Residency

[ducman]

Post information on the residency process. This can focus on interviews, ECFMG certification, the NRMP process, etc...

[swinginislanddoc]

Alrighty folks, I asked Duc to let me post on here about interviews. I'll probably forget a few things along the way but ask questions. If I don't respond quick enough send me a PM.

There are actually two match programs - the National Residency Match Program (NRMP) and the "San Francisco Match" which really has nothing to do with San Fran. The only specialties still in the SF match are opthomology and neurosurgery. They match in January. Other than that I can't tell you a lot about the SF match.

The application process begins around August. You can't submit until September but you want to get all of your items in order as soon as you can. To apply you need your letters of rec (LORs - most programs only take 4 but you can submit as many as you need to and select which programs get which letters), personal statement(s) - one for each specialty you apply for, including prelims, transcript, MSPE (Medical Student Performance Eval a.k.a. the Dean's Letter), a photo (only released to programs that agree to interview you), and probably something else I've left out. It's best to submit them all at once. The LORs can actually be sent directly in by the attending physicians with your statement that you have waived your right to see the letter. This makes the letter seem much more truthful to the residency directors. One trick that has been employed, however, is that if you have a coordinator at your clinical site who is reliable you can give her (him) the letters and let her (him) read them and tell you which ones to send it. The waiver says you cannot read the letters and do not know what they say - not someone else.

Of note, LORs are supposed to be on facility letterhead (the hospital's, not the physician's private letterhead or practice letterhead) and should be signed in blue ink.

The number of programs you apply to depends on many variables - what you are applying for and how competitive it is, how good of a candidate you are, etc. If you have excellent qualifications you can be more selective. If you're applying for a field that's wide open the same. If you're going for a competitive field (the two top most competitive are Derm and Ortho in the NRMP) then you'd better be prepared to fork out a lot of $$$ for the applications and travel.

The interview process begins typically in November (though some are in October) and ends in January/early February. Depending on what specialty you are applying for you may be able to clump all of your interviews together into a two week period (I ran into a woman on the trail who did that - I saw her at the beginning of the two weeks. I'd hate to see what she looked like by the end). The primary specialties, which are much less competitive, will often pay for hotels and dinners. The more competitive ones - surgery specialties, derm, etc - will not because they don't have to. When there is a dinner it's often (but not always) the night before the interview, business casual and sometimes will be free of attendings allowing you to ask the REAL questions to the residents. Be careful - there are rumors that some programs will have the residents evaluate you after the dinner. It has been my experience though that the residents have told us when they are NOT evaluating us - and then they encourage us to order drinks. Feel free to drink when they offer, but don't get drunk. It's just bad form.

You will inteview with a varying number of people. I've interviewed with as few at two and as many as 5 in one day. The only time I interviewed with chief resident during this time was the one that I met with five people. I've found that being yourself is the best bet. Often times they will ask you a couple of questions and then ask if you have any - make sure you have some questions! The questions you ask will depend on the place and the specialty. One good move is to look on the match page and contact someone who matched in the specialty you're applying for - ask what you should be asking and looking for. This is also a good way to find out WHERE to apply - see who has taken Saba students before.

As for what to wear, it's a suit. Match your socks men. I was told early on that you do not wear a skirt if you're a female - that's bunk. You can wear pants or a skirt, depending on what you're comfortable with and the weather. I also went with black, which I regretted later. Most everyone wears black and it shows fuzz and lint like crazy, although I realized that everyone's black suit showed that and I only noticed it on my own. I would have gone with a light brown or dark tan, I think, had I to do it all over again. Navy and grey are also acceptable. I even saw one female wearing a white skirt suit. She laughed about how people told her she couldn't do it. Really, be yourself, wear what you like. I also work a button up shirt - a female version of the male dress shirt - but I saw camisoles and the like. Women, make sure you have more than one pair of pantyhose. I also chose to use a carry on to take my suit with me - I didn't see it on my trail but there are many stories of people's luggage getting lost and having to show up to their interview in jeans or sweats. The programs will understand should this happen. We even joked at one interview that we should do that on purpose and claim our luggage was lost.

Also if you go on several interviews don't be surprised if you run into people a couple of times. Everyone is making the same circuits. You may also meet people from other countries who have already been attendings in their home country and now want to do a residency here. It's been interesting.

The whole process was exhausting. If I knew in the beginning what I now know, applying for anesthesia with some pretty competitive (but not top notch) scoring and qualifications, I would have taken January off. That's because in January I was on rotation but got put on several wait lists. Three of those programs contacted me but only one was in time for me to actually schedule it (at Penn State). The other two - Rush U in Chicago and Loyola in Mayfield, Illinois - contacted me within a week of their open date. Had I not been on a rotation I probably could have made those interviews as well. January may be a good month to take off if you get put on some wait lists because a lot of people cancel interviews in January. (Of note, the program at Indiana U purposely scheduled interviews with people outside of IUPU in January because this showed them who was serious and who would cancel. 25 people were scheduled the day I interviewed - only 11 of us showed).

Then there's the Thank You cards. I was given the advice to send a nice Thank You card to the programs a couple of weeks after interviewing. IT gets your name back in there. It's not mandatory and certainly you won't be the only one, but I did it. Programs I was really interested in I sent cards to everyone I interviewed with, mentioning something unique about our conversation. I even sent them to the program coordinators who set up the interviews, dinners, etc (the secretaries). I had some very sophisticated looking cards as well. It's up to you. You can also e-mail program directors who make their contact info available with follow-up questions, etc. You can collect resident e-mails to ask the really honest questions. One program chair even put me in contact with a faculty member who is a Saba grad and, like me, worked in nursing before med school. (He gave me her cell phone number! I chose to e-mail her instead but she was a WONDERFUL source of info). Keep in contact, let them know you're interested, and you can even schedule Second Looks with some programs.

That's all for now - and that's a lot. If I think of something more I'll let you know. And as I said you can ask questions and PM me if I don't come back.

~Shauna (Finally done with interviews)

[Gigi25]

Originally Posted by swinginislanddoc

Alrighty folks, I asked Duc to let me post on here about interviews. I'll probably forget a few things along the way but ask questions. If I don't respond quick enough send me a PM....

~Shauna (Finally done with interviews)

Shauna! You are awesome I really got the feel for what interviews are going to be like! Still pretty nervous about them ( thankfully they are still about 9 months away or so.. maybe much more depending on whether I can make the 2008 match LOL LOL ) I wish you the best of luck and thanx again for the post

Gigi

[soldierb11]

thanks for all the info and good luck with the match!

[genialg]

thanks for the info...wish you loads of luck

[hopeful786]

Excellent post swingingislanddoc, where did you get your information to prepare for the match/interview process. Did you find that the contacts you made during your clinicals were your real source for getting interviews, or you solely received interviews based on your qualifications (basically you on paper). Because many of the Alumni that return to visit the Island emphasize connections.

[oncojut]

The interview process was fantastic! I had my share of good and bad experiences! I can tell all of you first hand Saba is well known. I applied to 50 Family Medicine programs thinking that I might not get as much attention coming from a foreign school. I was surprised and pleasantly so. I received 36 invitations to interview and three rejections. I withdrew my application from 11 programs. I ended up only interviewing at 12 sites, 5 of which were at schools ranked in the top 10 nationally for primary care Family Medicine programs. I'm not trying to toot my own horn here. I just want everyone who's about to begin the application process, and even the students down on the island, to see that even Saba students can get attention from some of the best programs in the United States! And, if I could start another sentence with "I," I probably would. Later!

[Amyloidosis]

Hi oncojut, in what states did you apply to for residency? I am interested in FP/IM not totally sure yet and would like to apply mostly in NY and NJ areas...I was just wondering if you had applied in NY and NJ and if you had received a lot of interviews from the programs in these states.

Thanks.

[oncojut]

Amyloidosis,

I apologize for not responding to your questions sooner. I did not apply to any programs on the NE. So, I wouldn't be the best person to ask regarding specific programs in NJ or NY. But, I applied to programs in just about every other region in the US. I'd be happy to answer any questions regarding those programs if you have any!

-O-

[Amyloidosis]

Originally Posted by oncojut

Amyloidosis,

I apologize for not responding to your questions sooner. I did not apply to any programs on the NE. So, I wouldn't be the best person to ask regarding specific programs in NJ or NY. But, I applied to programs in just about every other region in the US. I'd be happy to answer any questions regarding those programs if you have any!

-O-

Thanks oncojut for your reply and congrats on matching!! Actually I do have a question and I'll PM you my stats to get an idea from you of where I stand in getting a good residency for FP.