NRMP's new "all-in" policy: bad for rad onc (re)applicants?

[laserbeams]

For the 2013 match, the NRMP has stated that with few exceptions, all residency programs must submit open positions to The Match. The full document (with examples and exceptions) can be found here.

There seems to be a general consensus on this board that if an applicant is well-qualified (i.e. good step 1/2, research, grades, letters) and was otherwise "unlucky" in The Match, he/she should attempt to find a position during his/her intern year outside (previously here, here and here). This would allow the unmatched applicant to start their radiation oncology training without taking a year off.

Any thoughts on how the NRMP's decision will affect future rad onc applicants? Will those who complete an intern year (non-categorical) essentially be required go through the Match a second time and sit out for a year?

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[Pewl]

I actually think this is a great thing. My application year there was a program I ranked highly, only to find that they took one of their positions outside the match. I think this policy protects the integrity of the entire NRMP system.

 

[DrAwsome]

I actually think this is a great thing. My application year there was a program I ranked highly, only to find that they took one of their positions outside the match. I think this policy protects the integrity of the entire NRMP system.

How is it possible then that there is still a bunch of open positions for different specialties on ResidentSwap? I find that weird. Are these programs not following the rules, or are there certain timeframes within which these positions can be outside the match?

 

[laserbeams]

I actually think this is a great thing. My application year there was a program I ranked highly, only to find that they took one of their positions outside the match. I think this policy protects the integrity of the entire NRMP system.

Good point. On the one hand, those who make contacts (and demonstrate interest in a program over the long term) may be losing out by acting within this more formal system but on the other, it gives people who aren't as connected a better shot at more spots.

That being said, would the total number of spots listed by the NRMP be higher than specified in the most recent results if all spots were included? For example, if a program had 3 spots but pre-matched someone ahead of time, would all 3 spots show up in the NRMP results, or just 2? In other words, were there actually more than 171 PGY2 rad onc spots last year, but not all were reported due to pre-matching?

 

[rad0nc]

I actually think this is a great thing. My application year there was a program I ranked highly, only to find that they took one of their positions outside the match. I think this policy protects the integrity of the entire NRMP system.

I don't think it will help that much because people will still "pre-match" under the table and just have an agreement that they both match each other first.

 

[Pewl]

Good point. On the one hand, those who make contacts (and demonstrate interest in a program over the long term) may be losing out by acting within this more formal system but on the other, it gives people who aren't as connected a better shot at more spots.

That being said, would the total number of spots listed by the NRMP be higher than specified in the most recent results if all spots were included? For example, if a program had 3 spots but pre-matched someone ahead of time, would all 3 spots show up in the NRMP results, or just 2? In other words, were there actually more than 171 PGY2 rad onc spots last year, but not all were reported due to pre-matching?

That's a good question. Technically, with the new rules I'd imagine they have to list all of their available spots (including those that they wanted to "reserve" for prematches). I imagine they might have a hard time tracking this, but I think whatever they list in ERAS is how many they need to take from the match.

 

[hot sauce]

For the 2013 match, the NRMP has stated that with few exceptions, all residency programs must submit open positions to The Match. The full document (with examples and exceptions) can be found here.

There seems to be a general consensus on this board that if an applicant is well-qualified (i.e. good step 1/2, research, grades, letters) and was otherwise "unlucky" in The Match, he/she should attempt to find a position during his/her intern year outside (previously here, here and here). This would allow the unmatched applicant to start their radiation oncology training without taking a year off.

Any thoughts on how the NRMP's decision will affect future rad onc applicants? Will those who complete an intern year (non-categorical) essentially be required go through the Match a second time and sit out for a year?

From your NRMP link:
": Within the NRMP’s R3 system, program tracks can be created for
 International medical graduates with funding from their home countries
 Combined clinical-research programs where the first year is not clinical training
 Unexpected openings in advanced specialties where a PGY-2 position can be filled in the year of The Match."

I don't know their terminology but it sounds like a PGY1 could still get into a position that opens up outside of the match.

 

[Aphtalyfe]

From your NRMP link:
": Within the NRMP’s R3 system, program tracks can be created for
 International medical graduates with funding from their home countries
 Combined clinical-research programs where the first year is not clinical training
 Unexpected openings in advanced specialties where a PGY-2 position can be filled in the year of The Match."

I don't know their terminology but it sounds like a PGY1 could still get into a position that opens up outside of the match.

That's how I understood it too.

 

[laserbeams]

I guess I read it a little differently. Per the NRMP document linked above:

Within the NRMP’s R3 system, program tracks can be created for...
- International medical graduates with funding from their home countries
- Combined clinical-research programs where the first year is not clinical training
- Unexpected openings in advanced specialties where a PGY-2 position can be filled in the year of The Match
​

R3 stands for "Registration, Ranking, and Results" and the text goes on to say that the three unique circumstances listed above can have special program tracks created and as such "no exceptions are warranted" for the new "all-in" policy.

Because this is uncharted territory, I'd guess that a program that received an additional PGY-2 spot would create a Match track of one spot, starting that July/August, for someone who has already completed an internship year. This special track would thus be part of the overall match process, instead of being offered outside of the NRMP's supervision.

Of course, rad0nc makes a good point in that programs can still participate in the match with a wink and a nod to a desired candidate, effectively re-creating the pre-match process.

 

[Pewl]

Of course, rad0nc makes a good point in that programs can still participate in the match with a wink and a nod to a desired candidate, effectively re-creating the pre-match process.

It's ok to recreate the "pre-match process" as long as it's done within the match! You can collude all you want as long as it's within the match system.