Choosing the right medical school involves many factors, including how the program may influence your chances of securing a strong residency match.
“The great thing about medical school is that it’s extremely flexible in allowing for students to pursue any clinical specialties,” says Niki Grotewold, a medical school admissions consultant at Inspira Advantage and a University of Michigan M.D.-Ph.D student currently doing his residency.
A medical residency is the hands-on training doctors complete after medical school to gain experience in a specialty before practicing on their own.
“During the first three years, med students typically all take the same courses and do similar clinical rotations, with some possibilities to select specialties of interest during the clinical rotations,” Grotewold says.
Students complete sub-internships and electives in their areas of interest in the fourth year, helping them refine their specialty choice before applying to residency through the “Match” — a process that pairs graduating medical students with residency programs each March.
Here are seven tips that can help med students achieve a more successful residency match.
[Read: What Premeds Should Know About Types of Doctors]
Keep Specialty Options Open
Since residency spots are highly competitive, take your time when choosing a specialty and consider your interests and goals.
“Choosing a specialty is arguably the most important career decision most physicians will make,” says Dr. Joshua Sill, vice dean of graduate medical education at Eastern Virginia Medical School at Old Dominion University in Virginia.
Before committing to years of residency training, medical students typically try to determine which specialty aligns best with their interests and career goals.
“Clinical experience is extremely important for medical students who are trying to choose their specialty,” Sill says. “It is difficult to know what a particular field of medicine is like without experiencing it.”
Seek Early Clinical Exposure
Early clinical exposure is more important than many students initially think, says Dr. Michael Everest, founder and CEO of Residents Medical, a graduate medical residency and fellowship preparation organization.
“The students who make confident, well-reasoned specialty choices,” Everest says, “are the ones who approached their rotations with real questions: Does this feel right? Do I enjoy this patient population? Can I see myself doing this work long term?”
Having an honest self-evaluation during rotations can lead students toward better decisions and stronger personal statements, he says.
“Doing a clinical rotation in a prospective specialty allows students to learn about the patient population they will be treating, the treatments they will be administering, day-to-day activities, work schedule, etc.,” Sill says.
Review Board Exam Performance
Look beyond United States Medical Licensing Examination scores and ask how the school supports students in preparing for the test, experts say.
“Schools often offer free tutoring services, free USMLE study books, and, most importantly, dedicated time to study,” Grotewold says.
[Read: How Long Is Medical School and What Is It Like?]
Since all med schools have different timelines and resources, it’s important to ask about these specifics, which can be a key factor in picking a school, he says.
Board score averages can be a useful starting point, but they tell only part of the story.
“What applicants should really look at is how consistently a school produces students who score well,” Everest says. “A wide range of scores with a high average often means some students are doing very well while others are struggling without enough support. Consistent strong scores across the board tell you something much more meaningful about how a school actually operates.”
Study Residency Match Outcomes
Review residency match lists to see where recent graduates placed and whether they matched into a range of specialties that align with your interests.
“The match percentage is important for assessing the support of the school in students graduating successfully,” Grotewold says. “The location where students tend to end up matching can be important for seeing trajectories if one were to attend the school.”
A school’s reputation doesn’t directly affect residency match results, but it can indicate stronger programs, wider faculty networks and better advising during the residency application process, he says.
“Where it matters most is in informal networks,” Everest says. “Program directors who know a school’s graduates, faculty who make calls on a student’s behalf, alumni who open doors.”
Prospective students should also consider the mission, vision and values of a medical school, which can often shape the type of education students get, with some schools emphasizing research and others prioritizing clinical training or population health, Sill says.
“Most would argue that the quality of the education and training is more important.”
Understand Interview Preparation and Scheduling Policies
“The difference between a student who matches and one who does not is very often not clinical knowledge or board scores. It is the ability to walk into a room and clearly, confidently explain who they are and why they want to be there,” Everest says.
Well-prepared students often come from schools that begin mock interview practice early, provide candid feedback and help them craft an authentic personal narrative, he says.
Medical schools often support residency interview preparation through advising services, informational panels and guided talks, Grotewold says.
“While med schools have different schedules, they tend to generally allow students to take time off for any and all interviews, recognizing the importance of the application process,” he says.
Ask schools early about scheduling and flexibility during rotations and factor in travel time and any overnight stays, experts say.
Evaluate Career Advising
Choose med schools that offer strong career advising from the first year through the residency match.
“Most students have physician mentors and all should have access to career advising during all four years of school,” Sill says. “These can be great sources of information about possible career paths.”
Students who seek career advising early in medical school are more likely to benefit from the guidance and resources available, he says.
“Medical school staff provide valuable residency advising with information about timelines, the process for applying and how the school can support students,” Grotewold says.
Experts say advisers may help with shadowing opportunities, application materials and residency planning, while specialty advisers can recommend elective rotations and provide guidance on residency programs.
“We try to connect students with mentors early on to help foster long-term relationships,” Sill says. “This helps not only with career advising and research opportunities, but also helps to provide strong, individualized letters of recommendation.”
[Read: What Are Your Chances of Getting Into Med School?]
Assess Faculty and Alumni Support
Strong recommendation letters “are worth gold, and students should prioritize medical and research interactions with faculty to establish important networking,” Grotewold says.
“Research and sub-internships allow faculty to write about students in a personal manner, explaining successes in the clinic and in academic research,” he adds.
Alumni networks can create real access, Everest says, such as program directors who actively recruit from a school’s graduates and alumni who make introductions and open doors.
“The students who do best are the ones who seek structured guidance early and use it consistently,” he says.
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7 Residency Tips for Med School Applicants originally appeared on usnews.com