Internal Medicine-Pediatrics
What advice would you offer first- and second-year students who are interested in pursuing your specialty?
Do your best! Prioritize building your medical knowledge while enhancing your wellbeing by selecting to participate in the “extras” that are meaningful to you.
Specialty Career Advisor: Mary Catherine Turner, MD, FACP, FAAP
Director, Combined Internal Medicine/Pediatrics Residency Program
Clinical Associate Professor
Department of Pediatrics
brakem@ecu.edu
Does research experience need to be in the specialty itself?
Not strictly speaking. Some type of scholarly activity is helpful. This can be research, poster presentation, case report, QI project, educational curriculum development, etc.
What M3/M4 electives would you recommend to a student who is interested in pursuing your specialty?
- M3 Electives: anything of interest really. Rotating in the Med-Peds clinic during your IM clerkship is helpful.
- M4 Electives: Med-Peds Ambulatory or Med-Peds Hospitalist rotations are great. Then just a balance of Peds and IM experiences. MICU or PICU are great for your ICU requirement.
Does your specialty recommend doing away rotations?
No.
If your specialty recommends doing away rotations, how many away rotations do you recommend?
N/A.
If away rotations are necessary, when should they be completed?
N/A.
Which month/s are interviews most concentrated?
Mid-October – Mid-January
Does your specialty recommend that all letters of recommendation be written by members of your specialty?
Not an absolute requirement. First, they should be from individuals who know you well and can speak to why you are a good fit for Med-Peds. Then a balance of Peds and IM letters, or Med-Peds if possible. Check with the individual programs to see if they require a chair letter. Often the IM clerkship letter counts for this as it is from both the clerkship director and the chair.
If letters can come from other disciplines, do you have a recommendation as to which disciplines are more highly valued?
Letter writers who know you well and can speak to why you are a good fit for Med-Peds.
Does the academic rank of the letter writer matter?
No.
How competitive are the residency programs in this specialty?
It’s a healthy level of competitiveness. We attract and recruit strong students to Med-Peds (you are doing two residencies in one!) Graduates from Brody have historically had very strong matches in Med-Peds.
How important are each of the following for admission to a competitive program in your specialty?
| Very Important | Somewhat Important | Not Important | Comments | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shadowing | X | |||
| Leadership | X | Not that you have robust participation in all 4 of these buckets. It could be that you are heavier in one and light on another. You should be involved with activities that are meaningful to you. Programs can tell if you did something b/c it was important to you versus doing it to check a box. | ||
| Community Service | X | Not that you have robust participation in all 4 of these buckets. It could be that you are heavier in one and light on another. You should be involved with activities that are meaningful to you. Programs can tell if you did something b/c it was important to you versus doing it to check a box. | ||
| Extracurriculuar Activities | X | Not that you have robust participation in all 4 of these buckets. It could be that you are heavier in one and light on another. You should be involved with activities that are meaningful to you. Programs can tell if you did something b/c it was important to you versus doing it to check a box. | ||
| Research / Publications | X | Not that you have robust participation in all 4 of these buckets. It could be that you are heavier in one and light on another. You should be involved with activities that are meaningful to you. Programs can tell if you did something b/c it was important to you versus doing it to check a box. | ||
| AOA Membership | X | In thinking back, I cannot tell you which of my residents had this on their application. | ||
| Gold Humanism Honor Society | X | |||
| USMLE Step 2 Scores | X | |||
| Clerkship Grades | X | |||
| Top Tier Medical School | X | We take applicants from all medical schools. Brody grads have matched in Top Tier institutions. | ||
| MPSE Letter | X | |||
| Personal Statement | X | |||
| Letters of Recommendation | X |