MD Thoughts on how to build my ERAS app?

[Smolpuppo21]

Howdy everyone,

Thanks for taking the time to read this post. I’m currently an M2 at a US MD school; however, with step 1 going P/F, I’m worried about not having enough for ERAS when I apply.

I’d love to eventually do peds heme/onc or peds endocrine. I’m definitely, after clinical experiences, checking out other specialties, and meeting with peds physicians, aspiring for pediatric medicine. So, I’ll likely be applying peds in a few years.

I know this field is relatively uncompetitive, per attendings and current residents at my school. So, I’m not ~too~ worried, but it’s still this feeling of “AAAAAA” especially as I’d love to go to a top program with a good heme/onc fellowship.

So, I was wondering if anyone who is applying peds/applied peds/is a peds attending could offer some advice as to what I should focus on in the coming months-to-years to prepare for ERAS! I’m currently doing some volunteer work with local schools, which is something I’m continuing from undergrad because I truly love the organization. I’ve also got some leadership experience, and a clinical experience or two, but really nothing else.

Any advice would be appreciated! Thanks y’all

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[GoSpursGo]

You really have nothing to worry about, as others have said peds is uncompetitive, as are those two fellowships. You will have no problem matching peds, and then at least for Heme/onc (since that’s what I know best), going to a good fellowship

I honestly am not totally sure what peds programs will do to stratify applicants in a step 1 P/F world, but I imagine taking step 2 and doing well would help. Research and publications are another kind of firm “currency” that a program can use to evaluate how academically inclined you are, and would be helpful for your eventual application to fellowship. The other “soft” experiences you describe will be useful talking points for interviews, but I’m not sure there’s anything you can really do there that would differentiate you from anyone else.

Of course, not everything should revolve around ERAS, because again, peds is uncompetitive. So if you don’t live research, or if you don’t want to rush to take step 2 early, then ultimately do what you love, you likely will not have time to do these kinds of activities in the future

 

[NotAProgDirector]

Doing well in your clinical clerkships is the most important thing. Then Step 2. Everything else comes after those.