Surg residency chances

[Anonymous]

hi
i have step 1/2 dcores of 78/92.also have mph from a top school.any chance of getting a surg residency on H1?
thanks

[Neuro4u]

Scores are good enough for surgery but I do not know about the H-1 visa. I would call some programs to ask about the H-1 because there seem to be less H-1 visas.

Good Luck

[Anonymous]

i'm sorry i just wanted to get this straight do u mean 78 for step 1 is fine to get a residency in general surgery !!!

[neilc]

i really think it might be tough... a 78 isnot going to helpyou at all. a 92 is good on step 2, but both steps really need to be up in the 90's.

maybe start with a prelim year, you might be able to get one of those...

[GucciMD]

Scores are only one part of the application process. I know someone who had a 75 step 1 and 85 step 2..........they got a surgery PGY 1, then changed over to OB/GYN because he really wanted OB/GYN.

LOR, personal statement, and US clinical experience is very helpful when someone has low scores.

Surgery is going to be more difficult this year, so you may want to consider IM.

Because if you take a prelim. postion in surgery you may get lost next year. Taking prelim. postions is really risky because you do not know if they will keep you.

[Anonymous]

yes i thought the 78 would be a kiss of death for a surgery application too...i am applying for pediatrics too as a backup....wud it make sense to take up a prelim postion, if offered, in surgery and try applying again next year for a categorical postion....or should i just stick to pediatrics?
thank you

[neilc]

some people say that a prelim year is a big risk. others say no problem. i guess the kicker is how well you perform. if you kick butt in your prelim year, then the program can either keep you on, or the program director can help you look for a spot. and there are quite a few PGY-2 spots out there. surgery has a fairly high attrition rate.

the real question is how bad you want to be a surgeon. i am one of those people that believes there is always a way to do something. bad step 1 scores, no match, and you REALLY ONLY want to be a surgeon? get the prelim spot and make them want you bad. get great LORs. work your butt off and something will likely pop up. worse case is that you gave your dream a real shot, and you start your peds residency a year later than planned.

however, if you are hemming and hawing, if peds would be fine, and you would enjoy it for the rest of your life, a prelim year could be a big risk and a waste of 1 year.

i am glad i don't have to decide yet. hopefully my board scores won't limit me. but, if i am faced with this decision, i would ALWAYS pick a prelim surg over settling for IM (not my cup of tea) or another medical specialty. i am still considering OB/GYN and way down the list is FP. i think i would do surg, ob/gyn, prelim surg, fp in that order.

[Anonymous]

thanks a lot for ur advice man. i definitely want to do surgery and i am going to give it everything i have.thanks again

[neilc]

go get 'em wicks!!! also, if you like operating, ob/gyn may be interesting too, and a much easier match...but, there is the liability, the call, the delivering babies, the practice consisting entirely of hormonal women....yikes!

[Anonymous]

I dont think obsgyn is my cup of tea....i ll stick to surg ....will let everyone know how it goes.
all the best and thanks again.