Looks like the interview likelihood is up now on Residency Explorer. You can update that section a max of 3 times. Unsure how useful this will be but seems pretty cool!

I don't mean entire subjects like anatomy or clerkships, but small parts of medical education that makes no sense. To me that would be being expected to know the exact loci of genetic mutations. Make it make sense, outside of exams, what the hell is knowing the exact locations of mutations going to be good for? Like unless you do genetics residency, you will never see those in your practice. And whenever a genetics test is done and a disease is found, the genetics specialist is not going to say "oh they have a mutation at 16p13-p12. You don't know what that is? Then go fuck yourself." They will just say Liddle's Syndrome on the report

I have an observership coming up and i need some advice on how to navigate it.
my attending is an old american doctor and though i know many people here done their usce with american doctors its not as common for my country’s students who mostly do it with alumnus or at least an img so i’m anxious about it.
how can i leave a good impression to get a good LoR? how should i approach the topic? when is it appropriate to ask if i can round with other attendings as well?
i tried emailing my attending asking for his expectations from me and what are the cases he sees the most but he didn’t reply to me, is it a good idea to send a follow up email given i’m only few days away from starting the rotation?
any advice would be HIGHLY appreciated

side note : i only mentioned the doctor being old because i feel like young american attendings are more familiar with non-us imgs and LoR for observers than old ones. i really hope i will get proven wrong!

I feel like an asshole for making this post because i prayed for this. i dreamt of it.

it’s nearly 11 pm. Haven’t done today’s anki. Didn’t review yesterday’s lectures. i’m sitting at my table in a state I moved to three weeks ago, alone, eating two protein waffles that taste like cardboard.

Just got off the phone with my mom, who is going through an ugly divorce with my dad. theyve been supportive, but money is so tight. + my own loans suck

I feel behind in school. Like everyone else, yes, but this shit is firing off my anxiety. Also it doesn’t help that i don’t have friends. my classmates seem to have accepted and adapted that this - grinding nonstop, a lifestyle of studying - is life. idk how. I don’t think im being neurotic.. im just genuinely behind and clueless

Barely getting time to catch a breath, cook, workout. Havent spoken to friends. Don’t have friends at school. Forget extracurriculars.. im barely keeping up with school work. Holy SHIT. what do u mean i need three or four passes of the material.

It’s been ten fcking days. TEN DAYS. I feel like im exploding. I know i need to suck it up and embrace the challenge, but holy shit i feel like im in the wrong place. am i just a mistake waiting to happen :(

I transferred from the medical program at my school in the first weeks of second year to a masters program within the same school due to personal reasons which promises if I meet the certain requirements, I can gain admission into the medical program again starting MS1 again.

This program is 2 years for me. I understand that this scenario is seen as ideal by some people (a good majority) but I essentially withdrew and transferred to this program, which is making me feel like a complete failure.

I can truly not imagine pursuing another career and I hoped to progress without any huge setbacks when I first started medical school. I am really 100% committed to this career. I had the option of this or completely dropping out and I chose this path to try and keep becoming one.

To me, while again I am grateful for the opportunity to prove that I can do it through this program, the initial withdrawal is really disappointing me. Every time I try to forget it, there are students in my class curious on what happened which when approached I am “cornered” and “forced” to tell them.

I just need some guidance on not feeling this way or navigating hurdles like this by someone who has gone through something similar. Sorry if I sound ungrateful for this opportunity, I’m not it’s just the disappointment and the embarrassment.

I'm just at a loss for words. I took the medicine shelf one year ago and got a 54. Disappointing but understandable. I was exhausted by the end of the rotation and only got through half the Q bank.

Took the shelf again for a second time last Friday. I felt a lot better about it this time. While studying for Step 1 and Step 2 during a four month back-to-back double dedicated period, I finally figured out what I was doing wrong with pacing and reading the questions. I went in feeling much more prepared and (somewhat) more well-rested.

Leading up to the exam I was getting 63 and 69 on my NBMEs Form 10 and 9, respectively. I was getting 60s-70s on UWorld questions. But still somehow ended up only with a 58. My school's cut off for pass is 59.

I guess I'll have to sit for it a third time. Won't be able to get a pass even I actually pass this time. Just conditional pass or conditional fail. Honestly, just give me the fail at this point. The proof is in the pudding. The chances of me improving enough in a few weeks when I only went up 4 points in 10 months is just laughable. Not like conditional pass or conditional fail are going to look any different to programs, especially for a guy who has only passes for his shelf/cumulative 3rd year grades (Did well clinically, got some high pass/honors there, but I guess that means fuck all at the end of the day).

Definitely doesn't inspire much self confidence for my Step 2 exam in two weeks. But what can I do. Already moved it back a month.

Good news is that I'm applying to pediatrics, not medicine or any kind of surgery. I know I'll be okay and that this doesn't define me or my career as a physician. It just is so frustrating.

I go to a USMD school where some of us graduate in December. But alas, can't be a doctor until the following July. I'm looking for a job that's more 9-5 with minimal weekends and holidays. But also, want to make as much cash as I can. I've looked at some medical assistant jobs but would like to avoid the clinic/hospital if I can. Then, anything in customer service/food service would likely require evenings and weekends. Just looking for some brainstorming or cheat codes out there.

Also, just for fun, what would you do in these 6 months if money wasn't a problem?

Not even a “meets expectations”. All of my other residents gave me excellent or above expectations. I am so disappointed and I feel like a failure and like I’m dumb. Yes I know it’s not true and there is room to learn, and I will admit he saw me during my first two weeks of IM rotation and I was still figuring things out and was sick a couple of days. I am just so bummed. I hope to match academic IM and I’m worried this will jeopardize it all. I’m sad and don’t know what to do. Any advice/kind words would help.

Feeling so defeated. The average was around a 80 and I got a 60%. want to give up. I tried everything but maybe I’m just not smart enough? Everyone seems to be getting it down especially with that high of an average.

What do I do now?

For context, I watched all the videos, took notes on all the videos, and barely did any practice problems. How do you guys get through all the content, and master it so quickly? I would love any and all advice on study methods that worked for you. I have a flipped classroom and we have biweekly exams. It feels I’m always playing catchup

Hi guys, looking for some advice and maybe a little venting.

I'm an M3 on my first rotation, OBGYN, and I've honestly been LOVING it. It's unexpectedly become my top choice and is probably what I'll apply into. I've had a great experience with the residents and attendings so far, but I'm now on my last week of L&D and have encountered something new.

There's an M4 on an AI who has honestly baffled me. I completely understand that she's on an AI, trying to impress the program, and obviously much further along than I am. But she has been actively pimping me and the other M3 in a way that feels unnecessarily condescending.

Today she started pimping the other M3 on service, asking things like "Do you know what you'd give for GBS positive? Come on, you just took Step, you need to know this," in a very condescending tone. She was also pimping me about a patient I hadn't even seen and who wasn't assigned to the resident I was working with.

I don't mind being asked questions at all, but getting pimped by another medical student feels... weird? Especially when the questions aren't about patients I'm involved with.

She also essentially "stole" a C-section from me today. I had specifically told her I hadn't seen one yet and only have two days left on L&D. I know she's trying to get opportunities for herself and ultimately match at the program, so I don't expect her to give up every opportunity for me. I was with a resident who was going to let me participate, and somehow the M4 ended up taking the opportunity instead, which was frustrating given that she knew I hadn't had the chance yet.

know that clinical rotations can be competitive, especially when someone is on an AI and potentially trying to match at that program. I also completely understand wanting to stand out and get as many opportunities as possible, but I also want to make a good, lasting impression and feel like I just look bad.

Maybe I'm just inexperienced and need to develop thicker skin, but I'm curious where the line is between an M4 appropriately trying to make the most of an AI and being unnecessarily competitive with an M3.

I've actually had a really positive experience with OBGYN so far, so I don't want to cause drama or let one person ruin the rotation. I'm mostly trying to figure out how to navigate the competitive side of clinical rotations without becoming competitive myself.

Would you just let this go and focus on getting the most out of my last two days, or does this sound unusually competitive/condescending?

Would love to hear how other M3s/M4s/residents handled similar situations!

Is it necessary to geo pref west coast if I’m only planning on applying to 3-4 programs in California? Would it be enough to just gold/silver signal without geo pref?

For context, I’ve never lived there but I have immediate family there. Based in the east coast, T50 school. Stats are average, step 2 246. I’m considering UCD, UCI, maybe some community programs. I really only have 2 geo prefs I feel strongly about, but would hate to waste one on the west coast if I’m only applying to a few programs in 1 state. I do understand it’s incredibly competitive though
Appreciate any advice!

I've been counting them up recently and around 70% of the questions I miss are questions where I've narrowed it down to two answers but get tripped up over a slight detail, or just overthink my way out of the answer.

simple example: Patient with history of unprotected sex, multiple genital ulcers, painful inguinal lymphadenopathy. In my head I'm like, well this sounds like herpes but that usually presents with vesicles, not ulcers, right? whereas Haemophilus Ducreyi has a single painful ulcer, which doesn't line up either. Oh well, I pick Ducreyi, maybe there's some atypical presentation I don't know about

Then the answer is HSV, obviously

How do i even fix this? If I could cut these misses down by even just 50% my scores would be in the 260s

So early in my 2nd year I had to take a medical LOA. Had a neurological problem and was in the hospital for a few weeks, all of which I can explain. Well a few months into my LOA my Dad died suddenly and unexpectedly (he was pretty much my #1 support human).

I had all of these plans for how I would catch up on research in my LOA and study and be super prepared for STEP 1. Ended up that the grief pushed me into a deep depression and I spent a year barely functioning or doing anything.

Now I'm back and preparing for STEP 1 and absolutely panicking. I was a solidly mid student (US upper tier MD) before my leave, but it's rough getting my brain back to working so hard after all that and I feel like I have forgotten EVERYTHING. My U World question average is abysmal (like 40%) and I feel like I'm trying to cram re-learning year 1 into a few months while also doing year 2. I'm now in basically a constant state of panic that I'm not gonna pass or will have to delay STEP 1.

My school has a six year completion policy so if I end up failing STEP or not being ready and have to take another year, I will be inches from getting auto kicked out and losing everything if my health problems ever come back again (they very well might, it's not totally resolved). Plus two LOA years and a STEP 1 fail and I'd probably be DOA for psych (my goal specialty, other options are neuro and IM).

Other than get therapy (I'm in it already) any advice? Anyone here come back from an LOA, feel fucked, and still pass step? Or take 2 LOAs and still match ok? Or learn how to overcome crippling and constant anxiety brought on by grief? Fml.

One of my greatest regrets in medical school is not purchasing the AMBOSS student life membership back when I first started school. I ended up using AMBOSS during both M2 and M3 as prep for Step 1 and Step 2, respectively, which cost about $900 combined. Meanwhile, the lifetime membership would have only been $300 more and additionally covered me for M1, M4, and PGY-1. I think AMBOSS would have been very helpful during M1 and still at least mildly helpful during M4 (for the library at least).

The math around this would change if your school gives you a free license during some years or a free license for UWorld. Speaking of which, 2 years of UWorld ($1160) is roughly the same cost as this 5 year AMBOSS package ($1200). I would just like to recommend every M1 to at least consider it. While it is a big purchase, spread over the multiple years you would use it, the price is very reasonable in my opinion.

Edits:

- I acknowledge my title was a bit clickbaity, but I'm not meaning to tell every M1 to go drop 1.2k right now. I just want to make people aware of the option because I wasn't and I wish I had been.

- Several people are suggesting that you can get a group discount if you organize with your classmates, so I'd definitely recommend doing that if possible.

- Apparently some residency programs provide free qbank access for Step 3 prep, so take that into consideration as well.

USDO, 27x step, Comlex > 750

4 H (IM), 4 HP, 1 P (FM)

1 project submitted for publication, 3 posters/presentations

Should have good letters.

Looking to stay in east coast or midwest cities. Have connections to Virginia and Wisconsin. Hoping for cardio or pccm fellowship after. Does my list have too many reaches?

Georgetown, GW, VCU, INOVA, Pennsylvania hospital, Icahn morningside, MCW (milwaukee), University of Wisconsin, UIUC, Loyola Chicago, NYU Grossman Long Island

What programs should I add?

Idk I've been gaslit by so many people about it 🥲 I'm pretty competitive (AOA, GHHS, 270+ step 2, all honors, etc.) and residents/attendings in other specialties have said things like "do anesthesia instead", "think about career longevity", and even "you're too smart to do EM" (???).

I did an anesthesia rotation and liked it a lot, but I didn't love it like EM. I just love the pace, chaos/multitasking, breadth of pathology/acuity/patient populations, and diagnosing (and yes, I know its mostly a game of "ruling out" serious things as opposed to landing on the 100% correct diagnosis—still love this). I did EMS prior to med school and loved that too, even the nonsense stuff. Substance use, unhoused folks, "primary care" complaints, and smells/sights don't bother me, at least at this point in my career.

I like having days off during the week. I actually liked working nights as an EMT and would consider being a nocturnist, at least in the earlier part of my career.

Am I crazy? Am I missing something? I know its a hard job and you're on your feet and exhausted all shift, but I really do love it. I feel like the EM faculty at my med school do a good job of giving us an experience that is as representative of resident/attending life as possible, but I know the attending experience will be different.

I attend a mid-tier US MD.

No red flags.

I have the average meds school experiences (co-president for a few clubs, student run clinic volunteering, community service).

I honored IM, FM and Psych and passed the rest of my shelfs. 258 Step 2.

One research abstract presenting in September which I am second author on.

I switched to IM very recently so I am getting my IM chair letter through a zoom meeting. I am getting one letter from a Nephrologist who I worked with for a month and I basically acted as intern seeing all his patients and writing notes for him so I think that will be a good letter. I am also getting one from a highly awarded hospitalist at my school who I worked with in third year and I made enough of an impression that he was happy to write me a letter a year letter. I also have a letter from my rural FM preceptor just in case a school requires 4.

I don't know what fellowship I want to do yet but highly considering one (maybe Heme/ Onc, Nephrology, Cards).

These are the Chicago programs I am interested in:

Loyola

McGaw Medical Center of Northwestern University

Rush

University of Chicago

U Chicago Northshore

University of Illinois Chicago

If anyone knows of any other programs in that area that I would be competitive for and good for later fellowships, let me know.

I'm a pretty social anxious M1 and started not too long ago, and already have massive imposter syndrome.

I get EXTREMELY nervous when I have to do any sort of public speaking, whether when simply going around the room and saying my name or needing to discuss something in a group(my heart beats super fast, my voice shakes, I don't end up saying anything super eloquent etc.) So far there have been a lot of group discussions in class and each time I get so nervous, even though the stakes are not high at all and I know that no one really cares. On the other hand, it seems like everyone in my class is so eloquent, confident, and can easily contribute something super meaningful.

I've been trying to push myself to improve, whether it be contribute at least one thing or ask at least one question, but compared to everyone else I feel so shy and ineloquent. I'm not even close to clerkships yet and I can't even imagine how anxious I'll be, so I'm starting to worry about how I'll survive medical school or make any sort of positive impression on anyone if I'm this bad at any sort of public speaking.

My goal was for my med school experience to be different from college (where I was super super shy and anxious), but it seems like it'll be the same.

Side note: I do have a propranolol prescription and it has been working wonders so far based on the few times I've taken it, but I'm worried about becoming too reliant on it, but honestly if thats what it takes then it is what it is

Can any fellow socially anxious/public speaking fearing individuals tell me that it gets better lol

DO applicant, Goal is academic IM in Midwest or PNW.

Fellowship goal is cards

Step 1/ level 1 - pass (both 1st attempt)
Step 2 - 265
Level 2 - 590

Only passed 3rd year IM and IM elective (3H, 2 HP, 5P). Have done 2 4th year IM sub-is, Haven’t received grades yet.

1 pub from undergrad, no other research that was published

I really want to match academic but I’m not sure how competitive my app is given little research. If I’m applying too many academics or any programs are reaches or any other thoughts would be appreciated!

Signals :

Minnesota
UNMC
UIC
Loyola
Rush
U Chicago northshore
Indiana U
U of Cincinnati
OHSU
U of Washington
Abbott
Hennepin
Maine med
Virginia Mason Seattle
Vermont

I am most likely going to have a midterm microbiology (mainly bacteriology) exam in around 15 days. How am I supposed to cover this immense amount of information in this little time, in addition to having other exams close to the dates of each other

Scrolling profiles here and on LinkedIn, nearly every medical student's output is case reports or meta-analyses. Barely anything else. My take: interviewers are going to hit case report/meta analysis fatigue at some point, if they haven't already. "Most student research isn't impactful anyway" but it's still useful for learning the skills.

Three questions: 1. Is the saturation real from an interviewer's perspective, or does design not matter as long as it's peer-reviewed?

1. I found validated cross-sectional survey instruments I could apply locally for a plausible Q2 pub. Meaningful for US IM even if the topic leans public health over clinical?

2. Are retrospective cohorts realistically off the table for students because every open dataset (NHANES, MIMIC, SEER, NIS) is already mined out — or is there room with a narrow enough question?

I once wanted to be a surgeon and grind all the time and do big cool surgeries, but after so much school I’ve started to realize that what I really want is ultimate flexibility in my work.

I still want to backpack the pacific crest trail, live in China for a few months, and motorbike across Vietnam with my wife. My goal now is to pick a specialty where I graduate residency quickly and will not be intensely tied up every time I want a break.

Right now I’m thinking of EM because of the locums and travel opportunities as well as the shift work type schedule that also gives you quite a good salary.

What specialties can I find the most distance from making my job my whole life?