I am applying for the match this upcoming cycle. I got a 253 on Step 1 and am debating whether I should take Step 2CK before submitting ERAS.  What do people advise? I have heard conflicting things from different sources. I have heard the curve on Step 2 is better but I have not been performing at the same percentile of my Step 1 score on my clerkship shelf exams and worry about the risk of getting a lower Step 2.

Any recommendations on where to apply for an away rotation this upcoming cycle? Favorites from this past year? Places to avoid? Places where they interview you on your away? Places that open up doors to getting more interviews?

Hey everyone,

So I had the opportunity to rotate through the neurosurgery department at the tail end of my M3 year and fell in love with it. I came into medical school considering psychiatry or neurology and was strongly leaning towards neurology till my neurology preceptor encouraged me to checkout neurosurgery.

So far, i have done well in all my classes and rotations (P/F only), received glowing evals which would be included in my MSPE per my dean, have leadership, volunteerism and ECs. I recently got my step 1 score (27x) and now I am fully set on pursuing this specialty.

Problem is I have 0 publications so far but I do have a handful of posters and presentations in biochemistry/oncologocy projects which i worked on during medical school because they interested me. 

Do y'all think a gap year is absolutely necessary to match if I can get 2 publications by ERAS submission?

Also, for those who took gap years, how did you go about finding these positions? a google search for neurosurgery gap year yields nothing while i see a lot of spots for other specialties such as ortho, ent, plastics, etc.

I am just worried because my whole CV is filled with projects and positions that I did because I loved and didn't craft a neurosurgery CV with only ~6 months to go.

How common is it for programs to offer enfolded fellowships? Is there a spreadsheet somewhere where I can see which programs do and do not offer enfolded fellowships?

Any thoughts on the program? What happened to Mark Lee? How come there are several vacant PGY spots?

https://twitter.com/stanfordnsurg/status...88005?s=21

3 PGY-7s scrubbing one aneurysm. Translation, “our vascular volume is low”

What programs have good open vascular volume besides Barrow?

Anyone have good advice about where to start if you want to be able to do your own stats for projects? Would love any advice/ resources people have found useful. Tried a bit with R in the beginning of med school and found it complex.

I Am so confused about what I want. going into this process thought I wanted a very operative program so that I could learn how to be a good surgeon, but I’ve always wanted to go to academics. I have noticed on my interviews that many of the younger star faculty at really good programs have graduated from very academic programs that are known to be a little less operative. 

How does a program with a really good academic reputation (Columbia for example) compare to a more operative program - but still prestigious -  (let’s just say BNI for example) in setting you up for an academic career? And by academic career I don’t just mean a position as faculty, but rather, future chair? And how much is the operative experience compromised at a program that is so much more academic than operative? Can this be compensated by fellowship?

Honest opinions much appreciated.

As the title says, which program "has it all." This includes:

1) excellent operative volume/case variety
2) phenomenal location (not San Fran expensive, not Mayo roch cold.. etc)
3) solid amount of academic output/opportunities
4) great supportive faculty/stable leadership/big names in the field

Hi all, could you please advise on microscopes models (links would be great) with arms useful for a lab that can be used to study approaches? 
I would appreciate your response.