question for people getting interviews

[grandeelmd]

I'm an MSII, interested in plastics- I was wondering what range of board scores, research, AOA, etc. those of you who are going on interviews are coming across.

Also, if there were 1 (or 3) things that you wish that you would have done while an MSII/III to help your chances, what is it?

thanks

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[mcindoe]

I'm an MSII, interested in plastics- I was wondering what range of board scores, research, AOA, etc. those of you who are going on interviews are coming across.

Do you think we ask each other these questions at the interviews? One thing I really admire about everyone on the interview trail is that no one talks about board scores, research, AOA, etc. The only person who can really answer your question is a program director.

While I understand why you're curious about what sort of board scores and stuff it takes to get interviews, will that change your study habits for the test? Are you going to study any less if you were to find out that the average score is a 220 versus a 240? It's one thing if you've already taken the test and you're trying to assess how competitive your application is, but I think the only thing that you'll manage to do by finding out people's board scores is freak yourself out.

 

[jdubya]

I'm an MSII, interested in plastics- I was wondering what range of board scores, research, AOA, etc. those of you who are going on interviews are coming across.

Also, if there were 1 (or 3) things that you wish that you would have done while an MSII/III to help your chances, what is it?

thanks

That's a fair and a good question. Here is the quick answer: What you need to do, if you want to be a plastics resident, is devote yourself right now to the cause and work harder than you are now. Meaning every grade you can get now, get 5 or 10 points better starting tomorrow. Study more, take fewer breaks, do a research project on Friday nights rather than doing whatever the aspiring radiologists are doing, start having conversations with important people in your plastics and general surgery departments, make sure you have a little community service on your application, ask yourself if you are really devoted to this cause or if doing these things will make you bitter. The three things people tend to remark on during the interviews are 1. grades or AOA 2. Research 3. Something interesting about your application. I have held a ton of "leadership positions" that don't seem to mean a thing on these interviews and i look back thinking this: If I wouldn't have enjoyed them, but rather had done them just to add them to my CV, I would be pissed because they don't mean a thing.
The crux is this: If you want to do plastics, work harder.

 

[mcindoe]

If you want to do plastics, work harder.

Very, very true.

Well written post.

 

[grandeelmd]

thanks, that's basically what I was thinking...

I have another question- I've heard that it's necessary for people who apply to plastics to apply to gen surg as well....what have you told (or planning on telling) the interviewers on your gen surg. interviews who ask if you're applying to their program as a backup?

 

[Pir8DeacDoc]

I don't know for sure but I don't imagine it's a big deal to tell a GS place that you want to be a plastic surgeon. It's not quite the same as trying to match ENT and backing up with GS or something like that. GS is a very legitimate route to plastics. Someone please correct me if I'm wrong.

 

[mcindoe]

I don't know for sure but I don't imagine it's a big deal to tell a GS place that you want to be a plastic surgeon. It's not quite the same as trying to match ENT and backing up with GS or something like that. GS is a very legitimate route to plastics. Someone please correct me if I'm wrong.

You're correct.

First of all, you don't have to tell them that you're going into plastics unless asked. If they do ask, you don't lie, and you don't refer to their program as a backup. I was very selective about which GS programs I applied to (either because of location or reputation), so I could speak honestly about why I would want to train there. I've been asked by a few of the interviewers if I'm applying to the combined/integrated programs, and answering this question has to be handled delicately. What I say, and there's a lot of truth to this, is that there are many roads to becoming a plastic surgeon, and this was the path taken by all of my mentors (granted, they didn't have integrated programs back then). I also highlight the fact that g-surg gives you the opportunity to gain more leadership experience, because during your 4th and 5th year you're responsible for running many of the surgical services, and some people like this. And one thing I hear a lot is that g-surg residency "really trains you how to operate", and many feel that while we all love the integrated programs, the integrated residents don't perform as well surgically as their g-surg counterparts. I'm not in a position to say whether there's any element of truth to this, but that's what I've heard from various g-surg residents. Personally, I think this is in part due to the fact that integrated residents are selected out of med school and no one has any sense of your manual dexterity, whereas the plastics fellows have five years of g-surg training and thus many people to attest to their skill when they're applying. And if location is important to you, you can say at those interviews that you'd rather be there training in g-surg (e.g. so you can be close to family/home) than doing an integrated program at a remote, distant hospital.

The gen surgeons don't "hate" people who want to go into plastics after residency...there are a good number of graduates from all these programs that go on to do plastics fellowships anyway.

Hope this helps.