what do you think of a scramble service?

[coconutlime]

anybody have information on scramble services? are they worth it, which ones are good, what do they do for you, etc.

thanks.

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[NotAProgDirector]

anybody have information on scramble services? are they worth it, which ones are good, what do they do for you, etc.

thanks.

There are many threads about this on SDN. The overall assessment is that they are useless. Most offer to fax your information automatically to programs. Since most fax machines are clogged, this doesn't work well. I have never heard anyone here post that a scramble service actually got them a spot. IMHO, it's a giant waste of money.

If they do more than fax your CV, then I'll reassess that statement.

 

[mlw03]

just out of curiosity, what do these guys charge for their services?

 

[Winged Scapula]

just out of curiosity, what do these guys charge for their services?

http://imgprep.com/scramble

$675 for one specialty, twice that for two specialties.

As aPD notes, they don't do anything you can't do yourself...and it doesn't help to have someone FAX your stuff to a program if the FAX is jammed, turned off, out of paper, etc.

I can remember watching the FAX in our program coordinators office on Scramble day when we have Prelim Surg positions open....the pages were just falling onto the floor and when the paper was out, it was out. The phone was turned off as well.

I've never heard of anyone successfully use them either, although the link above does have some testimonials (albeit from people who are curiously ignorant of the process).