenix, Creighton-Phoenix
8/31: Baylor Houston
9/2: UConn, Emory
9/3: Coney Island
9/8: St. Joseph Mercy Ann Arbor, UTMB, Case Western-UH, UF-Gainesville
9/9: Loyola
9/11: UT-Houston
9/12: SC-Greenville
9/14: Allegheny, U Minnesota
9/16: Creighton-Omaha, UIllinois Chicago
9/18: Buffalo
9/23: Ascension Providence
9/28: UKentucky

IMG without visa:
8/28: Cleveland Clinic Florida
8/31: Creighton-Phoenix
9/1: Cornell, Georgetown, Baylor Houston
9/8: UT-RGV, UMaryland-Mercy, UMass
9/9: St. Joseph Mercy Ann Arbor, Loyola, Einstein-Philadelphia, Columbia, Tulane
9/11: MUSC
9/16: UMassachusetts
9/17: UArkansas
9/18: Cook County, Montefiore, Rush

Rejections:
8/19: UC Davis (IMG)
8/20: URochester (AMG and IMG)
8/27: Mayo Rochester (AMG)
9/5: UChicago (AMG and IMG)
9/7: University of Washington (AMG and IMG)
9/9: University of Missouri (AMG and IMG)
9/10: Tufts (AMG and IMG)
9/10: Northwestern (AMG and IMG)
9/11: BIDMC (AMG)
9/14: Allegheny (AMG)
9/15: UT-San Antonio (AMG and IMG)
9/15: Vanderbilt (AMG and IMG)
9/16: UMass-Baystate (AMG and IMG)
9/17: UWashington (IMG), Mt. Sinai (AMG)
9/18: WVU (AMG and IMG), Georgetown (AMG), Mt. Sinai (AMG and IMG)
9/22: Aurora Health (IMG), UCLA (AMG and IMG)
9/23: Mayo-Phoenix (AMG)
9/28 Univ of Kentucky (IMG), Cleveland Clinic-Florida (AMG)
9/29: Cleveland Clinic-Florida (AMG)
10/1: UMassachusetts (AMG and IMG)
 
Curious how people responded to the invitation -- via ERAS message portal or via email and if so to who? I responded via ERAS portal on 9/22 and also via e-mail on 9/29 and haven't heard anything at all. The date I wanted was this weekend........

I responded via email, coordinator said she'll send out zoom links tomorrow, and just emailed rsvp for fellow's night tomorrow
 
What does it mean on the ERAS scheduler when it says “No action available” next to an interview date? I don’t see a waitlist option either...
Means it’s full to max capacity and waitlist also full.
 
Did anyone interviewing at UCLA get a diversity email today? Similarly, anyone interviewing at Stanford get a separate email to interview with the chief of gi on a separate day?
 
Those doing virtual IVs - what is going well, what do you think can be done better

Things I've appreciated:
  • time built in for bathroom breaks (Ideally at least one 10-15 minute break during the interview day to have a snack, go to the bathroom, stretch your legs but not so many breaks that they day lasts forever)
  • some sort of notification prior to interview time running out (I like the countdown timer better than the 2 minute warning)
  • when there are long info sessions (either with PD or with fellows), specifically saying it's ok to have a snack or drink your tea/coffee (these days are long and being hungry makes it harder to pay attention)
  • it can be harder to make the meet and greet with fellows when its on a different day than the interview (because I don't have to travel, I usually am at work the day before)
  • ive liked the videos where fellows show you around their workspace or their neighborhood since we don't get to get a good feel for the place ourselves
 
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Did anyone interviewing at UCLA get a diversity email today? Similarly, anyone interviewing at Stanford get a separate email to interview with the chief of gi on a separate day?
I did.
 
Those doing virtual IVs - what is going well, what do you think can be done better
Things I've appreciated:
  • time built in for bathroom breaks (Ideally at least one 10-15 minute break during the interview day to have a snack, go to the bathroom, stretch your legs but not so many breaks that they day lasts forever)
  • some sort of notification prior to interview time running out (I like the countdown timer better than the 2 minute warning)
  • when there are long info sessions (either with PD or with fellows), specifically saying it's ok to have a snack or drink your tea/coffee (these days are long and being hungry makes it harder to pay attention)
  • it can be harder to make the meet and greet with fellows when its on a different day than the interview (because I don't have to travel, I usually am at work the day before)
  • ive liked the videos where fellows show you around their workspace or their neighborhood since we don't get to get a good feel for the place ourselves
Agreed with all of the above. Also, please do not do the happy hour thing via zoom. It is very awkward for everyone is staring at each other and few people want to eat/drink while facing camera. Just make it an Q&A session during the interview day.
 
Anyone else received "carefully reviewing application" from Detroit Medical Center email?
 
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What are the procedures that the "average" gastroenterology fellowship should be training its trainees to proficiency? I'm having a hard time differentiating what is an "advanced" procedure vs not (with the exception of ERCP/EUS of course). Obviously, there may be some variation from program to program but I'm trying to get a general sense.

For example:
Radiofrequency ablation
Esophageal dilation
Push enteroscopy
Luminal stents (esophageal, gastric, small bowel, colonic)
Endoscopic mucosal resection
Endoscopic submucosal resection
PEG-J tubes
Bariatric endoscopic procedures
Percutaneous liver biopsy
Motility studies (such as esophageal or anorectal manometry)

Thanks in advance!
 
What are the procedures that the "average" gastroenterology fellowship should be training its trainees to proficiency? I'm having a hard time differentiating what is an "advanced" procedure vs not (with the exception of ERCP/EUS of course). Obviously, there may be some variation from program to program but I'm trying to get a general sense.

For example:
Radiofrequency ablation
Esophageal dilation
Push enteroscopy
Luminal stents (esophageal, gastric, small bowel, colonic)
Endoscopic mucosal resection
Endoscopic submucosal resection
PEG-J tubes
Bariatric endoscopic procedures
Percutaneous liver biopsy
Motility studies (such as esophageal or anorectal manometry)

Thanks in advance!
‘Advanced’ usually refers to EUS/ERCP, enteroscopy, ESDs, and a few others (POEM, 3rd space endoscopy, etc). Unfortunately with virtual interviews you can’t for the most part ask about procedures available for general fellows because that question is usually saved for when meeting current fellows in a casual atmosphere.
 
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‘Advanced’ usually refers to EUS/ERCP, enteroscopy, ESDs, and a few others (POEM, 3rd space endoscopy, etc). Unfortunately with virtual interviews you can’t for the most part ask about procedures available for general fellows because that question is usually saved for when meeting current fellows in a casual atmosphere.

Thank you! So one should expect that the average GI fellowship program will train you on all the procedures I listed to proficiency (except for ESD and Push enteroscopy)?
 
Thank you! So one should expect that the average GI fellowship program will train you on all the procedures I listed to proficiency (except for ESD and Push enteroscopy)?
You will not be proficient in ESD. Push enteroscopy is just an EGD with a longer scope so you will do those. ERCP and EUS might be taught depending on the program. Dilations are common. PEGs and other things you listened can vary based on program. There is acgme list of required numbers of procedures for any GI fellowship. This is very minimal and basic if you look at it. How much they do and more importantly allow the fellows to do beyond that really is best answered by fellows in the program.
 
So i just realised that I forgot to register with the nrmp . Does that mean programs haven’t been able to rank me up until now? I just added the NRMP ID to ERAS now

should I call programs that I’ve interviewed with to make sure there have been no issues?
 
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So i just realised that I forgot to register with the nrmp . Does that mean programs haven’t been able to rank me up until now? I just added the NRMP ID to ERAS now

should I call programs that I’ve interviewed with to make sure there have been no issues?
the rank list just opened on 9/30. I think you’re fine.
 
So i just realised that I forgot to register with the nrmp . Does that mean programs haven’t been able to rank me up until now? I just added the NRMP ID to ERAS now

should I call programs that I’ve interviewed with to make sure there have been no issues?
Damn im in the same boat. One of the programs taht I interviewed at alrady told me right after they make these interviews they are making their ROL. WIll this affect me?
 
How do you find your interview schedule on Thalamus? I have an interview next week and can’t see my schedule
 
So i just realised that I forgot to register with the nrmp . Does that mean programs haven’t been able to rank me up until now? I just added the NRMP ID to ERAS now

should I call programs that I’ve interviewed with to make sure there have been no issues?

Definitely do not do that. Even when it came to residency matching, the NRMP ID always comes out much later so they rank with AAMC ID.

Damn im in the same boat. One of the programs taht I interviewed at alrady told me right after they make these interviews they are making their ROL. WIll this affect me?

They can rank you based off AAMC ID and name. It's all going to be fine
 
When do you guys normally start sending thank you emails? Like 1 wk? Few days?
 
When you withdraw your application after you’ve scheduled an interview, have people just been withdrawing the application on ERAS or also emailing the program coordinator? Email the PD as well?
 
When do you guys normally start sending thank you emails? Like 1 wk? Few days?
I have been doing about a week out. Sending personalized emails to just the PD and fellowship director.
 
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