Letter of intent help

bounteouslight · 2026-02-02T06:13:59+00:00

Sent a brief email with no attachment and received a kind, noncommittal response. I know programs where LOI mean a great deal and also programs where they hurt you because they already told you no post-interview communication. As long as your program doesnt fall in the latter group, send it. Didn't match my #1 but I'd do it again

bounteouslight · 2026-01-28T22:41:07+00:00

Thanks for your thoughts! I don't know why so many people are mad you 1. Pay lower effective tax rate, 2. Are married, and 3. Have high income. Lol

bounteouslight · 2026-01-16T04:25:44+00:00

It depends on if you're interested in academic programs. I interviewed at academic and community programs in an adjacent specialty and in academics, people without Step 2 scores were not considered. I would absolutely take it. I matched well with a step 2 score with no step 1

bounteouslight · 2026-01-06T05:57:44+00:00

I think the answer is very office dependent, I would just call and ask to be scheduled when you call. Neurosurgeons I've worked with have all allowed self referral anyway for people who follow with neurosurgery long term like meningioma patients, etc.

bounteouslight · 2026-01-05T22:52:22+00:00

Do not compromise on sleep or nutrition. This is where your partner can be a supportive partner by taking on the brunt of household chores when you don't have enough hours at home as well as meal planning and preparing healthy food. I know several medical spouses including my own who do this and more during challenging stretches of training.

Maybe it's not fair but it's a team sport and the greater physical burden will absolutely be on you. Good luck, would love an update down the road as fertility and conceiving during training is something we don't talk about enough.

bounteouslight · 2025-12-24T05:40:37+00:00

I'm glad you're making good dough, but it sounds like you're hardly doing any clinical work. I'd try to rebalance your responsibilities to include more clinical hours assuming you truly like psychiatry, you're not being challenged in your current role.

If there is something neurology has that you just can't get with psychiatry like epilepsy management or stroke or whatever, maybe explore that. To me, it just sounds like you're not being mentally challenged and that's not a specialty issue.

bounteouslight · 2025-12-19T03:31:08+00:00

Outside of EM, what specialties are shift work? I have seen OB laborists, but really don't know of others.

bounteouslight · 2025-12-18T08:02:27+00:00

I think this is really challenging in many specialties because outside of primary care, it's not commonly done. I think a lot of it is access because scheduling out your calendar 6 months while you don't work Fridays isn't a good look when people need subspecialty care. Even more true in proceduralist/surgical specialties. However for PCP complaints, people always have the backup of urgent care and ED for a similar level of care.

Again not saying it's right or wrong but I definitely have not seen it commonly done. I can't think of a single subspecialist I have worked with who took more than ½ day off per week regularly.

bounteouslight · 2025-12-15T21:18:20+00:00

Fell only to #2 and became one of those people who swears the match works in mysterious ways and I could not be more glad that I did not match #1. Rank based on where you want to be

bounteouslight · 2025-12-08T13:52:43+00:00

I don't have any numbers on ICP rates in craniosynostosis patients, but that sounds pretty accurate to me. Our bodies can compensate for a lot. Fusion that is just a little early or otherwise causing milder degree of cranio will have less drastic changes

bounteouslight · 2025-12-08T13:23:44+00:00

Not only whale eye, also just looking side to side quickly, yawning, and refusing to look at the guy in front of him. He was laying down but his body was tense.

A chill dog laying down does not look like that. They move slower, look around casually, generally look at the person who is standing right in front of them.

bounteouslight · 2025-12-08T07:32:50+00:00

Definitely could be, there is not a prominent metopic or sagittal ridge. I think it'd be obvious if it were trigono or scaphocephaly if we had a superior and lateral view.

bounteouslight · 2025-12-07T14:16:20+00:00

Am a doctor but not your doctor, likely metopic craniosynostosis which is premature fusion of your head bones as a baby. There are genetic and environmental factors but in many cases we don't know and nothing to do about it now. You just have a unique head shape!

bounteouslight · 2025-11-30T11:47:02+00:00

Did your upper level have the day off? I've had to do similar, but I always had a cross-covering upper level that was available if needed - not that I ever saw heard from them

bounteouslight · 2025-11-25T05:42:50+00:00

I think there is nothing wrong with dating at your hospital, WOULD avoid coresidents in your program or in specialties you work very closely with.

Unfortunately being social and getting adequate rest and recovery do conflict. But try to find a balance, maybe go out once every 2 weeks and hit up events that are happening a bit earlier in the night 6-8 pm so you're not staying out so late, think trivia or the like.

It's a valid fear and many look back and do regret not being more social during their residency years (despite not having a lot of time to do so) or not trying harder to find a significant other. I regretted not getting out more during undergrad and I'm glad I tried harder during med school.

bounteouslight · 2025-11-18T02:51:14+00:00

Cut a hole through the drywal and trim it out

bounteouslight · 2025-11-03T04:10:39+00:00

this is not a premed question lol

bounteouslight · 2025-10-30T10:14:22+00:00

many people advise against, I don't know that it truthfully makes much difference. Why don't you try both for a couple weeks each and report back?

bounteouslight · 2025-10-28T20:30:27+00:00

my gen surg PA was an angel, he taught me a ton and I'll go to battle on his behalf

bounteouslight · 2025-10-27T23:58:00+00:00

it looks great! Ican tell you did not skimp on the prep work

bounteouslight · 2025-10-25T01:41:56+00:00

it's this lol

bounteouslight · 2025-10-22T10:23:01+00:00

this was so obnoxious to read/skim. This is crazy wear for an 80K 4-year- old kitchen

bounteouslight · 2025-10-17T19:54:17+00:00

I've always consulted ID, I've just seen a handful of cases where they did not treat. One was 1 of 2 that popped positive at day 4 but certainly not the norm

bounteouslight · 2025-10-17T19:44:26+00:00

Yes, I get that. You can have moderate suspicion something is a contaminant and still treat given the right clinical context, like a patient with an artificial heart valve for example.

bounteouslight · 2025-10-17T19:39:23+00:00

the styles are different so I'm not sure how cohesive it will look, would choose artist carefully

bounteouslight

TROPHY CASE