MS3 at a top 50 US medical school with a strong ortho program.
MS1/2 grades: P/HP
Step 1 score: 220, non AOA
Research: 2 non-ortho publications, 1 ortho case report in progress, Ortho summer research experience
EC: Volunteer Chair for a student-run free clinic, Surgery Student Group exec member
I made a devastating mistake and failed my surgery exam but had amazing clinical evaluations from my surgical and ortho attendings. I have done research in an Ortho lab and am currently working on an Ortho publication for hopefully JOT. Have also published twice (not first author) but they were not Ortho related. I am wondering what can I do to improve my profile and make Admissions boards see that my surgery grade was a horrible, horrible mistake and not a pattern? Or am I just wasting my time in hoping for the impossible? Will a year of research help (I am interested in academic programs)?
disclaimer: I'm not staff, but seems like a recurring theme.
Take Step 2 early (this upcoming summer, so have score when submit app) and do well on it.
Get Honors on your other clinical rotations.
Schedule away rotations and do well on them and get good letters from these rotations.
Get to know an ortho staff at your own school well, someone willing to help you out (good letter, phone calls, etc if need be) when application time comes.
Apply broadly.
Agree w/ above, but would also add you need strategy for "just in case": i.e. Prelim Surg program w/ ties to ortho program vs. alternatives to traditional ortho i.e. surgery res then hand fellowship. Plan on spending that year in prelim surg, not probable to get PGY2 spot afterwards either and more difficult when competing w/ 4th yrs for PGY1 spot as a prelim surg resident. AAMC has info compiling step 1/2 scores w/ mean/median and range, # of publications etc. Good to know the statistics. Mentor is a must.
Also there is the option of primary care sports med, no surgery, but msk medicine primarily w/ athletes and focus on non-operative procedures.
