Post by Class of 2007 on Apr 7, 2007 10:46:07 GMT -5
General Surgery
One applicant’s view on the Match process.
-First figure out if you want a university setting verses a community setting.
-If you’re not totally sure, interview at both types. You can get a feel for what you’re looking for as you go along.
-Or do a rotation at each type.
-University may be better if you are thinking about a fellowship but it is not impossible to get there from a community setting.
-For me the biggest difference between university and community was when you actually get into the operating room. Most community places, you hit the operating room earlier than in a university setting. At university settings you may have more research opportunities and more unique cases then you would at a community place. At a community place you may get a lot more bread and butter experience.
-There are some places that have aspects of both.
-If you want to go to a research university, you should probably get some research experience. Assuming you like research that shouldn’t be a problem. Some programs require a year or two just for research during residency, making residency 6 or 7 years long. (Usually general surgery residencies are 5 years long.)
Away rotations
-Do away rotations at places you know you’d like to go. Do these early 4th year so that you can get recommendations from the attendings that you rotated with.
-A lot of the info about away rotations should be online these days. If not just give the med school surgery clerkship coordinator a call. Start looking early so you know when deadlines are if there are any.
-Ask for advice. The attendings at your own school are great resources with connections to other places. Talk to other people besides your advisor as well - med students matched in the field/med students interviewing/residents/attendings. The attendings are very willing to meet up with you when they can.
Location
-People told me before that location was a big deal. I didn’t really believe it until I interviewed in a location that I fell in love with, then I realized that location does really make a difference. Just something to keep in mind.
Application
-The basic idea that earlier is better, still applies. So as you go through rotations especially surgical ones during which you meet attendings whom you’d like to get recommendations from, feel free to go ahead and ask them in advanced just to give them a heads up.
-Most places like a letter from the chair of your home program.
-A recommendation from a well known person in the field who also knows you doesn’t hurt.
Interviews
-Supposedly you want to be in the first batch or the last. It’s hard to remember the middle group.
-If you really want to go somewhere don’t forget to follow up. Phone call. Email. Thank you letter. Perhaps a second visit even.
-Try to send a thank you letter to all of the places that you’ve interviewed.
-Go to the events the night before. You can get a feel of the program based on how many residents show up, what their attitudes are, etc. In the end you want to find someplace that fits your personality.
www.studentdoctor.net/
www.scutwork.com
a good book: First Aid for the Match
Random info I’ve picked up
Specialties
-Don’t forget to explore the specialties if you can/are interested. Urology, ortho, plastics, ent, optho (kinda surgerical specialty as well).
-Look for and ask about websites that specifically provide a forum for questions and information on programs in that specialty
-If you are interested in a specialty, talk to those people/med students interviewing /matched/residents/attendings. They can let you know if you’re a reasonable candidate. They know about other programs, which ones are the good ones, which ones people from your school have gotten into.
-Do away rotations (as many as possible) in that specialty.
Fellowships
-Supposedly pediatric surgery and surgical oncology fellowships are the hardest ones to get into. If considering those areas, you probably want a place that has fellowships in those areas so that you can get to know the physicians in that field during residency.
(From a 4th yr med student)
One applicant’s view on the Match process.
-First figure out if you want a university setting verses a community setting.
-If you’re not totally sure, interview at both types. You can get a feel for what you’re looking for as you go along.
-Or do a rotation at each type.
-University may be better if you are thinking about a fellowship but it is not impossible to get there from a community setting.
-For me the biggest difference between university and community was when you actually get into the operating room. Most community places, you hit the operating room earlier than in a university setting. At university settings you may have more research opportunities and more unique cases then you would at a community place. At a community place you may get a lot more bread and butter experience.
-There are some places that have aspects of both.
-If you want to go to a research university, you should probably get some research experience. Assuming you like research that shouldn’t be a problem. Some programs require a year or two just for research during residency, making residency 6 or 7 years long. (Usually general surgery residencies are 5 years long.)
Away rotations
-Do away rotations at places you know you’d like to go. Do these early 4th year so that you can get recommendations from the attendings that you rotated with.
-A lot of the info about away rotations should be online these days. If not just give the med school surgery clerkship coordinator a call. Start looking early so you know when deadlines are if there are any.
-Ask for advice. The attendings at your own school are great resources with connections to other places. Talk to other people besides your advisor as well - med students matched in the field/med students interviewing/residents/attendings. The attendings are very willing to meet up with you when they can.
Location
-People told me before that location was a big deal. I didn’t really believe it until I interviewed in a location that I fell in love with, then I realized that location does really make a difference. Just something to keep in mind.
Application
-The basic idea that earlier is better, still applies. So as you go through rotations especially surgical ones during which you meet attendings whom you’d like to get recommendations from, feel free to go ahead and ask them in advanced just to give them a heads up.
-Most places like a letter from the chair of your home program.
-A recommendation from a well known person in the field who also knows you doesn’t hurt.
Interviews
-Supposedly you want to be in the first batch or the last. It’s hard to remember the middle group.
-If you really want to go somewhere don’t forget to follow up. Phone call. Email. Thank you letter. Perhaps a second visit even.
-Try to send a thank you letter to all of the places that you’ve interviewed.
-Go to the events the night before. You can get a feel of the program based on how many residents show up, what their attitudes are, etc. In the end you want to find someplace that fits your personality.
www.studentdoctor.net/
www.scutwork.com
a good book: First Aid for the Match
Random info I’ve picked up
Specialties
-Don’t forget to explore the specialties if you can/are interested. Urology, ortho, plastics, ent, optho (kinda surgerical specialty as well).
-Look for and ask about websites that specifically provide a forum for questions and information on programs in that specialty
-If you are interested in a specialty, talk to those people/med students interviewing /matched/residents/attendings. They can let you know if you’re a reasonable candidate. They know about other programs, which ones are the good ones, which ones people from your school have gotten into.
-Do away rotations (as many as possible) in that specialty.
Fellowships
-Supposedly pediatric surgery and surgical oncology fellowships are the hardest ones to get into. If considering those areas, you probably want a place that has fellowships in those areas so that you can get to know the physicians in that field during residency.
(From a 4th yr med student)