Ortho2002
OSRR Senior
Posts: 58
(11/13/01 12:16:25 am)
Reply
Anyone else getting frustrated yet??!!!
Anyone out there wondering exactly what the heck these programs are looking for??!! And I thought I
was a "competitive" candidate!!! If anyone else if feeling like this, feel free to vent and make me feel
better!
SoCalOrtho
OSRR Newbie
Posts: 1
(11/13/01 2:23:54 am)
Reply
Re: Anyone else getting frustrated yet??!!!
Yeah, i'm getting kinda frustrated, too. I'll commiserate with you. If it makes you feel any better I go to a
solid school, Step I > 260, research up the wazoo since high school, and supposedly good letters. Not
AOA, though. Anyway, only one interview so far. . . from my home school.
Anyway, I don't know what they're looking for. . .I did my best and now i'm just hanging, hoping for the
best.
Congrats to those of you with interviews already. . .and good luck!
Spirit Mike
OSRR Intern
Posts: 18
(11/13/01 4:17:33 am)
Reply
Yup, have no idea what they want.
Hey,
I'm not AOA either, some research in college and med school but only a small paper published from
college. I have board scores of >250, but I've gotten 12 interviews. I did send out all my stuff really early
though, including letters as well applying to a boatload of programs so maybe that's it. I figured applying
to a bunch of places would help me out just by sheer force of statistics since this DOES seem to be a
random process.
I wouldn't worry though. So many schools have yet to send out offers. Plus they send they out so many
different ways, you may have an offer in your USPS mailbox and not know it yet.
Good luck and see you on the interview trail.
orthohopeful
OSRR Intern
Posts: 21
(11/13/01 7:49:19 am)
Reply
It is random to some extent
I agree with above comments. I don't understand how some of these places are picking interviewees. I
have 235 Step 1, zero research, but I am AOA at what US News calls a top 20 med school and it does
have a great ortho program. I have gotten eight interviews and two rejections. It doesn't make sense to
me that I get interviews at some top programs (UCLA, Mayo) but get rejected at some less prominent
ones (Tulane and Indiana). I don't know what they use to pick applicants, but I feel very lucky to have
gotten the interviews I have given the weird situation.
The one thing I can say is that I'm glad I applied so broadly (>50 programs). It might just take sheer
numbers to overwhelm the whimsical nature of these programs.
Good luck to everyone. Don't dispair yet, at least 70-80% of programs haven't notified yet.
OrthoStud
OSRR Junior
Posts: 45
(11/13/01 11:01:09 am)
Reply
frustration
Frustrated is an understatement. Only 4 interviews so far...5 if you count the "guaranteed" home
program interview. 1 rejection.
I'm wondering beyond what date applications are considered "late"... I sent out my application in mid
sept but all of my letters were not in until midoctober. does that put you at a disadvantage? Also, i
applied in "waves"...a bunch in sept...a few more early oct and a some more in late oct...that may have
been a mistake too.
I'm wondering when everyone had their applications complete...
Spirit Mike
OSRR Intern
Posts: 19
(11/13/01 11:37:05 am)
Reply
When app was complete . . .
My application was complete about a week after the deadline and that includes LOR's. The only programs
it wasn't complete for were the ones that wanted Chairman's letters, but I still got an invite from one of
those programs (UCLA). My chair didn't have the letter out until mid-October but that couldn't be
helped.
So far, unless you're a "star," the only thing I've seen that links people with a lot of interview would be
applying to a lot of places? I don't know. BTW, I'm not a "star." Good boards, non-AOA, fair amount of
research but only one pub from college. Top 15 med school and my interviews so far have been, except
for one, from schools where I didn't do an away.
Michael
Bud1824
OSRR Intern
Posts: 8
(11/14/01 1:36:51 pm)
Reply
Don't worry
Fellas:
I understand everyone's anxiety and concern, having gone through the process last year. However, trust
me when I say this, it is still EXTREMELY early in the process! Programs are not even through sending
out the first wave of interviews. I probably recieved half of my interview invitations while I was checking
my email while on vacation over Christmas break. Everyone stop worrying, there is still plenty of time
(especially that guy with the Board scores of >260!)
Chaney3
OSRR Intern
Posts: 12
(11/14/01 2:00:30 pm)
Reply
some relief
Bud1824: thanks a lot for the comments...it was a relief to hear it is still early...and that programs send
invites into december.
By the way, i'm not worried about the guy with the >260 score either
Submental
OSRR Newbie
Posts: 1
(11/14/01 4:13:04 pm)
Reply
...Mass Quantities!!!
I've gotta believe after reading this thread that quantity is key. I applied to 66 programs - that's right,
66 - but I've already gotten 12 interviews, 1 from a top 10 program. I've got good board scores, AOA &
research but so does everyone else. I figured, "Hey, I'm going to be $80,000 in the hole at the end of
this whole med school gig, why skimp on a few hundred dollars extra now and risk not matching!?!" I've
been told you'll get interviews from places you'd have never imagined and rejections from places you
thought were a shoe-in so you've gotta go big. It sounds like you guys all have great credentials so if
you haven't gotten many interviews yet it's just because you didn't write as big a check to ERAS as I
did! Good luck to everyone - see you on the interview trail!
harvardcombined
OSRR Newbie
Posts: 5
(11/18/01 7:46:18 pm)
Reply
interviews
reason why you get invites from top programs and rejections from lesser ones:
if your application looks as if you have a good chance of matching with a top program, lesser programs
don't feel that you would rank them highly and therefore don't want to waste an interview spot on
someone who is unlikely to match with them.
some one with good scores, research and AOA wouldn't die to go somewhere outback and therefore
most likely only applied there as a safetynet - these guys have been in the business for a long time and
don't want to waste their time.
so don't take it personal - it's almost a compliment
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OrthoSasquatch
OSRR Newbie
Posts: 2
(11/21/01 12:12:45 pm)
Reply
Hope you're right.
I sent out 30 apps and so far have gotten one interview (Syracuse) and three rejections (Vermont,
Emory, and Rochester). I'm AOA with Step I of 235. Research as an undergrad but none in med school. I
thought I was a solid but not spectacular applicant but now I'm starting to get worried. Still haven't
heard from the "top" programs that I applied to. Is my concern justified? Am I better candidate than I
think or should I start looking for something else to do for a year before I re-apply?
bmp2002
OSRR Intern
Posts: 6
(11/21/01 1:35:16 pm)
Reply
Re: Hope you're right.
i wouldn't worry about it yet. you sound like a very solid candidate. 60-70% of the programs still haven't
sent out invitations. you may have more luck wwhen interviews go out from the region your med school
is in.
best of luck to you and have a wonderful thanksgiving.. your time will come.
OrthoSasquatch
OSRR Newbie
Posts: 3
(11/21/01 2:16:13 pm)
Reply
Hope you're right
I appreciate your re-assurance. However, a fair number of places I applied to have already sent out
interviews (Michigan, Penn, Northwestern, Pitt, etc.) and I have heard nothing. The whole process has
been completely frustrating to me.
