Black Monday

Please say more. what about GMC makes it such a great option?

Thats easy....

1) Greenville is an awesome city, so many things to do in the mountains
2) Great ortho program
3) you are not disrespected at all for being the "prelim" truly part of the team
4) TONS of support from Gen surg and ortho
5) if you work hard, people will actively offer to go to bat for you
6)they let you go on ALL the interviews you get offered
7) tons to learn about being a doctor

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residents are a great group of guys who love what they do
9) both guys last year matched into ortho their second time around, this year has been better for me thus far

bump, make that 4/4 over last 3 years for people matching into ortho from GHS prelim surgery...please ask questions

where'd you match

Which were PGY 2 spots and which were 1st year spots?

did you already match - I'm guessing 2nd yr spot?

pm me if ud prefer

I would recommend Temple Gen Surg Pre-lim. They have a high rate of matching their prelims. Here is a breakdown for me. I didnt match last year and am now at a top ranked ortho program.

While at temple:

1) I did a month of ortho.
2) Was given a schedule to accomodate any PGY2 opening so if I was able to swing it I would have been able to transfer into a PGY2 ortho program.
3) The gen surg program there was extremely supportive and accomodative - great LOR's, given paid time off for interviews that didn't include my scheduled vacation time.
4) The ortho department there is very hands on and they are an amazing group of guys.
5) I am currently an extremely well rounded intern at my program. I don't feel that there is anything that can overwhelm me. The gen surg months have been cake and the ortho months have been extremely gratifying.
6) I operated a ton last year. It helps knowing how to operate when you are starting out as you are granted more opportunities to do stuff in the OR if the attendings trust your hands.

I would be more than happy discussing this further with anyone.

JMK

sounds like temple or greenville are the places to go when/if you dont match! out of the last four, 3 of us got PGY 2 spots and last year a guy matched at LSU for a PGY 1 spot.

The above mentioned qualities are definately very important when you consider prelim spots. It's easy after not matching to feel like you have no choice but to take whatever you're offered. However, you are likely among the very top few applicants being considered for any prelim spot around the country, and not all of them fill. Make sure you get a deal that allows you to get into ortho (even straight to PGY 2) with rotations and interviews, etc. Program name and so forth are not as important. It's better to have a supportive department that will allow you to get the rotations you need and do all your interviews. Make sure that's part of the deal before you sign on if possible. The above sound like great programs. The opposite, for example, would be Phoenix Integrated Surgical Residency at Banner in Phoenix. I got into ortho anyway from there, but I would not have been able to start as a 2 without some serious making up of rotations and it was a miracle that I made it to interviews. The ortho department was very helpful, but the gensurg department was the opposite and they are the people who run your life as a prelim.

those are all great viable alternatives..

But I'm huge proponent of a research year. Yeah, you will definitely have to do an intern year, and can't jump into a PGY-2..but you will get stuff added to your CV, make more contacts, and have more free time to focus on your interviews.. that's my take on it, at least.

For me, I would have been miserable being an intern, and really there's nothing more to it than that.

Being an intern isnt really that bad....here at greenville, they modified my schedule since I got the two spot so that I am doing exactly what the ortho categoricals are doing. And like I said, we are 4/4 over the last 3 years and 2 of us got two spots. Not bad odds. With regards to the interview freedom, GHS let me go on every offer I had without any flack whatsoever. Find another prelim spot that will let you do that!!

BUMP....i know i sound like a broken record but tomorrow will be a devastating day for some very deserving applicants ( as it was for me last year). I urge you to scramble into GHS prelim positions on teusday. It will be a very smart career move! Please PM me if you want more details on Greenville.

Good luck!

The gen surg prelims at my med school get grief for taking time to interview at gen surg programs. I could only imagine what they'd say if someone was interviewing for ortho.

I would actually recommend a prelim year at Greenville also. Supposed to have one of the better reps in the game, and the people that have come from it appear to love it

Any other suggestions for prelim surgery programs that are favorable for future ortho?

Yes, if you have heard good things about other prelim programs please weigh in! And if there are any to avoid, that would be helpful too.

Best of luck to everyone else navigating these scary next couple days!

Maimonides is a great place to do a prelim. Wonderful city, amazing faculty who are really helpful, and a tendency to take prelims into their program

I am one of the former GHS prelims that got a 2nd year ortho spot last year. I cannot say enough good things about the GHS gen surg program. The staff is very willing to help you in any way possible to find you a spot. They told me when I first got there as an intern that their job was to find me a job(many gen surg programs aren't helpful if you arent interested in gen surg). The program itself is very well run and organized. They allow you to go on every interview without question. The Ortho program is also very good, but it is also very competetive. They are also very willing to help find you a spot. The hospital is beautiful and is a level I trauma center so you will see plenty. Greenville itself is an awesome town with plenty to do. I honestly cant say enough good things about the program and would recommend it for anyone that doesn't match. Good luck to all, feel free to contact me if you have any questions.