Unmatched DO Applicant

[lastminutewaffler]

So I got the bad news today. Didn't match Ortho in the Osteopathic match. Thought about doing EM and applied to it, but decided way late that I'd rather scramble than commit to a life of ER medicine. So I am stuck in a seriously bad place. Still haven't accepted any DO positions such as TRI's. So my plan is this:

Contact prelim surgery programs in ACGME?
Contact advanced programs in some other specialty and hope theyll do a phone interview or something with me?
Just settle for a DO TRI, even though I'm about fed up with osteopathic medicine?

Stats (which could be the issue). USMLE 248, 232 (I know, big drop). COMLEX 617, 540. (Third year really was terrible for me and I had zero academics all year and got complacent).

Do I have a shot at prelim surgery spots in ACGME with those stats? Should I contact a categorical program? Please help, I'm about having a panic attack!

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[SLC]

Apparently there may be two open Ortho spots in the NRMP match. Are you aware of this and have you contacted them?

Both in MI from what I hear. Can't confirm, but that's the word.

 

[lastminutewaffler]

Apparently there may be two open Ortho spots in the NRMP match. Are you aware of this and have you contacted them?

Both in MI from what I hear. Can't confirm, but that's the word.

Sadly, I am aware and didn't get it. I'm working on research vs. prelim surgery

 

[lastminutewaffler]

Anyone else have any advice? What would my odds be at matching into a University Prelim Surgery spot through the SOAP?

 

[AdmiralChz]

Anyone else have any advice? What would my odds be at matching into a University Prelim Surgery spot through the SOAP?

There are many open prelim surgery positions in SOAP for a reason - most are dead-ends without a guarantee of being able to continue in the program. Some even allow for prelim PGY-2, which in my opinion is borderline criminal. Be very, very wary of these programs.

 

[Mad Jack]

There are many open prelim surgery positions in SOAP for a reason - most are dead-ends without a guarantee of being able to continue in the program. Some even allow for prelim PGY-2, which in my opinion is borderline criminal. Be very, very wary of these programs.

I've even heard of some people doing a third prelim surg year lol. Criminal exploitation of FMGs, basically, and nicknamed the "road to nowhere" for a reason.

 

[lastminutewaffler]

I've even heard of some people doing a third prelim surg year lol. Criminal exploitation of FMGs, basically, and nicknamed the "road to nowhere" for a reason.

Probably no worse than a DO TRI is my reasoning.

 

[Mad Jack]

Probably no worse than a DO TRI is my reasoning.

True. At least the year carries over.

The other potential option some students have done at my school is extending to a fifth year of medical school, during which they focus on research and do a few electives in their specialty of interest, or gear their application toward another specialty entirely.

 

[NotAProgDirector]

My question for you is: what's the plan after the prelim GS year? Applying to ortho again is going to be tough -- getting time to interview while you're a prelim isn't going to be easy. You will be able to apply to your home program, but if you get a prelim GS spot at a good univ ACGME program, you're probably not going to be able to compete for an ortho spot there.

 

[Spikebd]

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