How many more "how should I rank" posts are we going to have? Rank lists are very specific to each individual. If you post a random list of programs you are going to get back student doctor approved list in order of perceived prestige of each program. I am all for people getting advise about ranking but how about some specific questions.

Yeah I agree.

No one can tell you where to go. No one can rank for you. It's such an individual choice. Everyone values things differently.

I haven't posted my ROL b/c I don't want to hear....dude you are ranking (insert top30 program) over (insert top10 program)...what are you smoking?

I'm glad that you're not having much anxiety with your rank list, but keep in mind for many (like myself when I went through match), match is a very very anxiety provoking time and there are so many factors in think about in what you want in a program and what you can do to end up in a program where you'll learn the most and be happy while doing it.

The match process is stressful and it's easy to see why people stress over what order they'll submit programs on the list. This happens every cycle and will continue to happen every cycle. Unless the ACGME finds a better way to allow medical students to obtain residency spots, we're stuck with this cycle of things. Take heart that these threads will die down and disappear after 3/20/09 and you can avoid the madness until Dec 2009.

Unless the ACGME finds a better way to allow medical students to obtain residency spots, we're stuck with this cycle of things.

Not to derail the thread, but what would you suggest as a better way?

I'm glad that you're not having much anxiety with your rank list, but keep in mind for many (like myself when I went through match), match is a very very anxiety provoking time and there are so many factors in think about in what you want in a program and what you can do to end up in a program where you'll learn the most and be happy while doing it.

The match process is stressful and it's easy to see why people stress over what order they'll submit programs on the list. This happens every cycle and will continue to happen every cycle. Unless the ACGME finds a better way to allow medical students to obtain residency spots, we're stuck with this cycle of things. Take heart that these threads will die down and disappear after 3/20/09 and you can avoid the madness until Dec 2009.

Maybe it would be best if we could combine all of the ranking threads into one monster thread? Or perhaps lock this thread: http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=596993 at the top of the IM page and then freeze all new ranking threads?

I'm also tired of threads that are started to strictly protest the starting of other threads. Can we make a "monster thread" for that as well?

Maybe it would be best if we could combine all of the ranking threads into one monster thread? Or perhaps lock this thread: http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=596993 at the top of the IM page and then freeze all new ranking threads?

That's why we created an "official" rank list thread.

How many more "how should I rank" posts are we going to have? Rank lists are very specific to each individual. If you post a random list of programs you are going to get back student doctor approved list in order of perceived prestige of each program. I am all for people getting advise about ranking but how about some specific questions.

Hey, I PM'd you with my top 50...please help me sort them.

I'm an aquarias who likes long walks on the beach...oh and I want cards/GI or something else that pays a lot and is respected :thumbup:

Thanks!

Not to derail the thread, but what would you suggest as a better way?

I'm thinking something akin to drunk pin-the-tail-on-the-donkey would be less stressful.

Honestly, I don't have an easy answer to this as there isn't one. There isn't enough time in Medical school to get exposures to all the programs or to allow them to meet the applicants. The current system isn't perfect, but it isn't broken, so there is no reason to change it.

I'm thinking something akin to drunk pin-the-tail-on-the-donkey would be less stressful.

Honestly, I don't have an easy answer to this as there isn't one. There isn't enough time in Medical school to get exposures to all the programs or to allow them to meet the applicants. The current system isn't perfect, but it isn't broken, so there is no reason to change it.

I think the scramble could use some retooling. One thing that would be nice is if they changed the time line so that the computer finished matching everyone on March 1st and then allowed the scramble to take place over the course of the next week or two.

I think the scramble could use some retooling. One thing that would be nice is if they changed the time line so that the computer finished matching everyone on March 1st and then allowed the scramble to take place over the course of the next week or two.

I agree that the scramble is a big mess. Even if they release results earlier (and all they would have to release is whom is not matched and what positions are unfilled), that doesn't make the scramble any slower. Once you tell programs that they have unfilled slots, they will try to fill them as quickly as possible.

Another option would be a two stage match -- i.e. after the first match, all unmatched applicants and unfilled programs are alerted, allowed to communicate with each other, rank again, and match again. Then there would be a final scramble for the leftovers. This was discussed several years ago, but according to the NRMP would have involved moving match week forward by two weeks -- to the first week in April. No one liked that idea, and the two stage match idea died.

I agree that the scramble is a big mess..

What appropriate timing for this conversation.

News from the NRMP!

NRMP SEEKS COMMENTS ON THE SCRAMBLE

The NRMP and the Association of American Medical Colleges have formed a joint work group to address problems related to the "Scramble" for unfilled positions that occurs at the conclusion of the Main Residency Match. Read about (http://www.nrmp.org/scramblechanges.pdf) the work group's deliberations and proposal for change. Comments should be directed to NRMP Executive Director Mona M. Signer at msigner@aamc.org. (msigner@aamc.org)

Jayne
thanks for that
I sent in my comments
never had to scramble for a residency spot, but I feel for those who have
it seems like a 2-stage Match would be better