2009 Match List

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Congrats all! I'm sure glad this whole process is over. If anyone wants to post where they match, do it here. I'll start!

Cornell 👍 😀
 
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University of North Carolina Chapel Hill. Go Tarheels!! 🙂
 
University of Colorado - would love to chat with any of you who will also be there or who are already there!

👍
 
Umkc!
 
MGH.....awww yeah 🙂
 
Just curious, anyone get the phone call from the committee chair at MGH and NOT match?

I got the phone call and 2 positive emails (all unsoliticited) from them and didn't match. To be honest, I was absolutely shocked. I don't think programs should call or put that much effort into recruiting applicants if they are not ranked to match. I feel somewhat duped. 🙁
 
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FutureIMdoc80 said:
Just curious, anyone get the phone call from the committee chair at MGH and NOT match?

I got the phone call and 2 positive emails (all unsoliticited) from them and didn't match. To be honest, I was absolutely shocked. I don't think programs should call or put that much effort into recruiting applicants if they are not ranked to match. I feel somewhat duped. 🙁
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Yes. It tells me who they *really* are. Treat it with a pinch of salt if you get the "...you represent the most exceptional of this year's competitive applicants...." letter. It means nothing. I even responded with a genuine, warm e-mail. Maybe they were looking for me to say that I would sell my soul, but that's not who I am. I'll work hard wherever I go. Programs should stick to the rules of the match. Be very wary of MGH if you get this letter and DO NOT let it influence you. You should make this thread a sticky, and I will be posting multiple reminders next year to help out other interviewees.
 
Perhaps the NRMP should forbid communication between programs and applicants after the interview. The ROL should depend on impressions from the interview and other objective assessments on the parts of the applicants and programs. It shouldn't depend on vague (or not so vague) statements of intent from either party. One could almost understand this from applicants, who are in the weaker position, but for reputable programs to be doing this is really shady.
 
For what it's worth, I got very positive post-interview stuff from MGH and matched there, but also got very positive stuff from UCSF, which was my number one, and didn't match there. They sent me emails, told a current resident "if she wants to come here, she can...". While I didn't get an explicit "you are ranked to match" comment, I definitely felt like they gave me the impression a spot was mine for the taking, which it clearly was not.

So the moral of the story is, trust no one. All that post-interview contact SHOULD be outlawed, I think. Because what benefit is it to us? None. All it can do is sway you towards a program that you think "wants" you. What benefit is it to the program? Significant, because if they recruit everyone heavily, then they can say they went less far down their match list. My thought is, each program should have the cajones to rank who they want in the order they want them, period. If they have to go far down their match list, maybe that should be a sign they need to work on things, rather than a sign they didn't "play the game" well enough.

Just my unsolicited two cents on this one...
 
mem141 said:
For what it's worth, I got very positive post-interview stuff from MGH and matched there, but also got very positive stuff from UCSF, which was my number one, and didn't match there. They sent me emails, told a current resident "if she wants to come here, she can...". While I didn't get an explicit "you are ranked to match" comment, I definitely felt like they gave me the impression a spot was mine for the taking, which it clearly was not.

So the moral of the story is, trust no one. All that post-interview contact SHOULD be outlawed, I think. Because what benefit is it to us? None. All it can do is sway you towards a program that you think "wants" you. What benefit is it to the program? Significant, because if they recruit everyone heavily, then they can say they went less far down their match list. My thought is, each program should have the cajones to rank who they want in the order they want them, period. If they have to go far down their match list, maybe that should be a sign they need to work on things, rather than a sign they didn't "play the game" well enough.

Just my unsolicited two cents on this one...
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The whole point of the way the match is set up is that you just rank them in the order you want them. What does it matter if there is post-interview feedback or not? The feedback should not be a factor in whether you rank them highly or not.
 
I didn't rank MGH #1 because of the post-interview feedback. I ranked them number one because I thought I could grow and excel there. I am appalled that they would call and say "We call people who think would do exceptionally well here", sent emails, and even called MY SCHOOL asking about me. THAT (especially calling me) is shadier than the business world. Perhaps it says something when the majority of their students choose the Brigham over MGH. Take a look at the HMS match list this year...13 are going to Brigham while 5 are going to MGH.

The match process is so imperfect, and these schools apparently extend a hand to more applicants than are ranked to match. I think these schools should reevaluate this approach, particularly the personal phone calls by admission authorities, as they are extremely misleading.

With that said, I am happy where I am going. It's a great program and I am sure I'll do well there.
 
FutureIMdoc80 said:
I didn't rank MGH #1 because of the post-interview feedback. I ranked them number one because I thought I could grow and excel there. I am appalled that they would call and say "We call people who think would do exceptionally well here", sent emails, and even called MY SCHOOL asking about me. THAT (especially calling me) is shadier than the business world. Perhaps it says something when the majority of their students choose the Brigham over MGH. Take a look at the HMS match list this year...13 are going to Brigham while 5 are going to MGH.

The match process is so imperfect, and these schools apparently extend a hand to more applicants than are ranked to match. I think these schools should reevaluate this approach, particularly the personal phone calls by admission authorities, as they are extremely misleading.

With that said, I am happy where I am going. It's a great program and I am sure I'll do well there.
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It is tough to feel like you are probably going to match at a place and not. I get that. I matched at my second choice and am thrilled, but admit a little disappointment at first. MGH was my first choice.

I would not read too much into match lists and what HMS students did, etc. I think MGH gets a much more geographically diverse group and they seem to want that, so it is unlikely that they rank only HMS people highly just because they are from HMS. I think MGH is an amazing place to train and still think this. I received positive feedback from them but never committed to them that I was ranking them first. Did this hurt me? maybe, but probably not enough to keep me from matching there. I think it is less of a game and more that they just want people to match there that want them. If they have 10 people, all with similar numbers, experiences etc. and 2 of those people say "I am ranking you first", why wouldn't they put those two people ahead of the other 8 because they are splitting hairs anyway and they want people to come who want to be there...No one should ever take post-interview feedback from ANY place as a commitment. On match day, I realized that this process is about what other people want to do more as much what you want to do. At my school I know 4 people that ranked MGH first, two matched there, two got their second choices. The two that matched there are both PhDs, etc, etc. and also great people who will be great doctors. If they chose to go somewhere else, then two other people would be at MGH. It is all connected bc of the nature of the match. Any given year, places could have great matches or bad matches. Maybe this was just an extremely difficult year to match at MGH or UCSF and that is why a lot of people ended up at the brigham, maybe not...who knows outside the PDs? Unless you are in the top X on a programs list, X being the number of spots they have, then there is no guarantee. Besides, maybe a little humility will do us all well.
 
ranmyaku said:
The whole point of the way the match is set up is that you just rank them in the order you want them. What does it matter if there is post-interview feedback or not? The feedback should not be a factor in whether you rank them highly or not.
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I agree BUT for a program of this caliber, they appear cheap when they act this way. If the letters and phone calls are because they think their MGH panel interview is not good enough to judge if the applicant should be in the program, maybe that's something they should fix. Again, I will work hard wherever I go and I'm going to a great program, but I have a long memory for these kind of things, and it's ultimately their loss for doing this, and a tragic sign of the power the NRMP has over applicants and a lack of control they have over top programs.
 
I got what sounds like run-of-the-mill feedback from MGH--the phone call from the panel chair, several unsolicited emails, etc, and I matched there. I, however, was so sure that I wanted to go there that, on a second look visit, told them that I would be ranking them #1. I didn't see any point in being coy.

Whether this had ANY effect on my having matched there, well, only the residency gods (and the PD) can know. All this said, I still fully expected to get my second or third choice when I opened up that letter on Thursday.

Lets face it, this is a rather frustratingly arbitrary and capricious process, and not everyone can get their first choice unfortunately. It worked out for some this time, but sure as anything, it will swing the other way at some point in the future (fellowship? oh god please no 🙂 ). Luckily, it sounds like those above who didn't match at their first choice still ended up at OUTSTANDING programs.

Best of luck to all!
 
vandy med is not a vandy student, rather her dog is named vandy and she goes to a med school in NC, i seem to recall...ok, i need to get a life and get off this site...
 
Hopkins for me and my gf! (#1)

Btw, that's some sneaky **** on the part of MGH... In the end they only hurt their own integrity.
 
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Not that it probably matters but it is possible that they had you ranked within the typical number of spots they end up getting but had a stronger match than normal. However, I understand how frustrating it must be to have been almost certain you were headed to MGH and end up somewhere else. Just know that in a few days you are probably goign to forget about it. Good luck at your internsihp
 
prelim MGH! For all the above rants about MGH, I will admit that I received the phone calls and emails, but I think just about everyone in the world knows that this process is a total game. I also know that NONE of the correspondence I received (including phone calls from interview committee chairs, emails with "you are exceptional and king of the world", etc) mentioned anything explicit about ranked to match info. They were always careful to give the impression of "you never know what will happen but we like you"

bottom line, if you read into these things any more than just superficially, you bought into your own desire of being at a program. you didnt' play the game but you got played. its been like that for years and it won't change, so let that be a lesson for the future kiddos
 
ranmyaku said:
The whole point of the way the match is set up is that you just rank them in the order you want them. What does it matter if there is post-interview feedback or not? The feedback should not be a factor in whether you rank them highly or not.
Click to expand...

I disagree. I think feedback is important. It shows that a program cares that it gets the people it wants; that it is invested in creating the best class.

That being said, I honestly believe that MGH or any other program would have loved to have all the people that received positive feedback. I am going to the BIDMC, which is my #1. When I was deciding how to rank, someone told me that I should consider that the residents at the BI are not as strong as those at the other Harvard programs. That is complete bull****

It is ridiculous to think that there are only enough great MS IVs to fill the spots at couple programs. The world just does not work that way. It is also ridiculous to think that all the best candidates choose the institutions with the best reputations. Not everyone prioritizes that way.

Also, the selection committee is made up of people with lives - their opinion on the quality of an application is not the word of god.
 
Hey MissWorld, couldn't agree more. I will be joining you at BIDMC, my number one! I ranked it above MGH, Columbia, Cornell, Wash U, and Duke, because I left BI with the best gut feeling... Can't wait to meet you!
 
Matched at University of Michigan (#4 on our couple's list). We expected something else (based on the multiple unsolicited feedback vibes from the respective higher ranked programs), but are happy as we loved our programs at UofM.
 
FutureIMdoc80 said:
Just curious, anyone get the phone call from the committee chair at MGH and NOT match?

I got the phone call and 2 positive emails (all unsoliticited) from them and didn't match. To be honest, I was absolutely shocked. I don't think programs should call or put that much effort into recruiting applicants if they are not ranked to match. I feel somewhat duped. 🙁
Click to expand...


I heard that the match at the Brigham and MGH was extremely competitive this year and that we didn't have to go down too far on the list to fill our spots. I'm sorry to hear that you did not match at MGH, but you'll love the Brigham! You work hard, but the learning and scholastic opportunities are endless! I'm sure you do very well.
 
[/QUOTE] It is also ridiculous to think that all the best candidates choose the institutions with the best reputations. Not everyone prioritizes that way.

Also, the selection committee is made up of people with lives - their opinion on the quality of an application is not the word of god.[/QUOTE]

Totally agree!
 
What's with the MGH post-interview survey? Aren't those supposed to be for people in matchable positions? Talk about salt and wounds.....
 
Friendly said:
What's with the MGH post-interview survey? Aren't those supposed to be for people in matchable positions? Talk about salt and wounds.....
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I don't think this one was "matchable"-related. Just a belated post-interview survey.
 
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