Hey all, I'm an M3 at a T40. I always saw myself as going into FM/IM, so my research is limited (5 abstracts/posters). I took a year off after M1 due to some significant health problems, failed/had to remediate an M1 class due to said problem. Otherwise I have honors across the board.
Just finished a week in neurosurgery, and it really landed for me in a big way. I'm well aware that I'm behind, but I wanted to quantify that a little. If I were to take a research year, honor rotations, and do well on Step 2, would I have a shot somewhere? I don't need a Top 10 program; I'd be happy anywhere. Any advice helps, and if I'm fucked just tell me
yeah still not too late. Do above and you will be fine. Word of advice: give it more time for the novelty to wear out before deciding that is really what you want to spend the rest of your life doing. Massive commitment ….
Try to schedule at least 1 full month of neurosurgery rotations in M3 year, 2 full months if you can somehow repurpose an elective period or part of your surgery rotation. As the above poster said, the novelty does wear off, and I've seen people change specialties halfway through Sub-I season at the start of MS4.
There is no way you can decide to commit to this field in 1 week.
Remediation for 1st year class won't hurt too much. Do not mess up in clinical year and get a ~260 on Step 2 then no one will even look at it.
I wouldn't be set on a research year yet. Get to know your home program, knock out some papers with the residents and faculty, then talk to your chair to ask his/her opinion on whether a research year would benefit you.
Is 240 step 2 too low? (20 review papers)
You are completely fucked.
^was waiting for this guy to comment
You're 100% right. Definitely a honeymoon phase going on, and absolutely can't commit after a week. Where I'm at is that I've seen enough that I'd like to start working decidedly in this direction. The problem is that we're maxed out on electives at two weeks for M3. Obviously aways down the road are something I'll be doing, but I'm trying to game out the way forward, to increase exposure and maximize research output this year/research year
lmao it's gotta be his job or something. my man gets around