Evaluation please!

[HawaiiAnderson]

Ok, so my friend is freaking out about match(and yes it is for my friend, and not me)...this is another one of those "what are my chances?" questions and I figured this would be the best place to ask about it since you guys are either going for the 2012 match or already matched or somewhere in between...

My friend wants to match into IM at any program...he is an average student..he didnt pass a couple of classes on the island but the2nd time around he aced them and got high honors in both classes...He ended up taking Step I and failed it the first time and passed on 2nd attempt with a 206. We both attend clinicals and he gets great evaluations from all the attendings and we both got great LORs...He's planning to take Step II in August and he already started studying for it and he's doing pretty well so far...He wants to know what his chances are with these stats to get into a good program preferably in the Northeast somewhere...I keep telling him he'll do fine but he won't listen...any help/advice you guys can give is much appreciated!!

[rokshana]

well that fail on step I is gonna hurt...he should try to do IM rotations at places that prematch people from your schooland if offered take a prematch if IM is what he wants...he needs to definitely do better on CK (220+) and pass CS.

and when he is actually applying, he needs to apply broadly and widely...easily should apply to 100+ programs to get at least 15 interviews so he has places to rank.

prematch is what he should be looking to do to guarantee himself IM.

[HawaiiAnderson]

..and when he is actually applying, he needs to apply broadly and widely...easily should apply to 100+ programs to get at least 15 interviews so he has places to rank.

prematch is what he should be looking to do to guarantee himself IM.

Thanks rokshana for the reply..with those scores is it possible for him to get at least 15 interviews even if he applies broadly? And should he take a prematch at a community program since a university program is less likely with these stats? He's already finished IM and finished up most of his electives too and he didn't do it at a place that offers prematches I believe. So at this point I don't know what to tell him..

[proudmd]

a community program is a possibility. Most big programs require a solid GPA and no red flags.

[HawaiiAnderson]

a community program is a possibility. Most big programs require a solid GPA and no red flags.

What would be considered as a red flag?

[proudmd]

failed courses, time lapse between basic science and clinicals, school change, in my opinion are red flags. That is just my opinion, I could be wrong. Everything is reflected in your transcript. I am not saying any of this applies to your friend, but these are some issues most programs seem to bring up.

[devildoc8404]

"Red Flags" may include:

Failed classes/rotations.
Repeated classes/rotations.
Multiple attempts on any USMLE Step.
Transferring schools.
Failing out of a school.
Crappy grades.
"Meh" letters.
Lack of USCE.
Lack of US letters.

I'm sure there are others... such as coming to an interview wearing a sky-blue tuxedo with ruffles, exceptionally poor hygiene, excessive skeeviness-or-sluttiness, forgetting to wear socks, starting a fistfight with the PD, etc.

What would be considered as a red flag?

[medic300107]

wait no fist fights w the PD? crap now what am I gonna do

[HawaiiAnderson]

i guess the failure of courses and repeat step are red flags..i guess he has to ace step II and see where it takes him...and i'll try to tell him not to wear a sky blue tuxedo with ruffles..

[guitarheroMD2B]

"Red Flags" may include:

Failed classes/rotations.
Repeated classes/rotations.
Multiple attempts on any USMLE Step.
Transferring schools.
Failing out of a school.
Crappy grades.
"Meh" letters.
Lack of USCE.
Lack of US letters.

I'm sure there are others... such as coming to an interview wearing a sky-blue tuxedo with ruffles, exceptionally poor hygiene, excessive skeeviness-or-sluttiness, forgetting to wear socks, starting a fistfight with the PD, etc.

I once saw a guy in a green velvet type suit interview with me at a pretty good NYC program. That was priceless :-)