Plan to Match Ortho from a Pre-M1

[sylvester500]

Afternoon -

I am interested in orthopedics from a clinical perspective, and I am interested in doing research in medical (and perhaps beyond). I have very little research experience thus far (in psychology field from undergrad). I will matriculate to med school (US MD) in fall 2021.

What should I do to make myself a competitive applicant in 4 years? I have heavy clinical background, leadership experience, team work skills (all the soft skills ortho seems to like from what I have read). I know I should aim high academically (as all aspiring physicians should) and earn high test scores. Any other tips moving forward?

Thanks all.

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[OrthoTraumaMD]

Afternoon -

I am interested in orthopedics from a clinical perspective, and I am interested in doing research in medical (and perhaps beyond). I have very little research experience thus far (in psychology field from undergrad). I will matriculate to med school (US MD) in fall 2021.

What should I do to make myself a competitive applicant in 4 years? I have heavy clinical background, leadership experience, team work skills (all the soft skills ortho seems to like from what I have read). I know I should aim high academically (as all aspiring physicians should) and earn high test scores. Any other tips moving forward?

Thanks all.

Keep an open mind about other specialties.

 

[JJacobsDO152]

Horrible advice from @OrthoTraumaMD

Congrats on your matriculation into medical school. Depending on how good your USMLE Step 1 stats are, take a research gap year between MS3 and MS4 at places found on orthogate. It'll boost your CV and help you make connections at places.

 

[OrthoTraumaMD]

Horrible advice from @OrthoTraumaMD

Congrats on your matriculation into medical school. Depending on how good your USMLE Step 1 stats are, take a research gap year between MS3 and MS4 at places found on orthogate. It'll boost your CV and help you make connections at places.

Lol. I’m an academic ortho attending and a national level director, advising students for years. And some of the worst I’ve seen have tunnel vision and don’t actually attempt to learn any real medicine, which is the point of medical school.
But sure, “horrible” advice 🤣 @Goro look at this silliness

OP, in case you want to hear from someone who is an actual orthopaedic surgeon, step 1 will be pass/fail, so it won’t matter. Ortho programs will transition to Step 2 as a basic marker and aways/letters/research for the rest. None of this matters as an MS1 however. It’s all well and good to “know” early, but most people who want to do ortho as premeds change their mind for one reason or another, REGARDLESS of their prior experience. Do not get hung up on one thing and consider other options seriously. Then, if you still want to do it, go ahead and join your ortho interest group and get involved in research. But never forget that ortho residency is nothing like med school (it’s an entirely different world) and that your primary goal is to be a physician first, and develop broad knowledge that gets honed later.

 

[HemeOncHopeful19]

But never forget that ortho residency is nothing like med school (it’s an entirely different world) and that your primary goal is to be a physician first, and develop broad knowledge that gets honed later.

I thought this is what “admit to medicine for management of medicine stuff” was for?!

 

[OrthoTraumaMD]

I thought this is what “admit to medicine for management of medicine stuff” was for?!

Depends on what the primary/most dangerous issue is. If there’s an active medical issue like the patient is having an MI, and they happen to have an ankle fracture, they belong on medicine. I wouldn’t want an orthopaedic surgeon managing my mother’s heart any more than I’d want a hospitalist fixing her ankle. But... if they have an ankle fracture and had surgery, and happen to have some arrhythmia postop without other symptoms, they are always on my service primary, with medicine as a consult.

 

[DrOrthoSpineMD]

Lol. I’m an academic ortho attending and a national level director, advising students for years. And some of the worst I’ve seen have tunnel vision and don’t actually attempt to learn any real medicine, which is the point of medical school.
But sure, “horrible” advice 🤣 @Goro look at this silliness

OP, in case you want to hear from someone who is an actual orthopaedic surgeon, step 1 will be pass/fail, so it won’t matter. Ortho programs will transition to Step 2 as a basic marker and aways/letters/research for the rest. None of this matters as an MS1 however. It’s all well and good to “know” early, but most people who want to do ortho as premeds change their mind for one reason or another, REGARDLESS of their prior experience. Do not get hung up on one thing and consider other options seriously. Then, if you still want to do it, go ahead and join your ortho interest group and get involved in research. But never forget that ortho residency is nothing like med school (it’s an entirely different world) and that your primary goal is to be a physician first, and develop broad knowledge that gets honed later.

Agree with this. When i started med school our "Ortho Interest group" had 25 people in it. that number dropped to sub 15 after step 1. and 5 after ortho rotations. In the end we had 5 people apply, 4 matched, other ended up in general surgery

Keep an open mind.

 

[OrthoTraumaMD]

Agree with this. When i started med school our "Ortho Interest group" had 25 people in it. that number dropped to sub 15 after step 1. and 5 after ortho rotations. In the end we had 5 people apply, 4 matched, other ended up in general surgery

Keep an open mind.

For us, we started out with about 30. 6 ended up applying. Only I matched. Rest went gensurg or anesthesia.

 

[Miles Gloriosus]

Keep an open mind about other specialties.

This is not horrible advice.

Two of my classmates, typical bro former college athlete types, all in ortho from day one. Did their M3 IM rotations and LOVED it. Changed course and switched. Both very smart and would have easily matched ortho if they wanted.
Don’t know what you want until you get some experience. Keep an open mind.

 

[sylvester500]

Thank you all for your sage advice. I completely understand that I must have an open mind, and I am looking forward to doing so. I will come into medical school with thousands of hours of experience in acute healthcare delivery, so I have started developing an appreciation for just how broad medicine is.

What I have learned so far is that I am most interested in helping people who are the most medically in need. Few patients have moved me as much as, say, a man with a farming-accident-related comminuted pelvic fracture, or a nice lady with a grossly displaced distal radius fracture. My focus is purposeful. I know I have an inclination right now, and I want to be in the best position to have this option 4 years down the road when the rubber meets it. I like to be prepared, and it seems the best way to make possible the option of a competitive specialty like ortho is to plan for it, hence my post.

With all this being said, would you all say that the best plan is to work as hard as I can to be the best medical student I can be, keep an open mind, and the match will take care of itself?

 

[sylvester500]

Lol. I’m an academic ortho attending and a national level director, advising students for years. And some of the worst I’ve seen have tunnel vision and don’t actually attempt to learn any real medicine, which is the point of medical school.
But sure, “horrible” advice 🤣 @Goro look at this silliness

OP, in case you want to hear from someone who is an actual orthopaedic surgeon, step 1 will be pass/fail, so it won’t matter. Ortho programs will transition to Step 2 as a basic marker and aways/letters/research for the rest. None of this matters as an MS1 however. It’s all well and good to “know” early, but most people who want to do ortho as premeds change their mind for one reason or another, REGARDLESS of their prior experience. Do not get hung up on one thing and consider other options seriously. Then, if you still want to do it, go ahead and join your ortho interest group and get involved in research. But never forget that ortho residency is nothing like med school (it’s an entirely different world) and that your primary goal is to be a physician first, and develop broad knowledge that gets honed later.

Thank you very much. I appreciate your advice tremendously. Really looking forward to this next step after years of preparation.

You say in your post that programs will begin placing a bit more emphasis on research production of applicants, which is why I made my original post. If I were to begin research earlier, I would be killing two birds with one stone, no? 1) Diving into something that I am personally interested and 2) Building up experience that, yes, will help build my eventual residency candidacy for any residency selection (ortho or not, depending on what I decide on after several years of being an open-minded medical student as you suggested) AND make me a physician who better understands the clinical and/or basic scientific process.

 

[OrthoTraumaMD]

Thank you very much. I appreciate your advice tremendously. Really looking forward to this next step after years of preparation.

You say in your post that programs will begin placing a bit more emphasis on research production of applicants, which is why I made my original post. If I were to begin research earlier, I would be killing two birds with one stone, no? 1) Diving into something that I am personally interested and 2) Building up experience that, yes, will help build my eventual residency candidacy for any residency selection (ortho or not, depending on what I decide on after several years of being an open-minded medical student as you suggested) AND make me a physician who better understands the clinical and/or basic scientific process.

sure, never hurts to do any type of research early on. So if ortho interests you, you can do research in that. If something else catches your eye you can switch. See my long running ama thread for more.
From your previous post however, I think you’d probably enjoy general surgery as well. ortho patients are definitely not the most “medically in need,” not by a long shot. Even in a polytrauma patient with multiple fractures, it’s the general surgeons whose work makes or breaks things in terms of recovery.

 

[sylvester500]

sure, never hurts to do any type of research early on. So if ortho interests you, you can do research in that. If something else catches your eye you can switch. See my long running ama thread for more.
From your previous post however, I think you’d probably enjoy general surgery as well. ortho patients are definitely not the most “medically in need,” not by a long shot. Even in a polytrauma patient with multiple fractures, it’s the general surgeons whose work makes or breaks things in terms of recovery.

Thank you for that. Yes, I've looked down general surgery paths too. Surgical oncology, trauma surgery, burns. All sound like great opportunities to make differences. Infections, cancers, and trauma in the bones also seem so pressing.

I do know deep down I am pretty undecided. I really have enjoyed helping all patients I've encountered in the settings I've worked in (maybe some more than the stuffy noses). Just want to keep as many doors open for as long as I can. Thank you again for your help. I will check out your AMA.

EDIT: Checked out your AMA. Extensive and helpful.

 

[OrthoTraumaMD]

Thank you for that. Yes, I've looked down general surgery paths too. Surgical oncology, trauma surgery, burns. All sound like great opportunities to make differences. Infections, cancers, and trauma in the bones also seem so pressing.

I do know deep down I am pretty undecided. I really have enjoyed helping all patients I've encountered in the settings I've worked in (maybe some more than the stuffy noses). Just want to keep as many doors open for as long as I can. Thank you again for your help. I will check out your AMA.

EDIT: Checked out your AMA. Extensive and helpful.

Good luck! You seem motivated so I am certain that once you find what you love, you will not have issues getting in.

 

[TheBoneDoctah]

Agree with the open mind. I think ~10 started for us in 3rd year (6 applied). 4 matched. I am sure there were many more who wanted to do surgery day 1 of medical school.