Did not match..Now what.....

Started by Captainwada
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Captainwada

Captainwada

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I'm really surprised I did not match..=( down but not out..

Interviewed at 10 places, I'm top 5% of my class, granted FMG, but still...I had 233/94 step 1, 226/93 step 2, and passed CS...i really don't understand but Gotta gather myself...
Any pointers for scrambling? I still hope for EM , but i know that theres like 1-2 spots if any left....
 
I am so sorry, that really sucks.

There are 13 EM spots open per the nrmp. 10 central, 1 southern and 2 midwest.

Hopefully your school is helpful through the process. I think you definitely need to get your stuff together tonight, post your documents online, get a group of people together with cell phones (save a line for incoming calls!) and computers and fax machines and just try like heck to get through to programs! With that many interviews. decent stats and already being committed to EM, if you're on the ball I think there's still hope.

Good luck!
 
If the scramble doesn't work out, do a transitional year and keep your eyes open. People leave EM for one reason or another, and spots open up. Check out residentswap.org. They list open programs, or situations where residents are looking to swap their spots.

Good luck
 
Captainwada said:
I'm really surprised I did not match..=( down but not out..

Interviewed at 10 places, I'm top 5% of my class, granted FMG, but still...I had 233/94 step 1, 226/93 step 2, and passed CS...i really don't understand but Gotta gather myself...
Any pointers for scrambling? I still hope for EM , but i know that theres like 1-2 spots if any left....
Click to expand...

I'm so sorry -- that really sucks 🙁

I just tried doing a search; I know there were some good discussions in the past about ways to approach the scramble but I can't find the threads I had read. I do remember that people said, in general, obviously an EM spot is best followed by a TY, then Medicine prelim intern year, then surgical prelim year, then Family year.

Agree with above poster that your school should have access to really experienced and knowledgeable people. Hopefully others can chime in.

Best of luck tomorrow! :luck::luck::luck:
 
Can someone please post the 13 available spots tomorrow? I'm a 3rd year, and I dont' have access to NRMP. Thanks !

Kasey said:
I am so sorry, that really sucks.

There are 13 EM spots open per the nrmp. 10 central, 1 southern and 2 midwest.

Hopefully your school is helpful through the process. I think you definitely need to get your stuff together tonight, post your documents online, get a group of people together with cell phones (save a line for incoming calls!) and computers and fax machines and just try like heck to get through to programs! With that many interviews. decent stats and already being committed to EM, if you're on the ball I think there's still hope.

Good luck!
Click to expand...
 
Captainwada said:
I'm really surprised I did not match..=( down but not out..

Interviewed at 10 places, I'm top 5% of my class, granted FMG, but still...I had 233/94 step 1, 226/93 step 2, and passed CS...i really don't understand but Gotta gather myself...
Any pointers for scrambling? I still hope for EM , but i know that theres like 1-2 spots if any left....
Click to expand...

I went through the scramble myself 4 years ago, so I can understand your pain. It really sucks, and will possibly be the worst 3 days of your life.

That being said you still have a future. I scrambled into an EM spot, and now have the exact EM attending job I wanted.

Some tips:

- Be on time at 8 AM as soon as the scramble begins.

- The scramble is all done through ERAS now. Don't try calling the programs as they will simply have a secretary bouncing all your calls.

- If you are friends with any of the residents/attendings at those programs, now is the time to get them to help you. The programs in the scramble would rather match a known quantity than someone at random.

- The spots fill pretty quickly, so if after 3-4 hours you haven't heard anything, then send your app materials to some of the open Transitional spots. At least a transitional spot will prepare you to try for the match the following year.

- Finally, take the first offer that comes. Don't turn down any offers or tell them you are waiting for another program. Take ANY offer you get and be happy with it. Remember, even if it's on the Northern tip of Alaska in a 1-bed ER, at least you will be in an EM residency, and it's only for 3-4 years.
 
Note the following open PGY-1 positions being offered outside the match:
http://www.saem.org/saemdnn/Home/Co...esidencyVacancyService/tabid/152/Default.aspx

Good luck. It sucks. I did it last year. Yes it's through ERAS, and yes secretaries will screen you out, but your Dean/PD might get through, so they should be calling. My spot was essentially 100% dependent on my TY PD getting through.

Also, if you decide to go for a scramble spot outside EM, with the intention to reapply, you must do a prelim or a transitional year to prevent your funding clock from starting to tick.

And 3-4 hours might be realistic this year with fewer openings, but I got my offer about six hours in, and actually a second offer eight hours in.
 
Thanks guys!! you all have really helped me keep my head up...i'll keep yall updated.
 
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Good luck to you tomorrow.

I will likely be helping my boyfriend in his scramble at the same time (not EM though).
 
Man, I feel so bad for you. You are exactly the type of candidate that makes everyone so nervous going into the match! You can do everything right, be ranked pretty high everywhere you interview, yet not quite high ENOUGH in any one place to match. I will be thinking good thoughts for you tomorrow and HOPE AND HOPE that you get one of the 13 spots! :luck:
 
december07 said:
Can someone please post the 13 available spots tomorrow? I'm a 3rd year, and I dont' have access to NRMP. Thanks !
Click to expand...

It's a match violation to post the available spots while the scramble is still occurring. I'm sure there'll be lots of talk about what the programs were, but posting the list publicly hurts the people who went through the NRMP process in a timely manner. Let the dust settle on the scramble first.

Good luck to the OP!!!!
 
Captainwada said:
I'm really surprised I did not match..=( down but not out..

Interviewed at 10 places, I'm top 5% of my class, granted FMG, but still...I had 233/94 step 1, 226/93 step 2, and passed CS...i really don't understand but Gotta gather myself...
Any pointers for scrambling? I still hope for EM , but i know that theres like 1-2 spots if any left....
Click to expand...

So sorry to hear this. I don't have anything to add to all the great advice above, but wanted to wish you much luck.
 
Captainwada said:
I'm really surprised I did not match..=( down but not out..

Interviewed at 10 places, I'm top 5% of my class, granted FMG, but still...I had 233/94 step 1, 226/93 step 2, and passed CS...i really don't understand but Gotta gather myself...
Any pointers for scrambling? I still hope for EM , but i know that theres like 1-2 spots if any left....
Click to expand...

Captain, this is scaring me. Im from the same school as you and have a similar step 1. Granted im matching next year. Anyways, best of luck to you. Im rooting for ya.
 
Good luck to you, my wishes to you to secure a spot, with your hard work you deserve it.
 
Captainwada said:
I'm really surprised I did not match..=( down but not out..

Interviewed at 10 places, I'm top 5% of my class, granted FMG, but still...I had 233/94 step 1, 226/93 step 2, and passed CS...i really don't understand but Gotta gather myself...
Any pointers for scrambling? I still hope for EM , but i know that theres like 1-2 spots if any left....
Click to expand...
I'm so sorry dude, definitely keep your head up. Here is an old link for scramble advice (my apologies if someone already posted it) http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=346520

We are all pulling for you and sending positive vibes :xf::luck:🙂 Best of luck
 
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I applied through ERAS, called the few EM spots there were, but no one picks up. Only 1 other specialty called... looks like im out =(
 
Captainwada said:
I applied through ERAS, called the few EM spots there were, but no one picks up. Only 1 other specialty called... looks like im out =(
Click to expand...

Dude, trust me if there is anyone that understands what you are feeling and going through it's me as I'm scrambling (again!!) as well right now.

I applied to the 5 programs that had unfilled spots and now just sitting there starring at my computer screen, my cell phone and my fax waiting for something to happen eventhough I know nothing will.
 
dmitrinyr said:
dude, trust me if there is anyone that understands what you are feeling and going through it's me as i'm scrambling (again!!) as well right now.

I applied to the 5 programs that had unfilled spots and now just sitting there starring at my computer screen, my cell phone and my fax waiting for something to happen eventhough i know nothing will.
Click to expand...


this is the worst feeling i have ever had in my life
 
Just wanted to say that I'm sorry both of you are having to go through this. I hope that things will work themselves out for both of you!
 
Hmmm..end of the day...PDs are prolly out of the office, what can we do now????
 
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Hope the days in the near future bring you all luck. I helped someone scramble today - definitely a terrible process to go through.
 
abbaroodle said:
I too did not match. I had plenty of interviews and ranked all the programs. Dang it!!! I was pretty shocked, but arent we all?

I keep hearing how competitive everything was this year. There were fewer spots overall in the scramble from last year. Our dean mentioned that as med schools increase enrollment, residencies are not increased at a comparable rate.

I took a med-peds spot at what I think is a good medical center in what I think is a pretty decent city. (I didnt exactly have the luxary of researching the hospital or city!) It had the advantage of being a categorical spot, with the disadvantage of being a categorical spot. Time will tell whether this was a good decision or not, and I am sure I will be pondering this more as the dust settles. For the moment, I am actually pretty excited about where I am heading and hoping I will be equally excited in 6 months or so!

I will also say, I think the health of our society is doomed if primary care spots cant fill and derm and ortho and radiology cant keep the flood gates up high enough! But that is a discusion for another day.
Click to expand...

Taking the Med-Peds spot was a good choice for two reasons. You got 5 years of funding (can switch to ED after one year and have 4 years of funding left) but more importantly, you can stay in Med-Peds and do a Peds EM fellowship which is only one year! No worries

For the dude that applied to the FM residency, probably not the best idea but that is only my opinion
 
Captainwada said:
this is the worst feeling i have ever had in my life
Click to expand...

Wada and other who didn't match, my heart goes out to you. I am truly sorry. This system is complete garbage and leaves way too many people unsatisfied. It makes me angry to think many of our hard-working colleagues don't get what they want after 4 hard working years, putting everything you have into ultimately, a process which has a large element of luck and randomness 😡
 
My bad-
Just shows how much I really know about ER- fellowships.
to be clear- peds EM fellowship is three years (sound like anothe residency!) and Med-Peds is 4 years (still a great year)

For the FP dude. If you want to go into ED and you have the intention of applying for the match next year.
YOU ALREADY BURNED ONE YEAR UP.
PD's will rank you one spot lower than an equally competitive applicant therafter as they have to eat at least 85 grand (cost medicare reiumburses a resident per year- including administrative compensation) which isn't an easy thing to do.

If you really want ED then you would sit out a year and try to get it. If you want a job, do FP. But don't do FP to work in the ED- becuase you don't get the same trauma training. Unless FP docs are doing thoracotomy's nowadays...
ND
 
SoCuteMD said:
It's a match violation to post the available spots while the scramble is still occurring. I'm sure there'll be lots of talk about what the programs were, but posting the list publicly hurts the people who went through the NRMP process in a timely manner. Let the dust settle on the scramble first.
Click to expand...

Geeeeez, lighten up, Chief!

I think I recognize you from the Joint Commission....
 
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bulgethetwine said:
Geeeeez, lighten up, Chief!

I think I recognize you from the Joint Commission....
Click to expand...

I wasn't saying it to "enforce the rules." I was saying because it would really suck if someone who didn't even enter the match stole an EM spot in the scramble from one of the posters above.
 
abbaroodle said:
If I decide that I still want to go for EM, when and what is the best approach in terms of approaching the folks I will be working with next year? I am going in with the intent of completing the 4 yrs and obviously dont want to alienate them on day 1, but I think its very possible I may decide I still want EM and want to give it another shot. I obviously dont want to burn bridges, especially if I fail to match EM again and want to stay (which I think could be a very real possibility!!!), but I cant imagine I could apply without the blessing of my PD.

I feel the best plan would be to sit down with the PD after a few months (who will hopefully be impressed with me by that point!) and say something like "as you know, I originally applied for EM and while I really liked med-peds as a 4th year and was really excited and happy to have this opportunity, and I am really happy here, I just dont think its the right specialty for me and I want to reapply for EM."

What would be your approach???
Click to expand...

Your approach is fine. Few of us welcome losing a resident, but fewer still will attempt to block it. It happens to all programs occasionally.
 
Congrats on your med-peds. The residents I've met who are med-peds are very sharp folks. Hope all goes well.
 
mdjkim said:
Remember that you can still train in family medicine and work in an ER.
Click to expand...

These days of a non EM trained doctor working in emergency rooms are disappearing quickly. Most of the spots I have seen for non em trained doctors in an ER are for Fast track with the PA's and NP's or are in urgent care centers and not in "real" emergency rooms. Even these positions are becoming more rare due to liability and a bunch of other reasons. If you ultimately want to work in an emergency room it is best to do a residency in emergency medicine, not a residency in family practice with an emergency fellowship. You can't become a board certified emergency physician without doing an emergency medicine residency.
 
EL CAPeeeTAN said:
These days of a non EM trained doctor working in emergency rooms are disappearing quickly. Most of the spots I have seen for non em trained doctors in an ER are for Fast track with the PA's and NP's or are in urgent care centers and not in "real" emergency rooms. Even these positions are becoming more rare due to liability and a bunch of other reasons. If you ultimately want to work in an emergency room it is best to do a residency in emergency medicine, not a residency in family practice with an emergency fellowship. You can't become a board certified emergency physician without doing an emergency medicine residency.
Click to expand...

True, but with the lack of PCP and the crush of people to the EDs with primary care complaints, it makes me wonder whether EM residents should have the option of doing a one year FM fellowship. Ugh.
 
mdjkim said:
Remember that you can still train in family medicine and work in an ER.
Click to expand...

i don't want to dredge up all the old posts.. .however, as someone who completed an EM residency at one of the oldest EM programs, we were taught to be an advocate for our skills and specialty.. i want to clarify ... THIS IS NOT THE CASE...

you cannot train in FM and work in EM... they are two separate fields, hence two separate residencies... these days even longer practicing IM and FM physicians who have worked in ED's for the past 15 years (but not grandfathered in and therefore not boarded in EM) are being forced out of their positions...
 
FMs can do fellowships in EM and work in the EM..it happens in many community hospitals.

The Scramble is really a crapshoot...your chances of getting a call back from programs via ERAS is ~1-5% (depending on your stats of course)
I felt as though half of them closed within the hour NMRP released the list, and I had no idea how ppl were filling them so quick.
Calling didn't do anything.
I received one call via ERAS from a FM program, and they interviewed me. When I called back 1 hour later, they decided to give the position to someone else who went to their school and I just DIED. The whole SCRAMBLE process is really depressing, painful, and unfair to med students. It's an emotional rollercoster ride without seatbelts... NO one should have to go through with that.
Programs have applicants by the neck and know they do.

Suprisingly, 1 of my 500 EMAILs got through to a program (IM) and I received a phone call 2 hours post SCRAMBLE from the PD b/c of that 1 email. NOT b/c of ERAS.


So i'm ending up with a Cat IM position which I'm happy doing. I decided that if god + all the EM programs don't want me to pursue EM... so be it. I know i'll be happy with whatever field I enter as I am very optimistic & dedicated to medicine regardless of the specialty.
 
Last edited:
JUst wanted to describe my SCRAMBLE experience to others who might find it helpful.
 
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