Totally confused about AUA and NMRP matching

[Suncrusher]

How do the interactions of being in the AUA match and the NMRP match work? What are the various timings over the course of my M4 year for all of these steps? My current understanding is that I should:

1. Send out applications to urology programs and participate in the AUA match

2.a. I match into urology:

i. I might have to rank a surgery intern year #1 in the NMRP system at that same program (do I have to interview for that, or it is just a formality?)​

ii. I might not have to rank a surgery intern year in the NMRP system​

2.b. I don't match into urology:

i. Do I simply try to get a surgery prelim year slot through the NMRP system, and then try to match into urology again the next year (and does that route have any chance of succeeding)?​

ii. If I think I could be happy in a backup specialty, can I somehow participate in both the AUA match and NMRP match such that, instead of taking a surgery prelim year and reapplying for urology the next year, I instead match into a backup specialty through the NMRP match? And would I have had to interview at programs for that backup specialty during fall/winter of M4 at the same time as I was interviewing at all the urology programs that I eventually failed to match at? Does anyone do this, or are the chances of getting into urology after landing a surgery prelim year relatively good?​

Totally confused; would not be surprised if some of the steps I listed above are completely wrong. Any help is appreciated.

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[cpants]

1. Some programs participate in the NRMP match for the intern year. Some don't. If your program participates in the NRMP, all you have to do is submit a 1 program rank order list with your surgery prelim. It's a formality. You are automatically accepted and do not have to interview.

2. If you apply for a backup specialty, which may or may not be the best course of action for you, you will have to submit a separate ERAS application for that specialty. Yes you will have to interview at those programs during the same time period that you do urology interviews.

 

[Suncrusher]

1. Some programs participate in the NRMP match for the intern year. Some don't. If your program participates in the NRMP, all you have to do is submit a 1 program rank order list with your surgery prelim. It's a formality. You are automatically accepted and do not have to interview.

2. If you apply for a backup specialty, which may or may not be the best course of action for you, you will have to submit a separate ERAS application for that specialty. Yes you will have to interview at those programs during the same time period that you do urology interviews.

Thanks! Could you help me figure out whether applying for a backup specialty or just going for the surgery prelim year/going for urology no matter what would be better for me? I have a 244 on step 1 but my school is a new/unknown/low tier MD school without its own urology department and I have no research (I'm about to look into starting some urology research, but I'm unsure if I will be able to find any local researchers).

And how does matching work for those surgery prelim spots—do I submit ERAS applications for those after finding out I didn't match into urology and still have time to interview for those, or do I scramble into those with everyone who went unmatched in the NMRP match, or what?

 

[cpants]

You will have to scramble if you don't match. It's too late to interview for surgery spots and submit a rank order list when the urology results come out. 244 is pretty good. If you get involved with some research, your grades are good, and you have strong performance on 3-4 audition rotations--you shouldn't need a backup plan. That said, it's getting more and more competitive each year and those are a lot of ifs. Your best bet is to find a mentor in academic urology and sit down to discuss your realistic shot at matching and which places you should try to go to for away rotations. Any residency programs locally? Email the chair and try to get a meeting.

 

[armybound]

cpants always has such great advice. I appreciate your effort around here, cpants.

He's already hit all of the important parts. It's painful to pay $90+ to submit a 1-spot rank list to NRMP when you've already matched, but that's a small price to pay once you've matched urology.

 

[Suncrusher]

Thanks, cpants and armybound It's just scary to make the decision to start chasing the 77% match rate in urology when I don't have a urologist at my school to get a letter from, don't have an easy opportunity for urology research, and probably can't write a convincing personal statement at this point. I'll look into finding someone who can advise me on other programs in this state since mine is no good.

 

[DocEspana]

Thanks, cpants and armybound It's just scary to make the decision to start chasing the 77% match rate in urology when I don't have a urologist at my school to get a letter from, don't have an easy opportunity for urology research, and probably can't write a convincing personal statement at this point. I'll look into finding someone who can advise me on other programs in this state since mine is no good.

match rate was in the high 60's (69% i think) this year, last I heard.

 

[Suncrusher]

match rate was in the high 60's (69% i think) this year, last I heard.

Ugh.