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What part of the country is your med school in? If you're in CA, that will help...

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Hello everyone,

Recently took Step 1 and scored in the mid 226.
How did you get a 226.5?

Obviously I'll be applying to every program West and East of the Mississippi but I have a strong preference for California!
I think that's a bit dramatic. You don't need to apply to every program in the US. You need to apply intelligently. You'll definitely match if you do that. You'll also probably match in CA if that's what you want. It's a big state.
 
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Hi everyone,

Also just got my Step 1 results back and scored a 239 (Top 20 Allopathic MD). I am interested in doing IM followed by a fellowship in GI or Heme-Onc in NYC (have some personal ties to the area). Obviously I have third year clerkships and Step 2 ahead of me, but I was wondering if my Step 1 score still keeps me decently competitive for NYC IM programs like Cornell/Columbia/Sinai/NYU? I have a decent amount of research experience and a couple awards/scholarships during medical school that I hope to build upon in the next 2 years. Thanks for your input!

Yes. Although I think there has been massive step 1 inflation since I took it. With your pedigree and scores you should be competitive. From there it is a crap shoot.
 
Hello everyone,

Recently took Step 1 and scored 226. I'm ambivalent about my score and wanted advice from those associated with or who anything about California IM Programs. I'm particularly interested in mid-tier programs that can provide solid research as I would love to go into a sub-specialty.

I'm an osteopathic medical student (so I'm obviously not talking about UCSF or UCLA Reagan) with a good amount of research publications, poster presentations, an over-abundance of scholarships, and a stacked CV in terms of extracurriculars.

I know Step 1 isn't everything, so assuming I do alright during 3rd year and hopefully honor my IM rotations, what are my odds and what programs should I realistically consider? Obviously I'll be applying to every program West and East of the Mississippi but I have a strong preference for California!

Thank you in advance.
California is rough for DOs. I applied to like 12 programs with a step score in the 260s. Only got 3 interviews with 1 being a university program. I suggest you rotate at a few to increase your chances.
 
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B is definitely going to be the limiting factor here as I'm sure you know. I'd probably apply to 60-ish programs including a decent number of community programs as backups. I wouldn't waste my money on the top academic programs in the biggest cities (MGH etc) assuming you both want to end up at the exact same program (as opposed to different programs in the same city, which is something you both should talk about btw).

Some places to consider just off the top of my head:

Dartmouth
Brown
Georgetown
GWU
Maryland
Temple
Jefferson
Drexel
UVa
VCU
Wake Forest
UNC
MUSC
UAB
USC
OHSU
Utah
Colorado
Nebraska
Minnesota
Wisconsin
MCW
Iowa
Mayo
Indiana
UIC
Rush
Loyola
Case Western
Cleveland Clinic

Avoid! Trust me on this one.
 
Avoid! Trust me on this one.

Care to elaborate?

I'm familiar with the standard SDN line about CC, and while I don't doubt it's true for that particular couples match you could certainly do worse.
 
Care to elaborate?

I'm familiar with the standard SDN line about CC, and while I don't doubt it's true for that particular couples match you could certainly do worse.

Depends on what you're looking for from a residency program and what your expectations are from a program's leadership in terms of actually supporting you as a resident, taking feedback on board and functioning in a diplomatic, benevolent manner. Lots of unhappy campers.
 
Hello everyone,

Recently took Step 1 and scored 226. I'm ambivalent about my score and wanted advice from those associated with or who anything about California IM Programs. I'm particularly interested in mid-tier programs that can provide solid research as I would love to go into a sub-specialty.

I'm an osteopathic medical student (so I'm obviously not talking about UCSF or UCLA Reagan) with a good amount of research publications, poster presentations, an over-abundance of scholarships, and a stacked CV in terms of extracurriculars.

I know Step 1 isn't everything, so assuming I do alright during 3rd year and hopefully honor my IM rotations, what are my odds and what programs should I realistically consider? Obviously I'll be applying to every program West and East of the Mississippi but I have a strong preference for California!

Thank you in advance.
Although I agree with @dfib slim that CA IM programs are very competitive for DOs to match, at WesternU we had about 15 people matching IM positions at CA academic programs (UCI, Loma Linda, UCSF-Fresno and UCR). To my knowledge, the people who matched didn't have nearly as good scores as dfib's. This makes me think that being from the area, or attending a school in CA, gives you a huge leg up in the process.
 
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:)
 
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Pedigree and research are deal breakers?

Nobody knows. But these programs are historically looking for something that makes you special. This can be research or impressive extracurriculars. Another way into them is straight up inbreeding.
 
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Nobody knows. But these programs are historically looking for something that makes you special. This can be research or impressive extracurriculars. Another way into them is straight up inbreeding.

Looking at the top 4 programs, which one has taken students from lower tier schools with no research?
 
Hi friends. I am nearing the end of 3rd year and wanting to go into a categorical IM residency. I have pass in everything (except high pass in surgery... still not sure how this happened). Step 1: 212, yikes, not great, I know. I'm an "AMG" at a non top 50 school.

I also don't want to end up somewhere bonkers for residency.

Can you help me decide which of these programs to include/exclude from my application?

Pennsylvania Hospital
Mayo Arizona
Cedars-Sinai
Hopkins Bayview
Cook County
Mount Sinai SLR
Albert Einstein COM Jacobi
CWRU Metrohealth
Georgetown WHC
Ochsner
Albert Einstein Philadelphia
UPMC Mercy
Houston Methodist
Maimonides BK
NYP BK Methodist
NYP Queens
Mount Sinai Queens

Any other suggestions/recommendations?

I'm also considering a career in primary care so an X+Y schedule would be better as I understand their PC experience is better.
 
Hi friends. I am nearing the end of 3rd year and wanting to go into a categorical IM residency. I have pass in everything (except high pass in surgery... still not sure how this happened). Step 1: 212, yikes, not great, I know. I'm an "AMG" at a non top 50 school.

I also don't want to end up somewhere bonkers for residency.

Can you help me decide which of these programs to include/exclude from my application?

Pennsylvania Hospital
Mayo Arizona
Cedars-Sinai
Hopkins Bayview
Cook County
Mount Sinai SLR
Albert Einstein COM Jacobi
CWRU Metrohealth
Georgetown WHC
Ochsner
Albert Einstein Philadelphia
UPMC Mercy
Houston Methodist
Maimonides BK
NYP BK Methodist
NYP Queens
Mount Sinai Queens

Any other suggestions/recommendations?

I'm also considering a career in primary care so an X+Y schedule would be better as I understand their PC experience is better.

I'd exclude cedars and hopkins bayview. Probably not gonna happen. And apply to a bunch more...a bunch.
 
I'm interested in a few specialties, so I'm trying to judge my competitiveness and narrow my focus as I go through 3rd year and determine what all I can do to help myself. I'm just finishing up my first rotation so I don't have any clinical grades, and while I realize those are a critical part of my application, I was wondering if I have a reasonable shot at the top programs given the fact that I'm at a low-tier MD school with a relative lack of publications? I'm interested in academics, particularly ID.

School: low-tier MD
Step 1: >265
Step 2: N/A
Pre-clinical: all honors
Clinical: N/A
Class rank: top 10%
Research: masters degree, 2 presentations, 2 posters, 2 abstracts
EC's: nothing extraordinary

Any advice is welcome, thanks!
 
Hey everyone, looking for some advice on what programs would be a good fit. I am at the beginning of my 4th year, applying to IM, and interested in cardiology fellowship. Most of my family is in Cleveland and would love to stay in or near Cleveland, but also willing to leave for the right program if it would make me competitive to return for fellowship. For me, the most important aspect is the quality of teaching. I am looking for a program that will push me to become a better physician, but it is hard for me to determine what programs really embody this. Thoughts on this and my chances at top programs? Any advice would also be appreciated!

Med school rank: Top 25 MD
USMLE Step 1: 245
USMLE Step 2 CK: TBD (I take this in October)
USMLE Step 2 CS: Pass
Class rank: School does not have any class rank or grades
AOA: TBD
Clerkships: Honors in IM, Surgery, Psych, Neuro, FM, and Peds. High pass in OBGYN. Just finished by IM AI and from the feedback I got it is very likely I will get honors, but still technically TBD.
Research: MS in electrical engineering. 2 papers, 4 conference presentations (I was not the presenter), one conference paper being submitted soon. Two opportunities for a first author publication in the works, but might not be done in time for applications.
LOR: IM Clerkship Director, IM program director/chairman of IM, research PI, possibly 1 other cardiologist/research PI
EC's: Exec board of our student-run free clinic, teaching underprivileged kids, admissions interviewing, health screening for low socioeconomic patients. Also, honors societies and crap from college that probably doesn't count/matter.

Thanks in advance!
 
Hey guys,

I'm a 4th year student AMG (not top 20 school) and I am trying to apply for IM residency. I am trying to find out which programs I have the highest chance of receiving interviews from. I am looking to stay on the East Coast of the US, but will also apply to Texas and Chicago area.

I will be honest, I am an average candidate. My Step 1 is 230, Step 2 CK is 228. Will take CS soon. My grades are average as well. However, I do have several abstracts w/ poster and oral presentations. I will be able to get some strong recommendations as well.

Please give me some input. I'm a little lost.
 
Med school rank: #35-45 depending on the year
USMLE Step 1: 240
USMLE Step 2: should get it back soon, practice scores mid 250s.
USMLE CS: pending
Class rank: 2nd quartile
AOA/GHHS: No
Grades:
-Honors: IM, Peds, Neuro, OB/Gyn, Psych
-High Pass: none
-Pass: Family, Surgery​
Research:
-Publications: 2x 1st author (1 basic science, 1 review), 1x 4th author (basic science), 1x published abstract (3rd author)
-Patents: 1x provisional patent medical-related device from undergrad
-Presentations: 2 oral presentations (1st auth) + 3-5 poster presentations
-Pending: 2 meta-analyses, 1 retrospective review that will NOT be completed by sept 15​
LOR: IM committee letter written by dept chair, letter from IM clerkship (very good letter but not amazing), and 1 more letter from my AI.
ECs/Leadership: 2 solid state/national leadership positions, some tutoring. No volunteering.
Race: over-represented minority

Here are the programs I would like to apply to:
UNC
Duke
Wake Forest
Vanderbilt
UVA
Emory
U Louisville
UAB
U Miami Jackson
LSU-NO
USF-tampa
Mayo-Jacksonville
Baylor
UTSW
MUSC
Tulane
UTHSC-San Antonio
UTMB
Miami-miller
SLU

Out of geographical region interests/reaches (2/2 family ties or cool location):
U Washington
Mayo
Northwestern
tOSU/Case/Cleveland Clinic/Ohio programs
Colorado
Yale

Please feel free to add or remove from this list!

Questions:
1. My PI is moving to a different institution and got really busy recently. Is it a red flag if I don't get a LOR from her, especially considering the amount of research that I have?
2. I have a feeling that my letters are going to be good, but nothing spectacular. Like, I got great comments and evals throughout third year, but I'm not sure how my attending can write me a glowing letter when I've only worked with them for like 2 weeks inpatient... For internal medicine specifically, how much do LORs get looked at?
3. WAMC at UTSW, Baylor, and Emory? Would these be considered reaches or good target schools for me?
4. I've gained a bunch of weight since I got married / since third year happened. How much, if at all, will being overweight affect my chances? I'm trying to work on it, but it never seems to come off as fast as it gets put on xD
 
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Med school rank: #35-45 depending on the year
USMLE Step 1: 240
USMLE Step 2: should get it back soon, practice scores mid 250s.
USMLE CS: pending
Class rank: 2nd quartile
AOA/GHHS: No
Grades:
-Honors: IM, Peds, Neuro, OB/Gyn, Psych
-High Pass: none
-Pass: Family, Surgery​
Research:
-Publications: 2x 1st author (1 basic science, 1 review), 1x 4th author (basic science), 1x published abstract (3rd author)
-Patents: 1x provisional patent medical-related device from undergrad
-Presentations: 2 oral presentations (1st auth) + 3-5 poster presentations
-Pending: 2 meta-analyses, 1 retrospective review that will NOT be completed by sept 15​
LOR: IM committee letter written by dept chair, letter from IM clerkship (very good letter but not amazing), and 1 more letter from my AI.
ECs/Leadership: 2 solid state/national leadership positions, some tutoring. No volunteering.
Race: over-represented minority

Here are the programs I would like to apply to:
UNC
Duke
Wake Forest
Vanderbilt
UVA
Emory
U Louisville
UAB
U Miami Jackson
LSU-NO
USF-tampa
Mayo-Jacksonville
Baylor
UTSW
MUSC
Tulane
UTHSC-San Antonio
UTMB
Miami-miller
SLU

Out of geographical region interests/reaches (2/2 family ties or cool location):
U Washington
Mayo
Northwestern
OHSU/Case/Cleveland Clinic/Ohio programs
Colorado
Yale

Please feel free to add or remove from this list!

Questions:
1. My PI is moving to a different institution and got really busy recently. Is it a red flag if I don't get a LOR from her, especially considering the amount of research that I have?
2. I have a feeling that my letters are going to be good, but nothing spectacular. Like, I got great comments and evals throughout third year, but I'm not sure how my attending can write me a glowing letter when I've only worked with them for like 2 weeks inpatient... For internal medicine specifically, how much do LORs get looked at?
3. WAMC at UTSW, Baylor, and Emory? Would these be considered reaches or good target schools for me?
4. I've gained a bunch of weight since I got married / since third year happened. How much, if at all, will being overweight affect my chances? I'm trying to work on it, but it never seems to come off as fast as it gets put on xD
1. Unless you are applying for research track this probably does not matter. I mean think about it. Which PI would write a bad letter for a student with whom they have published extensively? It's basically worthless.
2. Everyone has great letters.
3. Good target schools.
4. Don't sweat it.
 
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1. Unless you are applying for research track this probably does not matter. I mean think about it. Which PI would write a bad letter for a student with whom they have published extensively? It's basically worthless.
2. Everyone has great letters.
3. Good target schools.
4. Don't sweat it.

That's true. I didn't think of it from the perspective of the residency program. I don't think that the letter could write anything not already demonstrated in my application, especially if the only thing I've done with them is publish.

OHSU is in Portland, Oregon, not Ohio

Good catch! I meant to say tOSU*.
 
1. Unless you are applying for research track this probably does not matter. I mean think about it. Which PI would write a bad letter for a student with whom they have published extensively? It's basically worthless.
2. Everyone has great letters.
3. Good target schools.
4. Don't sweat it.

Agree. Also if you're considering SLU I would add WashU as well. Maybe UChicago too.
 
I'd say not to bother with OHSU. Very average!

That's true. I didn't think of it from the perspective of the residency program. I don't think that the letter could write anything not already demonstrated in my application, especially if the only thing I've done with them is publish.



Good catch! I meant to say tOSU*.
 
US Allopathic Senior, US Citizen
Step 1: 229
Step 2: 262
MS3 Grades: H Medicine, HP Peds/FM/Psych, P Surg/OB
MS4 Grades: H Medicine Sub-I x2
Med School Rank: 30-40
Letters: solid, all medicine
Research: many pubs
No AOA, no Gold Humanism
No extracurrics at all
No years off before or during med school
Top 10 undergrad

List: are these expectations reasonable?

Donating app fee to: MGH, Hopkins Osler, UCSF, Brigham, Mayo Rochester, Duke, WashU, NYP Columbia, Michigan, UTSW, UPenn, UW, Vandy, Stanford, NW, Cleveland Clinic, Emory, NYU, UCLA, UChicago, BID, NYP Cornell, Sinai

Reaches: Mayo Arizona, Mayo Florida, Yale, Pitt, UNC, Baylor, UVA, Colorado, Case, OHSU, UCSD, Iowa, Minnesota, BU, Cedars

Realistic: Roch, UF, Rush, Jefferson, Indiana, Wake, Hopkins Bayview, Tufts, GW, Georgetown, UWisconsin, Temple, Oregon, Cincinnati, Miami, Brown, Harbor UCLA, Montefiore, Maryland, USF, VCU, Loyola, Drexel, Dartmouth, Hofstra

Yes, I realize that's a ton of programs but I'm young, single and don't care where I go geographically. Money and time are not issues either.

Do I have a good shot at matching in my reaches?
 
US Allopathic Senior, US Citizen
Step 1: 229
Step 2: 262
MS3 Grades: H Medicine, HP Peds/FM/Psych, P Surg/OB
MS4 Grades: H Medicine Sub-I x2
Med School Rank: 30-40
Letters: solid, all medicine
Research: many pubs
No AOA, no Gold Humanism
No extracurrics at all
No years off before or during med school
Top 10 undergrad

List: are these expectations reasonable?

Donating app fee to: MGH, Hopkins Osler, UCSF, Brigham, Mayo Rochester, Duke, WashU, NYP Columbia, Michigan, UTSW, UPenn, UW, Vandy, Stanford, NW, Cleveland Clinic, Emory, NYU, UCLA, UChicago, BID, NYP Cornell, Sinai

Reaches: Mayo Arizona, Mayo Florida, Yale, Pitt, UNC, Baylor, UVA, Colorado, Case, OHSU, UCSD, Iowa, Minnesota, BU, Cedars

Realistic: Roch, UF, Rush, Jefferson, Indiana, Wake, Hopkins Bayview, Tufts, GW, Georgetown, UWisconsin, Temple, Oregon, Cincinnati, Miami, Brown, Harbor UCLA, Montefiore, Maryland, USF, VCU, Loyola, Drexel, Dartmouth, Hofstra

Yes, I realize that's a ton of programs but I'm young, single and don't care where I go geographically. Money and time are not issues either.

Do I have a good shot at matching in my reaches?

Definitely (also I wouldn't classify Mayo AZ and FL as "reaches" for you).
 
Hi all,

I'm an MS3 at one of the original 5 osteopathic schools
Step 1: 239
COMLEX: 677
First quartile
1 publication in anesthesia before med school
Extracurriculars: On board of directors for a soup kitchen 1st and 2nd year, other normal leadership stuff

I understand the limits of being a DO, but what are my chances at university programs in the midwest - specifically CO, KS, NE, MO, MN, WI, TX, IA, OH? I know Kansas publishes their average step and comlex scores of incoming residents, which is nice. Does anyone know about the others? Is there anything else I should be doing? I have an opportunity to do some case reports, would that provide an edge in my application? Do I have to apply to community programs too? I plan on doing a fellowship and want access to research opportunities. Thanks so much!
 
Hi all,

I'm an MS3 at one of the original 5 osteopathic schools
Step 1: 239
COMLEX: 677
First quartile
1 publication in anesthesia before med school
Extracurriculars: On board of directors for a soup kitchen 1st and 2nd year, other normal leadership stuff

I understand the limits of being a DO, but what are my chances at university programs in the midwest - specifically CO, KS, NE, MO, MN, WI, TX, IA, OH? I know Kansas publishes their average step and comlex scores of incoming residents, which is nice. Does anyone know about the others? Is there anything else I should be doing? I have an opportunity to do some case reports, would that provide an edge in my application? Do I have to apply to community programs too? I plan on doing a fellowship and want access to research opportunities. Thanks so much!
You won't get any love from CU, Mayo or WashU (based on your geographic preferences). But you're in a pretty good spot for many other programs. Apply and see what happens. 20-30 apps is probably your sweet spot (40 if you really want to stretch it). Don't go nuts.

And take one or the other of the Step 2 exams ASAP.
 
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Hi all,

I'm an MS3 at one of the original 5 osteopathic schools
Step 1: 239
COMLEX: 677
First quartile
1 publication in anesthesia before med school
Extracurriculars: On board of directors for a soup kitchen 1st and 2nd year, other normal leadership stuff

I understand the limits of being a DO, but what are my chances at university programs in the midwest - specifically CO, KS, NE, MO, MN, WI, TX, IA, OH? I know Kansas publishes their average step and comlex scores of incoming residents, which is nice. Does anyone know about the others? Is there anything else I should be doing? I have an opportunity to do some case reports, would that provide an edge in my application? Do I have to apply to community programs too? I plan on doing a fellowship and want access to research opportunities. Thanks so much!
I suggest looking at the last few years of IM match threads to gauge your competitiveness with respect to your board scores. I would definitely apply to a bunch of community programs as backups and be more picky when deciding which interviews to attend. You should work on getting a LOR from a university program attending as these hold more weight. Feel free to PM me with any other questions.
 
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I'm planning on doing this research myself, but is there any chance someone has looked into what academic programs in the mid-to-northeast/CO/CA are DO-friendly and attainable for a 253 step w/ a few posters/case reports and could share their findings? I'm just starting MS-3 and thinking about aways. I'm told a few aways for DO students is a good idea but don't really have a clue on what programs to target.
 
Hey everyone, looking for some advice on what programs would be a good fit. I am at the beginning of my 4th year, applying to IM, and interested in cardiology fellowship. Most of my family is in Cleveland and would love to stay in or near Cleveland, but also willing to leave for the right program if it would make me competitive to return for fellowship. For me, the most important aspect is the quality of teaching. I am looking for a program that will push me to become a better physician, but it is hard for me to determine what programs really embody this. Thoughts on this and my chances at top programs? Any advice would also be appreciated!

Med school rank: Top 25 MD
USMLE Step 1: 245
USMLE Step 2 CK: TBD (I take this in October)
USMLE Step 2 CS: Pass
Class rank: School does not have any class rank or grades
AOA: TBD
Clerkships:
Honors in IM, Surgery, Psych, Neuro, FM, and Peds.
High pass in OBGYN.
Honors in IM AI
Research: MS in electrical engineering. 2 papers (with one more about to be submitted), 6 conference presentations/papers (I was not the presenter). Two opportunities for a first author publication in the works, but might not be done in time for applications.
LOR: IM Clerkship Director, IM program director/chairman of IM, research PI, 1 from a cardiologist/research PI
EC's: Exec board of our student-run free clinic, teaching underprivileged kids, admissions interviewing, health screening for low socioeconomic patients. Also, honors societies and crap from college that probably doesn't count/matter.

Thanks in advance!

Hey sorry for the bump, I just wanted to get some advice as well as be a bit more specific since my original post didn't have specific questions. I also updated the original post with current info.

List of schools:
-
MGH
- Johns Hopkins
- Bringham and Womens
- Duke
- Penn
- Michigan
- Northwestern
- Vanderbilt
- U of Chicago
- UPMC
- Cleveland Clinic
- Case Western Reserve University / University Hospitals
- Ohio State

Questions:
1. Does this list seem reasonable at all or am I reaching a lot by listing so many top programs?
2. Is only applying to 13 schools a big risk for me? Should I apply to more?
3. If I should be applying to more, what schools would you suggest that are Midwest / Northeast?
4. What schools are specifically strong in cardiology and cardiology research?

Thanks!
 
Hey sorry for the bump, I just wanted to get some advice as well as be a bit more specific since my original post didn't have specific questions. I also updated the original post with current info.

List of schools:
-
MGH
- Johns Hopkins
- Bringham and Womens
- Duke
- Penn
- Michigan
- Northwestern
- Vanderbilt
- U of Chicago
- UPMC
- Cleveland Clinic
- Case Western Reserve University / University Hospitals
- Ohio State

Questions:
1. Does this list seem reasonable at all or am I reaching a lot by listing so many top programs?
2. Is only applying to 13 schools a big risk for me? Should I apply to more?
3. If I should be applying to more, what schools would you suggest that are Midwest / Northeast?
4. What schools are specifically strong in cardiology and cardiology research?

Thanks!

None of those places is a reach for you however it is a top-heavy list and there's a reasonable chance that you'll end up at whichever of Case/OSU/CC you rank highest. I would add BIDMC, Columbia, Cornell, NYU, Yale, WashU and Mayo depending on how you feel about their respective locations. Also for somebody interested in Cards that's applying to Duke and Vanderbilt what about Emory?
 
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I'm interested in a few specialties, so I'm trying to judge my competitiveness and narrow my focus as I go through 3rd year and determine what all I can do to help myself. I'm just finishing up my first rotation so I don't have any clinical grades, and while I realize those are a critical part of my application, I was wondering if I have a reasonable shot at the top programs given the fact that I'm at a low-tier MD school with a relative lack of publications? I'm interested in academics, particularly ID.

School: low-tier MD
Step 1: >265
Step 2: N/A
Pre-clinical: all honors
Clinical: N/A
Class rank: top 10%
Research: masters degree, 2 presentations, 2 posters, 2 abstracts
EC's: nothing extraordinary

Any advice is welcome, thanks!
Hate to be that guy who "bumps" his own post, but was just hoping to get some advice on whether my school rank and relative lack of research will hold me back from some of the places I'm interested in, particularly Hopkins, Vandy, Emory, Duke, UVA, UNC, and UAB?

Is there anything I can do in addition to honoring as many rotations as possible and doing well on step 2? Should I attempt to perform additional research? Thanks!
 
Hate to be that guy who "bumps" his own post, but was just hoping to get some advice on whether my school rank and relative lack of research will hold me back from some of the places I'm interested in, particularly Hopkins, Vandy, Emory, Duke, UVA, UNC, and UAB?

Is there anything I can do in addition to honoring as many rotations as possible and doing well on step 2? Should I attempt to perform additional research? Thanks!

Relative to whom? An MD/PhD?

Being at a low-tier school will probably hurt you (not kill you) at Hopkins and to a lesser extent Vandy and Duke. The others I think you'll be fine at assuming your clinical grades are decent. If you do very well and get AOA then the sky's probably the limit.

More research might be nice but I don't know how likely you are to get anything substantial out of it at that this point; I feel like you've already "checked that box" and that whatever you do additionally is going to be fairly low-end stuff. If you're going to get involved in additional research I would try to do it with IM faculty you can use later as letter writers; ideally, these are people who trained at Hopkins, Vandy, Duke, Emory (i.e. the places you're interested in) within the last 10-15 years.

Also, I would definitely defer Step 2 until late August to give yourself the option to not release the score.
 
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Relative to whom? An MD/PhD?

Being at a low-tier school will probably hurt you (not kill you) at Hopkins and to a lesser extent Vandy and Duke. The others I think you'll be fine at assuming your clinical grades are decent. If you do very well and get AOA then the sky's probably the limit.

More research might be nice but I don't know how likely you are to get anything substantial out of it at that this point; I feel like you've already "checked that box" and that whatever you do additionally is going to be fairly low-end stuff. If you're going to get involved in additional research I would try to do it with IM faculty you can use later as letter writers; ideally, these are people who trained at Hopkins, Vandy, Duke, Emory (i.e. the places you're interested in) within the last 10-15 years.

Also, I would definitely defer Step 2 until late August to give yourself the option to not release the score.
Thanks for the reply and advice. I was just looking for advice about what, if anything, (besides clinical honors) I could do to make up for my med school rank for programs that value that. As far as the research, I meant relative to people who apply to some of the places I'm interested in, seems like I continuously hear how productive they are when it comes to publishing, but maybe that's not reality(?). I'll definitely keep Step 2 timing in mind though - that's a good point that I hadn't considered. Thanks again!
 
Thanks for the reply and advice. I was just looking for advice about what, if anything, (besides clinical honors) I could do to make up for my med school rank for programs that value that. As far as the research, I meant relative to people who apply to some of the places I'm interested in, seems like I continuously hear how productive they are when it comes to publishing, but maybe that's not reality(?). I'll definitely keep Step 2 timing in mind though - that's a good point that I hadn't considered. Thanks again!

Honestly I don't think there's anything you can really do to "make up" for your school's reputation; it is what it is, it will hold you back somewhat but you're otherwise an exceptional applicant so most places won't care too much. If you get involved with some really promising research that might be nice but unless it's a first-author paper in NEJM/JAMA I don't think it's going to do much more for you. If you can get a great LoR from somebody who finished residency at JHU or Vandy or Duke 5 years ago that might go a long way at those places. The truth is at the very top everything is a bit of a crapshoot.

I will bet every nickel I've ever made in my life that you at least match at one of UAB/UVa/UNC
 
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Med school rank: 40s-50s
USMLE Step 1: 217
USMLE Step 2: not taken
Class rank: Somwhere near the bottom
AOA: LOL
Honors: None
Research: A couple of abstracts and presentations
LOR: Pretty good along with good rotation comments

My application is littered with red flags such as extending second year. Just trying to match, Mid-Atlantic, East Coast and Midwest in order of preference. Would appreciate lots of suggestions for programs. Dreams of doing GI, so anywhere I could do a research or have a higher chance at the fellowship would be great, but I know I'm **** tier, would appreciate any help, thank you.
 
None of those places is a reach for you however it is a top-heavy list and there's a reasonable chance that you'll end up at whichever of Case/OSU/CC you rank highest. I would add BIDMC, Columbia, Cornell, NYU, Yale, WashU and Mayo depending on how you feel about their respective locations. Also for somebody interested in Cards that's applying to Duke and Vanderbilt what about Emory?

Thanks for the help! Yeah it seems like the top end schools are kind of a crap shoot and I understand I might go to my top safety. I will definitely add some of those programs. I specifically stayed away from NYC programs though because I have no desire to live there. I just wanted to make sure that I didn't need to expand my safety school list just in case. Thanks again!
 
Hey everyone! Trying to get ready for the upcoming cycle and could use some help on narrowing down my list.

Med school: Midwest DO school
Step1/COMLEX: 259 (734)
Step2/COMLEX: 252 (738)
Class rank: Top 15%
AOA: N/A
Clinicals: no honors system, but all A's in clinicals
Research: small project with 2 posters and a pending publication
LOR: 1 Dept of Medicine (standard), 1 IM Attending which should be solid, 1 Family attending (should also be solid), and looking to get another either from my current SubI or upcoming Pulm elective.
ECs: extensive teaching experience in UG and Medical School; little community service

Looking to apply mostly in urban academic or academic-community hospitals.

Midwest: Rush, Loyola, UIC, Advocate Masonic, Advocate Lutheran, Advocate Christ, UC North Shore, Henry Ford, Stroger, Weiss, MacNeal, Med Coll. of Wisconsin, MSU, U of MN, (should I add U of C and NW or would I be throwing my money away?)

East Coast: PCOM, Drexel, Temple, BU, Tufts, Georgetown, George Washington, Jacobi, Montefiore, Rutgers, SUNY Brooklyn,

Los Angeles: ?

Any and all help is appreciated! Thanks!
 
Med school: top 30 MD
Step 1: 252
Step 2 CK: 275
Step 2 CS: taking this fall
Class rank: unknown, assuming top quartile given AOA
AOA: Senior AOA + GHHS
Grades: all A's in 3rd year clerkships except 1 B+, top of the class in IM rotation though
Research: did a few presentations, 2 posters, 1 paper in low impact journal, working on a project now that i'd be 3rd author in high impact journal this fall but who knows if that will get submitted before interviews
ECs: meh, nothing impressive
LOR: got a few bigwigs that are nationally known

My wife is going to get her doctorate and we need to be flexible with her applications to various schools. I'm very interested in primary care with the goal of becoming a clinician educator and being involved in academics. trying to stay on the east coast ideally

Short list:
MGH, BWH, BID, Yale, Penn, + PC track for these programs
Pitt, UVA, UNC +PC track, Duke, UAB, UTSW, Wake Forest
+ Case, Northwestern, UC denver +PC (family ties etc)

My questions:
1. Is my list too short? i know the top tier programs are a crapshoot and i want to have options when it comes to ranking time
2. Decent shot at landing one of the north carolina programs? for family and other reasons really interested in UNC and Duke especially
 
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Hey everyone! Trying to get ready for the upcoming cycle and could use some help on narrowing down my list.

Med school: Midwest DO school
Step1/COMLEX: 259 (734)
Step2/COMLEX: 252 (738)
Class rank: Top 15%
AOA: N/A
Clinicals: no honors system, but all A's in clinicals
Research: small project with 2 posters and a pending publication
LOR: 1 Dept of Medicine (standard), 1 IM Attending which should be solid, 1 Family attending (should also be solid), and looking to get another either from my current SubI or upcoming Pulm elective.
ECs: extensive teaching experience in UG and Medical School; little community service

Looking to apply mostly in urban academic or academic-community hospitals.

Midwest: Rush, Loyola, UIC, Advocate Masonic, Advocate Lutheran, Advocate Christ, UC North Shore, Henry Ford, Stroger, Weiss, MacNeal, Med Coll. of Wisconsin, MSU, U of MN, (should I add U of C and NW or would I be throwing my money away?)

East Coast: PCOM, Drexel, Temple, BU, Tufts, Georgetown, George Washington, Jacobi, Montefiore, Rutgers, SUNY Brooklyn,

Los Angeles: ?

Any and all help is appreciated! Thanks!

You're probably throwing your money away at U chicago and NW. Your'e definitely throwing your money away at BU, and I don't think I've ever heard of a DO matching at tufts. You should probably do a search on SUNY downstate before you send an app there.

I'd consider adding U Indiana, U Nebraska, Wright State, U cincinnati (all 4 depending on how urban you want it to be). Are programs on the west coast outside of los angeles ok? OHSU, scripps green, uc irvine would be good to consider.
 
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Med school: top 30 MD
Step 1: 252
Step 2 CK: 275
Step 2 CS: taking this fall
Class rank: unknown, assuming top quartile given AOA
AOA: Senior AOA + GHHS
Grades: all A's in 3rd year clerkships except 1 B+, top of the class in IM rotation though
Research: did a few presentations, 2 posters, 1 paper in low impact journal, working on a project now that i'd be 3rd author in high impact journal this fall but who knows if that will get submitted before interviews
ECs: meh, nothing impressive
LOR: got a few bigwigs that are nationally known

My wife is going to get her doctorate and we need to be flexible with her applications to various schools, plus we will have a newborn so that complicates things as well. I'm very interested in primary care with the goal of becoming a clinician educator and being involved in academics. trying to stay on the east coast ideally

Short list:
MGH, BWH, BID, Yale, Penn, + PC track for these programs
Pitt, UVA, UNC +PC track, Duke, UAB, UTSW, Wake Forest
+ Case, Northwestern, UC denver +PC (family ties etc)

My questions:
1. Is my list too short? i know the top tier programs are a crapshoot and i want to have options when it comes to ranking time
2. Decent shot at landing one of the north carolina programs? for family and other reasons really interested in UNC and Duke especially


I assume the absence of NYC/Baltimore program(s) means that you and your wife have decided to cross those cities off of the list. Otherwise, your list looks very reasonable and you have a great shot at matching at one of those institutions (certainly UNC, Case, Wake Forest, and UAB given your credentials). With that being said, I would add on Vanderbilt and Emory to that list since you are looking at Southeastern programs. Also, WashU would be a good choice as well since you are considering UTSW/UC Denver.
 
Med school: Unranked in TX
STEP I: 220
STEP II: 240
Rank: Somewhere in bottom 2 quarters
MS3: Passes in everything including medicine
Research: 1 peer review journal pub in basic sciences, 2 conference presentations (3 total)
No ECs/community service

I have family ties to east coast specifically NY and New Jersey. Lived all life in TX but would like to go to NY.

What are my chances at NYU, Northwell (previously Northshore LIJ), Stony Brook, UMDNJ, and Robert Wood Johnson?
 
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