<p>I have heard that some residency programs are extremly competitve to get. I was wondering, what types of things do residency program directors use to judge applicants and what is the most important thing, where you went to med school or how you did there?</p>
<p>They look at your USMLE scores, and recommendations from medical school, with a little bit of a look at where you went for med. But you need really good USMLE scores along with maybe some research to get into the super specialties, ie neuro, plastics, dermo.</p>
<p>Agree with above. AOA is the honorary for the top of the med school class, and having such a designation helps for the most competitive programs. Research can be huge, as this is what is important to directors of at big academic programs. Getting a grade of honors, as compared to pass, can be of value. Solid letters of rec from a reputable associate prof/prof at a med school helps. When you are a third year, and fourth year med student you will have electives, and if you take an elective at your school or away at the dept that you want to get your residency, this can be of the greatest value because they get to know you.</p>
<p>USMLE is the biggest. </p>
<p>AOA is important, but only at the top, top, top residency programs.</p>
<p>The interview and your Dean's Letter probably the next most important, with the interview being able to make up a lot of ground.</p>
<p>Grades, don't matter that much. Clinical grades, particularly in the field that you hope to go into, matter more than M1 and M2 grades - which Step 1 basically covers.</p>
<p>Research is good, but you've got to sell it as worthwhile.</p>
<p>There's a book called The Ultimate Guide to Choosing a Medical Specialty published by Lange I think, that is really helpful.</p>
<p>I have to decide between georgetown's medical school and North eastern ohio university college of medicine. While gerogetown is clearly the better school, I was wondering how much the name plays a part for competetive specialities i.e. dermatology. Do super competetive specialities take applicants from small, non-renown schools like neoucom (provided you do well and do reasearch too)?</p>
<p>It makes a big difference. Go to the better school.</p>
<p>^^^^^^
Wrong</p>
<p>Considering my husband and many of our friends just went through this process, I'd say I was right. Programs like to say that they have incoming residents from these prestigious programs, and the prestigious residencies want to only have people from those med schools (generally speaking). But if you want more information, check forums.studentdoctor.net. Also, look at the listings of residents for programs you're interested in - they all list their residents and what schools they came from. You'll see what I mean.</p>
<p>I have not attended medical school, or even matriculated (yet). So take this with a grain of salt.</p>
<p>I've spoken to a few residency directors at very prestigious programs on the subject.</p>
<p>The general consensus is this: they have a list of "good schools" and list of "other schools". The list of good schools varies considerably from director to director. One director had a list that was approximately 15 schools long, one had a list that was pretty much only 5 schools long. I'm sure some directors have lists that are 30 long, etc. Depending on their specialty - particularly primary care vs. all others - their list might vary as well, although all the lists I heard were pretty much the same except for length.</p>
<p>If you are from a "good" school, and your application has no glaring flaws, then you get an interview. If you are from an "other" school, and your application does not have any glaring HIGH points, you do not get an interview. Once you get an interview, that becomes the most important component of their decision, although other things still matter.</p>
<p>Special features - either good or bad - might be board scores, class rank, a second degree, etc.</p>
<p>BDM, that's a great way of putting it.</p>
<p>What I have tried to say all along, whether it's undergrad, or medical school, or even residency, if you do well, then where you went is not likely to impact your chances. Doing well is a panacea for almost everything.</p>
<p>Wait...they have class rank in medical school?</p>
<p>Yes, why wouldn't they?</p>
<p>Class rank as in exact rank or percentile or just AOA?</p>
<p>I think most schools have exact rankings. Why?</p>
<p>What's AOA?</p>
<p>Yeah, what's AOA?</p>
<p>AOA is Alpha Omega Alpha, the medical school equivalent of Phi Beta Kappa -- i.e. "graduating with honors". It's awarded differently at each school. And it occurs to me that I don't know how my school awards it.</p>