presentation may 2010

Applying to residency

in OB-GYN

Cathy Callahan, MD FACOG

May 21, 2010

GoalsGoals

I. Scheduling fourth year

II. Understanding ERAS

III. Understanding the match

IV. Selecting residency programs Past and future

I. Scheduling fourth yearI. Scheduling fourth year

Objectives of fourth year rotations

• Decide if OB is for you

• Work with a resident team

• Learn about OB-subspecialties

• Learn material not covered in OB-residency

• Audition (and try-out) residency programs

Fourth year rotationsFourth year rotationsKnow your deadlines!Know your deadlines!

Rotation schedules due:

• June 4 Periods 1-3

• August 6 Periods 4-7

• October 29 Periods 8-11

Fourth year rotationsFourth year rotationsKnow your guidelinesKnow your guidelines

July through MayJuly through May

• Electives (4 months)– Audition rotations

• Medicine Selectives (3 rotations)

• Surgical Selectives (2 rotations)

• Vacation/Interviews (2 months…. YEAH!!)

3 Selectives completed from July to Jan

Fourth year rotationsFourth year rotations

• Audition rotations– Essential for Osteopathic programs– Allopathic, most students match at programs where they

did NOT rotate • Look for opportunities to meet team (round on weekends, day

off, early am sign-outs etc.)

– Minimum of two audition rotations– August rotation should not be your first choice program

Fourth year rotationsFourth year rotations

• Medicine Selectives (3 months)– Critical care– Infectious disease with special emphasis on

sexually transmitted infections– Neonatal intensive care (2 weeks)– Sub-internship– Psychiatry (out patient)– Gastroenterology

Fourth year rotationsFourth year rotations

• Surgical Selectives (2 months)– Anesthesia including (obstetrics)– Surgical intensive care– Urogynecology– Gynecological oncology

Fourth year rotationsFourth year rotations• Electives

– Audition month– Dermatology– Pathology (cytopathology)– OB-GYN subspecialties

• Maternal fetal medicine• Reproductive endocrinology• (Urogynecolgy/gyn. oncology= surgical selectives)

WHENWHEN to schedule your to schedule your rotationsrotations

• Osteopathic timeline– July 15: Programs may review ERAS

And grant interviews!– Sept – Dec: Interviews– January 28: Rank list due– February 14: Match Day! Results announced

Leave time Sept - December to interview

WHENWHEN to schedule your to schedule your rotationsrotations

• Allopathic timeline– Sept 1: Programs may review ERAS

And grant interviews!– Late Oct - early Jan: Interviews – February 24: rank list due– March 14: Match/Unmatch day – March 17: MATCH DAY: Results announced

Leave time November- early January to interview

ResourcesResources

• FREIDA: AMA residency program directory– http://www.ama-assn.org/ama/pub/medical-students/medical-students.shtml

• APGO (Association of Professors of OB/GYN)– Residency guide (Not all programs are listed!!)– www.apgo.org (logon: vcom password: directory)

• Graduated students!– Contact list in your e-mail inbox soon!

• Directory of Residency and Fellowship Programs in Interdisciplinary Women’s Health– http://www.liebertonline.com/doi/pdfplus/10.1089/jwh.2009.DIR3

II. ERAS ApplicationII. ERAS Application

Your ERAS profile

1. Curriculum Vitae

2. Personal statement

3. Letters of recommendation

4. Medical School Performance Evaluation (MSPE)

5. Transcripts

6. Board Scores

http://www.aamc.org/students/eras/start.htm

II. ERAS ApplicationII. ERAS Application

Your ERAS profile

1. Curriculum Vitae

2. Personal statement

3. Letters of recommendation

4. Medical School Performance Evaluation (MSPE)

5. Transcripts

6. Board Scores

1.1. Curriculum VitaeCurriculum Vitae

Prepare my “C” What???Prepare my “C” What???

http://www.aamc.org/students/eras/usemyeras/application.htm

Curriculum VitaeCurriculum Vitae

• Keys to a successful CV– Emphasize responsibility, initiative, creativity– Power words

• Suggestions– In on-line handouts

2. Personal statement2. Personal statement

• Keys to a successful personal statement– Not too personal!– Short enough to read– Based on one or more stories– Interesting– No grammatical exxors!

• Suggested outline– In on-line handouts

3. Letters of Recommendation3. Letters of Recommendation

• Request by June (up to 4 letters per program)

• Confidential, waive right to view

• Must provide ERAS cover letter with request • Can choose which letters go to each program

Who should you ask for LOR?Who should you ask for LOR?

• OB-GYN• Surgery rotation• Family medicine, Internal medicine• Any rotation where you performed well• Chair’s letter (sometimes requested for allopathic)

III. The MatchIII. The Match• National Match (osteopathic)

– June – Oct 8: Register for Match– Deadline for rank list: January 28– http://www.natmatch.com/aoairp/index.htm

• NRMP (allopathic) (National Residency Matching Program)

– Aug 15 – Nov 30: Register for Match(may register until February 23 with late fee)

– Deadline for rank list: February 23– http://www.nrmp.org

Allopathic residency? Allopathic residency? You should know:

4 States require osteopathic students complete a DO internship for licensure

• Pennsylvania• Florida• Michigan• Oklahoma

From http://www.do-online.org/ see Resolution 42

How does the match work?How does the match work?

Program A(2 positions)

Program B(1 position)

Program C(1 position)

1. Jones 1. Baker 1. Baker

2. Baker 2. Jones

3. Smith

Smith Baker Jones

1. Program B 1. Program A 1. Program B

2. Program A 2. Program B 2. Program A

3. Program C

Residency Program’s List of desired candidates

Student’s Rank List

Applying to AOA and ACGME Applying to AOA and ACGME programsprograms

• Jane’s “ideal” rank list– Osteopathic – Osteopathic – Allopathic – Allopathic – Osteopathic – Allopathic – Allopathic

What is Jane going to do!!??

Hint….Hint….

• You can register for the NRMP (the allopathic matching program) by paying a late fee up until Feb 23!

• So if you do not match osteopathic on Feb 14th … you can still register for the allopathic match

IV. Selecting residency programsIV. Selecting residency programs

PEARL….

CAST A WIDE NET NOW!!!!

• Do not apply only allopathic

• Do not narrow yourself to a geographic area

• The time to narrow down is when submit your rank list

PEARL TWO

The only one to watch out for you is YOU!!!!

• Play the game

• Include back-ups

• Never believe you are in unless you have a contract mailed to you

Pearl ThreePearl ThreeConsider a Back-up PlanConsider a Back-up Plan

• Rotating internship– Note: no guarantee, very difficult to match in OB after a year

in RI– Consider RI where there is an OB program

• Different Specialty• Expand your program list

Never believe you are in unless you have a contract in hand (did I say this before??)

ExceptionException

• Osteopathic students can be offered and accept an agreement outside the match from an allopathic program

Should I take USMLE?Should I take USMLE?

• Take only if you think you will perform well

• Report ONLY if score will help you – (cut off 210 for many programs)

• Conversion score

Allopathic National statisticsAllopathic National statistics

• In 2009, – 245 programs, 5 programs unfilled– 1185 positions offered, 1796 applicants– 66% of all applicants matched

• In 2008, 72% of applicants matched

• In 2007, the average number of programs ranked for those who matched was 9

• The average USMLE score was 214

www.aamc.org

So how did our applicants fare in 2010??So how did our applicants fare in 2010??

• 15 applicants– 2 entered osteopathic match

• 1 matched

– 13 entered allopathic match (1 from Class 2009)

• 11 matched • 2 scrambled

-2 chose rotating internships

So how did our applicants fare in 2009??So how did our applicants fare in 2009??

• 13 applicants– 1 entered osteopathic match (matched)– 12 entered allopathic match

• 8 matched OB-GYN • 4 scrambled

-1 chose osteopathic OB-3 chose rotating internships and then other disciplines

So how did our applicants fare in 2008??So how did our applicants fare in 2008??

• 16 applicants– 2 entered osteopathic match (both scrambled)– 13 entered allopathic match

• 9 matched OB-GYN • 4 scrambled

-2 chose family medicine-2 chose rotating internships

– 3 entered military match• Obtained civilian deferment (2)• Matched OB Army

What are programs looking for?What are programs looking for?

Anecdotally

• KEY: Board passing first try

• USMLE: cut off 210 for many programs

• Good clerkship grades

Objective Factors:Results of the NRMP Program Directory Survey http://www.nrmp.org/data/index.html

http://www.nrmp.org/data/index.html

Selecting residency programsSelecting residency programsInterviewsInterviews

• Practice! – sign-up for mock interview with Kathy Dalton

• What to expect

• Questions for you to ask them….

• What to not do……

• Follow-up letters: Thank them!!

Selecting residency programsSelecting residency programs Request information from programsRequest information from programs

• Resources:www.acoog.orghttp://www.ama-assn.org/ama/pub/category/2997.htm

http://www.apgo.org/members/index.cfm?doc=residency%20directory

Log on: directoryPassword: VCOM 24

Special situationsSpecial situations

Military MatchMilitary Match

• Same opening dates as the Osteopathic Match

• Consider civilian and apply civilian

• Complete materials early!

Couples Match Couples Match

• Who can be a couple?

Anyone that chooses to be

• Match strategies

Large urban areas with multiple programs

Rank list…. one person doesn’t match

Couples MatchCouples Match

Jill is applying to OB-GYNJack is applying in Family Medicine

Jack and Jill’s Rank list1. Jill Hospital A, Jack hospital A2. Jill Hospital A, Jack Hospital B3. Jill Hospital B, Jack Hospital C4. Jill rotating internship Hospital A, Jack Hospital A5. Jill no hospital, Jack Hospital A

Couples MatchCouples MatchHospital rank lists

Hospital A Hospital B Hospital C2 spots 1 spot 3 spotsJill Jack BrianBrian Jill JillSue Jack

SueJack and Jill’s Rank list1. Jill Hospital A, Jack hospital A2. Jill Hospital A, Jack Hospital B3. Jill Hospital B, Jack Hospital C4. Jill rotating internship Hospital A, Jack Hospital A5. Jill no hospital, Jack Hospital A

Brian’s rank list1. Hospital A2. Hospital B

Sue’s list1.Hospital A2.Hospital C

Couples MatchCouples MatchCouples Match

Tips for making it through the Tips for making it through the match as a couplematch as a couple

• Right of refusal

• Visiting as many sites together as possible

• Creating a dummy list after each interview

• Building in back – up plans NOW

• Remember that your day job is soooo demanding that if you do not make each other a priority, you may not have each other at the end of all this!

Additional resourcesAdditional resourcesOn-line: HandoutsOn-line: Handouts

• Timeline for residency assistance• ERAS application assistance

– Published information on the match• Program information

– VCOM stats – National Match statistics

• Other resources– COMLEX to USMLE conversion– Resolution 42– OB BLOG

In sum, what to do nowIn sum, what to do now

1. Personal statement

2. CV Update

3. Request Letters of Recommendation

4. Develop Preliminary Program List

BE READY TO SUBMIT BY END OF JULY!

RecommendationsRecommendations

• Know when your programs will interview

• Get your application in early– Today start on your personal statement and

finish your first draft next week!– Request your letters this week!

• Consider a back-up plan if recommended