Who's applying Gen Surg?

[Blade28]

Best of luck for the match Blade.

Thanks a lot!

How much did it cost to apply to 67 programs?

Around $1300.

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[jmattwilson]

I just got my first interview offer!!! It is actually from the program I most wanted to hear back from. I still have one LOR that is out. Has anyone else been getting offers with missing app parts?

 

[fireflyrxn]

Also just scheduled an interview with Stamford Hospital (affiliated with Columbia) in Stamford, CT.

i didn't know stamford had anything but the WWE headquarters!

 

[Blade28]

i didn't know stamford had anything but the WWE headquarters!

Insurance capital of the US, no?

 

[EctopicFetus]

I am a 3rd yr I was wondering if you guys would be willing to write how many programs you applied to and what your Step I and II scores were? I got a 217 avg grades yr 1 prob Honors in Medicine.. A little advice? Thanks..

 

[jmattwilson]

I am a 3rd yr I was wondering if you guys would be willing to write how many programs you applied to and what your Step I and II scores were? I got a 217 avg grades yr 1 prob Honors in Medicine.. A little advice? Thanks..

You should be fine. That sounds about exactly like me. Try to honor surgery and get to know some people. Surgeons seem to want to know that someone is a good person who will be easy to work with for 5-7 years.

 

[jmattwilson]

You should be fine. That sounds about exactly like me. Try to honor surgery and get to know some people. Surgeons seem to want to know that someone is a good person who will be easy to work with for 5-7 years.

I am applying to 26 schools 1/4 top Univ progrmas, 1/2 other Univ programs, 1/4 community programs.

 

[Blade28]

I am applying to 26 schools 1/4 top Univ progrmas, 1/2 other Univ programs, 1/4 community programs.

I think that's approximately the break-down of the programs I'm applying to.

 

[tasmanian]

IMG, 220-1, 221-2
applied to 47 programs - all categotical; 5 % (even less) university progs, most are affiliated or comm. hospitals.
After reading the post from an IMG feel badly - have not applied for prelim. spots at all - nor a strong candidate either ( lors, us experience etc.); nor feel like investing more money into the process -
Good luck to all of you - future surgical residents.

 

[cutslikeaknife]

Also an IMG
Applied to 31 programs, all categorical, all university or university affiliated, most have taken IMGs in the past
Also going the Plastics route with 45 apps there

Best of luck to everyone!

 

[shahkg]

Damn!! I too am an IMG (US citizen) but I am planning on applying to 55-65 programs. I guess you all kicked ass on boards...me, not so good. Best of luck to everybody!

 

[delchrys]

so, everyone talks about step 1 and 2 "scores" but is there any easy way to figure out how to convert the numbers they give for USMLE scores into a % or something else someone understandable?

 

[Blade28]

Not really. Many programs use the two-digit score for comparison purposes, though as of several years ago it stopped representing a "percentile."

 

[Celiac Plexus]

so, everyone talks about step 1 and 2 "scores" but is there any easy way to figure out how to convert the numbers they give for USMLE scores into a % or something else someone understandable?

It is a simple matter to calculate your percentile. The score report states your 3 digit score, the mean, and the standard deviation. That's all you need...

The "empirical rule" for a normally distributed data set is often summed up as : "68-95-99.7". 68% of the data fall within 1 std dev., 95% within 2, and 99.7% within 3 std. deviaitions.

So, if the mean on your test was 217, and std. dev. is 21, and your 3 digit score is 238, then you scored greater than 84% of test takers = 84th percentile.

I am sure that there are some nifty calculators on the web that will do this for you.

Remember though, that there will be some statistical outliers... Scores that fall way outside the normal distributiion on either side of the curve. Howver, in a normalized curve these values are generally not included when generating a percentile standard. Therefore it is theoretically possible for someone to score say 4 or even 5 standard deviations above, or below the mean.

 

[dry dre]

I am sure that there are some nifty calculators on the web that will do this for you.

Here's one:
http://psych.colorado.edu/~mcclella/java/normal/normz.html

Mean = 217
Std dev = 21
Y = your Step score
Choose "Cumulative"
Prob ~ your percentile

 

[delchrys]

wow, thanks guys. i was checking for a buddy who did pretty well (that link shows they came in at 84%), but apparently he, like me, is not bright enough to know how to convert the numbers into some kind of understandable thing.

 

[Blade28]

Eh, over-rated. Doubt PDs convert three-digit scores into percentiles. I think they just compare two-digit scores (or at least use scores for screening purposes).

 

[ekydrd]

By your "app," you mean your CAF?

Out of the 67 programs I applied to, 16 haven't downloaded my CAF (or most of the other pieces of information) yet. The other 51 programs have...and if anything's missing, it's usually the PS (which I just uploaded last Thursday), or the LORs (which are still coming in).

67 programs?????? are you independently wealthy or something? 17 programs was a struggle for me.

 

[Blade28]

67 programs?????? are you independently wealthy or something? 17 programs was a struggle for me.

I wish. Basically had to take out yet ANOTHER loan for residency applications. I'll be flying to interviews from Hawaii, too, which tacks on another $300 per ticket to the mainland.

But I figure, it's worth spending the extra money now. I do NOT want to have to scramble.

 

[ekydrd]

I wish. Basically had to take out yet ANOTHER loan for residency applications. I'll be flying to interviews from Hawaii, too, which tacks on another $300 per ticket to the mainland.

But I figure, it's worth spending the extra money now. I do NOT want to have to scramble.

I hear ya!!!

 

[Winged Scapula]

Eh, over-rated. Doubt PDs convert three-digit scores into percentiles. I think they just compare two-digit scores (or at least use scores for screening purposes).

Nope...the 3 digit scores are used. The PDs know what the mean is and find it more useful to look at the 3 digit rather than the 2 digit/percentile scores often reported (especially by IMGs).

 

[Blade28]

Nope...the 3 digit scores are used. The PDs know what the mean is and find it more useful to look at the 3 digit rather than the 2 digit/percentile scores often reported (especially by IMGs).

I stand corrected.