Transcript A Multi-Tiered Approach to Cross

The Internal Medicine Match
ACP Steps to Success 2013
April S. Fitzgerald, MD, FACP
July 21, 2015
1
Plan for this hour
Discuss
• Time-line for applying to residency
• Curriculum Vitae (CV)
• Personal Statement
July 21, 2015
2
Start Preparing as a
3rd year (MS3)Late Spring
• Schedule your sub-internship (sub-i) early
– Finish before September
– Why?
• Include evaluations in transcripts
• Possible letter of recommendation during your subinternship
July 21, 2015
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What happens in Early Summer
• Set up meetings with potential letter of
recommendation writers
• Who to ask is a very important decision
•
July 21, 2015
Balance between choosing someone who knows
you well vs. someone who is well known
4
Strategies for Asking for
Letters of Recommendation
•
Do’s:
 Ask letter writers early (at the start of a rotation)
 Meet with your letter writers to discuss goals, highlight
accomplishments, describe the program/grant/institution you
are applying to
 Provide your CV and personal statement (rough draft ok)
 Give details about due dates, allow plenty of time, and
provide all instructions for letter submission
• Don’t:
x Don’t be surprised if you are asked to provide a first
draft of the recommendation
What happens over the Summer
• July 1 – MyERAS website opens for you to
begin working on your application
• Make appointment with your Dean for the
Dean’s letter interviews
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Make sure in August…
• Finalize CV and personal statement
• Follow up with letter writers
• Take application pictures
• Meet with your Dean if not already done
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What happens in September
• Programs can begin downloading ERAS
applications from mailbox
– Check to make sure all letters are submitted
– Check to make sure clerkship grades are
submitted
• Interview schedule starts
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What happens in October
• Dean’s letter and transcript can be
downloaded by programs
• Most programs are scheduling interviews
– Interviews begin for some
• Prepare what you will wear to interview
• Register for the match (NRMP)
July 21, 2015
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Making the Most of your Interview Day
• The interview is high stakes
• Be prepared
– Do your homework about the program,
institution, and faculty you are to meet with
– Anticipate questions you may be asked
– Be prepared to talk/answer questions
about anything in your CV (including
research) or in your personal statement
Standard Interview Questions
• Questions you may be asked
– Why are you applying to this residency, fellowship,
position?
– Tell me about yourself, strengths, areas for growth,
professional goals etc?
– What is unique about you that will add to this
program?
– Talk about a challenging experience you have had
and what you learned from it?
Standard Interview questions
• Questions you should ask
– Expectations, mentoring opportunities
– The values/culture of the program/institution
– Mission (on website) - how accomplished
• If someone asks if you have a question…
– Do you ask one?
- A Safe question: “What do you feel makes this
program stand out from the rest?”
What happens in
November/December
• Continue to schedule interview
• NRMP deadline – end of November
• Interview at programs
• Write follow-up letters/emails to
interviewers and program directors
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January Fun
• Continue interviews
• Write thank-you notes
• Consider 2nd look programs
• Discuss rank list with your significant
other(s)
• NRMP rank order begins Jan 15th
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February – almost there
• Finalize rank list
– How do you determine rank?
• Mid-Feb – rank list due
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March Match
• 3rd Friday is Match Day (March 21, 2014)
– Friday before notifications for SOAP
• Once you match
– Let your letter writers know where you are going
(email, phone, in-person, letter)
• Thank them for their help
– Start to look for housing, etc
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The Curriculum Vitae (CV)
• A “living” document-part of your professional
development toolbox
• Your “professional tool” for life
• For others:
– First impression
– An overview of your qualifications and accomplishments
• For self:
– Helps to identify areas for improvement and set goals
What is a CV?
• Important representation of YOU
– Experiences/skills/training
– Accomplishments
– Build a “story” (areas of expertise and
interest)
– Highlight your future potential
Why do you need a CV?
What a CV can do for YOU
• Demonstrates qualifications and provides a
personal inventory
• Reminds you of strengths/ weaknesses
– Set goals, are you building a “story”
• Helps you GET an interview-first impression
• Assists in preparation of applications
– Residency, fellowship and job applications
– awards, grants, promotions
• Helpful to LOR writers
Five Cs of CV writing
• Clear- organized and logical
• Concise- relevant information only
• Complete- don’t sell yourself short
• Consistent – formatting/structure
• Current- keep information up to date
Components of the CV
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Contact Information
Education
Honors and Awards
Professional Experience
Research Experience
Presentations
Publications
Grants
• Professional
Memberships
• Employment/
Teaching Experience
• Extra-curricular
Activities
• Volunteerism; Service
• Hobbies and Outside
Interests
• Leadership
DO’S AND DON’T’S
DO’s
• Be HONEST
• Use Active Words
"For my research project, I had to carry out a study of patients'
attitudes towards using dietary supplements. This involved
interviewing patients in clinic. A database was used to keep
track of data collected.”
"Devised and prepared a survey of patients' attitudes towards
dietary supplements. Interviewed 300 patients and collected a
substantial amount of data. Created a database to analyse and
interpret this information. Manuscript of the results currently
being drafted."
DO’s
 Be organized
 List education and
training in reverse
chronological order
 Publications may be in
chronological order
 Be concise
 Include name header
 Be visually pleasing
 Include accurate
contact information
 Get a trusted mentor to
review your CV
 Revise/update
regularly!
DON’T’s
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Have spelling or grammatical errors
List an inappropriate email address
Have long sections of prose
Write in the first person
Inflate accomplishments
Sell yourself short
Include Social Security number
Keeping your CV current
• Just do it
• It’s always a work in progress
• Create new categories/update
accomplishments
• Re-organize as appropriate
• Create an updating system that works
for you
– Current CV on flash drive
• Don’t eliminate yourself from
consideration because of outdated CV
CV Writing Resources
• http://www.training.nih.gov/careers/care
ercenter/cv.html
– multiple links to resources for writing CVs
and resumes.
• https://www.aamc.org/download/62348/
data/cvsample2.pdfAAMC
– Example of a medical student CV
Writing Personal Statements
• “Doesn’t really help you, but can hurt
you”
• Important for reflecting on career, goals,
values
• Needed for many
scholarships/awards/grants application
• Helpful for letter writers
• Opens up areas of discussion during
the interview
Medical School PS vs. Residency PS
• You are now applying for a job (with onthe job training)
• You have a great deal more experience
and knowledge
• You are now going to be more focused
on a specialty
Where do you want to go in
Medicine?
• Alternative career options
– Specialization
– Primary care
• Academic versus private practice
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Research (academic vs. industry vs. government)
Hospitalist
Federal Government (e.g., PHS, VA, FDA, NIH)
Military medicine
Administration
Business
Public service
International medicine
The Basics
• What got you interested in the field you
have chosen?
• What are you looking for in a residency
program?
• What are your expected goals in the
field you have chosen?
Other Possibilities
• Tie in outside interests
• Highlight certain accomplishments
• What contributions can you make to the
residency program and/or specialty?
• Patient examples
Personal Statement Do’s and Don’ts
• DO:
 Start early, have a trusted mentor review PS
 Think about who you are writing for; tailor the PS
 Try to “show” the reader who you are enthusiastic,
honest, dependable, determined, and a team player
 Should provide a story (with beginning, middle, end)
 Highlight values if you share them with institution
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Personal Statement Do’s and
Don’ts
DON’T:
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Provide too much information
Have grammatical or spelling mistakes
Try to be funny
Mention how hard it was for you to get into/succeed in medical
school
Focus too much on your research
Show any indecision in your specialty choice
Refer to a relative with a disease as your reason for choosing
that specialty
Reference television shows
Questions/Answers & Discussion
• What questions or comments do you
have?
“Whoever is careless with the truth in
small matters cannot be trusted with the
important matters.”
~ Albert Einstein