Beyond AOA

I'm not sure I completely understand your question but I'll give it a shot. Is there any difference between the AOA people and those who get 230+ step 1 scores? In reality...no, but to residency directors who are trying to turn a pile of 250 applications into a pile of 30....you bet! I remember my interview at Mayo when the good Dr. H whiped out his excel spreadsheet of applicants; each was listed and assigned a score based on USMLE scores, AOA, and grades. They also gave points for the interview performance....but the bulk of the criteria was #'s.
Does this suck....yes it does. Are AOA people better residents than non-AOA people...I doubt it. Some schools don't have AOA and others (like mine) give it to students "popular" with the faculty and overlook the gifted and hardworking (not that I was either). So it seems your mother was right...life isn't fair and it's not going to change anytime soon.
Having said that, I'm sure with 230+ board scores one would get plenty of interviews. I hope I was somewhere in the ballpark on this one.

I'm not sure what happens in the pre-interview meetings that program directors hold. I'm sure that some consideration is given to AOA for granting interviews. However, with a Step one score of 230+, good clerkship grades, research, letters, good interview, the list goes on and on.... you should be just fine.
I had a 229 with honors in only two clerkships (commendable in all others) and AOA did not come out until after the rank lists were to be in. I did have research with one project in publication and great letters.
I think I read somewhere (or maybe I'm making this up) that only about half of the ortho residents are AOA.

After all this gas... the bottom line is AOA is just another factor. If you feel that you deficient because you don't have AOA status (and ... don't feel this way) do your best to bolster other aspects of your application.

Good luck.
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I think handsports was asking if you're NOT AOA, and have scores over 230, does it matter if you're in the top 25% or in the middle of the class. They do look at the one-word adjective at the bottom of your dean's letter, which is largely determined by your class rank...so in that sense it does matter.

But depends on how your school writes the dean's letter. Mine was sort of vague in that the top 15% got "outstanding", the next 20-30 got "excellent", and the remainder got "very good" or "good". Most people get "very good"...The one category that was inflexible (strictly 15% not more or less) was the outstanding category.

But regardless of what adjective they give you, if you have board scores over 230, you'll obtain plenty of interviews...it's AT THE INTERVIEW when they look at your dean's letter, along with your letters and research and other good stuff...so don't fret if you're not in the top of your class.

Sorry if my question was confusing, and thank you Mickey for making it more clear.

Thanks for all the input!
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I'll add a little to the story- My step 1 score was 240. Once I found out I was told repeatedly by administration/residents that I should have no problem getting interviews. I was not AOA, still told by ortho faculty after my rotation at my home school that given my letters of rec, dean's letter, and step 1 and 2 scores, and the fact that I have commited no murders, rapings, or tax fraud, I should have no problem securing at minimum 10 interviews. Actual # of interviews granted- 3. Size of ulcer I had awaiting match-roughly my entire antrum and duodenum. Did I match in the end at a program I really liked? Yep. Do I know why I only had 3 interviews? Nope. Just be sure to work hard while on aways and be yourself during your interview. That is probably the reason I matched even with good scores. One last piece of advice, if you find yourself in my shoes with having less interviews that you think you should- buy Tums in bulk.

AceTabulum,

Thanks for giving your info. I guess it just shows how random this whole process can be. I'm wondering...did you do any aways? How about your grades? It sounds like you were an excellent candidate so I'm just trying to figure out what happened so I can avoid it.
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My school only allows 2 months total in any one given specialty (however, I'm sure they wouldn't care had I done 6 months of peds, family, or internal). I did one at my home school in July and one away in November. I was not AOA . I did have some research experience but nothing publishable came out of it. I applied mostly to large, tertiary care programs that did not emphasize research. I applied to a few high powered, academic ortho programs and a few community programs. I was in the top 25% of my class but not top 10%. I generally worked hard, except on psych (not many do at my school) and had good evals. I did honor 3rd year surg. Maybe I needed research, maybe not. Maybe my med school name isn't respected very much, maybe not. Who knows? There is some randomness to it. At one of my 3 interviews, I was told that that program only interviewed people who had certain grade/step I qualifactions. I know people who were rejected for interviews at this place but had interviewed at Mayo and Duke. Kinda funny. It all worked out and that is the most important part. Maybe I just slid through the cracks somewhat. It happens. :smokin:

Good work, Ace. Hopefully your ulcers have healed since match day. I've already begun hoarding Tums in anticipation of match day. Just out of curiosity, how many programs did you apply to and in which regions? Again, good work and best of luck in PGY1!

I applied to 29 programs total, mostly mid Atlantic and South. Several were mid west, Indiana, Michigan, Toledo. DC and Atlanta were the two biggest cities I applied to. I didn't apply to Philly, Boston, or NY programs. I guess the reason I posted my story was to let people know what sometimes can happen. Just believe in yourself and, one way or another, things will work out alright. (Sorry for the last part. I just finished watching Rocky I - III
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)

Ace...thanks for the info. Good luck as PGY1! I think I'll skip the tums and go straight for the PPI's.

Ace,

Is it too much to ask what med school you went too?

I believe that securing certain number of interviews is all about selling yourself on paper. Here is my pre-interview resume:
No ortho program at my Med School
USMLE I 229
USMLE II 230
Great Personal Statement ( I think)
Excellent LOR
NON-AOA
No Research
1 publication
Awesome Dean's Letter
Applied 34
Interviews offerred 14
Interviews accepted 12
Ranked 11

I matched. I'm in my intern year. It can be done. It is all how you sell yourself on paper. However, once you receive an interview, I truly believe attendings and residents look for applicants that are a good fit academically, as well as socially. An Eistein with board scores of 250 and great research, may lose to the guy with 230's, mediocre resume, but a great personlity.

Orthodog
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I have a story very similar to AceT's. Over 230 on boards, senior AOA, honors in Surgery clerkship, no med school research, and went to a lesser known med school. Was basically told by my home program, on away rotations, and at interviews that I should have no problem getting interviews and/or matching.
However, Dec. 1 rolled around, and I had a grand total of 7 interviews (out of 30 apps). I spent the next four months incredibly frustrated at the whole process, wondering what went wrong, and stressing about the millions of little things I could have done differently in the application process. Let me tell you, that is something I never want to experience again. Luckily, the 500lb gorilla was lifted from my back on match day, and I matched at my third choice and am happy to be here.
I guess the point is, grades and board scores are great, but no guarantee. I still have no idea why I "fell through the cracks." Maybe I should have applied more broadly and to some community programs (all my apps were to big academic programs). I'm still baffled as to how the whole process works. It seemed to me that 90% of the people who interviewed me were seeing my application for the first time at the interview. So I'm not sure how the decision to interview or not interview someone is made. My gut feeling is that some (but fewer and fewer) programs use board scores and AOA as a cut off, but that more and more are relying on letters and who wrote them. I was told as much by a chief resident at one interview. Away rotations are also key (I matched at a place where I did one).
I guess the point (if there is one), is that matching in Ortho can be a maddening process and it's important to stay grounded. I must say, all the stress was worth it when I could finally say on match day that I was going to be an Orthopaedic Surgeon instead of saying I hoped to be one.