The great match decision

[Mrs. MD, Esq.]

I suppose they could do research for a year...but everyone my fiancé knows that had to scramble was able to find a 1yr preliminary spot at least...some did have to go outside their preferred specialty though if they were looking at a competitive specialty...

[diggitydot]

Yep, most peeps will change to less competitive specialties or find a prelim year slot somewhere.

He has a while to figure it out, though. It's one of those things that is always in the mind of a med student, but obsessing over it too early will drive the MS and everyone around said student bonkers.

[NYCHoosier]

Candidates and programs can offer this information, but it cannot be asked of them. Asking is a big hairy no-no. That being the case, programs typically don't give two shits what they're ranked by candidates. Offering this info isn't going to help his chances even a little.

Trust me, candidates who do well in their interviews are remembered. In DH's program, we all discuss favorites and those that are not-so-favorites. Everyone remembers the awesome candidates who would fit in well and are bummed when they don't match here. Someone telling the PD that this program is a favorite has no bearing on how the PD will rank them.

I think the bolded is the important part. The programs cannot and should not ask. However, the candidate can provide the information, and, going against the grain here, I don't necessarily think it's a bad thing as long as s/he only does it for his/her #1 and doesn't lie. By saying to a program "I'm very impressed and will rank you program highly", the applicant is pretty much saying "I'm not ranking you #1".

While I agree that candidates who do well in their interviews are remembered, DH did tell his #1 program that it was his #1. Because his program only takes two residents per year and DH didn't do an away there, I think his providing that information put him toward the top of the list. I mean, he had to be pretty high there in order to match there...


As for the not ranking certain programs question... does he really realize how much it would suck to not match? My cousin is a year ahead of DH in medicine. She matched at her #7 and was upset it wasn't one of her top 3, but she eventually calmed down and is now making the best of it. One of her good friends ranked 2 programs (#1 she away'ed at and "recruited" her; #2 was her home program) and didn't match. She had to sit out a year. Though my cousin wasn't thrilled with her own match outcome, she cautioned against not ranking programs. "4th years think that some programs are worse than not matching. They're not." Yes, there's scrambling, and yes, there's research, but neither of those are guarantees. Perhaps my cousin was a little too absolute in her advice, but applicants should think long and hard before not ranking a program at all.

[corn poffi]

Well, it turns out that the residency adviser guy at my BF's med school told him basically the same thing that NYCHoosier just said, that he can tell his #1 that they're his #1 if he wants, but it's not necessary. Not sure if he'll do it or not...if he contacts anybody, it will only be his #1.

But (minor victory for me), I've talked him into ranking at least nine places. There is one program that he flat out said that he'd rather not match than go there. So at least he knows the consequences! In his defense, the program did sound pretty crappy. And it's in the middle of nowhere, so I would have been miserable there too.

[ides]

We didn't rank every interview but dh did go on 18interviews. We ended up ranking or 14 or 16 - I can't remember exactly. Those he didn't rank he would have been better off unmatched than there. I think the thing to remember is to go on many interviews and rank 12 or more no matter how sure you are you will match. There are some stats on the nrmp website about rank list length & matching. It's simple- don't be cocky & don't listen to the hype.

[SuzySunshine]

My husband didn't rank one program - he was matching to a very competitive specialty but he said he'd rather do OB (which would have been an nightmare for him) then match at the one place he didn't rank.

[diggitydot]

DH had 10 interviews invitations, went to 9, and ranked 8. The one he didn't rank was actually his top choice "on paper", but discovered that the program suuuuuucked during his audition rotation. Matched at his #1. Family medicine is decidedly NOT competitive, but he matched at a great program.

I think the more competitive the specialty, the higher the number of programs that should be considered.

[NYCHoosier]

DH had 10 interviews invitations, went to 9, and ranked 8. The one he didn't rank was actually his top choice "on paper", but discovered that the program suuuuuucked during his audition rotation. Matched at his #1. Family medicine is decidedly NOT competitive, but he matched at a great program.

I think the more competitive the specialty, the higher the number of programs that should be considered.

I definitely agree. If you look at the data there are graphs for each specialty that has a log curve. The point where it plateaus is probably the minimum number you should shoot for if you have the opportunity. For ortho I think it's around 15; NSG is probably the most at 17 or so. DH ranked 19. He interviewed at 20, but one program got shut down - St. Vincent's in NYC - so he couldn't rank it. Since he had heard about its financial woes, he was considering not ranking it anyway. He didn't want to end up at a place for a year and then be without a job all of a sudden.

[corn poffi]

Well, his list is done! He ended up ranking 10 and we even agreed on his #1, so it ended up being way less painful than I thought it could have been. Now just counting down the days to Match Day!

Oh, and funny story. If you remember earlier, the BF thought he was all special because one of the programs was courting him hard, blah blah blah. Being the supportive GF that I am, I kept reminding him that he's not that special. Tough love style. Anyway, he didn't really listen so I just gave up. Then, at his last interview a couple of weeks ago, the department chair was kind of doing the same thing. Saying how great he is, how he'd be such an asset to the program, that they'll totally rank him and all that jazz. Of course, my BF was eating it up, even though he wasn't really that pumped about the program. At the end of the day, the chair came up to him, and addressed him as Josh (not his name). They chatted for a bit, and then the chair said, "Well, nice to meet you Eric!" (also not his name).

So, as my BF was telling me this, I was trying my hardest not to laugh. But when he said, "I'm beginning to think some programs say that to everybody!", I lost it, since I'd been telling him that for weeks. He couldn't figure out what was so funny. Anyway, at least he finally realizes he's not "the chosen one"!!!

[diggitydot]

I wouldn't be undone by a name mixup. They're meeting a TON of people. DH's program (which is not in a competitive specialty) had 60 candidates interview this year. Lots of opportunity for name screw ups, particularly if you're like me and have issues remembering names.

[HeyMeganZ]

I realize I'm finding this thread on the very last possible day for match lists! This was and wasn't an easy process for us. My career has me very much tied to one region of the country and if my fiance could choose, he would have ranked much differently in another area of the country. What we settled upon was the best possible program for him as his #1 (which would not be the best thing for my career-wise) with the vast majority of the remaining list programs that would work or be do-able for me. I have to say now that it will be out of our hands today, it's a huge sigh of relief. I'm really curious to see if these programs who were 'courting him' were genuine or not...22 days!

[madeintaiwan]

I wouldn't be undone by a name mixup. They're meeting a TON of people. DH's program (which is not in a competitive specialty) had 60 candidates interview this year. Lots of opportunity for name screw ups, particularly if you're like me and have issues remembering names.

At DH's program the residents are given a packet that has a picture and background snap shot of every applicant. They know their names before the applicant dinner.

[diggitydot]

Same with DH's program, but when you see so many people it's still easy to mix-up names. Even for the 2nd Look festivities packets with pictures, names, schools, hometowns, family member's names, etc. are handed out. But for some of us (OK, me), name screw ups can still happen.