Don't Stop
- Step 1 : 206 (first attempt)
- Step 2 CK : 235 (first attempt)
- Step 2 CS : Pass (first attempt)
- Gap since Graduation : 5-years
- Non-US IMG
- Two previous Failed attempts at matching!
Hi Dr. Barone,
I would be happy to share my story since I have been in that position. I know that in the darkest moments even one such story can give glimpse of hope and light.
The First time I applied to the match was in 2015. I applied with no US LORs, no USCE, a late application, and still studying for step 3: I got no interviews. I was okay with that as I didn't expect any interview calls without US LORs.
The Second time I applied was in 2016. I had the Step 3 done, 4 US LORs (3 in psych from same hospital, 1 from IM), 1 poster presentation, 7 months of USCE in psych. I had 4 interviews. Did not match. I was devastated. I thought I had done everything that could be done. Turns out you can always do something more, there is always room for improvement.
Last year, around this time, I was heartbroken, sort of hopeless and couldn't see the next steps/strategies. Thank you Dr. Barone for comforting and encouraging me. That might have been few messages for you, but I feel eternally grateful for all those people who spent their time and effort. All of your kind words told me the most important thing that I needed to hear then- not to stop.
That brings us to this year which is the Third time I tried to match. I didn't stop. I was doing externship in a renown university hospital. I was also working at a very famous psychiatrist's private practice. I had 1 publication and 2 poster presentations at national level conferences (APA and AAGP) which I did through my previous externship place. I worked really hard, for over a year I worked unpaid without a single day off. Wherever I got the chance to do externship/research I fully dedicated myself and went above and beyond because I was grateful for the privilege of working there. Being a foreigner, I also took every opportunity at hospitals/externship places to improve my interpersonal skills. I showed genuine interest in knowing people, knowing the work and knowing patients. All of these later impacted tremendously in the interviews. A big part of the interviews is them trying to know who you are, what are doing now and how well do you blend with the team.
I got 9 interviews (all in Psychiatry, I applied only to Psychiatry) and 2 prematch offers (from my first and second choices). I accepted one of the prematch offers and withdrew from match.
I am very content and very proud of myself. I am also immensely grateful to Dr. Barone and all the precious people of my life who never lost their faith in me even when my faith was shaken. I do feel grateful for every single event of success and failure, every single moment of happiness and tears that brought me here. If I had gotten matched last year, I would have skipped one year of thriving that has professionally and personally shaped me to the present me. It is very very very difficult to keep having faith when things don't work out despite your physical, emotional and financial investment in it; I know that since I have been there last year, I also know that you can always turn around, the human spirit is stronger than anything that can happen to it.
A Few Tips:
1) Try to get LORs from different places, not just from one hospital. Having LOR from a university hospital is a plus.
2) If your scores are not great, try to have all the checklist things checked such as publication, poster presentation etc.
3) Whatever you do, research/externship/observership, try to learn everything, don't do it just for the sake of doing. Interviewers get really impressed when they see you know your stuff!
4) Don't compare yourself/your journey with anyone else. Everyone has his/her own timing and track. Comparison leads to nothing but frustration, just focus on your journey.
5) Don't stop being kind, help others whenever you can. Apart from the cosmic rule of Karma, your kindness and your attitude reflect in your behavior and in your interactions. Out of my 9 interviews, I got 2 interview invitations just because at two different points in my life I was of assistance to two different people who later started their residencies. They themselves reached out to me in the interview season, despite being in another speciality and asked for my AAMC id. Later on, I got prematch offer from one of them even though I did not end up accepting that. You never know, life works out in amazing ways!
Finally, best wishes! Don't give up!
- W. H. March 13, 2018
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