[MBHockey]

Of course not! Why should anything about this process be taken at face value ;[

Do you think it'd be unwise to have this be my first?

[billybobsky]

No. Practice doesn't make perfect in this situation. Go as your sociable happy self with confidence, show interest in the conversations (and direct them subtly) and you will be fine. Don't be a prick. Don't be condescending. Engage the interviewers...

[MBHockey]

Originally Posted by billybobsky No. Practice doesn't make perfect in this situation. Go as your sociable happy self with confidence, show interest in the conversations (and direct them subtly) and you will be fine. Don't be a prick. Don't be condescending. Engage the interviewers...

Thanks, I will try.

My first interview is coming up (a week from today!) and I just bought a suit for myself (like I needed any more expenses throughout this process.)

My question is, quite simply, how do I bring a nicely pressed suit on a plane such that it isn't a wrinkled mess when I get to my destination? I fly about once or twice a year but I've never brought a suit (and I've probably only worn a suit a handful of times in my life) and I'm really confused about this.

Surely, there has to have been someone, in the history of the professional world, that has brought a suit on a flight and not gotten it all wrinkled in the process...

[FFL]

Originally Posted by MBHockey Surely, there has to have been someone, in the history of the professional world, that has brought a suit on a flight and not gotten it all wrinkled in the process...

Plan A is packing it in a really good garment bag.

Plan B is the hotel room ironing board.

[MBHockey]

Ah, plan B sounds great. I haven't stayed in hotels too often. I forgot they give you those

[FFL]

Some of the discount chains don't put irons in every room, but they will bring you one if you call the front desk.

[ezkcdude]

Originally Posted by FFL Plan B is the hotel room ironing board.

Definitely the way to go.

[MBHockey]

Been a while since I updated the thread, but I wanted to let you guys know that I was accepted back in January

It's not my top choice (Duke was my top choice but I was rejected post-interview in March) but I'm happy to be accepted. I realize now that I made the mistake of applying to a lot of top research schools without having any research experience. I pretty much had no idea how much extra stuff was required when applying to medical school. I just figured I'd apply to places where my MCAT and GPA were competitive. I called up 5 or 6 admissions offices recently to see why I was rejected and they flat out told me that my MCAT and GPA were competitive, and my volunteer experience was great, but since I had no research experience it made my application as a whole not very competitive. Bummer.

So I was accepted at NY Medical College right here in Westchester, NY (about 15 minutes from where I'm from) and I'm on the wait list at the University of Rochester. I hope to hear from Rochester again since really liked it there, but I don't have a good feeling about the wait list.

Since school is going to start in the fall for me I'm going on a trip out to San Diego for a couple of weeks. I leave tomorrow morning; pretty excited! I have some friends in grad school out there and I've gone there during the summers for the past few years (except last year since I was studying for the MCAT.)

It'll be a nice change of pace from the weather in NY. It's rained for the past four days (but today and tomorrow it's going to be like 85!)

[ezkcdude]

Congrats, Doc!

[ronmexico]

Congrats! The next 4 years is gonna suck...haha

[Maciej]

Congrats!

[MBHockey]

Thanks guys!

I have the option of doing a four year combined MD/MPH program at my school. Do you guys think it'd be worth it? I haven't determined the extra cost yet but it would also eat up time I could use for studying for my MD courses (which is the biggest concern.)

I don't plan to go into administration, but I think i would find the courses very interesting and it would be nice to see things from an alternative perspective.

Any thoughts?

[ezkcdude]

I wouldn't do it, but to each his own. If you were planning on using the degree, that's a different matter. But otherwise, if it's just "well, because it would be neat", I don't see the point. Medical school is expensive and difficult enough, isn't it?

Also, if the program is all fit into 4 years, it will necessarily take away some of your time from studying and being in the clinic. This could hurt your chances of landing a desirable residency. And for what really?

[MBHockey]

It's an extra $7000 per year for the program.

Yeah, I'm not sold on it yet but I wanted to give it some thought because of how rare a program it is (I think only like 5 schools offer a combined MD/MPH program in four years.) Apparently other degrees aren't weighed heavily by residency directors so it seems my time would be better spent getting more clinical exposure and on my courses. I have a few months to decide, but I didn't want to just ignore the idea.

[MBHockey]

Just wanted to update this thread a bit

So i did not end up doing the combined MD/MPH program. I'm glad I didn't; i'm not interested enough in public health and it would have taken away from the time for my other classes.

I'm older than most of my classmates, although on average probably only by 1-2 years. A fair number of students did not come to medical school straight from undergrad. There's people with all kinds of unique backgrounds here.

I am about two months into my second year of school. It's very busy all the time, but I much prefer it to being bored. We all take our Step 1 exam at the end of this year. Yikes. How did that happen already?

I want to thank everyone for their help in this thread. Reading through it again was very cool.

[MBHockey]

It's been a while since I've posted here but just wanted to add that yesterday I matched into my first choice program in NYC for Emergency Medicine. Can't believe it!!

[Yontsey]

Congrats!

[billybobsky]

Congrats!

[Dorian Gray]

Congrats!

(I see you had more than that initial burst of motivation I worried about on the first page.)

[MBHockey]

thanks for all the kind words! It was quite a circuitous route to Match Day 2014, but I would do it all over again if I could

[Mac+]

Congrats man - that's great.

[Brad]

Holy crap how'd I miss this.

Way to go, man!

[Kickaha]

Fuckin' A, man! That's awesome!

[curiousuburb]

WO0t!!

[turtle]

That is awesome! Congrats on getting it done.

[Windswept]

It's great that you got your first choice.

I hope it turns out to be everything you expected. Way to go!

P.S. I know an orthopedic surgeon who has a B.S. in mechanical engineering. I think that's a fantastic combination. He told me he has a minor in fine arts/sculpture, and he said that his sculpting skills help him more than anyone might imagine - in shaping hip-replacement parts, for example. Cool, huh?

[MBHockey]

Thanks for all the kind words everyone! It's crazy how months can go by without me posting here. Intern year has been super busy, but my program is great. Attendings and senior residents are super supportive and helpful. The increase in responsibility from medical student to an intern is...unreal. You go from managing a couple of patients to 10-15 per shift basically overnight, with no increase in your knowledge base. From only having a vague idea of how to do procedures like spinal taps, central lines, and ultrasound-guided IVs to being the one whose responsibility it is to get them done correctly and safely. Intern year started July 1, so I'm a few months in now. Shifts run the gamut of emotions from really fun, to really terrifying, to overwhelming, to incredibly sad. I learn a lot each and every day, and am finally getting somewhat used to being a doctor.

WindSwept, I was asked on SO many interviews for residency why I didn't want to do ortho since it seems most MEs that switch to medicine go into orthopedics! Funny you should bring that up. For me, I just never loved the OR. I found surgery to be incredibly tedious, repetitive, and boring. I love that in the ER we see a little bit of everything!

[MBHockey]

Crap, it's been a while since I started this thread. It looks like I have, from time to time, come back to this thread to reminisce. I don't remember writing these earlier posts, but reading them now seems to have captured the way i was feeling at those times quite well.

It's 6 years since my intern year. I have been an attending for three years now. I got married, got a dog, and moved to Connecticut. It's still crazy to think that when i work overnight shifts i am literally the only doctor in the entire hospital.

It's hard to even remember my previous life. I barely remember studying or working as an engineer. It almost feels like someone else's life. Residency was such a blast, and such a blur in retrospect. It's one of those things that is so trying that you automatically make a ton of close friends for life because you all have that same experience in common.

I miss the bustle of NYC and the busy NYC ERs. CT ERs are quite tame by comparison. My responsibilities, however, are much more. COVID has been a humbling time and I just hope we are on the way out of this.

Be safe everyone, and again, thank you for all the kind words throughout the years!

[Capella]

I'm thrilled for you that you're so happy in it!

[drewprops]

WOW!! I love this journey. Very proud for what you've accomplished. Please keep doing this.

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