CAN AMERICAN JANUARY ENTRANTS ACTUALLY MAKE THE MATCH?

[bigguy]

HELLO
I KNOW IN THEORY THAT JANUARY ENTRANTS CAN MAKE THE MATCH IN THE SAME YEAR THEY FINISH, IF THEY BUST THEIR BEHINDS AND DO BACK TO BACK CLINICALS AND TAKE NO TIME OFF FOR BOARD STUDY.

BUT WHAT ABOUT REAL LIFE? DOES ANYONE ACTUALLY DO THIS? IS THE CLINICALS DEPARTMENT GOOD ABOUT SCHEDULING CLOSE CLINICALS, OR IS THERE SOME THUMB TWIDDLING IN BETWEEN? ARE ANY OF YOU JAN 2003 ENTRANTS GOING FOR IT?

THANKS!
BIGGUY, ADMIRER OF GOATS

[Siddman]

HELLO
I KNOW IN THEORY THAT JANUARY ENTRANTS CAN MAKE THE MATCH IN THE SAME YEAR THEY FINISH, IF THEY BUST THEIR BEHINDS AND DO BACK TO BACK CLINICALS AND TAKE NO TIME OFF FOR BOARD STUDY.

THANKS!
BIGGUY, ADMIRER OF GOATS

That is what i heard too...its not impossible.....

Siddman

[gasdr]

Bigguy,
Yes some people actually graduate in 3.5 years. It is usually a pretty small number. In my class that started in Jan 2001, only 7-8 out of 57 graduated in May 2004. 1-2 of those still had a few weeks of rotations to finish but the school let them attend graduation and sent them their diplomas after they got proof that they finished (their evaluations).
Of the 7-8 people who graduated only 5 of us got residencies and started residency in July 2004. A few of the others did not pass the required steps or CSA in time to make the match.

You are right though about it being difficult, alowing less time to study for boards, and having to do rotations back to back to back.

Before I even left the island, I did the math.
You have to do 72 weeks of clinical rotations, minimum. I counted out 72 weeks on the calender from the monday after that I left the island.
This date is theoretically when you can finish with rotations.

I then estimated the graduation date (it is usually around the 20th of May) and counted the number of weeks in between. It wound up being 20 or 21 weeks. This is the total amount of time you can divide up for studying for step 1,2 and CS, and taking vacations and/or waiting for your next rotation to start.

It is not a large amount of time but plenty of time if you are motivated. I mean you could take 2 months off for both step I and II and still have 4-5 weeks off for vacation.

I finished my rotations on the day before graduation, and still had two solid months off in Feb and March in the year I graduated.

The other important factor is letting the clinicals coordinator know that this is what you are trying to do. I emailed her before I finished basic science and told her during the clinicals interview you do before you leave the island.

If you do that, you will likely get first choice of available rotations.
It will also help if you are a good student because you will have less time to study for boards than people from earlier semesters.

Make sure you do peds early as that is the only rotation that is kind of hard to get.

It is definitely not impossible or even very hard if you are motivated.
I don't advocate this if you are going for a very competitive residency like EM, radiology, or surgery or medicine in a university setting.
This is because Step I and Step II will make all the difference in residency placement, SO MAKE SURE YOU DO WELL ON THESE EXAMS!

Good luck and do the math yourself if you don't believe me.
PM me with any questions or post them.

[Ratan1982]

Is it a big deal if you wait one year before matching if you are in the January semester. will this be a strong detriment to you?

[studentMD]

Is it a big deal if you wait one year before matching if you are in the January semester. will this be a strong detriment to you?

not really..
u can space out ur clinicals a lil more..
take a lil more time off for step 1 and 2..
participate in a research project... etc..

take christmas/new yrs off..
take couple weeks off in the summer...

once u start taking off a week here and there between rotations time gets eaten up...

and if u do actually manage to finish a yr early.. then nothing stopping u from taking step 3 or doin research or whatever else u want to do to fatten up ur cv...

if u space things out a little bit.. it wont end up being a full yr off and it wont have a huge impact in terms of finding a residency...

[DSMMD]

As one person stated there is nothing prevening you from taking step 3 if you finish a year early...actually there is.

Many states have requirements that you must complete at least 6 months of post-graduate training before sitting for step 3. So, there is something preventing you.

Also, in terms of timing for later on..just a FYI....there are some states that require you to have completed 3 years of post-graduate training (i.e. residency) before obtaining a permanent license. So, this means that if you do a 3 year residency program (internal med, family practice, emergency medicine, and some others) you may not be able to start work right after residency. It also means that you may have to move before you really know that you have a license in your posession.

[studentMD]

Many states have requirements that you must complete at least 6 months of post-graduate training before sitting for step 3. So, there is something preventing you.

you can still apply through a state without the 6 mth + requirement.. example CT... and then take step 3 anywhere in the country.... so its not much of an obstacle...

[bigguy]

Gasdr,

Thank you so much for the reply. It is so rare on this forum to get a well written, fully reasoned response which is backed up by real life experience, rather than speculation.

I really appreciate your time.

Thanks,
Bigguy

[jflores20]

I am from MUA-Nevis and I started in Jan 02 and just currently matched in 1 of the Family Practice residencies at Mayo Clinic in Minnesota. It was rough though. Back to Back rotations wears you out a little. I am currently at Mayo doing a 4 week elective so that I could get used to the system. Then I will go back to Houma and finish an ER elective. I will be doing rotations all the way until the day before graduation. It is possible though to finish in 3.5 years if you bust your butt. I put a post on the MUA forum that went in detail about my MUA experience and what I did. Feel free to take a look at it.

[gasdr]

Bigguy,
You are welcome. I was in your position once (starting a 2nd career), and a lot of people helped me when I requested information, so I am happy to help out.