Success as a

Resident Applicant

Top 10 ListJoe Gilhooly, MD

Professor of Pediatrics

Disclosures

In the past 12 months, I have no relevant

financial relationships with the

manufacturer of any commercial

product or provider of commercial

services discussed in this CME activity.

I do not intend to discuss an

unapproved/investigative use of a

commercial product/device in my

presentation.

#1 Search for Your IdentityG

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#1 Search for Your IdentityS

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Is the Force strong with this one?

Can you create a one sentence

summary of yourself?

Searching for Your Identity

• Think of your ERAS

application as a story

about yourself

• Think: Theme

• What do you bring to the

program?

Don‟t be someone you aren‟t

Program Directors will check:

Websites

• 64% of UF medical students

had an account

• 62% of accounts were public

• 7 of 10 had photos with

alcohol

• 3 of 10 had unprofessional

content

LA Thompson, et al. J Gen Intern Med 2008;23:954-7

and Medical Students

#2 Personal Statement = Résumé

You

Don‟t

Have to

Buy Onewww.perfect-personal-statement.com

Personal Statement = Résumé

• Résumé: A set of accomplishments

• This is about you: Be egocentric not

patient-centric

• Connect to the items in your ERAS

application

PS = Résumé

• Should I include:

–Why I like Pediatrics?

–What I am looking for in a

program?

–My future career plans?

• Should I “personalize” it to the

program I am applying to?

Two Words:Spell Check

Frisbee…

F-r-i-s-b-e-e

…Frisbee

#3 Don‟t Sweat the Small Stuff

Information Collected During

the Residency Match Process

Does Not Predict Clinical

Performance

SM Borowitz, et al. Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med.

2000;154:256-260

USMLE Step 2 CK: Take it!

Step 2 CK:“Assesses whether you can apply

medical knowledge, skills, and

understanding of clinical science

essential for the provision of patient care

under supervision and includes emphasis

on health promotion and disease

prevention.”

“The Dean‟s Letter was

ranked lowest of all criteria

by the program directors.”

M Green, et al.

Academic Medicine 2009;84:362-367

“Letters of recommendation

are not highly valued by

program directors.”M Stoffer, S Slavin, et al.

Poster presentation at the APPD Annual Meeting

May 2, 2003

Explain

the

Gaps

#4 Aim High…But Be Realistic

Basic Match Data 2009

(Pediatrics)

• 2471 positions

– 209 programs

• 1674 US Seniors Matched

– USMLE 1 score 219

– USMLE 2 score 229

– 12% AOA

• Median number of ranked programs

– Matched 8

– Unmatched 4 (N = 33)

#5 Do Your Homework

Do NOT follow this advice:

80% of

success is

showing up.

If you aren‟t going to show

up, call and cancel your

interview*

*This slide inserted for

residency coordinators

everywhere

Sources of Information:

Traditional• AMA FREIDA

• Program Match Data from NRMP

• ACGME

– Data Collection Systems

• Search Programs/Sponsors

• American Board of Pediatrics Program

Pass Rates

• Coming soon to the AAP Young Peds

Network

• Program Websites

Current Residents:

Great Sources of Information…

Sources of Information:

Non-traditional

• Studentdoctor.net

• Medfools.com

• Residencyandfellowship.com

Don‟t believe

everything

you read on

my internet!

#6 It‟s All About Interview

Read up on

“How to Interview for a Job”

168,000,000 hits in 0.21

seconds

Importance when ranking an

applicant:

The Interview is #1

M Stoffer, S Slavin, et al.

Poster presentation at the APPD Annual Meeting

May 2, 2003

WS Swanson, et al.

Ambulatory Pediatrics 2005;5:216-220

NE Wagoner, JR Suriano

Academic Medicine. 1992;67:459-465

Residency is a Mixed-

Generation Team Sport

Never Run Out of Questions

• Don‟t you want to know if everyone

gives you the same answer?

• Think about what to ask residents

versus faculty

• Timing: Your first question should

not be about the leave policy

Thank You (Suck up) Cards

• Hand written

• Personalize each card

• Send them to the right

place

What can I Legally Say?

• NRMP Participation agreement

–Can express interest in each other

–Cannot solicit a statement implying

a commitment

Legal…or Not?• Program

– “We would love to have you as a resident

in our program”

– “We are ranking you very high on our list”

– “We hope to have the opportunity to work

with you in the coming year”

– “You are a „for sure‟ match”

• Applicant

– “Your program is at the top of my list”

– “I am ranking you #1”

#7 Know “What NOT to Wear”

Know “What to Wear”

• Business Casual?

• Suit?

• Beware of where you shop

It‟s a Job Interview

Look like a PC…not a Mac

Look like a PC…not a Mac

“Ratings of neatness and

grooming were related

significantly to the faculty

interview ratings of

[resident applicants].

M Boor, et al. The Journal of Psychology

1983;113:61-65

#8 Use Technology Wisely

Trigger Tape courtesy of Tracy Bumsted, MD, MPH

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IgaTl10VUus

#9 Location, Location, Location

Location Matters

• >90% of programs are going to give

you great training in Pediatrics

• But what are you…and your S.O.

going to do when you aren‟t being a

resident?

Effects of ACGME Duty Hour Limits on

Sleep, Work, Hours, and SafetyCP Landrigan, et al. Pediatrics 2008;122:250-258

• No change in:

– Sleep hours, medication errors, motor

vehicle crashes, occupational

exposures

• Burnout decreased from 75% to 57%

(p=0.007)

“It‟s not the years, honey,

it‟s the miles”

Professor Indiana Jones, 1981

Location: Recharge, Energize

#10 Trust the Match Algorithm

True or False

“I thought my best chance of

matching was with Oregon and they

seemed to really like me…I liked the

program at Stanford best…but I

didn‟t think I would get in there…so,

I put Oregon #1 on my list, and sure

enough I matched there. This is the

best strategy to use when making

your rank list.”

Have Fun!