What new hell is this?

[reciprocity]

Welcome! I'm also half of an older M4 couple (in our case because of a phd in the middle of med school)

Sounds crazy stressful, but I think you've got a good perspective on it (the four programs where he is interviewing know him and know he's good)

We're still waiting on a number of invites, my wife's best friend who matched last year even got an invite in January and they ended up recruiting her very hard, so it ain't over till its over.

[WolfpackWife]

Welcome! All of this sounds like a nightmare - not just your situation, but all of our iMSNers in the match this year. I do not look forward to 2016 when it's our turn.

In any case, stick around, talk to us, vent away. I cannot tell you what an invaluable place this has become for me since finding it in March. Good luck and keep your head up!

[jennschwaz]

Which is the perspective of every single 4th year med student. Don't sweat it.

Ha! I'm sure that's true! thanks!

[jennschwaz]

moonlight -

DH met with his advisor today. She told him that the match was so devastating last year that every student this year has upped their number of applications to improve their chances. She also told him that she had seen his LORs and they were all very positive. Not sure about the transcript, etc. but at least we know his LORs aren't the problem...

[SoonerTexan]

So I was talking to DH husband about this and he said again he has heard of SO many people in his class and others doing ENT. And that ENT programs tended to have only a handful of spots (3ish) per program? If that's the case, maybe he should apply for more. Most rads programs have 6-12. That's a lot more spots overall to be competing for.

[jennschwaz]

1.)They're right about the interviews coming in waves, I definitely remember my DH getting interviews into November (and maybe even December). 4 is better than 1 and the other posts are right to say there's still time. I know it's not great to think about getting an interview because someone cancels but nobody thinks about that after the match.

Well, it is November and 7 more of the schools he hadn't heard from sent him rejections today, including my alma mater, which is a blow. I don't care one bit if the invitations come because someone else cancelled, as long as he gets some more! But why would anyone cancel? Because they got THAT MANY invitations?? Geez, must be nice!

2.) Has he talked to the people in his program about staying where you already are? If he has a good reputation with them (which I'm sure he does) and expresses interest in staying, chances are they'll give him priority.
3.) It probably wouldn't hurt for him to reinforce his enthusiasm to the people he knows in other programs. Remember, they go through applications after working all day and are essentially looking for a reason to toss them aside. Anything to thwart that process may be to his benefit.

I'll definitely encourage him to do both of these things as all four of the programs are local and we would LOVE to stay where we are!

4.) This is an extremely stressful time all other factors excluded. Even if his match is somewhere totally random (like what happened to us), or your process takes a little longer than expected, you have both already proven that you are able to fight for what you want, and that is your greatest weapon. No matter what happens you will be able to make a beautiful life, so stay convinced of that.

I try to remind myself of this every day! No matter what happens, we have each other, and the bond is strong. And now we'll have our baby too! It's not all bad, but trying to maintain perspective amidst this shitstorm of rejection is hard. Thanks for your words of encouragement!

[jennschwaz]

Eric,

If only my husband wanted to go into psychiatry...I feel like we'd be sitting pretty.

I'm not putting all my eggs in one basket...more like four baskets.

thanks for your encouragement!

-Grace

[jennschwaz]

So I was talking to DH husband about this and he said again he has heard of SO many people in his class and others doing ENT. And that ENT programs tended to have only a handful of spots (3ish) per program? If that's the case, maybe he should apply for more. Most rads programs have 6-12. That's a lot more spots overall to be competing for.

Indeed, there are fewer programs and most of them have 2 or 3 (some only one, and the "big" ones have four). There aren't a lot of people in DH's class applying for ENT so maybe he has a false sense of security. Still, 75 programs is a lot. He spoke with his advisor today and she did not seem to think applying for more programs at this stage in the "game" would be beneficial. And if I'm being really honest, I would have to say with a baby on the way, I'm not sure I'd rather end up in the middle of nowhere just to make the match than figure out plan B. I'm a loving wife, but I do have my own sanity to consider...

Is that bad? I mean, originally I was hoping he would only apply to programs within a 500 mile radius of our home, but that was only 13 programs. Maybe that's why 75 programs sounds like so many!

Out of curiosity, and if you don't mind me asking, how many programs has your DH applied to?

[SoonerTexan]

48 rads, 20ish prelim and transitional. He would have been okay with less though. 40ish would have been more ideal. He was paranoid.

[jennschwaz]

48 rads, 20ish prelim and transitional. He would have been okay with less though. 40ish would have been more ideal. He was paranoid.

I'm thinking they all must be paranoid. Or worse yet: the paranoia is warranted!

[moonlight]

The advisor has no way of knowing if there is a error. Only your DH would pick up on it. Same as the Deans letter. He can request a transcript right now to review it.
Four interviews is very alarming given the situation your discribing. Did he get info about SOAP and a plan B? He's got to do that or you'll certainly end up in the middle of no where in a specialty he never wanted to do. BTW I know someone that did not match, did TWO Years of research at fancy hospital and they didnt even offer a interview much less ranking him. Don't count on ENT research year turning out the way you want. Doesn't always happen.

[jennschwaz]

The advisor has no way of knowing if there is a error. Only your DH would pick up on it. Same as the Deans letter. He can request a transcript right now to review it.
Four interviews is very alarming given the situation your discribing. Did he get info about SOAP and a plan B? He's got to do that or you'll certainly end up in the middle of no where in a specialty he never wanted to do. BTW I know someone that did not match, did TWO Years of research at fancy hospital and they didnt even offer a interview much less ranking him. Don't count on ENT research year turning out the way you want. Doesn't always happen.

From whom should he request a copy of the Dean's letter?

And what about the description of our situation do you find "very alarming?"

It's November 6. He will get information about SOAP, but honestly your response is what I find alarming. You seem to be the only person on this thread and in our educational/professional circle who thinks we are "certainly going to end up in the middle of nowhere in a specialty he never wanted to do" if we don't have a Plan B totally figured out on November 6. Besides, if he doesn't match in ENT, that's when our Plan B will come into play. We're a level-headed and intelligent couple in our late 30s, not a couple of desperate 20-something kids.

You seem to have a different/inside perspective about the match process that others don't have. Maybe you're trying to be helpful, but you're coming off as very pessimistic and discouraging.

[moonlight]

I'm really sorry to upset you. Four interviews is just really low for a US grad at a good school with good grades/scores. He's right. Something is off. It doesn't make sense to me. It's better to figure it out now than waiting. I honestly hope he matches. I really do. You've got to know with every happy ending you'll read on here, there are a equal number of scare the crap out if you real life stories that happen to decent undeserving people.

[GreyhoundsRUs]

Have you looked at http://b83c73bcf0e7ca356c80-e8560f46...tcomes2011.pdf

The info for ENT starts on page 174. Good luck!


Wife of a PGY-4 Orthopod

[alotofyarn]

I'll be honest and agree with moonlinght - if my husband had only gotten 4 interviews last year, I'd be seriously worried too. My husband was told he was in the top half of urology applicants - he had a good Step 1, but it was average for urology, as was probably the rest of his application. He applied to 55 programs, got 21 invitations, and went on 14 interviews. He matched at one of the programs where he did an away rotation. I don't know the details of your husband's application, so I can't tell you whether something is wrong with his application or not. I really do hope he matches with 4 - it's certainly possible - but, with a baby due in January, I'd start planning for "just in case" now, because your hands are going to be really full in March.