Category: Applicant Advice

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An Insider’s View Into The Radiology Residency Rank List

rank list

The ranking process and rank list seem like a black box from a medical student’s perspective. But today, we will shed some light on how the process works (at least in our radiology residency!) Of course, I cannot speak for all radiology residency programs. But, many programs do have a similar process.

So, how does this all work? You will be the proverbial fly on the wall in today’s post. More importantly, hopefully, you will gain insight into what we look for when we meet and what the rank list process entails.

The Basics Of The Rank List Process

It all begins a few days before the interviews take place. Each interviewer takes home a pile of applications to review before the interview day. Of course, we consider the usual suspects- the Dean’s Letter, research, experiences, recommendations, and all the other components of the process (See Cracking The Radiology Residency Application Code!) And all of these factors are weighted accordingly, with the Deans Letter weighted the most in the equation.

Then, we add on our impressions of the candidate from the interview. Based on these factors, typically, the interviewers give each candidate an overall grade on the day of the interview. Why? Because the applicants stick freshly in our minds on the interview day.

Most importantly, however, after we give the candidates this initial grade, we confirm our impressions with the residents. We call this meeting the coffee clutch. (Other programs, I’m sure, have other names for this sort of meeting!) Depending on the gestalt of the residents, we may change that final grade to higher, lower, or to do not rank.

Only then, once we have the residents’ input, does each interviewer finalize the overall grade that the applicants receive. And we place the interview candidates into three primary piles. The first batch is the application pile that satisfies our credential and personality requirements. We like to call these applications the “rankables.” Most candidates fall into this grouping.

For the next category, we call this the question pile. Sometimes, we will revisit these candidates at a later juncture after we have obtained additional information. Other times, we must mull over the quality of the rest of the candidates before we decide to rank them finally.

And lastly, the final group of applications is those that do not pass muster. We place these into the Do Not Rank list (informally called DNR/DNI!) To summarize, these applications are from candidates with inadequate credentials, personality flaws, or other issues that we think would not fit our program’s culture and philosophy.

How Do We Create Our Rank List?

If you remember before, I mentioned that each interviewer gives a candidate an overall grade. And, for any given day, we always have two interviewers. Each interviewer provides a score from 1 to 11, with 1, the lowest possible score (except for DNR/DNI!) and 11, the highest possible score. Subsequently, we sum the score of the two interviewers, representing the candidate’s primary grade. (scores range from 2-24) Most applicants assemble somewhere in the middle of the pack (scoring between 10-14)—of which those exceptional scores higher and those weaker trends lower.

However, we did not entirely complete our work yet! Next, we take into account a couple of other factors. First, folks that submit a thank you letter will receive an additional half point. And then, those that come for second looks will also garner a half point. (We only add points if we did not DNR the candidate!) What is our motivation behind this? We like to add a little bit to these folks that take the time to show interest in our program. If you think about it, it makes sense. Candidates who succeed in our program want to be here. And, thank you letters and second looks show additional interest. So, it makes sense to reward these folks.

In the situation of those candidates squarely in the middle of the pack, these minor half points can potentially make a humongous difference. Since most candidates congregate around the mean, it simply puts you above everyone else in your category.

Submission Time

Once we finish our last day of interviews, we check for and add on any extra thank you letters and second look points to all members of the rank pile. In addition, we revisit the question pile, making sure to call who we need to call, get additional information, and decide whether we will rank these applications.

We add the numbers to create a final ranking for each candidate’s application. But, we are still not done. We recheck the applicant rank list several times to ensure that the rank order makes sense and we have not made any other errors. And then finally, we input the numbers directly into the computer on the NRMP website.

Final Thoughts

Well, that’s about it. Nothing earth-shattering! No system is perfect. But in my biased view, the process seems logical and fair. I like to think that we do a decent job with our information.

Most importantly, the proof is in the pudding. When I realize the great residents we have accepted over my tenure as Associate Residency Director using our ranking process, it has paid dividends over time. Our residents have been fantastic!

 

 

 

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Ten Reasons Why Service Jobs Are Important Preparation For Your Radiology Career!

service jobs

For those out there who worked at Taco Bell during high school or the local Target (1) for a year while in college, these kinds of service jobs may seem irrelevant to your radiology resume. But for program directors and residency selection committees, we find these “real-world” experiences invaluable in creating a picture of a well-rounded person. Here is a list of ten reasons service jobs are crucial to your career!

People Skills

Ever had to get someone to make a final decision because they were unsure if they wanted the Dell or Acer Computer at Best Buy? Or perhaps, you had to take someone’s order at the local Denny’s. These skills are immediately translatable to situations we encounter with people daily in our field. Perhaps, you need to convince a patient to get an interventional procedure completed. Or maybe, you must soothe a patient before getting their barium enema? These people skills will come in handy!

Managerial Skills

Need the technologist to work with you when you are doing fluoroscopy? Well, those years managing the local Subway shop will serve you well. If you can get your employees to clean the restaurant floor, it is not a giant leap to having the technologist prepare everything before your next fluoroscopy the way you like!

Ability To Deal With The Real-World

Is your head in the clouds because you’ve been only thinking about abstractions your entire life? Or do you have some fundamental translatable practical skills? A few months working at your local supermarket will certainly cure you of living in a dream world! We, as radiologists, constantly have to manage real-world situations, not just the anecdotes we read in books!

Practical Problem Solving

Perhaps you worked as a waiter at a restaurant and spilled tomato sauce on your client. Or maybe the deli slicer stopped working? How do you deal with these situations on the fly? As we practice medicine, we need to have the same ability to think on our feet and “outside the box.” Working in service jobs is excellent practice!

Workplace Diversity

When you work at the local McDonald’s, you encounter all races, socioeconomic classes, and cultures. What do we do as radiologists? Well, we also need to take into account these factors for our patients and staff. If you have never had the experience of working with a diverse population, you will not understand the nuances of daily radiology work!

Teamwork

Have you only experienced the artificial environment of working with others at school? Or, have you needed to work as a team to make those sales at the Gap? Working in service jobs is a fantastic way to get this experience!

Understanding of Business Bottom Line

Ever had to run a business to pay your employees and make ends meet? You don’t get that experience by reading books! Instead, it would help if you involved yourself firsthand. And you know what? Radiology is a service business like any other. We need to meet the bottom line too. Now, we know you can empathize with our work!

Conflict Resolution

For those of you that never held a real service job, it is difficult to comprehend how to solve conflicts among your staff. A little practice at your local drug store routinely calming your clientele as they wait to fill their prescription goes a long way toward solving conflicts with your patients and staff as a radiologist!

Ability To Handle New Technology

Maybe, you had to learn an entirely new register at the local hardware store. Or, perhaps, the engraving tools changed. You need to know these new tools very quickly. Guess what? Changes happen in radiology all the time. See, these service jobs are an introduction to our world!

Service Jobs And The Bottom Line

Working in the service industry before beginning a radiology residency is no joke. We, as program directors, truly value the efforts that you have made to work a real job. Whether it is conflict resolution, problem-solving, or learning how to be part of a team, your experience in the service industry will help prepare you for our line of work. So, go forth, don’t be embarrassed, and add that job to your resume. It can only help your cause!

(1) Target is an affiliate of this website

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How Important Is My Radiology Interview Really?

radiology interview

Picture this: It’s more than halfway through radiology interview season. And you’ve already traveled through much of the United States to meet all sorts of radiologists. You’re a bit weary from all the work (Imagine how your interviewers feel!) So, with all that time and effort you have put into the radiology interview process, did the interviews make a significant difference? I mean, this is only radiology, right? A specialty that does not value human interactions as much as internal medicine let’s say? And what happens if some interviews went well and others stunk up the joint? Does it significantly change how the programs rank you on the rank list? Well, today, you are in for a treat. You are going to get an insider’s view of the process!

The Power Of The Radiology Interview

Even in radiology, if I were to say that the interview held no weight whatsoever, I would be lying! A radiology interviewee with good interviewing skills can potentially increase his chances of matching. On the other hand, the interviewee that fails miserably can detract from their application. So much so that occasionally the interviewer can give you the dreaded acronym DNR (Do Not Rank!). But let’s go into some more specifics here.

The Interviewing Maven

Are you one of those medical students who always sound intelligent to everyone you meet? Or, perhaps, your charisma infects the entire room? Let’s say your interviewers have a 10-point scale that considers all the information, including your Dean’s letter, recommendations, personal statement, research, experiences, and board scores. I have seen certain applicants bump themselves up to 3 points. So what does that mean? A lot! Most candidates drift around the middle of the rank list or in the 4-6 range. When you add three points to your application, that can place your application in a rarified atmosphere. It can almost ensure your acceptance to a program.

The Interviewing Wall-Flower

Are you shy or uncomfortable during interview situations? Or maybe, you always appear depressed and lethargic? Hmm… Perhaps, you have a bizarre schizoid appearance? How do these interviewer qualities affect your application? Let’s see. In my experience, an applicant that should be somewhere in the middle or top of the pack can go down to (drum roll please…), the land of nowhere. And where is that may you ask? DNR (Do Not Rank)!!!

On the other hand, the average poor interviewee who is not quite hitting the answers to questions well or making a few flubs usually gets detracted by a few points. However, that can still make an enormous difference in a competitive application process.

My Final Point

So, if you consider these calculations, which radiology interview has the power to change the status of your application the most, the good or the bad? It’s simple. A bad radiology interview trumps the potential positive effects of someone with a great one.

What is my final point of this exercise? Make sure to take the interview very seriously. Please, please, please. Practice before you come in. Tape yourself on your cell phone. Do whatever you must before arriving or showing up on Zoom. A radiology interview is critical. Your future livelihood is at stake!!!

 

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The Radiology Post-Interview Thank You Letter (Is It Worth The Time?)

thank you letter

As a former radiology medical student, resident, and fellow, I had always wondered whether the post-interview thank you letter makes a difference. Now that I am on the other side of the fence as a radiology attending, I can tell you that it can change your destiny. So, today I will talk about why a post-interview thank you letter is so important. In addition, we will also discuss whether you should physically write a letter or send an email.

Reinforcing The Connection

Picture this from the program director’s point of view. You converse with an applicant during an interview. And then, you find commonalities that connect both of you, the attending and the interviewee. How long does that connection last? Well, when you have 5-10 interviews with most of them having some sort of interesting conversation, not so long. So, how do you reinforce the excellent discussion you just had? Let me give you a hint… An excellent thank you letter!

Token Of Appreciation- It’s Polite

Not to say that Millenials are not appreciative. But, many express their appreciation in different ways. That said, an old-fashioned gen-Xer or baby boomer understands the significance of a thank you letter differently than a Millenial. It may not seem so important to you right now. I mean, how important can a thank you letter be? Well, perceptions differ widely depending on your generation. Some take insult to not receiving a thank you. Why play with fire? If the residency interests you, you can’t lose. Just send the thank you letter!

Networking- Helps With Finding Your Next Job

For those who do not know, program directors, fellowships directors, and chairpersons talk about their applicants. And sometimes, a great applicant may not rank highly enough in a program to match. Or perhaps, there are a whole bunch of applicants for one attending position. In this case, each applicant was great, but only one fits the bill. You never know. So sometimes, the thank you note receiver can give that push for the interviewer to mention your name to another bigwig because you wrote such a nice thank you letter. You never know… It can get you that next job.

Can Increase Your Ranking

Not to mention names of programs… But, at some programs, a thank you letter will bump you up a few notches in a rank list. Or, when there are many applicants for one job, and only one writes a thank you note, you significantly increase your chances of being selected for the post. So, just go ahead and do it!

Email Vs. Written- The Big Controversy

Based on the reasons above, I think I have easily supported the argument for writing the thank you note. Now, the even more pressing question (drum roll, please…): Do you write a handwritten thank you note? Or is shooting off a simple email enough?

I have less intense feelings about whether you should write or email. Let me give you an example. For someone like me, who has the worst handwriting since the dawn of language, I think a handwritten letter would counteract any positives of writing a thank you note. (I can picture the reader saying, “What the hell is that? This guy is disorganized and messy. Look at that handwriting. I’m not taking him here!”) On the other hand, for those of you that have great handwriting, a written thank you note can seem more personal and add to your application. I’ve seen some incredible thank you letters with a beautiful script that impress me.

So basically, the answer to this question, unfortunately, is: that it depends. On the other hand, a thank you note is almost always better than no thank you note. So, if you feel more comfortable writing an email instead of a written thank you letter: go for it!!!

The Thank You Letter Summarized

So, we now know how the thank you letter supports your application. And, it probably does not matter whether or not it is handwritten. Therefore, if you want to reinforce your connections, show that you are respectful, increase your chances of quality networking, and possibly increase your ranking or the possibility of getting that next job, bite the bullet and just write that thank you letter. There is no downside!!!

 

 

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The Program Director Interview Welcome Presentation: More Than Meets The Eye?

welcome presentation

 

 

As part of the radiology residency interview trail, most interviews begin with a welcome presentation delivered by the program directors. I know. Your eyes may start to glaze over as you think about these presentations. All of them blur together by the time you have reached your second or third interview.

But wait… Maybe there is more to these conferences than meets the eye. Although sometimes painful, these presentations are chock full of information that will become very important once you begin the radiology residency. And, believe it or not, the initial program director lecture content usually does summarize the residency programs well. So, try your best to maintain awareness instead of falling asleep in that comfy chair in a warm room with the program director droning on about the program. Listen very carefully and take notes. Your future career is on the line. Ignore it at your peril!

To summarize for today, my goal is to cue you on what you should tune into when you hear these lectures. Most quality presentations contain wide-ranging information, from residency rotations to information about ancillary staff and even imaging equipment. But what do you need to get out of the production? I’ve divided some of the most important themes you may not find elsewhere with the following subheadings: program theme, staff availability, teaching methods, program stability, and fellowship connections. We will go into all of these in more detail.

Program Theme

Every program has a general theme. Some programs are academic. Others produce community radiologists. And even others gear themselves to the interventional radiologist. Usually, the presentation develops one or more of these general themes. Most of the time, you will not find this information on the website or paper. For instance, I can tell you that when I gave the welcome presentation, I emphasized how our program runs as a private practice in an academic community setting. It doesn’t say that anywhere on the website or in the packets we give the applicants. You will be hard-pressed to find this information elsewhere. So, you need to take notes and write down the kind of program you are interviewing.

Staff Availability

Often, the welcome lecture summarizes how open the program is to input from the residents. Can you ask the attending a question on the fly? Or do you have to make an appointment month in advance to get the program director’s ear? You can derive a sense of the general communication between the residents and the attendings from the interaction with the program director and residents during the welcome session. Again, you won’t receive this information quickly from other sources.

Teaching Methods

Most presentations mention the styles that attendings utilize to teach the residents. Does the program emphasize multiple-choice questions at conferences? Do they like to use the Socratic method of teaching how to read films? Or maybe, the residents are taught chiefly by total immersion in the rotation. For some residents, this may be a crucial determiner of the effectiveness of their learning over four years. I’m unsure how you begin to find this information unless you know the other residents or the program director well.

Program Stability

If you listen carefully, the program director may talk about the attending staff at the institution. Are they all young? (Usually, that means there has been a recent collapse of the residency program) Or, as I like to say, do all the staff members stay around until they are in a “proverbial box.” The average age of the staff is 70. (If you see a residency program like this, maybe they churn their young attendings) This information can also be hard to come by using other means.

Fellowship Connections

Usually, you can find out where the former residents went to their fellowships after residency online. However, the program director may drop hints about getting their residents into these fellowships. That is just as important. Do the attendings have deep seeded connections at other institutions? Or rather, the program director may not talk about staff connections at all (A red flag!). Typically, the welcome presentation will divulge some additional information about these connections.

The Welcome Presentation- More Than Meets The Eye

As you can see, a welcome presentation is more than just a summary of all the information everyone already knows about the program. Typically, it summarizes facts about a residency program that you may not be able to find easily elsewhere. So, I recommend listening (as dull as some of them may be!). You may learn a thing or two that will help you decide where you want to match!

 

 

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10 Ways to Sabotage Your Radiology Residency Interview

radiology residency interview


As radiology attendings, we need to sit next to our radiology residents for hours at a time. We get to know your quirks, mannerisms, and other personality features for better or for worse. (Kind of like a marriage!) Interviews are a time to let that personality shine through. We want to make sure that you are a living, breathing person with a soul. Can you speak understandably? Can you hold a conversation? Are you funny/witty? What’s your hygiene?

A radiology residency interview can also confirm that you are the person you say you are in the application. Can this person be trusted? Is this person going to lie to his attending about a procedure or history? For these reasons, significant weight is placed on the interview even though the process is imperfect. Furthermore, it does not always weed out the bad from the good.

Even knowing the importance of the radiology residency interview process, many prospective radiology residents enter the interview unprepared and have the perceived emotional/situational IQ of a tomato. If that were you, I recommend you practice your advertising pitch numerous times before beginning the interviews. If you want that residency job, you need to be the greatest of actors/actresses during the interview process. Show us that you can handle the demands of radiology residency!!!

Throughout my interview experience, I have seen all sorts of applicant disasters during the radiology residency interview process, usually related to unprepared applicants. Most can prevent these catastrophes with attention and practice. I am going to go through 10 real interview characters that have sabotaged their application. I hope these scenarios will be instructive in the art of the radiology residency interview. DON’T LET ONE OF THESE CHARACTERS BE YOU!!!

The Liar

Our third radiology residency interview candidate of the day walks into the room and shakes my hand firmly as we sit down to talk. He seems very focused, and I enjoy talking with him. He starts talking about how he developed an organization that hires famous CEO guest speakers to come to his medical school and lecture on business in medicine. Wow, very impressive! The interview ran smoothly, so I preliminarily gave him high marks.

After the interview session, the selection committee convenes to review each of the applicants. It turns out, the application and the other interviewer had different stories. Upon review of the application, it says he was just a member of the organization’s club. The other interviewer said he would only chauffeur the CEO to the meeting. Out of concern for the applicant’s integrity, we put him in the do not rank pile.

Bottom line: Make sure to get your story straight. Your oral presentation and written information should all be aligned. The interviewers regularly reconcile everything together. You need to tell the truth and stick with the same story!!

Smelly Guy At The Radiology Residency Interview

Before the formal interview procedure, we have a social interaction period with the residents to get to know the applicants. After most of the residents leave the room, we begin to hear some grumbling from the residents. So, I walk into the room, and as I walk toward a particular applicant, a stench becomes stronger and stronger. Oh my God!! It smells pungent, and I can almost taste it in my mouth. My impulse is to run, but I have to be cordial due to the circumstances. I am dreading the one on one interview process.

Bottom line: Make sure your hygiene is appropriate before starting your interviews. Appearances and “smells” are essential!!

The Sleepy Man

My introductory lecture to our residency program starts, and the lights begin to dim. I typically look at all the applicants in the room to keep the interest level high. But after 5 minutes of lecturing, I hear a loud freight train-like noise emanating from the back row in the form of an applicant in a suit. My assumption is he is not interested in the residency program: suitable applicant but low-interest level. We rank him toward the bottom of the list.

Bottom line: It is imperative to get a good sleep the night before the interviews. Even if the applicant was only tired but interested in our program, sleeping during the interview shows a lack of interest and respect.

Ms. Robot

I warmly introduce myself to an applicant as she enters the room for the formal interview. Entirely devoid of emotion and empathy, she responds, “Hi” quickly. We sit down, and the applicant immediately launches into this speech about herself without any voice inflection or changes in tone or speed. I have the sense she has done this a thousand times before. There is no “conversation-like” tone to her speech. No interactive quality. Is this the way she will behave when I have to sit with her for hours at a time? Even though her application was excellent, the applicant committee decided to give her a do not rank assessment.

Bottom line: Practice interviewing with others. Pretend you are having a conversation and interacting with your interviewer. Perceived personality is vital!

Shy Radiology Residency Interview Guy

The applicant walks into my interview room and introduces himself, but I can barely hear what he says. He stretches out to shake my hand. His hand feels cold, limp, clammy, and weak. The interview starts, and I try to get him to respond to my questions, but it’s like “pulling teeth.” The answers last 10 seconds at most. I asked the residents sitting next to him in the conference room about the candidate, and they said he didn’t speak a word. No one was able to figure out his personality. Even though his application was OK, we felt we could not put him on the rank list.

Bottom line: You need to get over your fears and act and speak with confidence. It may involve practice, coaching, and psychological evaluation. If we can’t figure out who you are during your interview, we are not sure if we want to sit next to you as a resident!!!

Mrs. Bizarro

Across from me in the interview area sits a pleasant-looking woman dressed appropriately. Everything seems fine until our conversation begins. Her eyes start to bulge out. Smiles and giggles burst out inappropriately in the middle and end of sentences. Even though she answers my questions mostly appropriately, something is off.

After the interview, we meet with the selection committee, and the first thing I ask is: what’s with Mrs. Bizarro? All the committee members look at me and say, “We were thinking the same thing!!!” We quickly took her off the rank list.

Bottom line: Practice your interviewing skills in front of a mirror or tape yourself on an iPhone. You need to know that your expressions are appropriate for the interview context. This lady may have been an excellent radiologist, but we sure would not feel comfortable having her sit next to us!!!

Not Quite Right, Joe

Toward the end of the interview, we start to talk about extracurricular activities and hobbies. The applicant proceeds to say that he was into cow-tipping as a college student. And one time, the college dean reprimanded him for the activity. Automatically, mental bells start ringing. Who would mention something like that in an interview setting? Why would someone want to do that to a cow? Off the rank list, he goes!

Bottom line: We are not your friends in the interview setting. Do not release any information that could jeopardize your application and make you appear strange. We do not want any issues during residency that could cause probation, suspension, or worse!

The Guy all the Residents Hate At The Radiology Residency Interview

I am having a great conversation with one of the applicants. He tells me about some of his exciting research projects and hobbies. He seems to be a straight shooter and is very witty. We end the conversation on a high note with expectations that we will rank the candidate highly.

After our interview, we met with the rest of the admissions committee. The admissions committee consists of the residency director, associate residency director (myself), chief resident, and several other senior residents. We begin to discuss the candidate at hand. Every single resident states something negative like: “This guy was obnoxious”; ‘He was chauvinistic,”; “Really bitingly sarcastic.” The directors are dumbfounded. We place the applicant in the do not rank pile.

Bottom line: You need to play nice with all members of the staff, especially the residents. They have essential input in the residency application process and interviews. The wrong statement can get you kicked off the rank list!!!

The Cell Phone Gal

I started giving the introductory talk to the applicants about the program. Every minute or two, I notice a woman looking down at her lap. Oh well… I continued with my lecture.

An hour later, we meet for an interview, and we shake hands. We sit down, and I start asking questions. The applicant seems a little bit distracted. Again her eyes continue to float down toward her lap every few minutes. All of a sudden, I hear a ring. She picks up the cell phone and says to me, “I need to get this.” She is not interested in our program.

Bottom line: Shut off your cell phone. You are here to interview for a job. It is a sign of disrespect to use your cell phone at any time during the interview process!

Opaque Sam

We parse through an applicant’s resume and ERAS transcript. The package states that the resident had a DUI arrest when he was a college student. So, the interview begins after some ice-breaking small talk. Naturally, a DUI arrest is a big deal. It signifies that the applicant has the potential to be an alcoholic and engage in risky behaviors. So, I anxiously pop the question: Tell me about what happened with your DUI arrest when you were in college? The applicant bluntly states, “It happened. It’s over. I don’t really want to talk about it further…” A moment of silence ensues.

Flash forward to the selection committee meeting. All the interviewers received the same response from the applicant. There was no response of remorse. No explanation for the event. Nothing. Our committee put the applicant in the do not rank pile.

Bottom line: Candidates should address any adverse events upfront, or else an admissions committee may perceive the applicant as hiding something significant, whether true or not. Don’t be like Opaque Sam!!

 

Sabotaging Your Radiology Residency Interview!

Interviewing is often about what not to do as much as it is what you should say. Make sure you prepare for the interview day. And, don’t be like our ten catastrophic characters!!!

 

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How To Create A Killer Radiology Personal Statement

radiology personal statement

 

Personal statements in the radiology field are the least effective way to bolster your application. (1) Rarely, do they help an applicant. Occasionally, they hurt the applicant’s case. Regardless, I am aware that the personal statement will often become essential to many viewers of this article who apply to radiology regardless of whatever I say.  Therefore, I am creating this blog for anyone that is applying for a radiology related job to learn to create that killer radiology personal statement. And, today I am going to recount some of the basics for creating one. Specifically, I am going to start by explaining the parts of a great radiology personal statement and then give you some general tips that I have learned over the years from blogging and reading many personal statements.

First Paragraph:

The Hook

After having rummaged through thousands of radiology personal statements and writing lots of blogs, I can definitely say that the key paragraph for the reader begins at the beginning. If it is average/boring, I have almost zero desire to read the rest of the statement, especially when you have another 10 more to read that day. Something in the few first few sentences needs to draw the reader in quickly. You are not writing a short story or novel where you can slowly develop your characters and plot. Rather, you need to write using a technique that I like to call the hook. Reel that program director in.

There are several techniques that I have seen over the years. Let’s start by using the writing technique of irony. Notice the irony I chose in the first paragraph of this article. I started by saying personal statements are the least effective way to bolster your application. Whoa, wait a minute! The title of the article is How To Create A Killer Personal Statement. That’s somewhat interesting. The dissonance in that first paragraph draws the reader in.

So, what other techniques can you use to maintain the interest of the reader? Sometimes quotes can certainly help. Once in a while, I come across a quote that really interests me. I tend to like quotes from Albert Einstein. They tend to be witty and have double meanings. But, there are certainly millions to choose from. A good quote can set the tone for the rest of the personal statement.

Finally, you can write about an interesting theatrical description of a life-altering event that caused you to want to go into radiology. Use descriptive novel-like adjectives and adverbs. Go to town. However, be careful. Don’t choose the same events as everyone else. Read my other blog called Radiology Personal Statement Mythbusters to give you some other ideas about what not to choose!

Tell Why You Are Interested In Radiology

The first paragraph is also an important place to tell the reader why you are interested in radiology. Many times I will read a radiology personal statement and say to myself that was kind of interesting, but why does this person want to go into the radiology field? He/she never quite answers the question and I am left feeling that this person does not know why they want to enter the field. Don’t let that be you!

Second Paragraph:

Explain Any Problems/Issues

I like the applicant to be upfront with the reader rather quickly if there was an issue that may cause a program director or resident to discard an application. It could be addressing something as serious as a former conviction for drunk driving when you were young and stupid. Or, it could be something milder like a questionable quotation from a mentor that you found in your Deans Letter. Either way, you need to explain yourself. Otherwise, the problem/issue can declare itself as a red flag. Subsequently, it can prevent you from getting the interview that you really want.

Second and Third Paragraphs

Expand Upon Your Application

Let’s say you don’t really have any red flags in your application. Well then, now you can write about some of the things that you accomplished that you want to bring to the attention of your reader. Typically, these may be items in your application that are partially explained in the experience or research sections of the ERAS application but really deserve further emphasis or explanation.

Show Not Tell

In addition, the meat of any personal statement should contain information about what you did. Do not, instead, describe all the characteristics you had to allow you to do it. This is a cardinal mistake I often see in many personal statements. What do I mean by that? If you have been working at NASA on the Webb Space Telescope, you don’t want to say I was a hard worker and was well liked by everybody. Rather you would want to say I spent 1000 hours building the mirror for the telescope constantly correcting for mistakes to such a fine degree that the engineering societies considered it to be almost perfect. And to show you were well liked by everybody, you can say when you were done completing the telescope, NASA held a ticker tape parade for me!!! (Well, that’s probably not the case. But, hopefully, you get the idea.)

Final Paragraph

Time to Sum Up

This can be the most difficult part of writing a personal statement (and blog too!) How do you tie everything together into a tight knot so that everything comes together and makes sense? Well, one thing you can write about is what you will bring to the table if your residency program selects you based on what you have stated in your radiology personal statement. Back to the Webb telescope example: Given my experience with my successful quest for perfection by creating an almost perfect telescope mirror, similarly, I plan to hone my skills to become an incredible radiologist by always learning from others and my fellow clinicians to get as close to perfection as possible. Bottom line. You want to make sure to apply your experiences to the job that you want to get.

General Issues With Editing

1. I have learned a few things about writing over the past years, whether it is blogs, personal statements, letters, or whatever else you need to write. However, the most important is the obsessive need to review and re-review whatever you are writing for editing. It may take 100 edits to get it right!!!

2. Have a friend or a relative read your personal statement to catch errors you may not see. Your brain is trained to already know what you have written. Many times the only way to catch your own mistakes is to have another person read your writings.

3. Also, make sure to the read the personal statement out loud. Sometimes you can only detect errors by listening to what you have actually written. It happened many times when I edited my book Radsresident: A Guidebook For The Radiology Applicant And Radiology Resident

4. Finally, I recommend the use of grammar correcting programs. The one that I would like to bring to your attention is the program called Grammarly. I am an affiliate of Grammarly. However, that is only because I use the program myself for my blogs all the time. It has saved me from really stupid mistakes. One version is for free and corrects simple critical errors. The other uses more complex grammatical corrections and is a paid service. Regardless, either version will assist you in catching those silly errors. In addition, I usually paste my blogs into the Microsoft Word program to correct any other possible errors. I have found both programs to be complementary.

Other Useful Tidbits

Avoid Too Many I Words

When writing a radiology personal statement, try to reduce the usage of the word I for multiple reasons. First, it begins to sound very redundant. Second, you appear selfish. (It’s always about you, isn’t it?) And finally, you want to create the impression that you are going to be a team player, not in the field of radiology just for yourself.

Active Not Passive Tense

If you want a passage to sound great, make sure to almost always use the active tense, not the passive variety. When using the passive form, the reader has more work to do because he/she has to figure out who is doing the activity. In addition, the environment appears to control you rather than you controlling the environment. And finally, sentences sound more verbose when using the passive tense. Think about the following phrases: The job of creating a computer algorithm was completed over the course of 10 years vs. My colleagues and I created a computer algorithm over the course of 10 years. Which sounds better to you?

Use Sentence Transitions

If you want your personal statement to sound smooth, I find words other than the subject at the beginning of the sentence help to diversify the sound of the individual sentence. Also (notice this transition word!), it allows for a change of idea without being so abrupt.

Don’t Use The Same Word At The Beginning Of Each Sentence

In that same train of thought, try not to use the same word to begin a sentence over and over again. It’s a surefire way to bore the reader!!!

Creating That Perfect Radiology Personal Statement

Now you know some of the rules I would utilize to create an interesting radiology personal statement. Some of these are general rules that I apply to my blog on a weekly basis that I also see in the best personal statements. Therefore, I know that they work well. So, go forth and write that killer radiology personal statement. You now have all the tools you need!!!

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Cracking the Radiology Residency Application Code

application

Most medical students and residents do not have an insider’s insight into radiology residency and fellowship application and interview processes. Even worse, misleading advice and rumors cloud the process. One needs only to look at the average student or residency forum to see numerous conflicting stories and statements.

Only someone actively involved in the process can understand what you need to know when applying for a radiology residency. So, thankfully, you have come to the right post. I have looked at thousands of applications and interviewed hundreds of residents for positions in our program as associate program director. So, I will help you out by delving into the depths of the radiology residency application process. This article will give you the basics of what you need to know.

The Application

We could go through the application in one of many ways. But, I think the best way is to go through the different parts of the application from most to least important. This way, you will not squander your energy on the small stuff!

The Dean’s Letter

Few sections of the application genuinely differentiate one applicant from another. Dean’s letters happen to be one of those items. The reason for that: you will receive comments from attendings, residents, nurses, technologists, and secretaries that may say something negative. I can’t tell you how often we have parsed an entire application with glowing positives until we arrive at the Dean’s letter. And, then we receive coded messages in the letter, such as: was very shy during the rotation, but did see some improvement. Or, this resident was very independent. However, he did not seek help when presented with a challenging patient care issue. And so forth.

Additionally, the Dean’s letter is the only document (other than the boards) that compares the applicants to their classmates. Most medical schools have buzzwords indicating the residents’ rank in their class. Each one is different, but typically it allows insight into which quartile the resident resides.

Can You Do Anything About The Dean’s Letter?

Ok, so you have your Dean’s letter written in “stone.” And, at some institutions, you may hear that administrators say you cannot change the Dean’s letter. But usually, at the bare minimum, you can check the Dean’s letter. All medical students applying for a residency should scan their Dean’s Letter before sending out the application. I have seen Dean’s letters sent on behalf of medical schools with the wrong applicant’s information!

At other institutions, you can look at your letter before application time and potentially modify the document. If that is the case, you should undoubtedly check it for any hostile or questionable comments. And then, if possible, confront the department/person that wrote the statement. Ask if they could redact or modify it. If the writer is truthful, the person may decide to leave it there. But an attempt should be made, as this one negative comment can make the difference between high, low, or no ranking on a program’s rank list. Not infrequently, the admissions committees will obsess over one questionable comment. They will often spend countless painful hours perseverating over these “minor details.”

The institution may not allow you to look at the Dean’s letter at a few medical schools. But the school may allow your mentor or a faculty member to look at the document and possibly edit it for corrections. I can’t emphasize enough how important it is to increase your odds of being accepted to the residency of your choice.

The Boards/USMLE

Why are the boards important? Well, the boards/USMLE assess the ability of a future resident to pass the radiology certification examinations. We have noticed a strong correlation between lower board scores and difficulty passing the new core exam in our program. So, similar to our program, most programs take the USMLE score very seriously.

In addition, programs use board scores more as a baseline cutoff. Once you score higher than that baseline, it doesn’t factor much into the ranking equations. On the other hand, unless extenuating circumstances exist, failing and low scores usually place the application in the deny pile.

What About COMLEX?

For those of you that are D.O. medical school applicants, I recommend that you take the USMLE in addition to the COMLEX examination. Many radiology programs are unsure of the significance of COMLEX scores and don’t know how to factor the scores into the ranking equations/cutoffs. Applications with COMLEX scores alone may get thrown out of the interview pile entirely.

Gamesmanship

Even with all these factors, you can use some gamesmanship when it comes to the boards. If you have done very well in the step 1 boards, often, you may be able to get away with just sending those scores alone. You may want to delay taking step 2 USMLE. With high USMLE Step 1 scores, USMLE step 2 scores can only hurt you if they are lower. Of course, all this gamesmanship will disappear when the scores no longer exist on Step 1. At that point, Step 2 scores will most likely replace the outcomes on Step 1.

Finally, most programs look for/expect improvement from step 1 to step 2, especially with borderline step 1 scores. So be careful and take the step 2 boards very seriously. Invest in a review course if you need to.

Research

Nowadays, research can become a significant factor in getting an interview in a residency program. What is the reason for that? ACGME guidelines mandate that accredited radiology residencies have specific radiology research requirements for residents before graduating. Knowing that a resident has completed multiple quality research projects means that a resident can work more independently completing research projects. This knowledge of research reduces the burdens upon the department.

Furthermore, radiology research may demonstrate significant interest in the field. And, it provides an avenue for discussion during interviews later on in the process. We often look at an application, saying it’s pretty good, but the resident hasn’t completed any research. That may take the application down a few rungs.

Bottom line, though. It won’t take you entirely out of the running for getting a spot. However, it can be a significant asset in some situations.

Extracurricular activities

We look for two big red flags to avoid on this section of your application: those applicants that emphasize that they have participated in every extracurricular activity under the sun and those applicants who write down almost nothing. A resident who participates in everything suggests that he lacks focus, never investigating or accomplishing tasks in depth. On the other hand, a resident that engages in nothing but school tends not to be well rounded. These residents may not have outlets to disperse their frustrations during their four years of training. A residency director does not like having frustrated residents!

Impressive Extracurriculars

So what are some activities that impress the admission committee? : Interesting extracurriculars that show leadership potential, activities that demonstrate a depth of involvement, and activities that offer an ability to handle stressful situations and function independently. Some of the special extracurriculars that stand out in my mind that meet these criteria would be a student that started a Subway franchise successfully from scratch and made it into a big business, a student that participated in the Olympics, and a student that lobbied for Congress. These are people that tend to climb the rank list higher because their extracurriculars were memorable.

Not So Memorable Extracurriculars

What are some extracurriculars that don’t add much to the application? Those activities that everyone else does and do not suggest leadership potential. In radiology, those would include participating in a radiology club (Big deal!), participating in health fairs (Every medical student does it), and teaching inner-city kids (We see it all the time as part of medical school curricula!) Not that these activities are harmful, but they don’t add much at all to your application. My recommendation to you: find something you enjoy, hopefully, something unique, and stick with it during your four years of medical school training!

Recommendations

Admissions committees like to make a big deal about recommendations. You’ll undoubtedly hear that you need an excellent letter to get into a great program. But honestly, if you ask someone for a recommendation, it is unusual to find someone who will write you a nasty one. Students are going to ask attending physicians that like them. On the other hand, although rare, we see a “bad” recommendation as a significant red flag. It often means the resident that obtained the letter has a poor emotional intelligence quotient. Or she couldn’t find one attending that liked them- both significant issues!!!

Like the rare bad recommendation, great recommendations that raise the application within the pile to a higher rank are also unusual. For the most part, this type of recommendation stems from well-known entities that want the person in their program. Or perhaps, it comes from a close colleague that the radiology admissions committee implicitly trusts.

Recommendations rank relatively low in the application influence equation given the rare ability to change the application disposition.

The Personal Statement

Finally, I would like to talk about the item that medical students often perseverate on the most: the personal statement. The personal statement seldom helps an applicant and can occasionally hurt an applicant. After having read over a thousand of them, there are very few standouts. And, almost all of those that stood out were somewhat disturbing. I still remember an essay that emphasized a dead rabbit. It did not have any correlation to radiology whatsoever. I was concerned about mental illness in that student. We terminated the possibility of acceptance to our program immediately!

If I had to say one thing, I would advise you to be cohesive and relevant to your future career as a radiologist. Also, watch out for typos because typos suggest an inattentive personality, not a characteristic you want in a radiologist. Other than that, don’t fret too much about this part of the application.

Summary

Application for radiology is an arduous process with multiple pitfalls. Make sure you concentrate on those items that give you the most “bang for your buck” to send your application higher on the rank list. In particular, put particular emphasis on the Dean’s letter. Check it if you can. Correct it if need be.

And finally, don’t be that student with marginal board scores, no research, dull or no extracurriculars, poor recommendations, and a personal statement that stands out too much. If you follow my suggestions and try not to rock the boat, you should get into a great residency!

 

 

 


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What To Look For In A Radiology Residency?

residency

No perfect radiology residency program exists for radiology residency applicants, and no one size fits all. Each candidate has their own needs, wants, and learning style. And each program has its positives and negatives. Therefore, each applicant should strive to match with the appropriate residency. In doing so, the positives of the program should fit well with the applicant’s needs. And, the negatives should be minor and not detract from the overall radiology resident experience.

My goal for today is to discuss the essential ingredients for choosing a radiology residency. Most online overviews do not address many of these crucial factors to look for in a radiology residency program. So, I thought it was critical to include them. Included in my discussion will be of the highest importance to most minor importance: residency culture/hierarchy, location/proximity to family/friends, intimate insider knowledge of a program, rotations/equipment/procedure volume, university vs. community programs, private vs. academic run departments, graduating resident fellowships, conferences, research, mentorship programs, and board passage rates.

In the end, the overall residency experience will allow you to become a great radiologist. So, I will put it all together at the conclusion to help you to make a final decision. To do this, I have assigned an individual point score for each factor. It would help if you recorded for each residency you are considering for ranking. In the end, add up the points. And then, compare to the other residencies on your rank list. When you finish, rank each accordingly.

Residency culture (5 points)

Residency culture is probably one of the most critical factors to think about when choosing a residency. However, it is also one of the most difficult to define. The difference between happiness and misery in a program first and foremost often lies with the colleagues that you have. No matter how excellent the overall “experiences” of a residency program, you will not want to come to work if you hate the people you work with. On the other hand, if the residency is marginal, but the people you work with are fantastic, the four years of residency will not be so bad.

What To Look For

The problem with using this factor for choosing a residency is that it is a moving target. From year to year, residencies accept new residents, and old ones leave. So, the residency culture today may not be present tomorrow. However, the attending, technologist, and coordinator support structures of the residency often remain relatively similar. So, it would help if you got to know the residents and the leaders and purveyors of the program.

In addition to getting a sense of the “happiness” of the residents, you should determine the residency leadership style. Some programs prescribe processes for everything that happens in the program. Other programs have a more laissez-faire attitude. Some programs have one or two leaders at the top that act as “benevolent dictators.” Others have each of the attendings with equal say over residency issues.

No one structure is “correct.”. If you are the type of person that needs a well-defined structure, the hierarchical culture would fit better. On the other hand, if you like to create your path and define your schedule, you may prefer a program with an equal footing.

Location and Proximity to Friends/Relatives (4 points)

Over my years as an associate program director, I have found how important it is for residents to have a social outlet. Although not a “resident related experience” per se, this factor can be just as important. Being near loved ones can make the difference between a terrible residency experience and a great one. A support structure can be just as crucial as the residency program itself. I find that the best residents have a healthy support structure outside of residency. Therefore, the location and proximity to loved ones can be essential factors, just as the residency quality. For instance, who would want to be in Manhattan if your children/spouse are in California? If asked by medical students, I will usually mention that they need to consider location seriously.

Insider/Intimate Knowledge of a Program (4 Points)

As a medical student, it helps to rotate through the radiology residency program you may want to attend. Suppose you know the residents and attendings before starting a program. In that case, you already know the residency program’s upsides and downsides and where “the skeletons are hidden.” Knowledge can be worth its weight in gold. It can be challenging to tell what the true nature of a residency program is like before starting a program. Therefore, having insider knowledge can help you when you begin your residency because “you know what you are getting into.” These residents often are some of the most successful because they have a distinct advantage of knowing the attendings, residents, and the hospital system, even before beginning their residency. Do not dismiss insider knowledge as a factor for making this big decision.

Rotations/Equipment/Procedure Volumes (4 points)

I am lumping these factors into one conglomerate. Why? Naturally, the residency must have all the resources you will need to be comfortable with to practice radiology. If you are in a program where the diversity of patients and patient volumes are sorely lacking, you will be at a loss when you are out in practice and have not seen those cases in your area of practice. Likewise, if the faculty does not perform procedures such as arthrograms or your program doesn’t have a 64 or 256 multidetector CT scanner for the interpretation of cardiac CTAs, you will certainly not feel comfortable performing these procedures when you are an attending.

So, you must make sure to search for a program that has all the necessary resources to allow you to learn all the imaging and procedure skills you will need to become a competent radiologist. Furthermore, as summarized in another post, Best Radiology Electives for the Senior Resident, it is imperative that you can rotate in areas of weakness or interest during your residency. Why? Because hiring practices are looking for residents who can do a subspecialty and are competent in most areas of general radiology practice. So when you are in interviews or looking up information on the web, make sure to look into these factors. Once you have started a residency program without all the crucial resources to make a great radiology resident, there is no going back!!!

Community vs. University Programs (3 points)

Incoming medical students tend to put more weight on attending a “university program” rather than a “community” program. However, both programs give distinct advantages that applicants do not realize before choosing a residency program. A sizeable academic university program does not fit everyone’s career path. So, what are the advantages and disadvantages of each?

Depth Of Resources

Large academic university programs tend to have resources in specific subspecialties and have several attendings that practice in a particular subspecialty. On the other hand, the smaller community programs tend to have more general radiologists that cross cover multiple specialty areas. So, as a resident attending a university program, you will get a more in-depth experience focusing on individual subspecialties. As a community program resident, you will get a more private practice and “real world” hands-on experience. So these programs should attract different types of radiology residents.

Beauracracy

Also, at community programs, you tend to have more accessibility to your attendings and will more likely work one-on-one with that individual. Also, if you have a specific need, it is more likely to be addressed personally without having to go through “bureaucracy” to get there.

At a sizeable university program, more physicians will intercede with direct attending teachings such as senior residents, visiting fellows, fellows, and junior attendings. You may also need to get through bureaucracies to obtain specific resources within your program. However, some electives and rotations may not be available in a smaller community program, such as connections for abroad electives or other opportunities.

Summary

So, this factor should play a role in your decision. But, it depends on the type of practice you want when you leave the system. One is not better than the other for all.

Private vs. Academic Run Departments (3 points)

This factor is often not mentioned or included as a factor in making a residency program decision. But having worked at private, hybrid, and academic programs, I think it should be essential.

I completed my residency in the private/academic hybrid model, and I found some real advantages to this sort of residency program. We had to get through a specific number of cases each day to meet the appropriate caseload. It was a more “real world” experience that allowed me to hit the ground running when I started my first job. I was dictating loads of cases from the beginning and had tons of experience by the time I graduated. My experience was very different from some of my more academic-run department-trained colleagues that I knew. Some of them had more difficulty getting through lots of cases during the day and felt a bit more uncomfortable at their first community radiology job. It made a difference in the long run for me, as it allowed me to become a more efficient general radiologist.

Academic run departments with attendings hired by the hospital emphasize different qualities. These departments may have more resources dedicated to teaching daily. For the resident interest in a purely academic job, it may be heaven!!! But, they may not simulate the real world. They can perseverate on a few cases for an extended period. So, for the radiology resident interested in private practice, a residency such as this may not be the right fit.

Conferences (3 points)

The ACGME theoretically requires all residencies to have at least a daily conference. But, not all are created equal. Some programs have additional morning conferences, while others have the resident prepare for and present at interdisciplinary conferences. And, even others have residents prepare medical student teaching conferences. The styles and types of meetings can vary widely at each program.

Additionally, you should ask if the attendings regularly show up to give their conferences. Please beware of the program with many on paper, but in reality, it does not have the number they suggest.

The importance of the number and type of conference depends on the individual resident. Some residents learn better with didactic sessions, and others benefit from hands-on direct radiology experience. So, the importance of this factor will vary with the individual applying.

Graduating Resident Fellowships (3 points)

It is critical to check where the former residents have gone to fellowships. Are the residents not able to get into competitive subspecialties? Are they going to “no-name” programs? Do the attendings at the institution have connections and networks with other fellowship programs throughout the country? These are questions that you should ask when you get to your residency interview. Or, you should check online for this information. Knowing where prior residents have attended can show you if they get into competitive subspecialties and fellowships.

Research (2 points)

For the academically oriented, research can be an essential factor in selecting a radiology residency. For the community-oriented, it is less so. But, when you look for jobs, having done some research implies an interest in and commitment to radiology. So, it is essential to have had some experience on your resume to get both the academic and private practice job. Therefore, research within an institution should play some role in your decision.

To make this assessment, it helps to get a list of the resident research output over the past five years. You can see what kinds of studies the current residents have completed. Are there retrospective studies, case reports, or large prospective trials? Is each resident finishing lots of projects? And, does the program have research conferences to support the resident? These findings should help you decide if the residency has a curriculum that encourages residency research.

Mentorship Programs (2 points)

Some residency programs have a dedicated teaching program that helps out first-year residents and gives didactic lectures. Others assign an attending mentor to the resident that is the “go to” person for all issues during their four years of residency. When added to the other factors, applicants can use these perks to help make a final decision.

Board Passage Rates (1 point)

I will include board pass rates last because I believe that studying for the new core exam is more of an individual’s responsibility. Of course, you need to pass your boards. But, I think that the overall residency experience becomes more critical in making you into a great radiologist than the board passage statistics. On the other hand, a radiology residency program should have primary resources for residents to pass the exam. They should have learning materials and books as well as board reviews. Great residencies have had lower board pass rates, large academic institutions, and small programs over the past few years. In the end, the examination is very different from the practice of radiology, but it is another hurdle to overcome.

Putting It All Together

No one factor should make or break your decision to go to a specific program. But instead, the different factors should be weighed based on the individual applicant’s needs and wants. So, add up the numerical point totals for each program next to each section and develop a final score to create a final rank list for every residency program.

To summarize, though, for most residents, I sincerely believe that you need to take the residency culture to be one of the most critical conditions for ranking a program in the residency match. And, location can have a significant effect on your happiness or misery during those four years. But, a quality residency culture and a suitable place without adequate training resources would not be enough. So, be careful when you factor each into consideration.

A great radiologist is the sum of one’s experiences that often stems from radiology residency as the initial building block. Ensure that the foundation will provide you with the training you need to become the best you can be. It can be a difficult choice, but I hope I have provided you with the tools you need to make that decision. Good luck with the match!!!

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A Common Radiology Applicant USMLE Step I Misconception

Ask The Residency Director Step I USMLE Question:

Good evening. My name is Susana, a 3rd-year medical student, very interested in your radiology residency program. I would like to know, if possible, what is the average Step I USMLE score of your PGY1, to know if mine qualifies for your program? Thank you.

Susana

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Answer To The USMLE Step I Question:

Thanks for the great question! It’s a common misconception about how USMLE Step I board scores are used to rank applicants in the match. The board scores are generally not about the average score, but rather the minimum cutoff. The point of using the board scores to help with the match ranking process is to make sure that the candidate can pass the written core exam taken at the end of the third year. And, that is really the only role of the board scores. Most programs such as ours take into much stronger consideration the Dean’s Letter, interviews, and extracurriculars once the applicant has met that specific cutoff.

At our institution we use a cutoff of 220 for the USMLE Step I. However, we have made multiple exceptions over time. First of all, if you perform poorly on the Step I Boards but do well on the Step II Boards, we will often ignore the Step I board scores or average out the two boards scores. Again, the point of the boards for us is the correlation with passing the core examination. A good step II score proves you can pass the boards. Also, if there are exceptional candidates that have other special activities, have had extenuating circumstances for not doing well on the boards, or have proven themselves already by completing a rotation with us, we will on occasion forgo using the cutoff. As an answer to your specific question, if I was to take the average USMLE Step I score over the past few years, it would probably be somewhere in the 230-240 range. But, again I think the average number is irrelevant.

Hope that answer helps!!! Again, thanks for the great question!

Yours truly,

Director1

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