what are my chances?

[cluelessnoob]

Hey guys,
another what are my chances post. I am an MS3 at a top 50 med school with:
-243 step 1
- 1st and 2nd year grades were mostly honors and high pass
-3rd year grades: all high passes
-1 poster presentation and 1 manuscript (first author) in ENT basic science research (all on the same topic); 2 poster presentations in ENT research in undergrad; 1 urology presentation and abstract and working on another.

What are my chances in matching in ENT? I am worried that my third year grades aren't up to par to ENT standards. I am trying to get back to California, which I know is even harder. So what are my chances in matching anywhere and what about in California?

Thanks guys.

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[HighPriest]

Unless you're socially inept, it seems like your chances are quite good. Can't comment on CA specifically, I have no experience with those programs.

Plan away rotations, be Johnny-on-the-spot, give them an idea of what kind of person you are, and as long as you don't have a habit of strangling kittens or chewing with your mouth open, your numbers so far are right where they should be. If you take Step 2 before you rotate, make sure you do well. Which shouldn't be hard.

 

[cluelessnoob]

thanks for the response. how many programs should i apply to? do you think i should take step 2 before i apply?

 

[OtoHNS]

thanks for the response. how many programs should i apply to? do you think i should take step 2 before i apply?

1. Hit back button
2. Scroll to top of the page
3. Click on stickied thread started by neutropeniaboy
4. Read

 

[Ignatius M.D.]

^I'd listen to OtoHNS and read that stickied thread

Hey guys,
another what are my chances post. I am an MS3 at a top 50 med school with:
-243 step 1
- 1st and 2nd year grades were mostly honors and high pass
-3rd year grades: all high passes
-1 poster presentation and 1 manuscript (first author) in ENT basic science research (all on the same topic); 2 poster presentations in ENT research in undergrad; 1 urology presentation and abstract and working on another.

What are my chances in matching in ENT? I am worried that my third year grades aren't up to par to ENT standards. I am trying to get back to California, which I know is even harder. So what are my chances in matching anywhere and what about in California?

Thanks guys.

Based on NRMP match data and what I've heard about clinical grades you sit:

-At average for Step 1
-Average/above average for pre-clinical grades
-Average/below average for clinical grades
-Average for research (4 products + one in progress). Unless the data reflects undergraduate research as well, in which case you are slightly above. I'm not sure how programs view undergraduate ENT research...

 

[neutropeniaboy]

Feels like yesterday that I wrote that...

noob- hardly any way to give you individualized advice based on what you gave us; that's why I wrote that post that got stickied.

 

[cluelessnoob]

ok from reading your sticky, I just have a question, is step 2 important? Is it important to get interviews, or for ranking, or not important? I was planning on taking it in October. Is that fine? Should I move it up?

 

[DrBodacious]

Re step 2 -. Step 2 is getting more important - as time passes from when ENT was an early match, more people take it early and do well.

I would look at it from a time management aspect. If you don't need to be doing specific ENT rotations or research rotations in July-Sept , then take a month to study, maybe get an easy rotation out of the way, and take step 2 early. You do want to do well if you take it early. This is the last time you need to identify Legg Calve Perths disease. You have to take step 2 eventually. But if studying to do well is going to interfere with other important things, then delay it.

 

[VisionaryTics]

Re step 2 -. Step 2 is getting more important - as time passes from when ENT was an early match, more people take it early and do well.

I would look at it from a time management aspect. If you don't need to be doing specific ENT rotations or research rotations in July-Sept , then take a month to study, maybe get an easy rotation out of the way, and take step 2 early. You do want to do well if you take it early. This is the last time you need to identify Legg Calve Perths disease. You have to take step 2 eventually. But if studying to do well is going to interfere with other important things, then delay it.

I took my exam in September and got my score after applying, obviously. I got plenty of interviews without it, but was glad I had my score in hand during interviews (even with a good Step 1 score). October might be a bit late.

 

[neutropeniaboy]

It used to be that if you had a 240 on Step 1 that you were a golden boy and would have no problem matching. Rarely would you be helped by Step 2; it could only hurt you, and with the early match, even if you took it "on time" rarely would you get your score back before interviews. Now 240 is a dime a dozen. We look for consistency in performance, so a Step 2 score is important, and we even look to see if your score improves. Unless you have 260+ on your Step 1, you should probably take Step 2.

 

[neutropeniaboy]

Then study harder...

 

[dunphy]

I'm going to ask the same question, and I apologize if it's been beat to death.

Step 1- 235
averaged HP in preclinical years
HP surgery and medicine and mostly everything else so far
Great evaluations on most rotations from attendings
worked on 6 ENT projects so far, no publications/presentations yet.
I'm pretty sure I can get some good ENT letters from my school (haven't done my rotations yet, but will soon).
Planning to take Step 2 early (July/August) and hopefully do well on it.
Have an MPH with research in it as well
I don't care where I go as long as it's ENT.

Will I match somewhere? Should I apply to another field as a backup (something that some ENTs have mentioned)? Or am I wasting my time and should look into other fields only?