- Joined
- Sep 30, 2014
- Messages
- 388
- Reaction score
- 108
Hi everyone,
For those who don't know me, I am a U.S. IMG that likes to make daily online journals to keep myself motivated, and help serve people to become the strongest versions of themselves.
The Match for General Surgery did not work out in 2016, and would really appreciate an input from the family at SDN. I keep all my threads very positive; and would appreciate it if we all can work together to have a conversation in a very positive and constructive light.
Goal of this thread:
To collect information and knowledge that will help me formulate a plan to improve my chances of landing a categorical general surgery residency in the U.S.
It is my passion, and I want to pursue my dream.
Just to give a short idea of what I applied with:
- US citizen/IMG; All Step Exams Passed on 1st Attempt.
- Final year medical student attending a Caribbean School (Not St. George/Ross/AUC/SABA)
- AOA: No
- Date of Graduation: May 2016 (Now extended to June 2016 to get in more surgery clerkship experience)
- ECFMG Certificate: No
- Step 1: 244 (12/18/14)
- Step 2: CK 249 (5/3/15)
- Step 2 CS: Pass (6/13/15)
- 2 CT Surgery Letters, 1 General Surgery Letter
- R.D.C.S. Ultrasonography license with 1 year of clinical experience in Maimonides Medical Center, NY.
- 3 month Surgery Externship at West Houston Medical Center, TX.
- 0 Research, 0 Publications, 0 Poster Presentations, 2 Presentations at Medical Seminars
- Applied: ~125 programs (115 Categorical, and 10 Preliminary Applications)
- Interviews: 3; all at community categorical programs affiliated with universities.
From consulting with a few users here via pm, I am very thankful for their words that made me aware of the importance of applying with research, publications, presentations completed before the interview season, and not during the interview season.
Also I have now learned that having LORs from physicians within the exact specialty you are applying to is necessary.
Since I had 2 CT surgery letters, my application may initially look skewed towards CT surgery; that was not my intention. I will fix this on my end for next time.
Interviews:
I had positive feedback from the interviewers, even receiving emails from a program coordinator telling me that I interviewed really well at their program. One of the surgeons who was an alumni at the same program who interviewed me also said that I will get it.
So whichever way things went, I have faith that I am going to make into general surgery.
SOAP 2016:
No word from surgery programs.
Things that I am adding to my CV for Match 2017 cycle:
1.) Apply with 3 letters from General Surgeons + 1 CT surgery letter (It was commented highly by the interviewers to have been a very strong letter, but whether or not I should leave this out please let me know.)
2.) Apply with Diploma/ECFMG certificate
3.) Completion of Step 3 exam with high scores.
4.) By September of this coming year it will mark my 1 year of experience with Carnegie Mellon University of Pittsburg Online Research, and with Clinical Trial Network Research in Houston. Also will mark a year of my role as an Assistant Professor and Clinical Advisor for fellow classmates.
5.) Apply with my updated research stats of 1 Publication, 4 Poster Presentations, 2 Presentations at Medical Seminars
6.) Improve personal statement
7.) Completing 1 month of volunteer work at a Community Hospital
Some things that are a bit unclear to me regarding the match for General Surgery, and would appreciate some insight:
1.) Most of the Categorical IMGs I met had at 1 year of preliminary surgery experience.
Is Preliminary position the route here in this situation? or is going straight for Categorical surgery the better bet in my pursuit given my situation?
I am confident that I will be able to score high on the ABSITE exams whichever route I take. But an input from the more experienced regulars here would be extremely helpful.
2.) One of my general surgery LORs and CT surgery letters that I plan on using will be dated 2015, should I have it updated to 2016?
3.) How much weight does Step 3 completion carry for landing a residency in General Surgery? Since I extended my graduation date by one month, it delayed my exam a tad, but I still plan on taking it as I believe I will be ready by July.
4.) I was going to continue doing research and try to get out more publications before the 2017 cycle. Is this current research experience additions a sufficient improvement over last year?
Surgery is my dream, and I am willing to put in the work to achieve it.
For all of my followers, I am very grateful for your continued support and hope to continue helping to serve the community at SDN.
My youtube videos are at a temporary pause, but I will be making them again once I am able to land my residency in categorical general surgery.
Thank you all for your time and energy.
EDIT 4/4/2017:
I matched into General Surgery Residency at Waterbury Hospital in Connecticut for Match 2017.
I am very humbled, thank you all for your love and support.
Bottom line: Be confident and have faith in yourself, and never give up.
For those who don't know me, I am a U.S. IMG that likes to make daily online journals to keep myself motivated, and help serve people to become the strongest versions of themselves.
The Match for General Surgery did not work out in 2016, and would really appreciate an input from the family at SDN. I keep all my threads very positive; and would appreciate it if we all can work together to have a conversation in a very positive and constructive light.
Goal of this thread:
To collect information and knowledge that will help me formulate a plan to improve my chances of landing a categorical general surgery residency in the U.S.
It is my passion, and I want to pursue my dream.
Just to give a short idea of what I applied with:
- US citizen/IMG; All Step Exams Passed on 1st Attempt.
- Final year medical student attending a Caribbean School (Not St. George/Ross/AUC/SABA)
- AOA: No
- Date of Graduation: May 2016 (Now extended to June 2016 to get in more surgery clerkship experience)
- ECFMG Certificate: No
- Step 1: 244 (12/18/14)
- Step 2: CK 249 (5/3/15)
- Step 2 CS: Pass (6/13/15)
- 2 CT Surgery Letters, 1 General Surgery Letter
- R.D.C.S. Ultrasonography license with 1 year of clinical experience in Maimonides Medical Center, NY.
- 3 month Surgery Externship at West Houston Medical Center, TX.
- 0 Research, 0 Publications, 0 Poster Presentations, 2 Presentations at Medical Seminars
- Applied: ~125 programs (115 Categorical, and 10 Preliminary Applications)
- Interviews: 3; all at community categorical programs affiliated with universities.
From consulting with a few users here via pm, I am very thankful for their words that made me aware of the importance of applying with research, publications, presentations completed before the interview season, and not during the interview season.
Also I have now learned that having LORs from physicians within the exact specialty you are applying to is necessary.
Since I had 2 CT surgery letters, my application may initially look skewed towards CT surgery; that was not my intention. I will fix this on my end for next time.
Interviews:
I had positive feedback from the interviewers, even receiving emails from a program coordinator telling me that I interviewed really well at their program. One of the surgeons who was an alumni at the same program who interviewed me also said that I will get it.
So whichever way things went, I have faith that I am going to make into general surgery.
SOAP 2016:
No word from surgery programs.
Things that I am adding to my CV for Match 2017 cycle:
1.) Apply with 3 letters from General Surgeons + 1 CT surgery letter (It was commented highly by the interviewers to have been a very strong letter, but whether or not I should leave this out please let me know.)
2.) Apply with Diploma/ECFMG certificate
3.) Completion of Step 3 exam with high scores.
4.) By September of this coming year it will mark my 1 year of experience with Carnegie Mellon University of Pittsburg Online Research, and with Clinical Trial Network Research in Houston. Also will mark a year of my role as an Assistant Professor and Clinical Advisor for fellow classmates.
5.) Apply with my updated research stats of 1 Publication, 4 Poster Presentations, 2 Presentations at Medical Seminars
6.) Improve personal statement
7.) Completing 1 month of volunteer work at a Community Hospital
Some things that are a bit unclear to me regarding the match for General Surgery, and would appreciate some insight:
1.) Most of the Categorical IMGs I met had at 1 year of preliminary surgery experience.
Is Preliminary position the route here in this situation? or is going straight for Categorical surgery the better bet in my pursuit given my situation?
I am confident that I will be able to score high on the ABSITE exams whichever route I take. But an input from the more experienced regulars here would be extremely helpful.
2.) One of my general surgery LORs and CT surgery letters that I plan on using will be dated 2015, should I have it updated to 2016?
3.) How much weight does Step 3 completion carry for landing a residency in General Surgery? Since I extended my graduation date by one month, it delayed my exam a tad, but I still plan on taking it as I believe I will be ready by July.
4.) I was going to continue doing research and try to get out more publications before the 2017 cycle. Is this current research experience additions a sufficient improvement over last year?
Surgery is my dream, and I am willing to put in the work to achieve it.
For all of my followers, I am very grateful for your continued support and hope to continue helping to serve the community at SDN.
My youtube videos are at a temporary pause, but I will be making them again once I am able to land my residency in categorical general surgery.
Thank you all for your time and energy.
EDIT 4/4/2017:
I matched into General Surgery Residency at Waterbury Hospital in Connecticut for Match 2017.
I am very humbled, thank you all for your love and support.
Bottom line: Be confident and have faith in yourself, and never give up.
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