drstepbystep
Forum Junior
Topics: 12
Posts: 36
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Hi!
I'm an IMG aiming at the 2006 match in Internal. I would appreciate your feedback regarding my alternatives. I report my "case" pretty accurately here and leave some open questions to get your feedback. Thanks a lot for any comment.
ABSTRACT. The basic questions are:
1. How can submitting an application to ERAS with only Step1 results (no CS/CK) harm you? (provided that you are going to complete it later, let’s say before december 2005)
2. How does being unmatched (because you sent a sub-optimal application “just to see what happens”affects you in the future? ) Is it a bad precedent when applying to the same programs next year? Appart from finantial issues, of course.
CASE REPORT
·IMG
·Graduated in May 2004
*Step 1: 87/215 in April 2005
·I am working on a research paper full-time. This is work I pushed off during the last 7 months to study for Step 1. If I don’t do it now, the last 7 months will look like a gap on my CV.
·It’s May 2005 right now, and I have just started to study for Step 2. I’m already registered for July-September and for the CS for June-June.
·I will do 2 months of elective in Internal Medicine / Diabetes in U of Miami in July – August. THIS IS MY ONLY CHANCE TO GET RECOMMENDATION LETTERS FROM US BEFORE THE 2006 MATCH. Thus, I should read, prepare presentations and possibly do calls during this rotation and therefore would be talking this time from my study time for step 2.
·These letters, however, are more likely to be ready only in late September! (hope you have an alternative about this)
MANAGEMENT
I have the following alternatives…Which one would you suggest on the basis of your experience?
·Rushing to study for Step 2 in 2 months, the latter of which I am going to be in the middle of the internal medicine elective; therefore risking to get a low score. but being able to report the score by September 1. I WOULD NOT BE ECFMG CERTIFIED BY THEN, BECAUSE I WOULD NOT HAVE WRITTEN THE STEP 2CS. The Kamikaze variant of this option is to sit the Step 2CS by the same date (July 15) while being in my elective rotation in Miami. If I am successful, I would be ECFMG certified by September 1. If I fail, I would have the black spot forever in my CV.
·Sending an incomplete application (no step 2cs/ck scores reported), but by september 1. To do this, I would probably have to send letters of recommendation of people from my home country and my research supervisor in Canada, not from the USA. As soon as I complete the exams and as soon as I get the LORs, I would send them. That might be in November.
Securing a good score in step 2 and a first-attempt pass in the CSA, and sending all my documents only then. That would be late November- early December. It would feature the recommendation letters from us doctors (from my rotation in Miami). The difference with the previous option is not sending anything until my file is complete.
·Not applying to the match this year, and concentrating in getting good scores in step 2 and passing CS at first attempt. I would have another year to better my CV, but it would also be another year of out-of-practice.
·Any other alternative?
4000 thanks for reaching this line 
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Ricardo
Life is what happens to you while you're busy making other plans. (Lennon)
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| retroviridae
Forum Guru
Topics: 29
Posts: 871
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Briefly, how can it hurt you? Some programs won't wait to see that you meet all their requirements. You get assessed only one time. The first time they see your application. So if you only have step I scores, or your step I scores aren't high enough, they will triage you and reject you then and there. They will never look at the other scores in the future. That is not the norm, but for the more competitive programs, it does happen.
I can't answer the second question for you. Honestly, I doubt they would remember you next year, esp if they didn't interview you.
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| maverick
Surgery Resident
Topics: 146
Posts: 553
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hi
if u graduated in 2004, how come u r doing an elective after that. isnt it that one can do it only while one is a student?
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" There comes a time when for every addition of knowldege you forget something that you knew before. It is of the highest importance, therefore,not to have useless facts elbowing out the uselful ones." - Arthur Conan Doyle
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| YOYOYOYO
Forum Newbie
Topics: 6
Posts: 17
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hey drstepbystep!i dont get it either...how come the elective after graduation???I have postponed my internship to do an elective before i graduate!Plz tell how u managed to get the elective?May be your advice can help me save a month too....
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