Residency matching tips

Hello everyone,
This should catch the Residency Match 2010 and maybe it will be of some help to those preparing for the same. It might even come in handy for the later generations of aspiring US residencies.
This is just what I did:
1. I sent in my applications for a total of some 150 Medicine programs – It is getting more and more competitive as each year passes, especially for the IMG programs. They say that the IMG-friendly programs got some 3,000 applications this year and this has been growing over the years. Probably because each applicant applies for more than 100 programs. That’s what I thought also and so I applied for 150 programs. I also intend to apply for Family Medicine if I don’t get enough interviews for Internal Medicine. Good thing I don’t have to apply for FM also. No point in applying for programs that you aren’t eligible for. Their software itself will probably filter the ineligible ones. Applying for more programs isn’t going to get you any more interviews. Apply only for those you’re eligible for.
2. J1 Programs – I’d wanted to apply only for the H1b programs, but as they say beggars can’t be choosers, and so best keep your options open and apply for both eH1b and J1 programs.
3. Credentials – Most programs use the USMLE scores as a selection criteria. Get a good score by working hard. You want to know what a good score is? Well, that’s pretty tough. For IM a score of 90 would be good, but then there are a good number of double 99s running around. Try and get the maximum scores for Step 1 and Step 2ck. Understand that Step 3 scores are not that important, but I’m not sure. I got 86 and one of the program directors mentioned that that was a pretty good score.
They say that a double 99 is a must for a good program. Don’t think that’s true. I got 95 and 99 and the 95 didn’t do me bad. Scores are just to filter applicants. Once the grain is separated from the chaff, the whole application is given a go through. So don’t give up because of low scores. Don’t lose heart. Some with even a score of 79 have got through. Try to pass at the first attempt. Suppose you fail. So what? That’s not the end of it. There are still some guys who got in after multiple USMLEs. There’s a light at the end of the tunnel, always.
Year Of Graduation – They say that most programs have a preference for freshers, but there were quite a lot of fellows who’d finished their PGs in their home countries. I think that programs prefer guys who’d completed their residency in their home countries. But that doesn’t necessarily mean that you should complete your PG to improve your credentials. No point in wasting time doing stuff that isn’t going to be recognized here in the United States of America. Quite a lot of fellows have got into residency straight off from under-graduation.
ECFMG and Step 3 – I’d got my ECFMG certification and had finished Step 3 when I applied for residency programs. Step 3 scores just might come in handy to get a few extra interview calls. Specifically if your Step 1 and 2ck scores are low. I’m not asking you to wait till you get your Step 3 scores before applying.
Research – There is difference between University and Community programs, University programs expect some sort of research activity on your CV, or publications. Publications in the US are more preferable, carry more weight. Update – I didn’t do any research anywhere, just participated in the ones in the hospital where I did my USCE.
USCE (Clinical Experience) – Clinical experience is something they look for in your CV. This is used as a filtering criteria by many PDs. Some do and some don’t consider just observership as US clinical experience. But don’t bother. Getting a observership is just as competitive and difficult at present. Apply for both observership and externship. Expensive but worth it. More the clinical experience the better.
Sep. 1 – Important! No compromise allowed! Get your LOR and MSPE documents ready and have them sent to ERAS by August. Also get your CV and your Personal Statement ready and out by Sep. 1 (00:00 AM EST). Go through your exams and be ready by Sep 1. Have at least your ECFMG ready by then. You’ll get a good number of interviews with just your Step 1 scores. Don’t take any risks. Better apply with all you scores by Sep 1.
The Mercy Of God – A short testimony. As far as I am concerned, the most important factor. It wasn’t my credentials but solely the mercy of God that I got all the interviews that I got. This is not an idle statement. I’ve experienced a lot of miracles and have surmounted some obstacles over the last two years on my way to a US residency. It is purely on God’s mercy that I’m even writing this blog, because until recently, I was nothing but a symbol of failure.
You wouldn’t believe it but I got my US visa only on my fifth attempt (rejected four consecutive times). I’ll soon enough blog on my US visa experiences. I now believe that it was God’s plan for me. Suppose that I’d got my visa the very first time I applied? I’d probably gone over my head, sitting on my own capabilities. Actually I’m only an average student and it is because of God that I am where I now am. This has only strengthened and will strengthen more my faith in God. Obstacles and problems take us closer to God.
I’ll now confess. All my research and USCE opportunities were nothing but the miracles of God. If not, I’d not have got even the 10 of the 26 that I did get.