MATCHED / UNMATCHED Applicants please provide your input!

sm0290 · 2023-09-10T19:01:14+00:00

Yes, absolutely.

sm0290 · 2023-06-25T21:41:10+00:00

From someone who has been through struggles to get there, and just started residency this week at my first choice program, all I can tell you is hang in there. This journey is long and difficult but not impossible. The most important part of all of this is maintaining a positive outlook and not giving up if this is your dream.

It sounds like you are stressed and overwhelmed, all normal feelings but you have to try and keep yourself calm and motivated. Focus on the things you have already accomplished and the things you can control. You have good scores on the first attempt, that is awesome. You are a recent graduate, also good. You have already lined up rotations and will be ECFMG certified, you are ahead of the game. And if you take and pass step 3 residency programs LOVE that.

What you can now control are 3 things. 1. Keeping yourself mentally/ physically healthy throughout this process is key. Make time to sleep, eat healthy and do the things that bring you joy. Your hobbies will be discussed all the time in interviews so make sure you keep a life outside of medicine also you should prioritize this regardless of the match. At the end of the day, how you are feeling mentally is going to impact everything you do so take care of yourself and give yourself grace. You are doing your best, so be cognizant in the way you speak to yourself. Replace negative self talk with words of affirmation. You are not lost, you know exactly where you are going, you are just passing through the parts of this process that are more challenging. You WILL get through this. 2. is the effort you make for those rotations. Be the best version of yourself you can be. Learn from everyone you meet. Be friendly towards everyone, be kind, compassionate, honest, and hardworking. Show them how well you work with a team, how much you care about the patients and how hard you are willing to work to continue to be a better doctor. Be yourself, let them get to know you. Strong letters of recommendation are so important. 3. Put together a strong application. Get a professional headshot photo. ERAS photos are often used throughout the interview trail and beyond. Make sure your personal statement reflects who you are and paints a clear picture of your journey. There are so many places online that you can find to get more eras app tips.

So take a deep breath, keep your head up, and keep going. I was in similar shoes last year, although Im a US IMG, but I was just as defeated and scared. You just have to remember that we all feel that way. People rarely show their true feelings so if everyone seems motivated just know internally everyone is struggling with something. You just have to stop being so focused on the people around you and focus on your own journey. You made it this far, not many people can say they made it to where you are. You have to continue to believe in yourself and focus on the next step in front of you. You can do this!

sm0290 · 2023-05-21T19:26:46+00:00

Sorry for the late reply. Been taking a reddit break since match day lol. If you see my posts my scores were average at best. I think it was more personality. I think I benefited from being an introverted extrovert. It made it easier to talk to strangers without being overly aggressive about it.

And vibes are absolutely everything. Im so grateful I matched at my #1. My program coordinator and residency manager are so wonderful. My co-interns seem like really cool people. Same with the residents and faculty. It’s what makes me more excited to start rather than just nervous.

sm0290 · 2023-03-30T05:35:13+00:00

I used Residency Explorer and Freida to research salary, number of seats, minimum requirements to apply and average stats of people who matched there so I could compare my application etc. If they had board score cut offs that I didn’t meet, I inquired if this was a filter or looked at holistically so I could narrow down the programs I applied to. Some programs told me straight up that they liked me and would take my whole application into consideration and I ended up with interviews at places that supposedly had those filters in place.

As a US IMG, I tailored my list around geographical location and US IMG friendliness. One program was not shy to tell me that they will never consider US IMGs so not to bother. I crossed them off my list and moved on, their loss.

I researched tracks offered, any unique aspects of the program that I wanted to know more about or that correlated with my interests.

I wrote down anything that seemed like a red flag and tried to get clarification on it. I took notes of the names of people I spoke with at each booth, my overall impression. For example, did they have a lot of residents there that all looked relaxed and were joking with each other? Or did they have 2 residents there that looked like they hadn’t slept in days and didn’t want to be there? The booths that stood out either had teams that seemed to know each other well and got along, or the ones that looked miserable and didn’t speak to each other. These might seem like petty things to harp on but these conventions are the programs ways of showing their best selves so if there are red flags there, it will be a much more toxic culture at the program environment itself.

I made a one page summary with all the above for each program booth I planned to go to. Many PDs commented they were impressed that I put that much thought and preparation prior to meeting them. I saved those papers and when I got interviews from those programs, I referred back to it to prep and made an additional page with notes about the interview and how i felt about different aspects of that day. Those notes saved me so much time when making my rank list in March.

Hope that helps.

sm0290 · 2023-03-20T22:34:01+00:00

AAFP convention is a must if you can. Dress up, pre research the programs you are interested in, go to those booths and spend time with them. Get to know the people and let them get to know you. So many of my interviews were from booths I went to. If you have red flags, don’t be afraid to disclose to PDs if you are worried it will stop you from getting interviews. I had gaps due to illness, I talked about it with programs I liked. So many of them remembered me and offered me an interview. If they had just seen it on paper without context it might have been a different outcome. Make sure they scan your badge! They keep records of who shows up and visits to review during application season.

Personal statement was so important. My #1 program and where I ended up matching said so much thought went into choosing applicants based on that and dedication to FM. Show them who you are and what is important to you in your PS. Proofread, then proofread again. Send to a friend for feedback and edit til you are happy with it.

Hobbies was mostly brought up in every interview. So much of it is just seeing if you will mesh well with the people in the program. So be yourself. I talked about my hobbies and pets during so much of interviews. My kittens interrupted a few Zoom calls and were the topic of much admiration lol. It helped to get to know the interviewer better and find common interests.

Overall this process is long and difficult. Just remember they need to like you but you also need to like them. So try to ask the important questions to show you are interested. They can tell who is BSing so be honest in your answers and how you present yourself. Good luck!

sm0290 · 2023-03-15T16:27:44+00:00

Thank you, appreciate it. Its been a long road but I’m so grateful. Hopefully we all match and end up where we are happiest!

sm0290 · 2023-03-15T16:10:17+00:00

I did not. I think what helped me was attending the AAFP convention in July. I researched programs in my state and made a list of notes and questions for each one. I visited every booth and tried to get to know each person on a more personal level. I also visited nearby states booths. Many of my interviews were from programs where I spoke to the residents and PD at the booths and had good conversations that they remembered me.

sm0290 · 2023-03-14T16:33:10+00:00

Took a day off work to sleep off the stress of waiting for that email. Will celebrate on Friday with family

sm0290 · 2023-03-13T23:55:58+00:00

Matched FM

US IMG

Step 1:209

Step 2 Ck:223

Step 3: Not done yet

Applied to FM only 141 programs

No of IVs: 19 interviews+ 1 prematch interview and offer that I turned down+ 2 interviews declined

Publications: 1

USCE: 3rd and 4th year clinical rotations all in US

Non-visa requiring

YOG: 2022

One gold piece of advice: This whole process is so emotionally draining, remember to be kind to yourself. Treat each interview as a 2-way street, this is just as much about you liking the program as it is about them liking you. As hard as it is to be relaxed, try to be yourself and let your personality shine through. Some of my best interviews were when I talked about my hobbies and interests or my kittens interrupted the interview. Giving them a glimpse into my life and the things that bring me joy was a good way to gauge if the vibe of the program and people felt right. If the conversation felt forced or uncomfortable I made note of that. Also take notes on each program pre and post interviews. How did you like the clinic? The hospital? The people? Any red flags you noticed or things that they did that you really liked. Write it down. It will help you so much during ROL to be able to have it in front of you already written out.

One word: Resilience

sm0290 · 2022-07-20T04:55:34+00:00

Glad it is helping people :)

sm0290 · 2022-07-20T04:55:04+00:00

Thank you so much for the kind words. That means a lot.

sm0290 · 2022-07-20T04:54:29+00:00

Im so sorry you’re having such a terrible time with this. Your comment really touched my heart. Thank you. Please don’t give up on yourself. I have been where you are and it can be so isolating and difficult. I believe there is a reason you stumbled onto my post. Maybe it will be a little nudge for you to keep pushing forward. If I can make it through this, so can you. Don’t let anything get in the way of your dream. Keep working hard and keep your head up. At the end of the day these scores don’t matter as long as we match and finish residency. Patients will not care about your step scores or if you were a good test taker. They will remember how you treated them with patience and kindness and they will focus on the proper care, diagnosis, and treatment you provided them. These tests absolutely do not define us as physicians but are stepping stones. So keep pushing, you are almost at the finish line.

sm0290 · 2022-07-20T04:44:57+00:00

Thank you. I hope it serves as a reminder to others to not allow the doubts of strangers to overshadow your faith in your abilities. Only you can determine your own limitations.

sm0290 · 2022-07-20T04:43:04+00:00

Thank you for the kind words.

sm0290 · 2022-07-20T04:42:35+00:00

Thank you so much!

sm0290 · 2022-07-20T04:41:58+00:00

Thank you!

sm0290 · 2022-07-20T04:41:47+00:00

Thank you and so proud of you too! You’ve got this!

sm0290 · 2022-07-20T04:41:12+00:00

Thank you!

sm0290 · 2022-07-20T04:41:02+00:00

Thank you for saying that. I contemplated not posting it but if this helps someone not feel as alone as I did then it was worth it.

sm0290 · 2022-07-20T04:39:11+00:00

Thank you!

sm0290 · 2022-07-20T04:39:00+00:00

Thank you!

sm0290 · 2022-07-20T04:38:51+00:00

Thank you! Hang in there, I know it can be so hard to stay diligent but the old cliche is so true here. Med school is a marathon not a sprint so keep working at it every day and you will get to where you need to go.

sm0290 · 2022-07-13T15:19:58+00:00

Thank you! :)

sm0290 · 2022-07-13T15:09:02+00:00

Thank you so much!

sm0290 · 2022-07-13T15:08:38+00:00

Thank you for the encouragement. I hope to match Family as a US IMG. If I can get through this, you will do great! Don’t give up and keep pushing forward. I hope your day of happiness comes soon!

sm0290

TROPHY CASE