Jad Hoilat-- MATCH 2019

Hello everyone, I matched! IM 2nd choice couldn’t be happier.

Credentials:
Step 1= 261
Step 2 CK =245
Step 2 CS = pass 1st attempt
YOG =2018
USCE: 1 university hospital, 2 strong US LORs
Number of IV= 10(2 Prematch)
Ranked only 5

I took step 1 on November 29, 2018 (during my internship year aka last year of medical school). Took me 5 month of dedicated study using only FA and UWorld.

I then took Step 2 CS by the end of May 2018; dedicated study time was 2 weeks.
Then took step 2 CK on September 13, yes September 13! 2 days before application opens, had around 2-2.5 month of dedicated study time.

I applied to the match on September 15, with everything except step 2 CK. Got 2 IV before CK went out , and then got the rest after CK was released.

Interview trail:
First 2 before CK:
• University of buffalo- sister of charity: nice hospital, supporting staff, very nice PD, no inhouse fellowship but decent fellowship placement except in GI, 100% board passing rate for the last 2 years, the usual interview questions (tell me about yourself and future goals). Overall 5/10 .
• UHS Wilson medical center: small hospital, small and cozy city. Interview with 5 faculty members and PD, the usual questions. Has 3 inhouse fellowships: GI, cards and pulm if I remember correctly. Everyone was very nice, overall 6/10

The second day after CK came out, I got 4 interviews:
• Advocate health masonic medical center: In Chicago which is a very nice and busy city. New hospital, very well designed, 2 interviews: one individual interview and one group interview. Only has 1 inhouse fellowship: EP cards. The chiefs kept on repeating multiple times that most of the applicant that get accepted and want to pursue fellowship, end up just becoming internist, something I did like since I want to pursue fellowship in the future inshallah. Surgical floor after surgery are covered by IM, residents run the hospital with no fellows. Not the best program for me. Overall 4/10
• SUNY upstate: Pre Iv-dinner at restaurant /café, very chill, everyone was laughing and joking, very modest and nice people. All of them seemed to be friends with each other, felt comfortable before going to the IV
Interview day: Big program, a lot of diversity, PD and all faculty were nice. 2 interviews: one very brief with the PD and a 30 min with the faculty assigned, the usual questions. PD showed that he was dedicated and cares about the future of his residents, good research opportunities with most of the residents ending up presenting multiple times at conferences. Has all fellowships inhouse. Good fellowship placement outside of upstate. Residents seemed happy, great balance between personal and work life. I felt very comfortable walking out of the institution. Overall grade 9/10.
• Brooklyn hospital center, NY: Good program, has a couple of the big gun inhouse fellowships. PD was modest and nice, Residents said they were happy or so they say.
2 interviews with faculty and chief resident: very nice and professional overall, the usual questions asked. Limited research opportunities. I’m personally not a big fan of NYC. Overall 7/10
• Brookdale university hospital: Prematch, cancelled it one day before.

After that, 3 weeks of silence and then another 4.
• Ascension St john medical center: Great community hospital. Located in Detroit Michigan, which I personally liked. Great staff, everyone is extremely kind and friendly. Hospital looks new from the inside and outside. 2 interviews with faculty: one with regular questions asked and another one with regular questions and a case where he wanted to know the approach towards a patient with a epigastric pain: the answer he wanted to hear is to exclude an atypical presentation of MI. has most inhouse fellowships. Residents seemed extremely happy and all of them were friends. Really felt comfortable there. Overall 8/10.
• Loyola University medical center -Maywood:
Pre IV-dinner: Restaurant/ café, residents seemed to be nice, it was a good 2 hours where we talked land enjoyed ourselves.
Interview day: Very nice hospital, very friendly staff and faculty. Mostly AMGs, extremely few IMGs. Great program training, has all inhouse fellowship, very well known for cardiology and GI. Great fellowship placement outside the hospital. The most overworked program in Chicago out of the big guns there (aka UIC , rush , NW , U of C)
Only 21 days of vacation. Overall 9/10.
• Bronx Lebanon: Prematch , interview day lasted 3 hours all in all , not the best neighborhood, didn’t get to meet the residents. Interview questions felt like an interrogation. Reinforced security measures after the shooting that happened there a while back. If you finish after 8pm, you get to be escorted out to your place by a car from the hospital. Has 3 inhouse fellowship: I think. Didn’t feel safe not comfortable at all. Overall ranking 3/10.
• Yale new haven health -Bridgeport: Vey nice hospital in Bridgeport- CT. Main affiliate of the actual Yale, students from there do rotation at Bridgeport. 2 interviews with PD and the chief of medicine. Very layed back. Residents looked very happy and were friends with each other. One day /week, grand rounds are conducted by faculty of the actual Yale new haven. some didactics are given by their faculty as well. Mandatory month to be done at new haven. You get to do 1 or 2 away rotation. Has inhouse fellowship but very competitive. Good fellowship placement outside in good programs. Limited research opportunities. Overall 8/10.

I’ve been following this group for almost a year now, and I didn’t contribute much so I felt that posting this would likely help future applicants.

I applied late with an incomplete application, a pending CK and 1 USCE and still managed to get a decent amount of interviews and matched. Don’t let the negative people get to you. Multiple people told me not to apply this year and wait for the next cycle 3 days before my CK!! I chose not to listen and here I am, a resident to be at my second choice.
All the long hours, money you’ve put in the process, the end product is definitely worth it! Stay strong!
IMGs were, are and always will be an integral part of US medical system.