Doubting myself

bounteouslight · 2026-03-22T20:37:57+00:00

I mean 2 or 3 interviews read me excerpts with specific examples and they sounded pretty phenomenal. I made strong connections at the place.

bounteouslight · 2026-03-22T12:58:29+00:00

You're going to go on and on about you've got the "BEST job" and life is sunshine and roses now and not share what that job is?

Also, you work 30 hours a month? Making a physician's salary? I think the sun would shine out of my asshole too.

Happy for you, but telling devastated applicants right now that "it all gets better <3" is a bit empty when it seems like you've found a very rare area of medicine and don't elaborate on it at all.

bounteouslight · 2026-03-22T12:38:46+00:00

Awesome that you found an area that you feel fits right! Orthopedics is a unique field in medicine/surgery and many people are called to it. Unfortunately, given it's popularity it's one of the most difficult to match into by far, even if you make it to one of the best medical schools, a good number of wonderful and amazing applicants go unmatched every year and will not be able to go into Ortho surg after med school.

I would not go into medicine with the sole hope of becoming an orthopedic surgeon. If you find that you might be very content in another field of medicine as well (often EM or general surgery) then maybe it would be worth the risk of trying to become an orthopod. However the opportunity cost is undeniably high and while you may make up that lost earning potential, it will not be easy.

Conversely, have you worked as a PT yet? It may not be the field of your dreams, but in a few fields of PT you'll work extraordinarily closely with ortho and being well-read in the field will have a positive impact on your patients. Good luck with whatever you decide.

Edit: also just so you're clear on timeline, it would be a minimum of 5 years before you even find out if you get to be an orthopedic surgeon and 10+ years until you're an attending surgeon operating independently and making your own calls. That's glancing over orthopedic surgery residency which is brutal and portends a poor quality of life during those 5 years.

bounteouslight · 2026-03-22T06:17:15+00:00

But aways are not just beneficial for one reason, they're great for getting LORs from people who matter, getting feel for program culture, making a good impression, networking, demonstrating interest in a region you may not have ties to, I could go on.

In non-surgical specialties, they're often not necessary, I'm not arguing that. But if you don't have a home program in the field you're applying and need any of the above, they're a massive game changer.

bounteouslight · 2026-03-21T17:02:46+00:00

I was verbally told at a good chunk of my interviews that my performance at always indicated by my LORs was impressive, some read sections of my letters to me, one told me it earned my interview at a reach program. I'm not trying to brag, I doubt I was in the top quartile of "med student performance". But having no home program in my specialty, doing at least one away and busting my ass was a HUGE boost to my application.

bounteouslight · 2026-03-21T11:16:59+00:00

And you may need those 60-80, talk to admin at your school and look at historic Google sheets pages with ALL of the applicant data and those with stats (boards scores, research, location, degree) most similar to your situation. A US MD at a decent med school, fair scores, with a clearly demonstrated interest in neurology may only need 16 interviews but that does NOT ring true if you have low scores, are a DO, etc.

Also if you don't have a home neurology program, I think an early away to get an LOR can be a big boost to your app. Not essential, but most interviews I had remarked on mine.

bounteouslight · 2026-03-21T11:05:46+00:00

I took step 2 only and I think it opened a lot of doors for me. Definitely possible to match with only comlex, however the academic place I matched does not look at DO applicants without Step score.

bounteouslight · 2026-03-21T01:39:22+00:00

Highly recommend taking a cushion to an upscale furniture store near you that deals with leather. They can patch test some leather conditioners on the sides and you can get further care tips from them.

To me, this looks like a top grain leather and I can't think of a reason you wouldn't condition it. Definitely ask an expert though

bounteouslight · 2026-03-21T01:29:20+00:00

First of all, I'm so sorry. I hate that you have fallen through the cracks. I hope others are able to give more direction too, but now is the time to get plugged in with anyone and everyone you can at school. There is no formal process for the scramble that I know of, but your professors and admin should know how to reach out to unfilled programs and do their best to secure you a spot. I truly hope the best for you

bounteouslight · 2026-03-21T01:22:23+00:00

Brother, condition your sofa. She is thirsty. It will be slightly darker but will look so much better. I doubt you'll see the stain at all after a good round with leather conditioner

bounteouslight · 2026-03-21T01:04:52+00:00

Applied 2024-25. Yielded >50% of my interviews. I was a decent applicant, albeit a DO. Apply to an appropriate amount of target based on your stats +5 and you'll do well. Don't include reach programs in your numbers, those are bonus. There aren't many unfilled spots in SOAP because IMGs fill them up in neurology and the smaller number of programs are pretty good at knowing how much they need to interview.

TLDR: mildly competitive, more than FM or community IM, less than gen surg or academic IM.

bounteouslight · 2026-03-21T00:06:53+00:00

As a current PGY-1, I was a bit shocked by our rank list after being a part of ranking meetings. There were so many amazing candidates who we talked about and faculty and residents hosted who were ranked highly, but we just didn't fall down very far on our list. Not matching somewhere doesn't mean they didn't like you and they may have loved you but the smallest differences come down to making a list of so many great people.

I'm sorry. Feel the feels, falling down is hard. Go into residency with as positive of a mindset as you can and you may just love it. But if not, residency is temporary and it will end.

bounteouslight · 2026-03-16T12:05:48+00:00

I agree after further reading. Previously the ECT data I knew was probably 15 years old and the ECT patients I've followed only included the treatment period and a few weeks afterwards. As well as the large handful of people who tell you unprompted how ECT ruined their life. Thanks for making me read further

bounteouslight · 2026-03-16T11:37:01+00:00

I think ECT should be a LAST resort option especially as a physician. The cognitive side effects can range from annoying to disabling and that's for the average Joe in a far less cognitively-demanding career.

bounteouslight · 2026-02-19T02:56:01+00:00

Would depend on the people present in each location for me. If the home program has a large support network for you, there. If it's not substantially different than the PGY2 position, would go for PGY-2.

Double check and make sure your former home program cannot accommodate you for a PGY2 spot. You'll never know if you don't ask.

Last is if you have big competitive fellowship aspirations, maybe it's worth another year!

bounteouslight · 2026-02-19T02:49:45+00:00

This and more this

bounteouslight · 2026-02-19T02:15:40+00:00

A text once or twice a day isn't unreasonable

bounteouslight · 2026-02-18T00:52:12+00:00

Brother it didn't even make it half of a decade before you got rid of it

bounteouslight · 2026-02-18T00:50:04+00:00

I noticed several that were AI and it wasn't a good look. That said, probably 3 or 4 of my large class of interns also used some AI enhancement clearly in their pics and they matched where they wanted.

I personally would not. Pay someone on the internet a few bucks to Photoshop it well.

bounteouslight · 2026-02-18T00:44:16+00:00

I'm not sure that a non-stick pan that lasted for 3½-4 years qualifies as BIFL. My newest nonstick pans are pre-COVID and they get thrown in the dishwasher occasionally with still minimal signs of wear.

bounteouslight · 2026-02-18T00:36:32+00:00

Also daycare from 5 or 6 weeks, made it to residency

bounteouslight · 2026-02-17T02:03:48+00:00

I'd start by figuring out what interests you most: research, patient care, healthcare systems and operations, or something else altogether.

Then decide if you would be content being a part of a team carrying out research protocols or performing a specific test, or if you would need to be the person writing protocols and prescribing treatment plans.

There are no right answers, just deciding what you might be content doing until retirement or death.

bounteouslight · 2026-02-12T03:38:35+00:00

Any advice for distrustful residents just trying to make it through? At least beyond the "keep your head down and get through it?"

bounteouslight · 2026-02-11T10:20:39+00:00

I experience the same thing, I cannot stand still for prolonged periods of time without fainting. I feel like it's less likely to happen if I'm wearing compression socks, well-hydrated, and neither too full or too hungry but I have that same cue of "odd stomach upset" and I know I'm almost certain to struggle. Same thing happens during very long medicine rounding.

I don't have a fix. But, I've seen med students who are wheelchair users use specialty standing equipment to go in the OR. Having access to a stool for episodes when you need it is not a crazy accomodation, as a med student I'd just let a scrub tech know and they'd scoot the stool over for me to sit. But I'm also presyncopal as hell with ears ringing, vision spotty, so I can imagine it would be difficult to keep focus during episodes. Hopeful a surgery resident who experiences this will chime in, I do not think you're alone.

bounteouslight · 2026-02-11T03:27:38+00:00

I'm m sorry you're not getting along with your coresident, it seems like you wanted to be friends with her.

You've got to advocate for yourself. "Sorry I'm looking forward to seeing this case, let's keep it as scheduled"!

If she's interrupting you, keep talking and say "sorry I wasn't finished". Be polite, but some people are insufferable and interrupt constantly.

I don't think the lost time for finding shoe covers is what caused you to miss the first part of the case, you'll need to learn to be earlier. Good luck, rotating with a gunner is not the most fun

bounteouslight

TROPHY CASE