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MATCHED!!!

Match Center
  Match Center
ephman90
  ephman90
  Wednesday, 19 March 2008
  8 Replies
  5 Visits
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This thread is for all the people out there who don't think Ortho is possible. I am one of those people, but I made it happen. I'm going to go back to the beginning...

applied to medical school twice. Had to work in a lab for a year and had to get a master's degree where I took 1st year medical school classes (btw that kind of burned me out for the first 2 years of medical school because I worked my tail off during my master's)...our school is only pass/fail. Honored only 1 class in the first 2 years. Step 1 217/88, Step 2 226/93. Did not honor any 3rd year classes, only passed them (at our school you have to be in top 10% nationally on the shelf and then honor the subjective clinical part...this equals hard as balls to honor). Applied to over 100 ortho programs (what's another swipe of the credit card of money I don't have?) and got 9 interviews (ranked 10 places because 1 place had a 6 yr research position) and a 1yr prelim gen surg program just so I could hand pick my place and not have to scramble.

found out monday that I Matched! I had some non-traditional things going for me: did a bunch of research including having the forthought to write my master's thesis on an ortho topic and even got my thesis advisor to write me a rec from 3 years ago. I also did a bunch of random stuff in med school but it gave me a lot of stuff to talk about i.e. student government, admissions committee, my dog and I were even pet therapists randomly enough

Sorry for the long post I've come to this site so many times the last 2+ years and was growing tired of seeing the "Do I have a chance with a 250+ and all honors?" I'm proof that even if you don't have all that, Ortho is still doable...congrats to everyone who matched...
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Guest
Guest
18 years ago
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#54008
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Ephman congratulations and you owe no one an apology because u matched enjoy it. Im sure it feels good to sometimes get what uve always wanted, considering your story prior to getting into medschool everyone should remember that Ephman didnt get in right away so he to has had his losses. to those who did not match and like ppl have already said it doesn't mean u are dumb or incompetent, clearly with 240+, needless to say u r bright. Nevertheless, one should focus on those other aspects that aren't so perfect, which will vary for everyone. Good luck to everyone still in the hustle for a spot and congrats to those who matched.
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Guest
Guest
18 years ago
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#54007
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Ephman,

Congratulations on matching. Check your PMs.
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Guest
Guest
18 years ago
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#54006
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Wow...I didn't think my post would get this kind of reaction...I just know how hard it is to get ortho...to all those who didn't match, I am really sorry, one of my best friends who dropped 230 step1, 240 step2 didn't match. This whole thing is crazy and it sucks that ridiculously smart, qualified and motivated people aren't allowed to match into the specialty of their choice. I feel very lucky to have matched...my intention of writing this post was to give the little guy some hope because reading stuff on this website can be intimidating sometimes, I almost didn't even go for it because of all the madness. In conclusion, I had no intention of crapping on people who dominated med school and somehow slipped through the cracks, I was just trying to give some inspiration for the regular joe's

ps - for those who care, no rainy parades for me, I got the Congrats u matched email...i took every extreme in order to somehow make this happen, so if anyone has any ?s about my whole ordeal please feel free to contact me and I would be more than happy to answer any ?s about anything...
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Guest
Guest
18 years ago
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#54005
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If a candidate is accepted into a prelim program, they receive a message saying: "Congratulation! You have matched into a 1-year program."
If a candidate is accepted into a categorical positions (as all ortho programs are these days), the message should be:"Congratualtions, you have matched."

Hope this helps. NRMP website lists 5 possible emails that you get on Mondays, go llok it up, if interested.
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Guest
Guest
18 years ago
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#54004
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I don't mean to rain on ephman90's parade, and I may be incorrect because I just don't know, but how do you know you matched into an ortho program and not your prelim surgery position? I don't know anyone who did this, nor do I know how it would appear on your "Did I Match?" e-mail, but it just got me thinking. I hope you did match into ortho.
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Guest
Guest
18 years ago
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#54003
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I think that everyone who didn't match (like me) needs to take a second and really think about what it means. It doesn't mean that you are a failure, you aren't going to be an orthopod, or that all your hard work is now worthless. All it means is that you are going to have to wait a year until the next step. I'm sure most of us who are going into orthopedics are very bright and haven't had a tough time doing well up to this point so experiencing something like not matching is a new experience. But I know there are lots and lots of people out there who have to wait and do extra work before they even can get into medical school or think about applying to what they want to go into. We are lucky we can even consider orthopedics as a career. Another year of hard work in the lab or doing a prelim year isn't going to kill anyone and in the end we may very well end up in a better program than where we could have been this year. So if you consider not matching the worst thing that has happened to you then that only means you have had a pretty good life so far.
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Guest
Guest
18 years ago
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#54002
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First off, Congrats on matching. Its not an easy thing to do.

But I just want to speak on behalf of those people with 250+ and all honors that ask the "will I match question". Thats becuase, I'm one of them this year and I didnt match. Its literally the worst thing thats ever happened to me, short of someone dying. I really dont know where I went wrong. I ranked 13 places and felt like all my interviews went well. Basically, I just want to let everyone know, of course you can get in with less than stellar credentials, but nothing is gauranteed to anyone. So the question is valid, "Will I match?", for anyone to ask, but no one knows the answer. So just work hard and hope for the best

I'm trying again though, changing specialties with one days notice is probably a bad idea..But who know's.

Congrats again, and good luck to all those in my shoes..I really feel your pain
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