Second Opinion

Admittedly a pathetic story but…

I’m a 4th year U.S. medical student who started medical school with an interest in Ortho but wavered during my fourth year. Unfortunately, I applied to a different field.

However, I maintained interest in Orthopaedics and even spent time with an Orthopaedist during my winter break. This was a dangerous idea because it led me to recognize that Ortho is truly my passion. Hence, I am now considering scrambling into the field – fully realizing that most Ortho programs completely fill their spots during match.

The one bright spot is that my resume is decent:
Step I 254, Step II 267, AOA, Honored all my clinical rotations, two Ortho pubs (second author on both) and good LOR’s.
My questions…
1) Do I have a chance if I scramble?
2) Should I let residency program directors know that I’m interested, i.e. before match lists are due?
3) Do a year of research?
I apologize for this post but the only Ortho’s I know are far removed from the world of residency. I was just interested in getting a second opinion. Thanks for your time.

Sorry to hear your story - you have definitely taken a road not routinely traveled! There are usually few if any (most there have been in the last 12 years was 5 when a program coordinator mistakenly put the wrong list in so 3 spots in that program went unfilled). Typically there are only 1, 2 or 3 unmatched spots in the whole country and as you can imagine there is a wild scramble to obtaine those them.

The other advice is be very careful about your match commitment for this year - if you match into a program you are bound by the match rules to complete your training in that program. Make sure you do not burn too many bridges in this process.

Odds are not in your favor but if you're truly committed you'll likely have to take a year off and re-apply if that is your true passion.

Good luck

wnl

Thanks for your reply. I have spoken to my former research mentor at an Ortho program who said I could do a paid year of research there. I'm thinking this might be my best bet. It's a great program and while I'd eat a year it would give me some time to strengthen my resume... albeit I would have to do some explaining next year at my interviews.

Sounds like a great plan -

good luck

wnl

The research idea sounds good but you may want to consider actually posponing graduation. You would be finished with all of your med school stuff but not actually graduate until the next year and do the research as an elective (paid) and maybe a few aways in ortho. The benefit would be that you would still be a senior med student when applying and not be screened out by programs that do not take people who have already graduated. There are many programs that won't or don't like to. Also you could get a few aways in and try to see what programs you like. Just an idea. I know someone who did this and received a ton of interviews and matched.

Wow that's a great idea (and good to know) . Thank you very much for your response!