PGY 1 plastics residency? Could i match?

[maneater]

I was wondering how impossible it would be for me to match into a PGY 1 plastics spot directly out of medical school? I know that there are less than 100 spots nationally. I'm a 3rd year now, I could very likely be AOA at a State medical school from a southern state thats not one of the top research schools in the least. Step 1 258/ 99. How much research would be required, and would it have to be in plastic surgery? Multiple away rotations?
Thanks in advance

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[GLW102]

I think I'll be the obligatory person to answer your question with what I've found and what others will most likely tell you:
1. Read the other threads on this website and more importantly plasticseducation.com (which is currently down)
2. Here are the official NRMP statistics from 2005: http://www.medfriends.org/match_statistics/2005 Match Outcomes.pdf
We don't have anything more recent, I believe. You can look at the criteria and come to your conclusions.
3. PRS is competitive. You sound competitive, you should be fine, but it always comes down to fitting in well at a program. Step 1 is usually used as a filter to get an interview, after that research, AOA, away rotations, and LOR are important.

 

[DrDre311]

No guarantees, homeboy, but it can be done. I came from a not-so-well regarded Southern state school and matched into integrated plastics at an upper-tier program. It's a rough game, though. The Match is a fickle beast and plenty of qualified folks don't match.

Also the most recent match stats are from 2007, available at www.nrmp.org under "Data and Statistics" (Charting Outcomes in the Match 2007). I've been told there will not be a 2008 version because the people that compile all that crap are waiting until 2009 when neurosurg is part of NRMP instead of SFMatch.