Residency Applicant Support Thread

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cycloketocaine said:
That's awesome! Good job! I guess fellowship programs don't go through the match or something similar?
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No, fellowships make offers directly. There are not nearly enough of them, and they are too different among each other / look for different qualities in a candidate to make something like Match necessary or meaningful. :)

Good luck to all the post-doc seekers, be it residency or a fellowship, or MS or PhD I hope you get into a program you will really enjoy doing! :)
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Uggh am I glad to see this thread. I think my fellow students are sick of hearing me moan about the agony of waiting.

I applied to 9 programs
3 interview offers, all requiring a presentation

I haven't heard back from 6 others. I'm in the boonies on an IHS rotation, so I have to jam all my interviews into the 2/16 to 3/10 window.

Best of luck to everyone!
 
pharm B said:
So Mr. Residency Rockstar, mind sharing what you think was most important about your apps up to this point? Was it your packet or your personality that sealed the deal? Just trying to see what to start working on. :D
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PM me for the skinny, if you'd like.

cycloketocaine said:
I'm in the same boat! But, I'm not off rotations. Thank goodness I had an easy one this month and got a ton of stuff done. I have one interview next week, then off one week, then 2 and then 3 the next. It's a lot, but I am so ready for it to be over.

Good luck to everyone.
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Yeah, this is starting to get tiring and I'm not even on my M/W/F, 1,500 mile interview week...

p-rog said:
It's almost February. I still have only receieved one on-site interview invite from the 6 fellowships and 1 residency/MS degree programs I applied to. :rolleyes:

Luckily, the one program that I interviewed with sent me an offer yesterday. :D
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Congrats!
 
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just got another interview invite. 4 total, 5 still pending.
 
Everyone I personally know who are gunning for residency are all <50% for interviews, mostly big city/name (MUSC/UWashington were really popular) or VAs. Maybe my class just dreams too big, idk.

I'm currently still at 1 interview, except now with 4 rejections, 5 pending.
 
2 for 3 so far. I am completely not worried or stressed about any of them either, which is a far cry from getting into pharmacy school.
 
Just curious, but do you usually always hear something back from programs if you are rejected/not offered interview?
 
I got 4 interviews out of 6, and 1 rejection. The one left is my top choice, and I'm kinda on edge with that a little as I really didn't expect it to take this long. Plus it is possible that if it's taking a while, then they may have been overwhelmed with numbers and are having a hard time doing the trimming, which kinda makes me a little nervous too if I think about it. The one rejection I got was also a major place, but was gonna be my 4th choice, but it still kinda crushed my academic accomplishments ego a little bit:oops:.....they said they received 75 completed applications, and it's for 4 spots. It is pretty crazy out there.:scared:
 
One of my professors told me that Univ. of Washington received 150 apps for PGY-1. I know it is a good program and Seattle is a cool city but still, very large number of applicants.
 
As of now:

-4 interviews
-5 rejections
-2 crickets

The 2 crickets are programs I would really like to learn more about through an on-site interview too!
 
Update:
5 interview invites
1 rejection
1 cricket

I hate waiting on crickets...
 
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spacecowgirl said:
And you never know what your ranking might be after you interview. I thought I wanted one place and ended up shuffling my rankings after interviews.
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great call folks

i got rejected at my #2 spot :(
 
I finally heard from all the places I applied - 6 interviews and 1 rejection. My rejection was from a program that I was really interested in - too bad. Well, let the craziness begin with all these interviews now.
 
I am a P3 student. I want to apply to residency next year, but it sounds so competitive. I have recently been joining more committees, getting involved in a research project, but I still feel like I am going to be very inferior to many of the people in my class.

I was previously involved in a few committees but not much else. My grades are around a 3.6, but I heard that doesn't matter much.

What should do I to get myself ready in less than 1 year? Sounds like many of you have been successful in getting interviews. Are you all the superstars in your class or something?
 
MatCauthon said:
I am a P3 student. I want to apply to residency next year, but it sounds so competitive. I have recently been joining more committees, getting involved in a research project, but I still feel like I am going to be very inferior to many of the people in my class.

I was previously involved in a few committees but not much else. My grades are around a 3.6, but I heard that doesn't matter much.

What should do I to get myself ready in less than 1 year? Sounds like many of you have been successful in getting interviews. Are you all the superstars in your class or something?
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I am right there with you. I'm a pretty good student, but my class is crazy competetive...there are so many people who seem to be involved in every single extracurricular/leadership activity under the sun.

My plan is to do as much as I can this semester, rock my rotations and hopefully get some awesome letters of recommendation, and apply broadly next year.
 
mustang sally said:
I am right there with you. I'm a pretty good student, but my class is crazy competetive...there are so many people who seem to be involved in every single extracurricular/leadership activity under the sun.

My plan is to do as much as I can this semester, rock my rotations and hopefully get some awesome letters of recommendation, and apply broadly next year.
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I don't believe that you should be involved in every single activity because that's just impossible. I would pick two or three that you feel passionate about and really focus on them, and try running for leadership positions in them.

In terms of applications, you should be realistic where to apply in terms of your background. Pick some "for sure" programs, some "maybes", and few "reaches."
 
janeno said:
In terms of applications, you should be realistic where to apply in terms of your background. Pick some "for sure" programs, some "maybes", and few "reaches."
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I agree and you may be surprised, I ended up getting interviews from 3 of my "reaches" and rejections from what I thought were "pretty sures".

You just never know what will entice each program ...
 
Question for all the faculty/current residents out there: is it kosher to tell a program that they're your #1 and, if so, what's the time frame for doing so? I know some medical residencies will allow for this and may even take it into account (positively) while setting up their own rank lists. Does the same hold true in pharmacy?
 
Praziquantel86 said:
Question for all the faculty/current residents out there: is it kosher to tell a program that they're your #1 and, if so, what's the time frame for doing so? I know some medical residencies will allow for this and may even take it into account (positively) while setting up their own rank lists. Does the same hold true in pharmacy?
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I honestly don't know. With a program as large as the one where I am I don't think it would make that big of a difference because they do tend to go deep into their rank list. It might matter more somewhere with fewer spots.
 
Praziquantel86 said:
Question for all the faculty/current residents out there: is it kosher to tell a program that they're your #1 and, if so, what's the time frame for doing so? I know some medical residencies will allow for this and may even take it into account (positively) while setting up their own rank lists. Does the same hold true in pharmacy?
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This is not allowed with any program participating in the match.
 
ucrx said:
This is not allowed with any program participating in the match.
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Here is a quote from the Match Program Rules:
"Participants in the RMP, including applicants and programs, may not communicate, solicit, accept, or use any ranking-related information prior to the release of the Match results. (Program directors and resident selection committees may discuss the ranking of candidates among themselves only.)"

Discussing rankings with the programs or vice-versa is strictly prohibited...
 
rx76onu said:
Here is a quote from the Match Program Rules:
"Participants in the RMP, including applicants and programs, may not communicate, solicit, accept, or use any ranking-related information prior to the release of the Match results. (Program directors and resident selection committees may discuss the ranking of candidates among themselves only.)"

Discussing rankings with the programs or vice-versa is strictly prohibited...
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Well, that'll do it.
 
what kind of questions has any1 gotten so far in a interview?

is it mostly the generic strenght/weakness/why this program type questions?
 
First interview tomorrow morning.

Here we go...
 
How did everyone feel about their first interview?


I feel like I did well, however, don't feel like it was the right fit for me. I have 5 more interviews and am worried that I won't find exactly what I'm looking for.
 
cycloketocaine said:
How did everyone feel about their first interview?


I feel like I did well, however, don't feel like it was the right fit for me. I have 5 more interviews and am worried that I won't find exactly what I'm looking for.
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You mean the program in general isn't right for you? Why do you say that and what were your expectations going in?
 
tungsten87 said:
You mean the program in general isn't right for you? Why do you say that and what were your expectations going in?
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Yes, the program in general was not the right fit for me. I say that because that's how I feel. I understand that it's pretty common to have a gut instinct about residencies and I completely understand that feeling now. I didn't have any grand expectations going in, I knew what the program was and what it entailed.
 
cycloketocaine said:
Yes, the program in general was not the right fit for me. I say that because that's how I feel. I understand that it's pretty common to have a gut instinct about residencies and I completely understand that feeling now. I didn't have any grand expectations going in, I knew what the program was and what it entailed.
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What was the case study topic?
 
Its Z said:
gah.. too easy.. how do you know you nailed it???? what were the questions and how did you answer it? I bet you flunked it.
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whatev.....it was your pretty typical pna presentation....in a 3 year old otherwise healthy pt, 5 day hx of productive cough, lethargy, fever.....positive findings on auscultation......I knew it was pna when I turned the page and the sputum culture was positive for strep pneumo....

all it wanted to know was empiric therapy, usual causative pathogens, what to use if treatment failed, and discharge therapy.
 
cycloketocaine said:
whatev.....it was your pretty typical pna presentation....in a 3 year old otherwise healthy pt, 5 day hx of productive cough, lethargy, fever.....positive findings on auscultation......I knew it was pna when I turned the page and the sputum culture was positive for strep pneumo....

all it wanted to know was empiric therapy, usual causative pathogens, what to use if treatment failed, and discharge therapy.
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So what were your answers.
 
Its Z said:
So what were your answers.
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azithromycin
s.pneumo, m. catarrhalis, h. influenzae
zosyn when outpt treatment fails but no culture
amox high dose when pt discharged and culture available.

Pick away. I know you are bored and need something to do. Did you get any snow?
 
cycloketocaine said:
azithromycin
s.pneumo, m. catarrhalis, h. influenzae
zosyn when outpt treatment fails but no culture
amox high dose when pt discharged and culture available.

Pick away. I know you are bored and need something to do. Did you get any snow?
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No, we got ice.

mmmm... you only answered the question to about 50% of the satifaction in my standards. If you'd read the IDSA guidelines, I don't believe CAP that requires hospital admission should be covered with mono therapy...especially with bacterostatic zpak... and it being a residency questionaire, I believe it's a hospitalization question? If so...then the importance of Core Measure requirement on abx timing, selection based on admission area, and the source of infection should have been adressed. I give you 58%.

:smuggrin:
 
And you don't just throw Zosyn at CAP because it's refractory.
 
Its Z said:
No, we got ice.

mmmm... you only answered the question to about 50% of the satifaction in my standards. If you'd read the IDSA guidelines, I don't believe CAP that requires hospital admission should be covered with mono therapy...especially with bacterostatic zpak... and it being a residency questionaire, I believe the it's a hospitalization question? If so...then the importance of Core Measure requirement on abx timing, selection based on admission area, and the source of infection should have been adressed. I give you 58%.

:smuggrin:
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Thanks for killing my hopes and dreams. I appreciate it. I'm also kicking myself because I put the peds dose for everything.....except zithro. I put the zpak dose (I think) for some reason even though I was thinking....10 mg/kg for day 1 then 5 mg/kg. Oh well.
 
You welcome. I suggest you read IDSA CAP Guidelines and also read up on CMS/TJC Pneumonia Core Measures...

In fact, you may also want to brush up on CHF, AMI, VTE, & Stroke Clinical Quality Outcome measures...

If you can't download the IDSA CAP Guidelines, send me a pm...I'll send it to you.
 
Advice to future candidates: enroll in a frequent flyer program. Pick an airline (before midyear) and stick with it. I've got myself a free one way ticket to anywhere in the continental U.S. already!
 
Praziquantel86 said:
Advice to future candidates: enroll in a frequent flyer program. Pick an airline (before midyear) and stick with it. I've got myself a free one way ticket to anywhere in the continental U.S. already!
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+1

Southwest was good to me for PGY1 while US Airways took care of me for PGY2.
 
i think programs should have a gpa cutoff so that people like me don't get their hopes up. no, i'm not bitter because i got a bunch of rejections :(

cycloketocaine said:
whatev.....it was your pretty typical pna presentation....in a 3 year old otherwise healthy pt, 5 day hx of productive cough, lethargy, fever.....positive findings on auscultation......I knew it was pna when I turned the page and the sputum culture was positive for strep pneumo....

all it wanted to know was empiric therapy, usual causative pathogens, what to use if treatment failed, and discharge therapy.
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did you have any drug info resources available i.e. sanford, and additionally are you going for a residency with peds? i know general CAP/HCAP/VAP bugs and drugs, but have dealt with 0 peds population on my APPEs.
 
im surprised they asked a pedes question (unless it is a pedes residency)
 
Farmercyst said:
Off to Miller Children's tomorrow. Now I'll be up the next few hours looking at IDSA it seems.
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They'll probably ask about some oncology related stuff...do they have BMT unit? If so, I would read the latest Neutropenia guidelines...just published like 2 weeks ago.. of cystic fibrosis?

Maybe something on short gut syndrome and need for enteral feed..

LOL... j/k.
 
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