A D.O.'s Journey to Get an Orthopedic Surgery Residency
- Step 1 : 236 (first attempt)
- COMLEX Level 1 : 622 (first attempt)
- COMLEX Level 2 : 695 (first attempt)
- US Doctor of Osteopathy (D.O.)
- First attempt at matching
- Number of interviews: 6
Here's the success story of a D.O. student who struggled with standardized tests like the MCAT and had great difficulty getting into medical school but never gave up on his dream and was willing to make the sacrifices that it takes to become an Orthopedic Surgeon! He also includes some really important tips for those who want to get otho!
“You’re not good enough.” These are words we have all heard at some point in our lives. Whether it be sports, school, job interviews etc; we’ve all had that moment where we have questioned if this is the right path to take. I still remember it like it was yesterday. I was sitting in my Academic Advisors office at Texas A&M after I received my MCAT score the fall semester of my senior year of college. I had scored a 19. [Editors Note: This is the old MCAT scoring system where an average score was about 25]
A 19. I had studied for months with several MCAT review programs and anything I could get my hands on. None of it worked for me. Now before you make the leap my Academic Advisor did, “maybe you’re just not cut out for medical school,” let me fill you in on a bit of my life at Texas A&M. I was in the Corps of Cadets and Fightin’ Texas Aggie Band, 3 year Captain of the Corps Club Baseball Team, bartended at a local bar, worked at a golf course, and played shows as an amateur county musician; all the while maintaining a 3.7 GPA. I’m by no means bragging. I’m merely painting the picture of how someone shouldn’t judge how intelligent or driven you are based on one standardized test. Because as you’ll see later on, the MCAT is not even close to a valid predictor of your success in medical school and ultimately the match.
During my senior baseball season, I ended up tearing my labrum and rotator cuff requiring surgery. Out for the season, I focused on studying for the MCAT once again so that I could apply in the next application cycle. I studied for five months. I ended up getting a 22. I was devastated. It was the first time in my life that I truly felt that I had failed. I started to believe what my Academic Advisor had stated, maybe I didn’t have what it takes to become a doctor. Ever since high school I had dreamed of becoming an Orthopedic Surgeon and Team Doctor for a college or pro team. And when I opened up the email with my score report, I felt that dream slipping through my fingers.
Despite my MCAT score, I still applied that cycle because I felt the rest of my application was solid. And as I’m sure you can guess, I was wrong. The MCAT score was the filter of choice and I didn’t make the cut. [Editors note: Just like the USMLE/COMLEX scores and getting a residency] With rejection letter after rejection letter coming in the mail, I almost gave up. Almost. I was unhappy working a dead end shipping company job while playing country shows around Texas when I ran into one of my friends who had just been accepted into A&M’s medical school. We talked for a bit and then he said something that still resonates with me til this day. “What happened to you? Are you really going to let one test get in the way of your dream? If so, you’re not the person I thought you were.”
He was right. At that point, I was contemplating throwing my life long dream to the curb and pursuing music instead. Over what, one stupid test? Don’t get me wrong, music will always be a large part of my life, but running into him truly helped me get back on track. That next month, I applied to various graduate school programs and ended up being accepted into a program to pursue a Masters in Biomedical Sciences.
I took the MCAT for the third time, yes third time, during the first semester of grad school in the summer of 2013 and scored a 28. An average score but I knew it alone wouldn’t get the attention of medical schools. I worked my tail off and ended up graduating with a 4.0 GPA. But nonetheless, rejection letter after rejection letter came in the mail. This time however, I applied to both MD and DO programs and I finally received an interview at a DO school. During this whole process, I knew all I needed was to get my foot in the door and I could showcase who I really was as a candidate, not just an MCAT score. [Editors note: Note the similarity to getting a residency] I interviewed on February 14, 2014 and I nailed it. I received my acceptance letter later that month and started that July. It was a long and winding road full of road blocks but I finally accomplished the first step in becoming a doctor. And yes, I did send my Academic Advisor an email letting her know I was accepted to medical school. 
Fast forward through the first two pre-clinical years of late night Taco Bell runs, caffeine induced palpitations, and all nighters and on to board exams. Remember how I said to not let your MCAT score dictate your future success as a medical student and doctor. Here’s why. I, as well as many of my fellow classmates, ended up doing well on both USMLE/COMLEX Steps 1 & 2. Far exceeding how I was “supposed to do in medical school based on the MCAT.” I scored a 236 on USMLE Step 1, 622 on COMLEX I and 695 on COMLEX II. I personally did not take USMLE Step 2 because as a DO, I knew it would be nearly impossible to match into MD Ortho. Plus all of the DO Ortho programs did not require USMLE Step 2 to set up an audition rotation. However, this will ultimately change with the merger so I encourage future students to take both USMLE and COMLEX.
Through my pre-clinical grades and my board scores, I was able to secure five audition rotations at well established Orthopedic Surgery residency programs for fourth year. However, the road to an orthopedic surgery residency spot starts well before fourth year auditions. During third year, I rotated through all of the medical specialties while spending my nights learning fracture classifications, surgical indications and surgical approaches as Orthopedics has its own language. For those eager to pursue a career in Orthopedics, I strongly encourage you to buy Handbook of Fractures, Netter’s Orthopedic Anatomy, and Miller’s Orthopedics. These will become your Bible during audition rotations.
I spent the first five months of fourth year all across the United States auditioning for residency. To say these were the hardest months of my life would be an understatement. Your typical day on an audition rotation starts at 5 or 6 AM with fracture conference or rounds followed by OR cases, clinic, and then finally heading home around 7 PM, if you’re not on call. Once at home, studying was a must as you are constantly “pimped”, or asked questions, on the aforementioned topics during rounds and in the OR. Never miss the same question twice. I repeat, never miss the same question twice. Ever. Lastly, another thing to start mastering is suturing and tying knots as you will be expected to close even as a student.
During one posterior total hip arthroplasty, my Attending walked out after ranging the final implants without saying a word and I ended up closing on my own with the scrub tech. It was a great way to showcase my ability, but it could have been a disaster if I hadn’t worked on suturing on my own. One important piece of advice that was passed down to me was to take call as much as possible. You not only get more one on one time with Attendings and residents, but it allows them to get to know you better. After all, they’re going to be spending the next five years with you and if your personality doesn’t mesh with the culture of their program, you’re hosed. Speaking of program culture, don’t be over bearing. That’s a sure fire way to not get an interview. No one likes a know it all or a try hard. Work hard, be respectful, show progression in your knowledge, and study/practice as much as you can. That’s all a program can ask for.
The long hours, little sleep, endless studying, no time to workout, and living off of protein bars and coffee were all worth it when interview season came around. I interviewed at six residency programs. Four that I rotated at and two that I didn’t. Just as a heads up, Orthopedic Surgery residency interviews are different than the majority of other medical specialities. You will be required to undergo lengthy interviews, read X-rays and give surgical indications/treatments, take general orthopedic knowledge tests, and participate in hand-eye coordination skill tests as well as arthroscopic simulations. It was absolutely grueling but on February 5th, 2018 at 7:54 AM, I opened up the most life changing email I will ever open. My life long dream had come true: I was going to be an Orthopedic Surgeon.
My story is not necessarily unique as we have all overcome adversity to get where we are today, but when I saw Dr Barone ask for Match success stories I felt the need to share mine for the sole purpose of reiterating this point: “Never Stop Trying.” If a kid who scored a 19 on the MCAT can match into Orthopedic Surgery, anything is possible. It’s not about how much adversity you face, but how you overcome and persevere. You control your destiny. Don’t ever let anyone tell you differently. Good luck to everyone in their future endeavors. Gig Em and God Bless.
- D.S. March 14, 2018
Related article: Considering an Orthopedic Surgery residency?