Didn't even know it went that high LOL
Probably one of or possibly the highest score ive ever heard tbh lol
Honestly probably a troll post
Unlike that other OP, you don't have a single red flag. Your biggest knock is that you didn't attend HMS
This is a pretty stellar profile. All the big boy programs are on the table. Hopkins/Brigham/MGH are probably still considered "reaches" just because its a crap shoot with those places but would be surprised if you didnt get at least one interview from those 3. Places like Maryland/Georgetown/Temple are safeties for you. Good luck
Your tiers are kinda all over the place but thats okay-i would make some changes to the programs you mentioned:
That's super helpful- thanks so much for clarifying!!
Seems like you have zero geo preference? id Add: UVA, UNC, Temple, RWJ, Wake Forest, Cleveland Clinic Main, UWisconsin, UMinnesota, UColorado, UCSD, UCLA, UMiami (you better speak spanish fluently though for Umiami), UMaryland, Georgetown, Case, Rochester to targets and Cornell, Northwestern, Emory, Mayo and Michigan to soft reaches. Keep in mind CA programs likely look for some sort of ties to the region/state
My geographic preference is the northeast and so I only listed programs from there for the most part.. (with 1-2 reaches in California). I was born in cali and lived there a while before moving to the northeast.
1. You make the list.
You may get Big 4 interviews as youre certainly qualified. But like gutonc said its never guaranteed at that level of competition many applicants have AOA and 260+ coming from ranked medical schools
Vandy and Duke are reaches and Emory Sinai NYU are soft reaches (very possible you may get interviews at one or 2 of these places). UCLA is a target. Your step score is your highlight you have ok research experience and your grades are solid
I appreciate the advice, thank you. Are there any academic programs that I should consider adding to my current list, based on my region preferences (CA, NC, VA, FL, also wouldn't mind NJ/NY)?
NYU is a reach. Would add Monte to targets and move down RWJ NJMS and temple to safety
As far a nj ny would add stony brook Rutgers rwj and Einstein/Monte. This would all be in the either target or safety zone (northwell stony brook +/- rwj would be safety, Monte target and I think on your original list nyu should be moved up to reach)
You guys look to be in very strong shape for the top tier but do make sure to have a broad list. Good luck !! (went through couples match also so understand the added stress)
Thank you! Any advice for couples matching other than applying broadly (which we definitely will)? It definitely is a lot of added stress
Youre both good for T20. Apply broadly since couples matching
Thank you! Since signaling is offered now, any recommendations for where we should signal?
I think the lack of research will hurt a little at the reaches but i think you still have a shot at any of these programs with 265 and AOA. AOA goes a long way at the top. Regardless if u get AOA i think youll still have a strong shot for interviews at Yale NW WashU BI UCLA (if u have CA ties)Hey everyone! Will be applying IM this cycle and feeling a little iffy about my program list. Any feedback / bringing-down-to-earth would be greatly appreciated
Med School: Low-to-Mid Tier (East Coast)
Step 1: Pass
Step 2: 265
Clerkship grades: All honors (6/6), currently doing IM sub-I
Class rank: Top Quartile
Research: 1 published case report from undergrad, 2 abstracts, 1 poster presentation at national conference
AOA: Not released yet, but probably yes!
Gold Humanism: No
LORs: Should be strong - 1 from IM 3rd year attending (assistant PD), 1 from IM AI attending, 1 from IM department chair
ECs: 2 leadership positions, 2 additional unique academic projects, 3-4 volunteering experiences, scribed during a gap year before med school
Red flags: No
My application is definitely light on ECs and Research, but I’m hoping AOA helps me out a little here.
As of now, my list of programs is:
Reach: MGH, JHH, Columbia, UPenn, Michigan, WashU, Vandy, NW, UCLA, BIDMC, Chicago, Yale
Target: Cornell, NYU, Sinai, UPMC, UNC, Baylor, UCSD, USC, tOSU, BU, UVA, Brown, Monte, Jeff, UTH
Safety: Indiana, Tufts, JHU-Bayview, Georgetown, Wake Forest, MUSC, UMD, Northwell, Rutgers-RWJ, Temple, UMass
Does this look reasonable? What programs would be good to add/remove from the list above?
Thanks in advance for all the help!!
Thank you! Really appreciate the reassurance haha
It is a competitive profile. If you're already applying to the Boston programs and aiming for the ivory towers, would throw in Brigham and Beth Israel
You need to do well on Step 2, honor your IM rotation, and do early subI with honors with a good LOR to go along with it before I would even consider you a remotely viable applicant to UCSF/Stanford.
Thanks. But even if I somehow do that, my chances are still low, right?
Do you mean a general IM away rotation, or a subspecialty?
And here's the rub. A subspecialty away rotation is often a throwaway since the connection to the residency program may be modest to nonexistent and at best, you have to reach out on your own to try to get a meeting with the IM PD.
Especially if you get AOA, no program would be out of reach so include all the big names. UCSF, Stanford, UCLA, UCSD and whichever east coast programs you'd like (BWH, MGH, BIDMC, Penn, Columbia, JHU, Cornell, etc.). For safeties, just pick a handful of mid-tier programs in your ideal location and you should be fine.
UCSF/Stanford are your reaches even though you should be a viable applicant, UCLA/USC/UCSD are targets, UC Davis/Irvine/Cedars Sinai/Loma Linda/the other community UCLA programs are safeties
Looks fine to me. You'll get more interviews than you'll have the bandwidth for so need to be selective about which ones you'd actually want to go to.
I think you are realistic about your outlook regarding target programs (low-mid tier academic). You could probably add a few more low tier academic/community programs to be safe (i.e. places like Cooper, Northwell etc.)
I would throw in UNC if you're applying to places like UPMC/UVA
You have a solid application outside of average scores. I think your assessment of reach/target is reasonable. It's possible you get bites from top midwest programs due to geographic location/preference and extensive research/extracurriculars but no guarantees. You should get enough interviews from targets that you don't need many safeties (community programs).
Essentially being at the top of your class, you will be well-positioned wherever you choose to apply without crazy research productivity. You should put all the big names on the list (Cornell, Mt. Sinai, NYU, Columbia, Penn, BWH, MGH, BIDMC, Hopkins etc.) and then add a few mid-tier programs in the cities that you would feel comfortable with.
Add on Montefiore, Temple/Jefferson, Tufts/Boston Univ in your mid-tier range for the respective metro areas that you're targeting in addition to what the other poster added. I guess I failed US geography because I have no idea what East North Central is
