Preparing for 4th Year and the Match
Transcript of Preparing for 4th Year and the Match
Summary
Licensing Exams: timing, preparation, to USMLE or
not to USMLE?
Scheduling Electives and VSAS
Roadmap to 4th year
ERAS: selection of programs and cost
Interviews, travel and budget
Preparing the ROL
Match Day and SOAP
Licensing Exams
COMLEX Level 1: Second year
COMLEX Level 2 CE: Third year
COMLEX Level 2 PE: In Conchahocken, PA
Register early (summer/fall of 3rd year) for best dates
COMLEX Level 3: Intern year
COMLEX is accepted for Licensure in all 50 states
Board Certification is a separate process: Board exams are taken at the end of residency
To USMLE or not to USMLE? If you plan to complete your residency and fellowship within an AOA
program, USMLE is not required
ACGME Program Director Survey
94% of program directors selected USMLE/COMLEX Level 1 score as most important factor in selecting applicants to interview with an importance rating of 4.1/5
31% of programs state they use USMLE Step 1 score only to know if applicants PASSED
36% of program directors state they use COMLEX Level 1 score to know if applicants PASSED and an additional 41% of program directors state they use it to see if students hit a target score
Total of 77% USE COMLEX Level 1 (12% less than USMLE Step 1)
65% look at ethics and professionalism with an importance factor of 4.5/5
If you plan to apply for ACGME programs, check with each individual program to see if they require Step 1, Step 2 or both and what their minimum scores are
Check Freida (https://login.ama-assn.org/account/login)
Preparing for Licensing
Exams: Level 1
Study for your classes: Lots of pharmacology and pathology on
Level 1/Step 1
First Aid +/-
Doctors in Training, Kaplan, PASS program, Pathoma, etc.
Question Banks: USMLE World, COMBANK, COMQuest
Make a schedule and allow yourself some time for exercise,
sleep and family
Schedule Exams a few days apart if you choose to do both
COSGP Medical Education Research
COMLEX Level 2
Your COM will send you an email when you are eligible to
register
Cognitive Evaluation (CE)
Similar format and study resources as for Level 1
Material tested is less basic science and more clinical
Performance Evaluation (PE): 12 standardized patients
6 hour clinical skills exam at the NBOME testing center in PA
14 min encounter + 9 min SOAP note
8-10 weeks for scores to be reported
Ideally, you want passing PE scores at the time that ERAS opens
(September 15th) so try to schedule your COMLEX PE during summer
of 3rd year (May, June, July)
Licensure vs Board
Certification
You apply for a license through the state in which you practice
Requires all 3 steps of COMLEX
Some residencies cover cost – different based on state
Board Certification is specialty specific and requires completion of residency training
AOA Board Certification
American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS)
Dual Certification is available
CME will be based on which Board certification is obtained
http://osteopathic.org/inside-aoa/development/aoa-board-certification/Pages/default.aspx
http://www.abms.org/About_ABMS/
Electives and Core Rotations
Check to see what requirements your school has and make sure
you schedule blocks to fulfill them
Electives: Some schools have max number of weeks in a single
specialty (ex: 16 weeks max in Pediatrics)
If you can, schedule vacation weeks that allow sufficient time to
study for Level 2 and travel to PA for Level 2 CE
You may need to schedule vacation time for interviews and/or
COSGP meetings
Check your school policies and MAKE SURE you meet all requirements
for graduation
Audition Rotations/Sub-
Internships
Pros
“Mandatory” for some
osteopathic programs: you are
more likely to be ranked if you
rotate there
Try out a program
Prove yourself
See an area of the country that
you may want to train in
Some programs offer courtesy
interviews to Sub-Interns
Adventure!
Cons
Not always necessary for
allopathic programs
Expensive!!
Double rent vs living out of
suitcases
People will see your
shortcomings in addition to
your strengths so you have to
perform at your peak at all
times
Learning a new system (EMR,
hospital layout, etc) every
month is a challenge
Away Electives
Call the medical student coordinator at the host site
Program specific application process
Check the website of the program you’re interested in rotating at
Visiting Student Application Service (VSAS) – vsas.aamc.org
Centralized application service: Upload required documents and
assign them to specific programs ($15 per application)
Check application opening dates, required forms (specific
immunization forms)
Earliest opening date for Applications is February 1 but many
programs take applications beginning in March, April or May for Fall
rotations
Helpful Resources & Ideas
Try to schedule in August, September and/or October (new
interns in July
Interview season is October-January
Rental cars are MUCH cheaper if you go through Hotwire.com
or a similar site
Now is a great time to apply for a credit card which gives you
airline miles if you don’t already have one!
Housing
Check with the host site about visiting student
housing
Websites - Rotatingroom.com, Airbnb.com,
craigslist.com
Consider rotating in places where you have
generous friends/family with an extra room
Registration for the Match
Registration for NMS and NRMP are separate from ERAS!
National Matching Service: Osteopathic Match
$60 Registration fee. Deadline: Nov 1, 2014 to avoid late fee.
https://www.natmatch.com/aoairp/applregister.html
National Resident Matching Program: Allopathic Match
$65 registration fee. Deadline Nov 30, 2014 to avoid late fee.
http://www.nrmp.org
Match Prism tracking App for iPhone and Android
ERAS: Electronic Residency
Application Service
Documents: COMLEX/USMLE transcripts, LORs, Personal Statement(s)- assign these to programs
Application:
General Info, Licenses (ACLS, etc.), Medical Education
Medical School Honors/Awards
Membership in Honorary/Professional Societies
Education and Prior Training
Experience: Research, work, volunteer
Publications: Peer Reviewed Articles/Abstracts, Other articles, Oral Presentations
Languages
Hobbies and Interests
Other Awards and Accomplishments
Programs
Search and Apply to MD and DO programs
Assign documents to the programs you apply to
You can have multiple personal statements
Most programs require 3 LORs but will take up to 4
EM may require a SLOE (standard letter of evaluation)
Some programs will require a LOR form the Department Chair
Applicant Document Tracking System (ADTS) allows you to see when your documents are downloaded
ERAS Application Fees:
Programs Up to 10 - $95 total
Programs 11-20 - $10 each
Programs 21-30 - $16 each
Programs 31 or more - $26 each
Requesting COMLEX Scores $75
Requesting USMLE Scores $75
Helpful Resources and Hints
Start ERAS early! It will take several hours to enter all of your amazing accomplishments.
The Personal Statement (PS) might be the hardest thing you write in med school. Revise, Revise Revise!
Have people proofread your application and Personal Statement.
Don’t embellish your CV just to fill space but be sure to include any presentations you’ve given for your SGA or COSGP. They count!
Check each program’s website for application requirements. Some want your PS to address a specific topic or have LOR specifications.
Number of programs you apply to will depend on your specialty and qualifications.
Researching Programs and
Specialties Opportunities.osteopathic.org
FREIDA: https://login.ama-assn.org/account/login
Osteopathic GME Match Report: http://data.aacom.org/aacomas/do_gme_match_report2012.asp
NRMP Charting Outcomes in the Match: http://b83c73bcf0e7ca356c80-e8560f466940e4ec38ed51af32994bc6.r6.cf1.rackcdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/resultsanddata2013.pdf
NRMP Charting Outcomes in the Match: Specialties Match http://b83c73bcf0e7ca356c80-e8560f466940e4ec38ed51af32994bc6.r6.cf1.rackcdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/NRMP-Charting-Outcomes-in-the-Match-Specialties-Matching-Service-1st-Edition-Published-May-2013.pdf
Interviews and Budgeting
Most people do between 6-12 interviews
Interview invitations will start being issued within days of ERAS opening and continue well into December. Respond ASAP to get your choice of dates. Check your spam folder!
Some programs will pay for your hotel
Event with residents the night before, Interview day usually ~8a-2p. Details in program email.
If you’re doing an elective at a site where you end up getting lots of interviews, try to schedule them so that you can drive.
Use a spreadsheet and/or Google Calendar to keep track of logistics and program details that are important to you.
Outline Options
Program title and
location
Interview offered?
Interview date
Travel and lodging
plans
Number of residents
Salary
University vs community
based
Research opportunities
Moonlighting
International elective
Residency start date
Preparing the Rank Order
List
ROL opens for Osteopathic Match Participants on Jan 7, 2015-
due Jan 23, 2015
ROL opens for Allopathic Match Participants on Jan 15, 2015-
due February 25, 2015
Must certify your ROL prior to deadline but can make changes
up until the deadline
Rank programs in order of your training preferences, not how
you think the programs will rank you.
Match Day and SOAP (Supplemental Offer and Acceptance
Program)
Friday before Match week: email notification of SOAP eligibility-does not mean that you didn’t match!
Find out WHETHER you have matched on Monday of Match week
SOAP (the scramble): applicants apply for any unfilled spots through ERAS
Find out WHERE you matched on Friday of Match week
Osteopathic Match: February; Allopathic Match: March
If you Match in the Osteopathic match you MUST withdraw your application from the Allopathic Match!
To participate in the osteopathic scramble, you must have registered for the NMS Match (even if you don’t rank any programs)**If you do the Allopathic Match you cant scramble into Osteopathic programs until after the Allopathic scramble**
Side Note Criteria for AOA Recognition of ACGME PGY1 Training
The applicant must be an AOA member in good standing
The applicant must complete the application for AOA training recognition
The ACGME must submit a letter listing PGY1 core rotations
Applicants must participate in an osteopathic educational activity
Attend 1 category 1-A CME sponsored educational conference for minimum of 8 CME credits
Osteopathic clinical presentation for peer residents
Develop an original research paper on a clinical or educational topic in osteopathic medicine
May present at a category 1-A CME sponsored conference in a specialty area that includes an osteopathic component if you have completed residency
Overall Timeline Third Year
Fall – Register for COMLEX Level 2 CE and PE
January – Contact programs for possible rotations
February – VSAS opens
March/April – Submit VSAS applications
Fourth Year
July 15 – AOA ERAS Application Submission Begins
September 15 – MD ERAS Application Submission Begins
October-January – Interviewing
November 1 – NMS Match Registration Due
November 30 – NRMP Match Registration Due
January 15 – NMS ROL Due
February 25 – NRMP ROL Due
February – NMS Match Day
March – NRMP Match Day
May/June - Graduation