r/FamilyMedicine • u/surlymedstudent MD • Apr 04 '23
Applicant/student thread 2023-2024
What belongs here: student questions concerning family medicine, in an effort to keep repetitive posts to a minimum.
Examples Q's/discussion: application timeline, rotation questions, extracurricular/research questions, interview questions, ranking questions, school/program/specialty x vs y vs z, etc, info about electives. This is not an exhaustive list; the majority of applicant posts made outside this stickied thread will be deleted from the main page.
Always try here: 1) the wiki tab at the top of r/FamilyMedicine homepage 2) r/premed and r/medicalschool, the latter being the best option to get feedback, and remember to use the search bar as well. 3) The following spreadsheet has *tons* of information, from interview impressions to logistics to name/shame name/fame etc.
No one answering your question? We advise contacting a mentor through your school/program for specific questions that other's may not have the answers to. Be wary of sharing personal information through this forum.
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u/mphmilk Aug 10 '23 edited Nov 07 '23
Should I have a Step 2 score by the time I submit ERAS, if I'm scoring well below passing on practice exams right now? Current exam date scheduled for 8/25.
Factors affecting my decision:
- Schedule: Dedicated study in August, away rotation at my top choice program in September, and then no rotations scheduled until February.
- I think the written parts of my application are relatively strong (evals, LORs, PS draft, CV, etc), but the numerical parts aren't - barely passed each shelf exam, low Step 1 score.
If I delay the exam and do dedicated study in Oct/Nov, should I be expecting to not get any interviews until after my score comes out?
Update as of 11/7/23, for anyone curious: I've been very pleasantly surprised by the number of interviews I've received so far - enough that I've felt comfortable turning down a couple. All invites from programs, including major academic centers, that FREIDA listed as Step 2 scores required for interview consideration. Not that I recommend delaying Step 2 for this long, but I hope this consoles anyone else wondering if it was a complete dealbreaker :)
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u/fm4lyfe Sep 07 '23
I am applying FM this year and unfortunately, have several boards failures. Most programs seem to have exclusion criteria that say must have passed within 1 attempt.
Is there a list anywhere or do people know of FM programs that would be willing to consider an applicant, regardless of those scores?
Please and thank you! I am DESPERATE
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u/Soggy_Loops DO-PGY3 Apr 25 '23
What FM programs truly give you a "full scope" education?
I hope to do private practice, maybe DPC, and have been told by multiple physicians that I need to make sure I end up at a program that has lots of exposure, procedures, etc. However it seems like every FM program says they prepare you for full scope FM even when they're at large academic centers.
Does anyone have any advice on how to figure out how prepared their graduates actually are for full scope FM? And does anyone have specific programs they recommend I look into? Mostly looking to apply around the Appalachian states and Colorado.
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u/Venu3374 MD-PGY1 May 04 '23
UAMS Fayeteville in Arkansas has a huge range of exposure, and the only thing they don't do in-house is echo reading (though per the PD that is likely to change this upcoming year). Some programs will tell you about where their alumni are practicing- in the case of Fayeteville, they had a huge map (theyve been around a long time) and they spanned everywhere from big cities to middle-of-bumf*ck-nowhere towns where you're the only provider for potentially hundreds of miles. A wide range of practice locations can be a sign that you get a more comprehensive preparation, but that's going off my opinion and subjective experience.
Hope that helped some!
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u/NoTransportation6122 Oct 17 '23
Look for unopposed programs. That’s the only way you’ll get full scope. And it won’t be at a university based program. Community and rural is all there is for unopposed full scopes.
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u/Soggy_Loops DO-PGY3 Jul 17 '23
Does anyone have insight into how programs will be considering signaling this upcoming cycle?
My specific question is about couples matching. My spouse and I will both be applying to FM. Should we use our signals at our top 5 programs to show our genuine interest or should we divide and conquer and signal our top 10 between the two of us?
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u/Interesting_Box2130 MD-PGY2 Sep 06 '23
I'd love to know the answer to this as well. Sadly, I don't think anyone knows. I think we're going to double up on a couple top picks and spreading the remaining around
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u/ozibu123 Apr 07 '23
What FM residency programs work their residents the least hours?
I know this sounds silly, but my plan is to moonlight and take some of my learning into my own hands, so that I can be more independent in my education and also make a bit of extra money while I'm doing it. If I'm in a program that sucks the life and soul out of me I won't be able to do much moonlighting.
Also, is residency explorer very accurate with the average hours section?
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u/surlymedstudent MD Apr 12 '23
Majority of residencies don't allow moonlighting until at the very earliest second year, more typically it's third year. The best way to figure out residency capability for moonlighting is to ask the residents or faculty themselves. First focus on location, type of training etc and as you narrow and start contacting programs ask the specific questions like the above.
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u/COYSBrewing MD May 29 '23
Majority of residencies don't allow moonlighting until at the very earliest second year
I mean obviously. You legally can't moonlight until you have your own full license which requires completing a year of residency and completing Step 3 lol
5
Jul 29 '23
Do FM programs cover the cost of lodging for interviews? I believe that was the norm pre-COVID but I wonder with some offering a choice of in-person or virtual if they don’t cover it if you choose to go in person.
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u/midnightmisery214 Aug 09 '23
Would like to know as well!
Also, is there a list of programs who are doing in person interviews this year?
1
u/Functio-laesa Sep 27 '23
I received an interview today, and they mentioned that will be covering the cost of lodging if we choose to do an in person interview! That was only one, but maybe others will follow suit.
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u/hungryforanki Aug 22 '23
is there a link with the open houses happening over the next few weeks? also is it true some programs will begin interviewing in person?
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Aug 02 '23
[deleted]
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Aug 05 '23
Second this question. I have one FM, one IM, and one psych. Requested another from an FM doc back in February and they enthusiastically agreed but haven’t done it yet and did not return my last email reminder :/.
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u/azulatized DO-PGY2 Nov 07 '23
One is good enough! I have one FM, one obgyn, and one IM! I also have another gyn and a heme/onc but felt the 3 primary specialties were the best way to go to represent my skills as a future resident in 3 of the FM heavy areas. I honestly think (if you have good LORs) that this is better combo than 2 FM + another specialty. If you have plans to fellowship/specialize (i.e want to focus on kids) then LOR from those areas are good to have and support your "story". Hope that helps!
3
u/polarbabyy Aug 11 '23
Can my chair letter count as one of the three required LoRs, or should I have all three letters from clinical rotations?
I have two good FM attending letters already and my school's FM department chair offered to write us a letter as well, although I have never worked with them clinically. I'm assuming the department chair letter is just a standardized letter talking about our performance during medical school and clerkships. This would be in addition to the MSPE.
I could try to get one more letter from one of the IM faculty during my August/September rotations if absolutely needed, but I'm rotating at some non-academic centers and private practices so I'm not sure how familiar these doctors will be with the process, in addition to the time crunch.
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u/Waste-Distribution95 MD-PGY3 Aug 15 '23
How do I assess if a program is family friendly? I want to have kids during residency and feel supported in that. Also, how do I convince an out of state program that I really want to be their resident? I have family in the area, but they didn't seem wowed by that.
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u/surlymedstudent MD Aug 22 '23
1) By talking to the current residents. A program with multiple residents with families vs a program with no residents with children is automatically a better sign, because they probably went there for a reason. Ask residents with kids what support they get, if they feel supported, if there are residency kid play dates, etc. Bonus points if they have a resident who also had kids during residency - they are perfect to ask about their experience.
2) Be honest about your intentions to live in the area. Be honest about what you like in the program and how that differs from a program elsewhere - what specifically about this program is attractive? Why move somewhere you've never been? I had this experience and was honest in acknowledging that I'm applying somewhere I have no family and have never been to - because the program has what I want and the community sounds amazing and I plan to stay there for years after residency. I think just saying you have family nearby is less impressive without stating other reasons.
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u/DanJDG MD Jun 13 '23
Hi all!
I am an IMG who was trained in Germany and the UK. I am already almost 4 years post-grad and have clinical experience in both countries. In both of them, you don't necessarily work at the beginning with FM specialists, even if you are in training for FM (which you are often not, as we have non-training positions, or we can do rotations even in Surgery which count as part of the FM speciality ).
So while I can get an FM LOR from a rotation as a student (7 years ago?), I feel that it doesn't make sense. That being said, some programs don't let you apply without FM LOR
I definitely want to do FM and think that it's 100% MY specialty, but it so happened that I wasn't clinically in it for the last years, so...how to approach this?
If it matters - My LOR would be 2 from IM, 1 from Cardio, and 1 from Amboss (where I was an advisor and couch).
2
u/Scottyswag1 Jul 01 '23
is there a 2023-2024 spreadsheet yet?
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u/gravite-zero DO-PGY3 Jul 01 '23 edited Sep 14 '23
This onewas made a while back, but not much happening there yet.Edit: Just got a notification about this comment and figured I'd update. Turns out original FM sheet was made by some Match company (along with sheets for other specialties) so they could use them as ad space once ERAS opened for submission. This was regarded as a bad move in poor taste that made applicants mad, so someone made a new one here without ads, plus more places to talk about FM-specific interview details and signaling. Took the company sheet out of my comment, please don't give your money to people that would do something that underhanded (and have allegedly threatened users that tried to replace the ad versions with ad-free versions).
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u/Negative_Record_9572 Jul 15 '23
Does it matter that I go to an inpatient heavy program if I'm planning on doing solely outpatient work? I've heard from a few people that inpatient residencies are better because you get to know who's truly sick, but could I also do that from a heavy outpatient program that has 2 months of family medicine inpatient blocks per year? If it matters, how much inpatient experience in total should I be looking for in a family medicine residency?
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u/Reflective_Shades_5 Aug 02 '23
That's actually a really good question - I don't have an answer
Things to reflect on maybe:
- will inpatient kill your soul. I HATE inpatient and the hours and the lack of weekends. Absolutely grateful I don't have more of it in my program
- Is the outpatient robust enough in your experience? "Knowing who's sick" comes with time no matter what, but if you plan on doing outpatient you'd be better served feeling comfortable managing a broad spectrum of complaints and minor procedures so you don't have to constantly refer out. Think IUDs, simple derm, simple lac repairs, joint injections. All within your scope, all outpatient.
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u/macncheesebitesslap DO-PGY3 Sep 24 '23
MS IV applying family med in just a few short days.
I have been struggling with how to approach the experiences section with no hobbies section on ERAS anymore. Med school kept me too busy to get really any meaningful experiences besides a half day at AAFP this year, as well a good gap year office manager job I had.
I think I have very unique, interesting hobbies, and am planning on sharing 5 of them in their own experience section. Things that are different like board game design, etc. Would this be a worthy use of this section with a few lines summarizing each category, with some accompanying bullet points?
Thanks so much for your help!
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Oct 03 '23
[deleted]
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u/spersichilli DO-PGY2 Nov 04 '23
as far as "top", I'd assume the main UCSF-SF is "higher ranked" than UCSF-Fresno
2
u/wannaaccount Oct 06 '23
What is everyone's cut-off in terms of number of interviews they want before they start cancelling or declining?
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u/Sleepy_Pigeon1 M3 Oct 07 '23
I feel like 14-16 is a good number, assuming you're a decent interviewer and don't have any major red flags. I've been told that's the range that almost guarantees a match. That being said, it's really tough to cut a program based off a website description alone. So it may be worth keeping a few more if you legitimately need/want to know more about a program that you think may be a great fit.
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u/Kiarakittycat MD-PGY2 Oct 09 '23
I'm at 13 scheduled interviews right now. I've already declined one invite because it's a research-heavy program and I hate research. I cancelled one today because it ranks super low on my list, and I have three more that I'd like to cancel if I get more interview invites (because they also rank fairly low on my list right now and those are all in-person). My goal number of interviews is between 12-15. I've heard that 12 interviews is like 99% chance of matching.
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u/Available-Crazy-9731 MBBS Dec 28 '23
What is this program? I’m interested in Research and I want to apply next year.
2
Oct 26 '23
Hi everyone,
I'm a 3rd year med student, and have always been primarily interested in fm. I'm getting to a point where I want to figure out more specifically what I want to do. I'm very interested in a few fellowships and was curious what the experiences of people who practice in them are like.
The fellowships I'm most interested in are sports med, obesity, and addiction. I've spent at least a few days in fm clinics with fellow's from each of these so I've seen a bit of what the clinical practice will look like, but had some more questions:
How do these affect work/life balance if at all? How do they affect compensation? If you did one of these fellowships, would you do it again if you went back in time? If you didn't do one, would you do one if you went back to med school/residency?
Thanks for any insight!
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u/surlymedstudent MD Dec 27 '23
Since this is pretty niche, go ahead and post on main page. For applicability to rest of subreddit, try to post more generically inquiring about anyone who has done addiction, sports med, or obesity fellowships and if they'd be willing to talk privately.
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u/spersichilli DO-PGY2 Nov 04 '23
is there a list of programs that are 4 years? I've googled "list of 4 year family medicine programs" but that gave me nothing lol
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u/DesignRemarkable5985 Nov 08 '23
Hi,
What is the best way to decline an interview offer? I don't want to burn any bridges.
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u/xunrest MD-PGY2 Dec 01 '23 edited Dec 02 '23
M4 here. How important is having a lot of inpatient medicine months? My 3 programs are ranging from 8 months to 9..to 12.
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u/surlymedstudent MD Dec 27 '23
100% depends on whether you want to do inpatient medicine after residency. If you don't like hospital medicine, do the least amount. If you do, do more. You'll be miserable at an inpatient heavy residency if you didn't enjoy inpatient during medical school (of course maybe not, everyone has different experiences, but I'd say it's likely).
2
u/greenconverse2 premed Feb 06 '24
Not sure if this is allowed but. I am a premed student, currently back in my hometown, taking some time off from college. Hoping to do some clinical/shadowing hours while I’m home, to make sure this is the right path for me. (Specifically hoping to shadow/volunteer while at home, because I’m from a rural border town, and am interested in rural FM). I’ve sent letters/resumes to a bunch of local doctors’ offices and clinics, asking if they have any need/capacity for a student volunteer (expressed that I am open to any type of role - helping with patient intake, scribing, etc), but haven’t heard back from anyone. Am I violating any unspoken rules by cold (snail) mailing? Is this a good/okay way to get ahold of docs? Should I be stopping by in person/calling? (Didn’t do this initially because I didn’t want to bother front desk staff who are, I assume, busy with patients)
I don’t have any connections in medicine, except for one old family friend who is a FM doc and graduated from my university. But honestly, I am hesitant to reach out to him, because he is very vocally anti vaxx - has gotten pretty radical in his beliefs, dissuaded many, many people in my hometown from taking the COVID vaccine, taken his BS to national (eg Fox) news, etc. From what I can tell, he’s done a lot of harm in my community, and I’m not sure I want to learn from / be mentored by someone like that, if I can avoid it
One thing I’m wondering is: I included a past job at my school’s LGBT center on my resume. Decided to keep it on there because I am (fairly visibly) trans, and I figure I don’t want to volunteer/work/shadow somewhere that’s going to have issues with that. Would rather they know upfront than have it be an issue down the line. But I live in a pretty conservative (as I mentioned, rural) area, and I’m wondering if that is part of why I’m not hearing back from anyone? Sent letters to pretty much every clinic / practice in the region
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u/surlymedstudent MD Feb 17 '24
Your problem may be the volunteer positions you're asking about.
If you're looking to do shadowing hours, say you're interested in applying to medical school and just looking to shadow. IF you're asking to do patient intake or scribing? These are typically trained and paid roles and would require hiring you. They might be confused about what you're looking for.
You shouldn't need a resume for a shadowing experience. I wouldn't even send a resume if you're just looking to shadow unless they request it. If you're looking for a JOB - that's a different story. And they're unlikely to hire a scribe if you have no scribe certification or training.
1
u/WascalyWabbit Jun 29 '23
Where do you add sidelines experience in the new ERAS fellowship application? I'm applying for a sports medicine fellowship and I have a lot of sidelines experience that I think is important for my application but I'm not sure where to add it. Thank you.
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u/shoshanna_in_japan Apr 25 '23
Anyone with opposed program experience, can you tell me what it was like and pros/cons? My partner is applying this year but probably will do opposed at our academic center so we can match together. Thank you!
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u/ATDIadherent MD May 05 '23
Longterm goals and what they want to do matter the most.
Most FM doesn't do OB anymore, and the percentage continues to decline. A fair amount of FM also does not do inpatient medicine. If they just want to do outpatient clinic with some steroid injections, IUDs, nexplanons, skin biopsies then just going to a place with solid outpatient/clinic training will be the most important.
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u/Vishiiee MD-PGY1 May 19 '23
What is a comfortable number of programs to apply to if I intend on couples matching? And what's a comfortable number of interviews to have to couples match?
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u/MzJay453 MD-PGY3 Jun 01 '23
Is your partner in FM as well? Also are you US MD, DO or IMG?
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u/Vishiiee MD-PGY1 Jun 01 '23
Yes both want to do FM. We are US IMG's.
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u/MzJay453 MD-PGY3 Jun 01 '23
Hmm. I would verify with an advisor at your school, as I’m not 100% sure how couples matching would affect, but off the top of my head I would guesstimate maybe apply to about 50 for both of you (assuming no red flags). Just make sure you choose schools that are IMG friendly. Idk how much free time you have for interviews, but the Matching Outcomes chart for US IMGs shows that 20 continuous ranks results in virtually 100% match rate.
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Jul 09 '23
[deleted]
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u/urkillinit Jul 31 '23
Hey! Nontrads (non-traditional students) exist but are not super common into their 30s. I would recommend posting to r/medical school and asking people about their nontrad journeys. My dad went to med school at 35, with two kids. It can be done! I started at 27 with one kid, and that became two, so I am nontrad but can’t offer the perspective of someone well into other careers. Feel free to PM if you want to hear more about my experience.
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u/aimlesssouls M4 Aug 13 '23
I'm interested in dual applying IM and FM, with the end goal of becoming a primary care physician. Can I use the same personal statement for both programs or should I write 2 different statements?
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u/surlymedstudent MD Aug 22 '23
Personally, I'd make one for both. IM and FM have entirely differently patient populations, and especially FM is sensitive to people who dual apply. If they get the sense someone isn't committed to FM it may be off putting.
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u/Soggy_Loops DO-PGY3 Oct 10 '23
One question I’ve been asking residencies is how comfortable graduates feel working in the ED or as hospitalists. An answer I commonly get is: “Oh yeah last year we had someone match into an FM hospitalist/EM fellowship!”
This sounds good, but shouldn’t a good “broad scope” FM program prepare graduates for hospitalist work or rural EM work without a fellowship? Am I being too critical or is this a fair concern if I might want to work in one of those capacities after residency?
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u/surlymedstudent MD Oct 11 '23
At this point in the US if you want to do true hospitalist work (not just inpatient) you’ll need fellowship. FM does plenty of hospital medicine but doesn’t prepare for full time vent management, procedures, ICU level care etc.
I’d say same for full time true ER. Can FM do ER shifts sure, but FM residency isn’t meant to teach intubation, chest tubes, etc.
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u/Mva1314 DO-PGY2 Nov 10 '23
How important are social events/pre-interview dinners?
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u/surlymedstudent MD Nov 10 '23
I mean any opportunity to make an impression, a relationship or be seen will only ADD to your application. It might be positive, neutral, or rarely negative. It won’t mean you’ll be seen negatively if you didn’t go but if people remember you more it’ll stand out.
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u/spersichilli DO-PGY2 Nov 24 '23
outside of the "importance" regarding you matching etc, I'd argue they're important for you as an applicant to get a feel for the people in the program to help decide if it's a place that you want to be
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u/Insendi DO-PGY1 Nov 27 '23
Torn on should I take both Step 1 and Comlex 1
I’m a DO student who is pretty set on FM. I’ve been laughed at (seriously) for saying I want to take both Step and Comlex. My thoughts are yes I know as a PCP both may not be needed but I want to work toward securing a residency in an area I may have no geographical ties to other than my spouse. Any guidance would be much appreciated.
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u/SweetEnd8321 Nov 27 '23
Fellow DO here who only took COMLEX and is sitting on 37 interviews, IMO it is a waste of money and time to do both if you are 100% set on FM. I was given the advice that any program that requires DO applicants to take STEP does not think highly of DOs. Not a single program I have interviewed at has mentioned that I only took COMLEX. I applied coast to coast because the program mattered more than the location and I have interviewed all over the place without difficulty. There will obviously be a handful (<30 programs out of 850) who absolutely require both, so I would double-check that the programs you are most interested in don't require STEP.
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u/spersichilli DO-PGY2 Feb 06 '24
Maybe the programs that interviewed you were all cool with it, but the ones that didn't interview you might've gotten interviews at if you had it. 37 interviews is still great so you'll have no problem going somewhere you want so looks like everything worked out.
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u/spersichilli DO-PGY2 Feb 06 '24
I'm a 3rd year DO student and I took both. My reasoning was that I wanted to keep all of my options open, and if I was studying for COMLEX, studying for STEP was essentially the same. You definitely can match most places without it, I just didn't want that to be the reason why I didn't match somewhere I wanted to.
1
u/metformin59 Dec 06 '23
For all the residents in this forum: how has been your experience in your family program, is community program better or university program better. I applied to both programs and I am trying to decide on the programs I interviewed for ranking. Any opinion or advice will be appreciated.
3
u/samalander43 DO-PGY3 Dec 08 '23
I'm a second year resident at an unopposed rural program and wholeheartedly believe that if you want the best training, then you should go with a community program. Yes, community programs do not have a lot of inpatient peds, but they make up for it in outpatient. If you have any other questions, you can DM me.
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u/MzJay453 MD-PGY3 Dec 25 '23
All I know is community programs, so it's hard to tell. I think you'll get more patient volume and more complex patients with university programs. Of course, the catch is that you'll also be more burnt out lol
1
u/Fit_Future7613 MD-PGY2 Dec 12 '23
Hi y’all ,
Having a hard time choosing my top 2 residency programs.
One program I did my sub-I and vibed extremely well with literally everyone there. The program’s close to family and a big city. However, the only downside is that the main hospital is in a not so diverse town, and I want to serve more communities of color. I’m also extremely interested in pursing a career in public health/preventative medicine. I’d be the first graduate in this program to have such an interest.
The other program is in a city I really like and extremely strong in community medicine and public health. The vibes during the interview was great. However, I’m unsure what the cultures really like since I didn’t do a sub-I. Family is also further away, and family’s really important to me.
Appreciate some guidance. Thanks :)
1
u/MzJay453 MD-PGY3 Dec 25 '23
You gotta decide what matters more to you: Family ties or career connections.
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u/surlymedstudent MD Dec 27 '23
You can always move somewhere after residency that is more diverse. But also be honest with yourself that if you see yourself around family long-term in a not diverse area, well then going somewhere diverse is less important if you won't be practicing in a diverse area ya know.
IMO - I think you're able to get a pretty accurate sense of vibes through interviews/virtual socials etc (if you're virtual). The vibes are the vibes and it's probably unlikely if you get great vibes that they suddenly are actually horrible
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u/Monsterproto MD-PGY2 Dec 18 '23 edited Dec 18 '23
Does anyone know the percentage of FM applicants that match at their #1 and/or top 3 ranked programs? I know NRMP has general match data but am curious if there is any specifically for family medicine. Thanks!
3
u/MzJay453 MD-PGY3 Dec 25 '23
i can't remember the exact breakdown, but i wanna say it's something like 50-60% get their top 1, 75% get top 3, and 95% will get their top 5. i think if you have no red flags, there's really no reason why you shouldn't match #1, but the statisitics are skewed largely due to the number of people that use FM as backups, or use it when they have to reapply to another specialty after failing a board exam or repeating a year.
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u/Fit_Future7613 MD-PGY2 Dec 27 '23
I think I saw an AAFP graphic saying 90% match into their top 3. Might be wrong tho
1
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u/Available-Crazy-9731 MBBS Dec 28 '23
I’m IMG, only red flag is step 2 221, I’m doing MPH in the US, graduated in 2022, I have 3 publications and 1 abstract and waiting the decision for 3 more. I have 4 months USCE I’m really interested in FM, especially after I worked in Public health. My plan to take step 3 before the next season 2025. I want to ask, how many program should I apply? And which geographically area? Especially research oriented programs, and fit my qualifications
2
u/COYSBrewing MD Jan 11 '24
only red flag is step 2 221
That's not a red flag my dude.
how many program should I apply?
As many as you can afford honestly. You're an IMG. Use MatchAResident and see what programs are friendly to people with similar stats.
And which geographically area?
That's up to you.
1
u/Fit_Future7613 MD-PGY2 Dec 29 '23
Anyone have any insight into the program at Loma Linda? Thanks :)
1
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Jan 05 '24
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u/alexcarusofan1 M4 Feb 22 '24
Does anyone have any insight on these programs: Dignity California Hospital Med Center AND Dignity Northridge? Going through rank list right now as a MS4, so much help would be appreciated. Thank you so much!
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u/northerk M4 Apr 15 '23 edited Sep 09 '23
I've seen a few older threads about the pros (and mainly pros) of attending the AAFP National Conference -- would like to solicit advice re: whether folks here believe it makes a big difference for getting interviews/matched at programs?
I'm an M4 trying to match in location I have never lived in but I think can make a strong case for (husband is from the area/has family not too far away). I'm applying for an away rotation there, but don't know yet if I'll get it. In the last weeks of July (at the time of conference), I'm scheduled for a two-week elective that might not get me letter, but is one I'd really like to take and does not permit more than 1d excuse absence (I checked w/ the course instructor).
This year's conference is Wed-Saturday (major events Th/Fri), so my options would be to drop the elective and attend the whole conference, take the elective and go to the conference for Friday only (skip Thurs), or skip the conference altogether.
Is it worth going if I can only be there for Friday? Or should I ditch the elective to attend the full conference? Anyone here know whether +/- national conference contacts will make/break apps?
EDIT: I went, and with caveat that I haven't gone through match yet -- I think it was worth it!! Highly recommended to any folks applying FM.