No ENT department, looking for advice

[noise115]

I am a new MS-3 at a middle of the road med school with no ENT department. I am interested in matching in ENT, but I am unsure of what my realistic chances are and how detrimental it will be if I don't have very many connections to the ENT community.

My stats are right around the national ENT applicant average-
-238 on Step 1
-A few publications and presenations in pediatrics/undergrad stuff
-No honors yet because I have just started my third year- but I can realistically see myself honoring a few rotations given my school's grading system.

Any advice on what to do in my situation to boost my future application? I figure now is the time to start. Thanks

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[ThePursuit]

There's pages upon pages of great info on here speaking directly to what you need to do and your circumstances. I'm guessing you won't get a ton of fresh responses from residents and attendings on here because of that. I recommend you do a search and read up on them, then ask something more specific if you really can't find an answer.

You'll probably want to at least meet up with a local ENT, and then try and get an ENT away rotation as early as possible to get a letter from them. Maybe contact an academic ENT department and see if you can help them with a chart review or something... I would also suggest that you go into all your rotations this year with the determination that you WILL honor them. And study to crush the shelf exams - look at it as step2 prep. There's a couple ideas.

Good luck!

 

[nordr]

You step 1 score is average for ENT, so that will neither help nor hurt you most likely. First you need to get some type of ENT rotation to confirm that you actually want to do this. Try to network and get in touch with an ENT in your area and set up some shadowing at the least. Then you need to focus on doing very well on your rotations. It is unlikely that you will get an ENT publication before applying, which many applicants will have so you will need to distinguish yourself in other ways. Being AOA is a really big help there. Then set up at least 2 rotations in the first two months of your 4th year in ENT. Talk to people who have rotated at some outside institutions and get an idea of what places are likely to yield a good letter. Without being AOA you will be a below average applicant (taking in to account step 1 and no ENT pub) but that doesn't mean you can't match somewhere.

Good luck!

 

[Repdsesstuinas]

I am a fourth year applying from a program without a department. The other poster was right, this has been discussed before (and recently since I asked the same questions on this forum). Also, check out Otomatch for more info.

You scores may be average but applying from a school without a program hurts because (1) you have less networking, (2) getting LoR is more difficult, (3) research is pretty tough to come by.

To strengthen your application, here are some pointers:

1. Honor all third year rotations. Decide now that you will honor them and make that your standard.
2. AOA helps. Probably nothing you can do about that now but if you get it, it will make a positive difference.
3. Find any ENTs affiliated with your school and get to know them now. I spent all of spring break in the OR with private ENTs in town. Doing so establishes relationships and shows your interest.
4. Get some ENT research. This may require being creative. I did a case report for a patient I admitted while on IM for an ENT related topic. Beg any ENTs in town for anything they can give you to do for research.
5. Do two aways! You will hear tons of different advice on this topic. My thought, if you are applying from a school without a dept you have to make up the difference. Apply to aways at good schools where you can get a LoR that matters. Go to your aways knowing H&N ant and rock them!
6. No excuses. Oto/HNS is competitive and there is no crying in baseball. Work hard and make it happen.

Good luck.

 

[noise115]

Thanks everyone, some great tidbits of advice- I'll search more on the forum for some more info on this topic!