Getting Advice on Become a Better Applicant
- Non-US IMG [Visa Needed]
- Step 1 : 209
- Step 2 CK 232 [Second attempt]
- Step 2 CS: Pass
- YOG: 2014
- Didn't match last year
Here's a success story that illustrates the importance of improving your application to give yourself the best chance of matching!
Hi Dr. Barone,
I got 209 in my step 1, failed step CK then got a 232 the second time, (CS passed on first attempt). Didn't match last year! MATCHED THIS YEAR TO FAMILY MEDICINE!!!!
The first thing I did after not matching was to send an email to every single person including PD's that interview me (I had 3 interviews) asking for advice to become a better applicant, I think this really helped me to make a new plan and strategy.
From one cycle to the other I increased my US medical experience with 3 new rotations and volunteered at community health centers, hospice and a Diabetes type 1 summer camp. Got all 4 new LOR's from the specialty I wanted. Did a new personal statement. Reached out to every single person from my country that I knew was already in FM residency programs. Worked on my interview skills. This year I had 3 interviews, 2 of the invitations were from the same programs from last year and I matched to one of them!! (No research, no publications)
Dr. Barone: It would be amazing if you could share the advice that the program directors gave you... That is an amazing strategy!
All of them basically said that I need it to have more US medical experience which I already had (6 months of professional training in an OB residency program, 1 month observer in peds and 1 month observer in FM, 1 month observer in surgey). But next year i made sure to do all my rotations in FM. I think showing commitment with the specialty was key.
The first year I applied with 2 OB letters, 1 FM and 1 peds. This year 3 of them were from FM doctors and one from an OB doctor that specified that i wanted FM
Reaching out to to my interviewers was really helpful. I was lucky that one PD helped me to find rotation. But i think sending those emails asking for advice was my best move.
Dr. Barone: What did you do to improve your interview skills?
To improve my interview skills a good friend of mine that is PGY-3 family medicine resident and that is in the committee that interview applicants for medical school, helped me to practice with mocking interviews and actually corrected me in a couple things.
Dr. Barone: How did reaching out to all your countrymen/women in FM help?
Reaching out to all the Venezuelan that i knew were doing FM helped me because they gave good advise, like reaching out to community health centers to volunteer. They also helped me to review my personal statement and they even recommended me to their programs.
Dr. Barone: Did you need a VISA?
Yes I need a visa; I only applied to J1 sponsors programs.
Dr. Barone: Any more advice for students who want to match next year?
My interviewers told me that for FM they considered more helpful having more US clinical experience than research. But I guess that's going to depend on the program.
A lot of people recommended doing the step 3 which for different reasons I haven't take yet, thankfully I still matched!
I have read in many post that in second cycles people don't apply to places they were interviewed at and didn't match. I will totally disagree with that. As I said in my first cycle I had 3 interviews, my second cycle 2 of those 3 programs called me again. I matched one of those that already knew me from last year. I think programs like to see that you are persistent, consistent, and that you are capable to show improvement from one cycle to the next one.
Finally from the emails I send asking for advice, not everyone answered, some did with general advice and one helped me to find a rotation. I think it is worth the try.
Photo by CoWomen (Unsplash.com)