Step 1 Cut off - Need your info

VTMD07....

some valid points, but PLEASE...if you're going to start flaming someone posing as if they're somehow less worthy of going into ortho because their stuff isn't as in order as YOU THINK yours is, at least make sure your spelling is right.

Or just find a less judgmental/condescending way to give advice to someone who in the end is probably not a whole lot different than you.

ok...time to chime in.....

1) it IS easier to get into ortho as a woman....there are just less women who apply, but those who do are getting tons of interviews with inferior stats.

2) as far as what VTMD07 said: Yes he may seem like a know it all, but he is smart enough to have picked up on the fact that the powers that be are looking for any reason to bump you down their rank list...that is why the residents will watch you and analyze you all day long

My poor thread...

BigBear - In my opinion, for many of us going into ortho, it is exactly like being you in this thread. Many of us must face attitude and adversity, but calmly let it destroy itself. The turtle also wins the race to happiness in orthopedics.

Man this weed is good...

Hopefully this thread will go back to providing useful information. I posted here originally to possibly get some info and maybe encouragement. I was expecting something more like "yeah, ortho's great, you should definitely explore it more cuz i think you should have a shot." Instead I get flamed for not being dedicated to ortho. I can just image VTMD07 growing up and being the asshole attending that thinks that nobody is dedicated enough to operate with him without being yelled at. He'll be that one guy that med students hate. I find it ironic that he tells another poster to have thicker skin when he's the one taking offense to my original post. Anyhow, I'll just continue to figure out what specialty I want to dedicate my career to, and let those flamers words motivate me to make sure I make the right decision.

As for switching from family med to ortho in 4th year...hmmm, thats a head scratcher. Yeah, I do have a little bit of a problem with that.

Well, I made this same switch at the end of my 3rd year/beginning of 4th year. It made perfect sense to me, to the programs who interviewed me, and most importantly to the program I matched at.

What one in similar circumstances needs to do is to apply to programs not run by the likes of VTMetc.

I had a fair amount of medical experience/exposure before med school that did not include ortho. It wasn't until relatively late in the game that I found the field that most suited my interests (diverse patient population, actually helping people, cool collegues, etc). It wasn't until late in the game that I realized that I wouldn't make a good family doc...

On the other end of the spectrum, I am suspect of individuals who know from "before med school" that all they want to be is an orthopod. How did you know that your interests/talents/etc might not have been better suited for a different specialty? What did you do to make sure this was not the case? Again, I would be more suspect of the applicant who went through school with blinders on than an applicant who took a considered approach in matching the entirety of their interests to their chosen fields.

Yeah - Like the guy who has wanted to become a bone doctor since he broke his arm when he 7 years old.

Dude - you're letting a 7 year old make your career decision for you. Enough said.