With VSAS opening in the coming months, I’m trying to iron out my 4th year schedule. I had some questions about selecting where to do aways in regards to my specific circumstances. Had some questions for you all who have been through the process;
Med School: SW state school
Boards: Step 1 > 260
Rank: top 10%
AOA: don’t know yet
Preclinicals: honors
Clinicals: honors in everything so far, with Medicine in progress and Family med remaining
Research: work in progress Ortho project with plans to submit abstract for presentation at ASSH and future publication.
QI project in General Surgery, abstract complete, submitted for conferences and publication.
5 publications (low author) in bench research from undergrad.
Extracurriculars: student council president, ortho group president.
Questions:
My 3rd year is over at the end of April, is it a disadvantage to do an away shortly before the current chiefs graduate (i.e. in June)?
I’m from the SW part of the US, go to med school here. I want to go to the NE for residency if at all possible. My SO is from there, we like it there, we want to live somewhere new, programs are awesome. How feasible is this? Does doing an away in the region have any impact on my prospects of matching there? Would it be better to do aways close by since my home program is so isolated (only program in the state)?
Tentative plan was to do; 1 away in a close by state (UTSW, UTSA, etc.), 2 aways in the NE/east coast (have friends who are residents (not ortho) at NYU, Einstein, was considering one of those). Also considering an away in Florida because I like it there, and have read some positive things about programs there on forums here, no real connection.
Any input is appreciated.
Thanks.
