Regarding my Match 2016 results; Would appreciate some feedback

This forum made possible through the generous support of SDN members, donors, and sponsors. Thank you.

indomethacin_

Full Member
7+ Year Member
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.

Members don't see this ad.
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: 2 users
Good luck man, we're rooting for ya!
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 user
Just wanted to say good luck indomethacin, read some of your posts and always enjoyed their insight and clear organization. Keep grinding and you'll end up where you mean to be! I've got faith your dream will come true.

To others reading this. Solid person with good step scores, grades, research, letters and interview skills. He/she would be a general surgeon at a mid to uppier tier residency program if at any US allopathic or osteopathic school. Just remember when applying to medical school it is better to take a year or two off and buff your application, and end up at a US school to ensure your residency match process is smoother sailing.

Once again good luck bro and sincere best wishes for the year ahead, it sounds like you have a great roadmap laid out. I would add that successful IMG applicants appear to match at programs that know them well and like them. Perhaps you should emphasize getting to know one program very well, that would consider taking or has taken IMG's.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 user
Members don't see this ad :)
Just wanted to say good luck indomethacin, read some of your posts and always enjoyed their insight and clear organization. Keep grinding and you'll end up where you mean to be! I've got faith your dream will come true.

To others reading this. Solid person with good step scores, grades, research, letters and interview skills. He/she would be a general surgeon at a mid to uppier tier residency program if at any US allopathic or osteopathic school. Just remember when applying to medical school it is better to take a year or two off and buff your application, and end up at a US school to ensure your residency match process is smoother sailing.

Once again good luck bro and sincere best wishes for the year ahead, it sounds like you have a great roadmap laid out. I would add that successful IMG applicants appear to match at programs that know them well and like them. Perhaps you should emphasize getting to know one program very well, that would consider taking or has taken IMG's.

I appreciate the support man, I have strong faith as well that I will get categorical General Surgery residency in the US. I am not going to give up.
I have one program in mind; I may have to work for them unpaid for a year or so, but I know I will find a way.
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: 1 user
IMHO, I think doing a prelim year will help. Having a year away from clinical medicine while reapplying will not. That way you can get a letter from a place seeing you in action and not just test results/research.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 2 users
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.

Prelim is the best option.

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?

Yes.

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.

Minimal.

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?

1 publication is not alot. Increase to 5 if possible.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 user
IMHO, I think doing a prelim year will help. Having a year away from clinical medicine while reapplying will not. That way you can get a letter from a place seeing you in action and not just test results/research.

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.

Prelim is the best option.

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?

Yes.

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.

Minimal.

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?

1 publication is not alot. Increase to 5 if possible.

These are the answers that my mind was searching for.

I now know which way to direct my energy and focus, thank you so much for your help. I am so very grateful for your good words.

Thank you all so much.
 
I'm probably not the best person to give some input, because, I haven't applied to residency yet. but,we are on the same boat as being IMGs trying to get into competitive residencies. Well since all the US clinical experience I have was in Surgery and I have 2 great LORs for surgery, I decided to check my options here and did my research.
Some my advice accordingly from previous IMG would be. Since now your application is stronger still apply categorical. ECFMG cerfication would help you big time and also apply on time. that your application be there by sep 15th. Also apply broadly, pay to add more programs, pick less desired locations...
Research some others Non ERAS participant programs and try to get an outside match offer if you can, you could do that as Now. no need to wait to Sept. Send e-mails/ call. you can look those up on freida as NON ERAS (all caps) on the keyword part, but, run it again on the ERAS list because FREIDA sometimes is outdated and because some might be military or strictly DO programs. If you get an offer just drop from the match and take the position.
Also, if this year you don't get to match. get into SOAP and scramble a prelim position in a good program, Shine!, get even better letters... and search here. there you might find some programs that would accept you into a PGY2 with a previous preliminary position.
http://apds.org/education-careers/open-positions/
Best of luck!
 
I'm probably not the best person to give some input, because, I haven't applied to residency yet. but,we are on the same boat as being IMGs trying to get into competitive residencies. Well since all the US clinical experience I have was in Surgery and I have 2 great LORs for surgery, I decided to check my options here and did my research.
Some my advice accordingly from previous IMG would be. Since now your application is stronger still apply categorical. ECFMG cerfication would help you big time and also apply on time. that your application be there by sep 15th. Also apply broadly, pay to add more programs, pick less desired locations...
Research some others Non ERAS participant programs and try to get an outside match offer if you can, you could do that as Now. no need to wait to Sept. Send e-mails/ call. you can look those up on freida as NON ERAS (all caps) on the keyword part, but, run it again on the ERAS list because FREIDA sometimes is outdated and because some might be military or strictly DO programs. If you get an offer just drop from the match and take the position.
Also, if this year you don't get to match. get into SOAP and scramble a prelim position in a good program, Shine!, get even better letters... and search here. there you might find some programs that would accept you into a PGY2 with a previous preliminary position.
http://apds.org/education-careers/open-positions/
Best of luck!

I appreciate the support, I will go ahead with this plan and give it my all.
Thank you so much for writing all of this.
 
Dear Indomethacin:

1) You are absolutely right to have GS LORs for GS residency. However, not to jeopardize your chance of matching, I would recommend to eliminate entirely all cardiothoracic LOR from your application even though that one CT letter that you plan to keep looks amazing. Having gone through 26 interviews, most of them CT I6 and a few GS interviews, and having matched into one of the top CT I6 programs, I noticed that most large academic GS programs would not even offer me an interview although I am in the top 5% of my class, AOA, US Medical School (MD) graduate with a good amount of publications and my stats are in 250s. Unless you will apply to GS programs like Northwestern and, I believe, Duke, which are very much OK to interview applicants for both specialties, there is a general trend among GS programs to toss out applications with even a slight interest in CT.

2) I would definitely recommend to apply to both, categorical and preliminary GS positions. Of course, if you get into a preliminary position, it is a bit of a hassle to reapply in a year and go through the Match again but preliminary positions are easier to get into and it is a nice springboard for getting into a good categorical position. If your preliminary position program likes you well enough, they may even keep you for the duration of your training. I have seen those things happening. Although, I believe, you will still have to go through the Match process to convert your preliminary position into categorical. (Not 100% sure how switching from a preliminary to a categorical position works.)

3) For a good preliminary position, try Johns Hopkins Hospital or one of the programs that have a tradition in matching prelims.

4) Updating LORs is always a good idea.

5) Having well known mentors would not hurt either.

6) Going for larger academic programs might also be a good idea. In general, I believe, smaller programs are not interested in IMG graduates.

7) Research is important, especially, if you are an IMG graduate, US or non US citizen. The more research the better because you will have to compete against US medical schools graduates with similar statistics. Try to get first name publications. Ask the GS attendings, the ones who wrote you your LOR, if you could do one or more case studies. This could be your first name publications.

By the way, congratulations on your great statistics.

Good luck!
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: 1 user
@indomethacin_ always been a fan of your posts. i remember reading your CS experience of how you started talking to the patient about your modeling gig or something, lol. I'm rooting for ya bud. your dedication is surreal. Have you looked at the residency list of your school to see if students matched into any cat GS programs? perhaps applying to those programs will be beneficial, and possibly even reaching out to those residents to see what they can do for you. it certainly wouldn't hurt.
 
Which other programs are like this? I would LOVE some insight on this. Currently doing a CT rotation at MUSC and yeah, they are very anti-applying to both. Which is ridiculous given the competitiveness of getting into I6.

Dear Addy:

1) Northwestern, Duke and MCW GS programs are the three schools that welcome dual applications and, if I remember it correctly now, CT I6 program at Northwestern would even require CT I6 applicants to interview for their GS program.

2) Although, I have never heard back from some of the big academic GS programs, there have been plenty of other GS programs, large and not so large, that sent me invites. In my opinion, CT friendly GS programs are: UF Gainesville, UCLA, U Minnesota, Rush U, Albany Medical Center, U Colorado Denver, NYU, Allegheny GH, U Buffalo, Riverside Methodist (Columbus, Ohio), ThiHealth Good Sam (Cincinnati, Ohio), Baylor U, Penn State Hershey, Jackson Memorial (U Miami), U California Irvine, U Nebraska, Orlando Health, etc. I did not have time to go to all of them but they did offer me interviews.

3) Naturally, I prepared a different personal statement for my GS application and my LOR were slightly different too. However, with the limited number of LORs allowed by ERAS, I had to have a mixture of CT and GS LORs and my interest in CT was obvious, and yet, some of the GS programs not only offered me an interview but they even discussed with me the possibility of entering their CT fellowships upon the completion of the GS training (which is great news given the competitiveness of CT I6 programs).

4) With regard to MUSC, it is a solid and mature CT I6 program, and yet, I had to cancel my interview with them due to time conflict. A lot of CT I6 programs schedule their interviews either back to back or on the same day and you have to choose the best ones for you. Several times during my residency interview odyssey, I had to have three interviews a week and all of them back to back and in different parts of the country. Once, even four interviews a week. It was tough. For me, the downside of MUSC CT I6 program was their hot and humid location and, therefore, out of the two interviews offered on the same day, I chose a cooler place. Also, due to my travel schedule, if I had gone to MUSC, I would have lost two other CT I6 interviews. So, I chose to cancel MUSC and lose one CT I6 interview instead of two. Those are tough decisions to make but the more interviews you go through, the better chance of matching you have.

5) Also, choose your away rotations wisely. It is best to go to the ones that are your top choices for matching but, if you do not go there, it does not mean that the program will not take you just because you have not rotated with them. I matched into my first choice amazing CT I6 program and I did not rotate with them.

6) Also, as soon as an interview offer comes, confirm it immediately. A lot of programs handle it on the "first-come, first-served" basis. When you are waiting for invites, check ERAS and your personal email continuously. ERAS emails could arrive to your personal email box with a considerable delay (up to 45 minutes) or sometimes not at all. Other times, a program may not even use ERAS email and will send an invite straight to your personal email box, bypassing ERAS email system. Not seeing an invite email in time could be detrimental to your ability to have a better chance of matching. Do not miss an opportunity to interview.

7) Apply broadly. Do not forget to always drop a thank you email or a postcard for any communication you have had with any of the programs. It does not have to be a long one. Just a line or two. In case you'll have to cancel an interview, do it in a courteous and timely fashion so that someone else could get your spot.

8) No matter how stressed you are, be always polite, kind and professional. It is a very small world where everyone knows everyone. Good sense of humor is a big plus.

9) Go or do not go to the pre-interview events, it is up to you. Some programs will require for you to attend the pre-interview socials but those are few. I went to almost all of the pre-interview socials and found them helpful because one can get an informal feel of the program.

10) Keep a calendar with all of your interviews and book your airplane tickets early. Southwest Airlines has been very flexible with changing dates.

11) To match into a GS program, one will have to rank about 12 programs and about 15 programs to match into a CT I6 program. So, if you apply to both specialties, you do the math. I am sure there are people who went through far less interviews but I did not want to take a chance of not matching. It is not worth it to be "all dressed up (great stats and such) and nowhere to go." :)

12) Do not be nervous about going to interviews. After you have applied and they have offered you an interview, most programs would be interested in learning things about you, what kind of a human being you are and if you are a good match for the program's environment. After all, you will have to spend next six to eight years of your life working side by side with these people.

Good luck!
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: 2 users
Thank you much for the support, I am very grateful and humbled.

I matched into General Surgery Residency at Waterbury Hospital!
I am a Windsor University School of Medicine Graduate of 2016.


Bottom line: Believe and have faith in yourself, don't give up.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 6 users
Thank you much for the support, I am very grateful and humbled.

I matched into General Surgery Residency at Waterbury Hospital!
I am a Windsor University School of Medicine Graduate of 2016.


Bottom line: Believe and have faith in yourself, don't give up.


Congratulations, @indomethacin_!!!! So happy for you!!! :)
 
Holy cow such a great thread! Congrats on matching! I am currently an MS-3 here with an interest in CT surgery, nonetheless I was thinking about going through the traditional route of GS + CT Fellowship for various reasons. Nonetheless, my CV is packed with CT surgery scholarships I have received from the AATS and the STS and 2 publications have been in CT surgery. Will this affect my GS app? I just started a GS research project and just got awarded a surgery research internship so where I will be pumping more GS pubs. What do you guys recommend I should do? I am kind of bummed out that applying to both programs is frowned upon and that a lot of GS programs wont even look at you if they smell an interest in CT. Thank you guys in advance for any advice and congrats again @indomethacin_
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 user
Holy cow such a great thread! Congrats on matching! I am currently an MS-3 here with an interest in CT surgery, nonetheless I was thinking about going through the traditional route of GS + CT Fellowship for various reasons. Nonetheless, my CV is packed with CT surgery scholarships I have received from the AATS and the STS and 2 publications have been in CT surgery. Will this affect my GS app? I just started a GS research project and just got awarded a surgery research internship so where I will be pumping more GS pubs. What do you guys recommend I should do? I am kind of bummed out that applying to both programs is frowned upon and that a lot of GS programs wont even look at you if they smell an interest in CT. Thank you guys in advance for any advice and congrats again @indomethacin_

Dear @COLOMBIAN_DOC!

First of all, thank you for liking my post # 13. Wishing you the best of luck.

If you are interested in CT surgery, and it is a big commitment, please make sure to read CT surgery related posts by @ThoracicGuy and a few other amazing SDN contributors. Since I matched into CT I6, I also wrote a few more posts with regard to matching to CT surgery residency. Somewhere among my earlier posts, there is a post or two with the list of CT Surgery / SDN contributors - CTS Attending physicians, Fellows and I6 Residents, including @ThoracicGuy, with post numbers. Studied those posts before applying and found them very helpful tips for matching to CT / GS Surgery residences.

May I ask you if you are a AMG, IMG or FMG - American, International (Caribbean, etc.) or Foreign medical graduate? It looks like you are an AMG. Depending upon your Step scores, you might want to try a dual application. However, it is strictly your decision and I do not know all the details of your application.

If you are an IMG, FMG or DO, the route of GS plus CT Fellowship might be more realistic. Although, CT I6 at Cleveland Clinic did take a couple of FMG cardiac surgeons from Cairo University and National Heart Institute in Cairo, one per year, and CT I6 program at UC Davis has been taking a DO each year or, at least, for the last two years. A graduate of Touro University College of Osteopathic Medicine in 2016 and a graduate of Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine Erie, PA in 2015.

Also, please don't forget about the importance of LOR. They are playing a tremendous role in your application. My medical school does not have a CT Surgery department, therefore, I had to go to two CT Surgery away rotations and obtain three LOR from the leading US CT surgeons.

Again, if you are interested in CT surgery and your stats are competitive (I believe, the median is about 242-245 for Step 1), I would apply to CT I6 programs as well as GS. If it hadn't been for one of my amazing CT surgery mentors, who literally pushed me into applying to CT I6 program, I would have applied to only GS residencies and would have gone the traditional GS plus CTS Fellowship way which is just as great and is still preferred by many professionals.

Like most of us (humans), I felt that I might not match to CT I6 due to the fact that the rank of my medical school was not as high as of the most applicants and current residents of CT I6 programs. By the way, my medical school is totally amazing: 100% match to the top US residencies, including, Mass General Hospital, Stanford, Vanderbilt, Emory, Johns Hopkins, Mayo Rochester and U Michigan Ann Arbor among others - and, yet, I was worried. No one ever from my school matched to CT I6 before. Matched to my top choice and one of the best CT I6 programs.

Therefore:

1) Do not ever doubt yourself, you may miss the greatest opportunities in your life,
2) Find great mentors and, yet,
3) Keep your head cool and estimate the outcomes of your actions wisely.

Amazing things do happen!

Good luck! :)
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: 1 users
Holy cow such a great thread! Congrats on matching! I am currently an MS-3 here with an interest in CT surgery, nonetheless I was thinking about going through the traditional route of GS + CT Fellowship for various reasons. Nonetheless, my CV is packed with CT surgery scholarships I have received from the AATS and the STS and 2 publications have been in CT surgery. Will this affect my GS app? I just started a GS research project and just got awarded a surgery research internship so where I will be pumping more GS pubs. What do you guys recommend I should do? I am kind of bummed out that applying to both programs is frowned upon and that a lot of GS programs wont even look at you if they smell an interest in CT. Thank you guys in advance for any advice and congrats again @indomethacin_

To help figure out which way to go, important questions are your Step 1 and 2 scores, US MD vs DO vs IMG/FMG, and potential LOR that you can obtain. If you are at a US MD school that has an I6 program, that will certainly help. Step 1 scores are pretty important when it comes to getting an I6 spot.

The traditional GS+CT route is not a bad way to do it. Who knows if your mind might change over the course of the 5 year residency. If so, then doing GS first gives you the option. Doing an I6 program means you only have a chance for CT boards. I believe you would have an opportunity to do a vascular fellowship afterwards and get boarded in it as well.

As for CT projects affecting GS apps, it might to some degree, but if you're a lower tier candidate for I6, you may be a mid or higher tier candidate for GS. I would make sure you have LOR that are for GS rather than CT. Likewise, I would have the CT LOR for the I6 app. If you dual apply, that means two sets of LOR, PS, and locations. Not every GS program will turn you down if they think you are going I6 as well, but some may. You can help explain a goal of going through the GS+CT route in your personal statement to perhaps counter this a bit.

Feel free to PM if you have more questions that you'd rather not post publicly.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 users
Thank you @Shorin-Ryu and @ThoracicGuy for the insight. I am currently at a top tier US MD school. We do have an I6 CT program and some top notch surgeons in our CT Surgery Department, two who are world renown and I have worked with them as well as co-author 2 research articles. Nonetheless, my Step 1 score is definitely not competitive enough for an I6 Program. Ive met with some of the faculty in our department and they are persuading me to apply to our school's I6 program nevertheless. At this point Im just bummed for a lot of reasons. For one obviously not having a competitive Step 1 score, and secondly, I keep getting mixed reviews/outlooks about applying to I6. I recently was at the STS conference in Houston and a lot of surgeons I spoke with were not too fond of the I6 route, although a few stated they were now more open to it. Hence, I feel overwhelmed. I am interested in congenital cardiac surgery and in speaking with one of our fellows who interviewed for congenital this cycle, informed me that in the interview trail he only saw 1 guy from an I6 program and he heard a lot of congenital programs were not too fond of I6 trained surgeons. In the other hand, I am a non-traditional med student with an MPH and MBA, with 3 years of hospital management work before med school, so I feel doing an I6 would be great instead of taking the longer GS+Fellowship, given the fact that most GS programs now are requiring 2yrs of research. I also have been looking at some of the 4+3 programs which have really drawn my interest.

I guess looking on forward I will read through the previous posts you guys recommended. My current plan is to take Step 2 in July 1 and hoping to do well so that I can enhance my application for the fall. I think if I can accomplish this, combined with my hefty CV, LORs, and publishing 3-4 more papers before summer may enhance my chances at an I6 program? I definitely had some tough work and thinking ahead of me, but thank you guys for the tips and advise and congrats @Shorin-Ryu on your match! I hope you rock it man!
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 users
Thank you @Shorin-Ryu and @ThoracicGuy for the insight. I am currently at a top tier US MD school. We do have an I6 CT program and some top notch surgeons in our CT Surgery Department, two who are world renown and I have worked with them as well as co-author 2 research articles. Nonetheless, my Step 1 score is definitely not competitive enough for an I6 Program. Ive met with some of the faculty in our department and they are persuading me to apply to our school's I6 program nevertheless. At this point Im just bummed for a lot of reasons. For one obviously not having a competitive Step 1 score, and secondly, I keep getting mixed reviews/outlooks about applying to I6. I recently was at the STS conference in Houston and a lot of surgeons I spoke with were not too fond of the I6 route, although a few stated they were now more open to it. Hence, I feel overwhelmed. I am interested in congenital cardiac surgery and in speaking with one of our fellows who interviewed for congenital this cycle, informed me that in the interview trail he only saw 1 guy from an I6 program and he heard a lot of congenital programs were not too fond of I6 trained surgeons. In the other hand, I am a non-traditional med student with an MPH and MBA, with 3 years of hospital management work before med school, so I feel doing an I6 would be great instead of taking the longer GS+Fellowship, given the fact that most GS programs now are requiring 2yrs of research. I also have been looking at some of the 4+3 programs which have really drawn my interest.

I guess looking on forward I will read through the previous posts you guys recommended. My current plan is to take Step 2 in July 1 and hoping to do well so that I can enhance my application for the fall. I think if I can accomplish this, combined with my hefty CV, LORs, and publishing 3-4 more papers before summer may enhance my chances at an I6 program? I definitely had some tough work and thinking ahead of me, but thank you guys for the tips and advise and congrats @Shorin-Ryu on your match! I hope you rock it man!

Thank you, @COLOMBIAN_DOC! It looks like you are on the right path. You might try to do a dual application but, again, it has to be a well-thought through decision. At any rate, apply broadly! If I could be of any help, please do not hesitate to PM me.

Good luck with Step 2! :)
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: 1 users
Congratulations, @indomethacin_!!!! So happy for you!!! :)

Thank you so much, I am very humbled. All of the positive support from this forum, made a tremendous difference, including advice from @Winged Scapula, @Sir Gillies among many others. I feel very fortunate to have had the right guidance.
And congratulations to you for matching into a CT I6 program. :)

Holy cow such a great thread! Congrats on matching! I am currently an MS-3 here with an interest in CT surgery, nonetheless I was thinking about going through the traditional route of GS + CT Fellowship for various reasons. Nonetheless, my CV is packed with CT surgery scholarships I have received from the AATS and the STS and 2 publications have been in CT surgery. Will this affect my GS app? I just started a GS research project and just got awarded a surgery research internship so where I will be pumping more GS pubs. What do you guys recommend I should do? I am kind of bummed out that applying to both programs is frowned upon and that a lot of GS programs wont even look at you if they smell an interest in CT. Thank you guys in advance for any advice and congrats again @indomethacin_

Thanks man, that means a lot.

Will this affect my GS app?
It will raise a question in your general surgery interviews for sure if everything is CT heavy. I know that's something GS programs are not too fond of seeing.
However, one way I think you can offset this, is by having 3 general surgery LORs. I believe your shot for GS will still be good with 3 GS LORs, as many programs understand of your interests in a particular area. GS program directors are just wary of 4th year medical students who are dead set on doing a CT fellowship.

What do you guys recommend I should do?
@ThoracicGuy has given some excellent advice, thank you for participating in this thread. I also agree that a dual application to GS and CT I6 is a good road to take. GS programs will look at you if you have 3 GS LORs, a strong personal statement, and a complete application as a US student.
I'd have perhaps 3 GS LORs for the GS programs, and 3 CT surgery LORs if possible for the CT I6 application.

Anyone can feel free to add to this if there are any comments. But that's my two cents from what I learned in the matching process. ;)

Again thank you all for your help, I am very grateful for it all.
I will be posting more to get more advice about general surgery residency.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 user
Thank you so much, I am very humbled. All of the positive support from this forum, made a tremendous difference, including advice from @Winged Scapula, @Sir Gillies among many others. I feel very fortunate to have had the right guidance.
And congratulations to you for matching into a CT I6 program. :)



Thanks man, that means a lot.

Will this affect my GS app?
It will raise a question in your general surgery interviews for sure if everything is CT heavy. I know that's something GS programs are not too fond of seeing.
However, one way I think you can offset this, is by having 3 general surgery LORs. I believe your shot for GS will still be good with 3 GS LORs, as many programs understand of your interests in a particular area. GS program directors are just wary of 4th year medical students who are dead set on doing a CT fellowship.

What do you guys recommend I should do?
@ThoracicGuy has given some excellent advice, thank you for participating in this thread. I also agree that a dual application to GS and CT I6 is a good road to take. GS programs will look at you if you have 3 GS LORs, a strong personal statement, and a complete application as a US student.
I'd have perhaps 3 GS LORs for the GS programs, and 3 CT surgery LORs if possible for the CT I6 application.

Anyone can feel free to add to this if there are any comments. But that's my two cents from what I learned in the matching process. ;)

Again thank you all for your help, I am very grateful for it all.
I will be posting more to get more advice about general surgery residency.

In GS interviews, if they ask about goals, you could say you're interested in CT, but that one reason you like GS is that you have a multitude of potential fellowships that you could pursue and your interests could change as you go through residency.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 users
Top