PERSPECTIVES ON THE AMA RESIDENCY MATCH

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PERSPECTIVES ON THE AMA RESIDENCY MATCH

• Steve S Lee, DO WesternU 2002
• Assistant Professor of Medicine, Loma Linda Univ
  School of Medicine
• Clinical Instructor of Medicine, Western Univ of
  Health Sciences
• Diplomate of American Board of Internal Medicine
• Rheumatology Fellow 2006

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OVERVIEW

• GENERAL PRINCIPLES FOR A APPLICATION
• AMA or AOA?
• USMLE plus COMLEX?
• APPLICATION PROCESS
• ERAS
• NRMP (there is a separate fee)
• INTERVIEW TIPS
• SPECIAL CIRCUMSTANCES, PITFALLS

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SPECIALTIES AND PATHWAYS

• Refer to flowchart of specialties and
  subspecialties (not necessarily complete)
• Other pathways combined, research
• Still, most will probably enter primary care
  (internal medicine, family practice, pediatrics),
  commensurate with our training and also where
  most of the training sites are found

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PICKING A SPECIALTY

• 1. LIFESTYLE/INCOME/PERSONALITY
• ER-shift wk, nights, acuity
• FP-continuity, broad scope/range
• PATH/RAD-hospital setting, wk hrs
• SURGICAL-acuity, schedule, income
• IM-calls, chronic disease
• OB/GYN-calls, procedures

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PICKING A SPECIALTY

• 2. DAY TO DAY WORK
• SURGICAL-hands on, blood
• IM-thinking, less procedures in general
• ANESTHESIA-OR, pain clinic
• DERM-office based, procedures
• NEUROLOGY-aging, chronicity
• PSYCHIATRY-aging, patient profiles
• PEDS-patient profile, your personality

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PICKING A SPECIALTY

• 3. DEMOGRAPHICS
• URBAN-peds endocrine, dermatopathology, hem/onc,
  vascular surgery, fertility, genetics,
  interventional cardiology, neonatal intensivist,
  transplant surgery
• SUBURBAN/RURAL/THIRD WORLD-FP, IM, ER, general
  surgery, gen cardiology, peds

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PICKING A SPECIALTY

• 4. PATIENTS
• OB/GYN-womens issues
• PATH/RAD-minimal contact
• FP-broad range
• IM/PEDS-adults/kids
• PM R-chronic stroke, pain
• GERIATRICS-aging population, end-of-life

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PICKING A SPECIALTY

• 5. MENTORS/ROLE MODELS/INFLUENCES
• Rotations (plan accordingly-timing interviews)
• Academic, community
• Television (TLC, etc)
• Family members
• Your personal physicians (for me)
• Research/work experience
• Specialty meetings (AOA, ACP, ACR, ACAAI, AAFP,
  ACOG, ACEP)

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AOA or AMA

• All things equal, AOA
• Owing your profession/familiarity
• Predecessors
• Licensure/CME/mentors/future endeavors
• Blurring lines? (recent AOA debate)
• Specialty training
• AMA vs AOA
• Many programs pull fellows from within
• Geography/Family
• Review Opportunities section on DO-online
• Wherever you go, get the best training!

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USMLE and COMLEX?

• You must take COMLEX
• Potential reasons to take USMLE
• Comparator
• Familiarity by ACGME Program Director
• Reasons not to take USMLE
• Money/Stress
• Specialty/geography/program specific
• May not be necessary (I did not take it)

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RESIDENCY APPLICATION

• GENERAL POINTS
• The process has already begun (YR 1)!
• Seek opinions, be introspective
• Think of letter writers who are familiar with
  you identify mentors
• Consider family situations, but training may be
  priority
• Plan rotations and do well
• If possible, come early, stay late
• Extra reading
• Presentation, interpersonal and organizational
  skills
• Score high (rotations, board exams) DUH!

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RESIDENCY APPLICATION

• Background information
• Resources
• AAMC, NRMP, ERAS, DO-online
• Institutional websites (ACGME, FREIDA)
• Private books (Iserson, books, other websites)
• Colleagues, Deans office, Predecessors, OPSC

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RESIDENCY APPLICATION

• Contact programs, know particulars
• Prior trainees?
• DO faculty?
• Access your token (Deans office) and register

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RESIDENCY APPLICATION

• COMPONENTS OF ERAS
• Personal statement (gear these dependent on
  program)
• LOR (likewise)
• Transcripts and Deans letter
• CV (curriculum vitae)

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RESIDENCY APPLICATION

• Important dates
• July of 4th year register for ERAS
• Sept start applying (recognize s and travel
  time)
• Sept programs start downloading your file
• Nov Deans letters available
• Dec/Jan military, AOA and urology matches
• Dec deadline for NRMP registration
• Feb NRMP rank order list deadline
• March Match day (unmatched lists several days
  prior)

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RESIDENCY APPLICATION

• Interviewing
• Punctuality
• Ask questions current residents
• Board pass rates
• Call schedule/resident life
• Hospital structure
• Hospital specific (Loma Linda is vegetarian)
• Accreditation
• Professionalism (dress, attitude, thank you
  cards) around EVERYBODY

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RESIDENCY APPLICATION

• Components of NRMP
• Rank Order List-do NOT rank a program that you
  would NOT consider attending this is
  essentially a contract!
• How many programs?
• Costs, time
• Research programs, competitiveness w/r to you
• Hospital, affiliated programs (opposed?)
• mentors
• Fellowships may be important depending on which
  ones
• Do you want to live there? (many residents stay)
• Match day (say your prayers!)
• You rank your choices, programs rank potential
  residents
• Process favors the candidate
• Scramble? (may not be tragic)

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Other special cases

• Urology, military have early match
• Preliminary yrs (neurology, PM R, radiology,
  dermatology, ophthalmology, Rad Onc)
• Consider osteopathic internship, depending on
  program
• Couples match
• Switching programs
• There must be an opening
• People may wonder
• AMA -gt AOA

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Potential Pitfalls

• LOR-correct institution, favorable mentors
• If possible apply to one specialty only
• Do everything early! Observe deadlines!
• Always be professional dont badmouth people or
  programs

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Finally,

• Stay involved (like today!) in OPSC, AOA, ACOFP,
  ACP, etc.
• GOOD LUCK!