Advising Students Applying to Family Medicine Carefully balancing realism and optimism.

Background  It’s getting more competitive.  Student feedback indicates they want realistic advice that also does not dash their hopes for greatness.  Gone are the days that everyone matched their top choice.

Now for some data

Programs are smarter about filling

Spots available to scramble are decreasing

We don’t want our students to look like this on Match Day

And we’d like to avoid this:

Ambivalent Students Family Medicine Other Specialty Pros Cons

Assessing and Impressing  Things to Assess  Your competitiveness  What you want from a residency  Individual residency programs  How many programs to apply to  Good fit after interviews  Ways to Impress  CV  Personal Statement  LOR  Interviews

Your Competiveness  Use this to get a realistic idea of how programs will view you.  Helps guide how many programs you will apply to.  IS NOT MEANT TO MAKE YOU FEEL BAD!  Develop an action plan for any concerns – you will be asked about it.  Also find areas to highlight.

What you want from residency  Can start with a general list of what is important to other students but important to personalize.  Do you want any special kind of training (C/S, sports med, maybe considering a fellowship)?  Use this to identify programs that may be a good fit for you.

Individual Programs  FREIDA  AAFP  WWAMI  Footprint Tracker  Prior match rates  Inside scoop via UW grads  Current residents at individual program websites

Number of Programs  Depends on relative competitiveness of you vs. programs  Work backwards and account for attrition. In 2009 students that ranked >12 programs had a 100% match rate, students that ranked >10 had a 99% match rate.  You can always add more programs a few weeks after you initially apply  Stretch – Likely – Slam-dunk  The more the better (but don’t take out a separate loan to cover application costs, this means you are overdoing it)  For students that are hesitant about number – remember this is a job interview, many people would be ecstatic if they knew 15 interviews would likely land them a job.

CV  Everyone looks different.  Include memberships in organizations (AAFP, FMIG, etc)  DO NOT LIE!  Explicitly state leadership roles in ERAS comments.  Bring a copy with you on interview day.  Only include something from high school if it was amazing, it is ok to include pertinent activities from college or before med school that required a significant and longitudinal commitment.

Letters of Recommendation  Ask early and be clear.  Someone who knows you clinically and thinks you did a good job.  Specific to family medicine.  Send your CV, personal statement, photo to writer.  These letters are VERY IMPORTANT!

Personal Statement  Tell a story.  Find a theme and link experiences to it.  Highlight your strengths and what you are looking for in a program.  Give yourself lots of time.  EDIT and REVIEW – you get points off if you use the wrong “their/there”  Limit to one page, 12 point, single spaced.  MOST IMPORTANT FOR LANDING INTERVIEWS!

Interview Logistics  Most programs offer rolling interviews.  Over 50% of programs offer MORE THAN 50% of their interview slots between 9/1 and 11/1.  Have a rough idea of what order and what weeks/months you will interview. Promptly respond to interview offers.  Be nice to program coordinators.  Ordering – consider putting your top choices in the middle.  Dress for success.  Coordinate travel – go to social events, check out HOST program  If you need to cancel, call right away and speak to a person.

Preparing yourself to interview  Know yourself  Practice statements to address weaknesses  Develop a Top 5 list  Prepare for common questions including – what questions do you have for me?  Prepare a two-minute drill.  Brief review of background, education, medical school, why you are interested in the program.  Practice with a mock interview.

Preparing for individual programs  General Attributes  Volume, diversity of patients  Learning environment – supportive and collegial  Size of clinic/hospital, type of program  Graduate success  Good fit for your training goals  Community factors  Specific Program Attributes  Research the program, specific tracks, opportunities  Research faculty/residents  Prepare list of questions, different for type of interviewer  Don’t ask salary, benefits, vacation, leave.

The interview day  THE ENTIRE EXPERIENCE IS THE INTERVIEW.  Go to pre or post interview events.  Be on time.  Be ready to answer open ended questions and to ask questions.  Be ready to answer the same question 5 times.  Take a break if you need it to keep your energy up.  Accept invitations for future contact.  Interactions with faculty and residents are most important in rank list of programs.

Interview Follow Up  Reflect on your interview – write down thoughts and impressions as soon as possible.  Combine an analytical and instinctual approach for assessing good fit of the program.  Send thank you cards.  Consider a second look.  Do not send s that ask 10 questions that each require a 1 page response.

Dates to Remember  September 1 st – be ready to apply to programs  November 1 st –Dean’s letter ready  November-January – Interviews  February – Rank List In  March – Match Day

Other resources  AAFP Strolling Through the Match  /matchbook.Par.0001.File.dat/Strolling10Book.pdf /matchbook.Par.0001.File.dat/Strolling10Book.pdf  STFM Article  We will need help with mock interviews in the fall, I know you are all excited.

Questions?