Success In Medicine

Although residency applicants may submit the same personal statement to all programs, ERAS allows applicants to create program-specific personal statements. Should you personalize or customize your personal statement for different programs? Join Drs. Rajani Katta and Samir Desai as they discuss the pros and cons of sending program-specific statements, best practices if you choose to do so, and how to avoid common mistakes that applicants make when creating and submitting personalized statements.

In response to the suspension of the USMLE Step 2 CS exam due to COVID, the ECFMG has identified new pathways for ECFMG accreditation for international medical graduates (IMGs) who have not yet taken and passed the CS exam. Join Drs. Rajani Katta and Samir Desai as they discuss the five new pathways for certification and what steps you should take next.

The Medical Student Performance Evaluation or MSPE, previously known as the Dean's Letter, is an important part of the residency application. In a recent survey of over 1,200 program directors representing 24 specialties, over 80% of programs cited the MSPE as a factor used to make interview decisions. To put this in context, only two other criteria - the USMLE Step 1 score and letters of recommendation - were used more often than the MSPE to decide whom to interview.   Join Drs. Rajani Katta and Samir Desai as they discuss the MSPE in more depth. You'll learn when this important document is developed, how it's written, and the type of content that is included. You'll also learn how you can take an active role in shaping your own MSPE so that the final document produced serves you well in the residency selection process.    www.thesuccessfulmatch.com

The USMLE program has suspended the USMLE Step 2 CS (Clinical Skills) exam for the next 12-18 months due to the coronavirus pandemic. What does this mean for residency applicants? Join Drs. Rajani Katta and Samir Desai as they discuss the implications of this decision for medical students and international medical graduates. 

Letters of recommendation are extremely important for success in the residency match. How important are these letters? In a recent survey of program directors in 24 specialties, letters were rated second in importance. The only factor rated more important in making interview decisions was the USMLE Step 1 score.  In this episode, Drs. Rajani Katta and Samir Desai discuss how medical students and applicants should choose potential letter writers. You'll learn what role the rank of the letter writer plays, as well as how to request letters and how to provide helpful information to your letter writers to ensure the strongest letter possible. You’ll also learn what to do if your letter writer has requested that you provide them with a draft letter of recommendation. For more information, visit us at www.TheSuccessfulMatch.com.      

The process of applying for a residency position in the Match is challenging under normal circumstances. The coronavirus pandemic has made the process even more complex. In this episode, Drs. Rajani Katta and Samir Desai discuss how U.S. medical students can adapt to this rapidly changing situation. You'll learn what steps to take now, what to do if your rotation or away elective has been canceled, and how to develop relationships with attendings at a time when your usual opportunities may be limited. For more information, visit us at www.TheSuccessfulMatch.com.

The coronavirus pandemic has led hospitals to cancel their observership and externship programs for international medical graduates (IMGs). In this episode, Drs. Rajani Katta and Samir Desai discuss how this will impact IMGs in the residency match. You will learn how to find and take part in U.S. clinical experience during these difficult times and maximize your letters of recommendation. You will also learn how to adjust your overall match strategy and strengthen your overall profile as a residency applicant. For more information, visit us at:   www.TheSuccessfulMatch.com www.MD2BConnect.com 

The USMLE Step 1 exam will change from numerical scoring to pass/fail scoring in 2022. This will have a major effect on the way in which residency programs evaluate applicants. What does this mean for international medical students and graduates seeking to apply to residency in the United States?   Join Dr. Rajani Katta and Dr. Samir Desai, authors of the book The Successful Match, as they discuss how this change will impact IMGs.   For more information on the residency match, visit us at:   TheSuccessfulMatch.com MD2BConnect.com 

With so many medical school options in the Caribbean, it can be difficult for premedical students to decide which school to attend. In this episode, join Dr. Samir Desai as he interviews Sapana Desai, a graduate of the St. Matthews University School of Medicine located on the island of Grand Cayman.  After learning why she chose to attend the school, you'll hear about her preclinical years, the basic science faculty, and the opportunities she had to make an impact on residents of the island.  You'll also learn about how the school prepares their students for the USMLE exams and what her clinical rotation experiences in the U.S. were like. This episode featuring St. Matthews University School of Medicine will leave you more informed!

Dr. Samir Desai continues his conversation with Showly Nicholson who recently received some great news - he got into Harvard Medical School! In Part 1 of this two-part series, Showly described his journey to medical school with a focus on academics. He introduced some of the strategies he discovered that led him to achieve all As. Now, in part 2, Showly goes into more depth on these strategies.  You'll learn about the 3 Ps required to get As. You'll understand why getting to know your professors is crucial for academic success. Showly also shares 4 common exam mistakes, and how you can avoid them. 

Join Dr. Samir Desai as he interviews Showly Nicholson who just received some great news - he got into Harvard Medical School!  In Part 1 of this two-part series, Showly describes his journey to medical school with a focus on academics. Although he set a goal to achieve all As in high school, this goal proved to be elusive.  You'll see how Showly made adjustments to his study plans and strategies over time, and how these changes led to his academic success. You'll be left with actionable advice to boost your own GPA. 

With over 500 internal medicine residency programs to choose from, it can be difficult for applicants to decide which programs to apply. In this episode, join Dr. Samir Desai as he discusses 3 important factors to consider.

In this episode, Dr. Samir Desai continues his conversation with Dhruv Gupta, a fourth-year medical student who just received some good news. He got into Psychiatry! Part 2 will provide an in-depth look at letters of recommendation and the residency interview. Although some of the information is directed towards psychiatry residency applicants, all residency applicants will find this information incredibly useful. Dhruv will show us how he partnered with his attendings to have strong letters of recommendation written on his behalf.  He will also share with us some of the challenges that he experienced scheduling residency interviews.  Considerable time is devoted to discussing the questions Dhruv encountered during his interviews, including those he found particularly difficult. How did Dhruv rebound to answer the question "What are your three weaknesses" when he only had two weaknesses prepared to share? How did he rise to the occasion when an interviewer asked him to role play through different psychiatry s

Join Dr. Samir Desai as he interviews Dhruv Gupta, a fourth-year medical student who just received some good news. He got into Psychiatry! Dhruv's interest in psychiatry can be traced back to his childhood spent living in different countries. He encountered poverty and violence, and you'll learn why those experiences motivated him to pursue psychology as a major in college. With an interest in psychiatry, he began medical school at St. George's University. Not long after starting, however, he experienced some significant hardships. Learn what happened to Dhruv, and how he was able to overcome those challenges.  After completing his core clerkship in psychiatry and confirming his interest in the field, you'll learn why Dhruv did multiple away rotations, what these experiences were like, and how you can make a strong impression during your own away electives.    The information Dhruv shares will help you plan your own strategy for a successful match in psychiatry. 

Matching into Ophthalmology has been difficult for years, and the 2018 Ophthalmology Match was no exception. There were far more applicants than positions available, and approximately 25% of the applicant pool failed to secure residency positions in the specialty. To maximize the chances of a successful match, it's important that you have the "right strategy" in place. Although the optimal strategy will differ from one applicant to another, there is much that you can learn from the experiences of those who have successfully matched. In this episode, join Dr. Samir Desai as he interviews Sudip Thakar, a fourth-year medical student who just matched into Ophthalmology at Northwestern University. You'll learn how Sudip developed an interest in ophthalmology, his global health experience at an Eye Hospital in Israel, why he decided to take a year off to perform research in the field, and how he was able to publish numerous articles in a relatively short period of time.  Having just interviewed for residency positi

In this episode, join Dr. Samir Desai as he answers an important question about letters of recommendation in the medical school admissions process. Should applicants send medical schools a premedical committee letter of recommendation or individual letters of recommendation? 

Seventy-five percent of U.S. citizens studying medicine abroad choose to attend medical school in the Caribbean. As difficult as that decision can be, it can be even more challenging to decide which school among the 60 plus medical schools in the Caribbean to attend. In this episode, join Samir Desai as he interviews Maninder Sethi, a graduate of the Windsor University School of Medicine. You'll learn about the factors that led Maninder to Windsor University, what life is like on the island of St. Kitts, and what students do outside the classroom. You'll also learn about her clinical rotations in the U.S., and the important lessons that she took away from these experiences. 

Matching into Emergency Medicine can be difficult given that there are far more applicants than residency positions available. In recent years, nearly 10% of allopathic medical students have failed to match. These numbers are worse for osteopathic and international medical graduates. To maximize the chances of a successful match, it's important that you have the "right strategy" in place.  Although the optimal strategy will differ from one applicant to another, there is much that you can learn from the experiences of those who have successfully matched. In this episode, join Dr. Samir Desai as he interviews Dr. Brian Fromm, an emergency medicine resident at Thomas Jefferson University. You'll understand the pitfalls in scheduling away rotations in EM, and how to shine during these rotations. You'll also learn about an important and powerful, yet underutilized technique, in increasing interview offers. Wondering what you may be asked during the residency interview? Brian fills us in on some challenging and unu

International medical graduates (IMGs) seeking to submit strong residency applications recognize the importance of U.S. clinical experience. However, the process of finding and securing such experiences, known as observership and externships, can be very difficult. In this episode of the Success in Medicine podcast, join Dr. Samir Desai as he interviews Veena Sampatkumar, an IMG who completed multiple observerships and externships.  Learn how she secured a rotation experience within several months of moving to the U.S. You'll also discover the questions you should ask before you commit to an experience, the documents you need to prevent any delays in starting these rotations, and how to avoid pitfalls in the process. The episode ends with a discussion on how IMGs can make a favorable impression that leads to strong letters of recommendation.

International medical graduates (IMGs) seeking residency positions in the U.S. recognize the importance of securing strong letters of recommendation from rotations completed in the U.S. Unfortunately, many letters written by preceptors or attending physicians following observership experiences are suboptimal. These letters are often short, and lacking in the specifics and details residency programs seek.  Why does this happen, and what can IMGs do to maximize their chances of receiving strong letters of recommendation? In this episode, Dr. Samir Desai will show you that you have more power than you realize in influencing the content and strength of your letter.