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[2018-2019] Emergency Medicine Application Thread
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Just a fellow applicant, but I'd say *one* LOI emailed to the program coordinator that combines updates+tells them why you're a fit there is the way to go.
Hand written letter delivered by carrier pigeon should snag you the interview imo
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Loving the sarcasm here. In all seriousness probably gonna start sending out to some of the programs that I haven't heard from. Been crickets for a while now (nothing for like the last 1 1/2 weeks). Hopefully we see some movement this week.
One LOI email to the coordinator
I probably wouldn't send a place multiple emails with updates. I personally believe you have one shot with the LOI, and any more emails just comes across as annoying.
Thanks for answering all our questions. Do you think your program has gotten more applications this year than last?
Anyone have any data regarding the number of contiguous ranks you have and any correlation to how far down the rank list you end up matching?
I’ve heard rumors that above 8 interviews you will likely match, but above 12 is predictive of matching in your top 3?
Perhaps you can weigh in gamerEMdoc
I’ve heard rumors that above 8 interviews you will likely match, but above 12 is predictive of matching in your top 3?
Perhaps you can weigh in gamerEMdoc
I'm 99% certain these data aren't published, unfortunately.
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The only 100% true rumor is that nothing is 100% certain.
Check out charting outcomes. There is a nice graph that answers your questions. Essentially, 1 rank is at 25% and it goes up in a linear fashion to 8 ranks at 85%. 10 ranks is ~95%, 12 is ~98%. I think the stat is 50% match at their #1 and 75% match at their top 3.
I know the majority match at their top 3, but I dont know the exact stats on that one.
Maybe 100 more this year than last, not a big difference. When we went from AOA to ACGME in that first year of the merger transition, that was a huge jump in applicants, it nearly doubled. Since then its been pretty steady, slowly it has gone up a little.
Thank you so much for your help!
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Anyone know anything about video interviews?
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WatchTheThrone
New Member
Hey friends got a question about SLOEs. Currently sittin on a solid number of interviews (14!) and wondering if I should assign a thrid SLOE that was just uploaded for an audition I'm currently finishing up. I am obviously going to assign it to programs that want three letters but I was debating whether or not to assign it to the rest that don't need more than two letters/SLOEs. I don't necessarily think I did poorly on this rotation but I didn't quite have the enthusiasm that I had for my first two auditions. My gut is telling me that it is probably a middle 1/3rd kind of letter. What do y'all think? Should I still assign it to all of the programs I'm interviewing at or haven't heard from yet?
If you got 14 interviews, my guess is, your first two SLOEs were pretty good. So if you don't feel that good about the 3rd one, don't submit it. If its as good as your other two it doesn't really add anything, but if it's worse, it may lead to some doubts. If a place asks for another SLOE by all means, submit it then, but most places don't really expect more than 2.
No new invites in 4 weeks. Hoping for 2-3 more to trickle in. Honestly starting to wonder what happened.
On a different note: SLOE’s haven’t come up in my interviews thus far. Am I too assume this is because they are neither stellar nor terrible ie middle 1/3. Or is this more interviewer dependant?
On a different note: SLOE’s haven’t come up in my interviews thus far. Am I too assume this is because they are neither stellar nor terrible ie middle 1/3. Or is this more interviewer dependant?
Don’t know of any programs that do that, it’s actually concerning if they don’t actually invite you over. Makes you think they might not want you to see their residents, always a big flag. Or just ask yourself why don’t/can’t they have me at their program physically.
But that aside it’s just like any other interview, be sure not to stare off screen, or do any weird gestures/postures when on screen.
Interviewer dependant. I personally never discuss the students SLOEs during the interview, with the exception of asking a candidate with only one SLOE if they have any other SLOEs coming.
Yeah, while I understand the cost involved in the whole interview process, both the financial cost and the cost of lost time, I also think video interviewing is a terrible idea. So much of the process of interviewing a person for a job would be lost. There wouldn't be any social interaction of the candidate with the residents, the candidate wouldn't actually get to see the ED or the hospital, you would lose any sense as a candidate of how the attendings/residents interact as a group,etc. I don't think a video interview is good for either side to be honest.
If I thought a video interview would be valuable, we already have the SVI, there would be no need for another video interview. Yet I haven't found much correlation between a good SVI, a bad SVI, and how someone actually interviews and interacts with the group in person, at least anecdotally.
Well I sat down with a PD as I wanted some assurance that I didn't need to apply to a back up specialty. This PD said that it's ABEM data that says this, but I personally wasn't able to find any data supporting that - so was wondering if anyone else may have seen anything supporting this.
I trust the PD though so I'm crossing my fingers here that I'll match within my top 3. Honestly at this point that data would be helpful in narrowing down interviews to cancel. As a DO I'm incredibly happy and humbled to have received 20+ invites (humble brag I know, please don't take it the wrong way), but just wanna know how many I can "safely" cancel so that it can go to people who really wanna be at these places.
I think mostly everyone will agree that you can drop at least 5 to 8 and still be VERY safe just based on Charting Outcomes.
You can definitely drop a good many invites. There is little reason to go on more than 12 interviews unless they are at places you really are interested in going to.
From a strictly mathematical standpoint, you're probably good at 12, but it's worth pointing out that the curve for DOs in EM flattens out a little later (13-14) than in the AMG match data, where >12 is a waste...again, mathematically speaking.
That said, I will continue to proselytize for going on a few more interviews that you "need" because you never quite know if that one program you don't interview at will be "the one". My #1 was a place I applied to late, on a lark. I still regret cancelling a couple of interviews (and going on a couple of others).
TL;DR...you don't need 20+, but I wouldn't drop to <15 unless you can't otherwise avoid it.
I would argue that someone that gets 20+ interviews doesn't need more than about 5 of them, because chances are, to get that number of interviews, they are sitting on a few "top 10" type SLOEs, and the programs that gave them such SLOEs are going to rank them high enough to match them.
That being said, don't cut it down to 5, but I bet you'll match at one of your top programs, knowing nothing about your application other than you got the number of interviews that you did.
After about 10 interviews, you shouldn't be going on interviews to feel safe. You should be going on them if you actually have a genuine interest in that program. If you aren't really interested in a program, its safe to say you should just cancel it, because you are wasting your and the programs time at that point.
We definitely agree on this point, which was what I was really trying to convey.
I cancelled/declined a bunch of interviews that I knew I wasn't interested in.
But there are still a few places I wish I'd cancelled, and some others that, in retrospect (admittedly 13 years after the fact), I wish I'd given a chance to. And that's the wild card in the process.
I think so. Because applying to that many will always be low yield, no matter what your app says. If you apply to 160 programs, Id venture to guess that at least 100 never even looked at your application. You just get filtered out. Doesnt mean you are a bad applicant, its just there is a point of diminishing returns the more programs you apply to outside your geographic radius.
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With only three interview weeks left there I’d say chances are slim.
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Anyone with St. Luke Bethlehem willing to switch dates?
I have 12/12/18. Trying to switch for 12/13 or 1/9/19 or 1/10/19! I've already waitlisted on broker.
I will love you lots and lots 😀
I have 12/12/18. Trying to switch for 12/13 or 1/9/19 or 1/10/19! I've already waitlisted on broker.
I will love you lots and lots 😀
Probably will still match, at least statistically, but it may be a good idea to at least start considering a backup strategy.
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Any advice on this? Seems too late to apply to backup specialties and wouldn't have the right letters at this point. Anything we can do besides hope for SOAP? I can't believe I'm honestly asking this question.
The match rate isnt terrible for only 4-5 interviews actually. Statistically you are more likely to match than not match according to the charting outcomes data.
As for being in that position despite scores, Ill reiterate, board scores arent what Determines if you get interviews.
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I’d consider applying to the IM and/or FP programs in the geographic area around you if you are concerned about the SOAP. If you have anyone from your rotations in those fields that could write you a LOR, that would help. Otherwise, there will be plenty of opportunities for either in the SOAP, I wouldnt sweat it. More than likely (if statistics are to be believed) you wont even have to SOAP anyways.
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D
deleted436726
I have to ask...what was this guy's application like? Board scores? SLOEs? That's crazy.
I guess my concern for adding programs at this point is them thinking/knowing that it's a back up and not taking my application seriously. Also not sure if it is a faux pas to apply to two specialties at the same institution.
I definitely would not apply to anywhere you applied EM, you dont want the EM program thinking you are disinterested. And yeah, I mean programs are going to assume when you apply late its a backup, but in some of these fields they are used to it. And if you have good board scores, they will likely interview you, bc unlike EM where SLOEs determine how PDs are going to interview and rank you, most fields rely heavily on board scores.
I wouldnt run from the EM interest, afterall it will be pretty obvious and you will look dishonest. Be honest, tell them you don’t think EM is going to work out for you and you decided to pursue IM to Cc or do FP and do UC medicine.
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23333
New Member
I'm still on four - nothing since the 25 th of October = just focusing on doing realllly well on what I have
Hey everyone. Can anyone answer this-
I’m thankful to have recieved 15 IVs as a DO who only took the COMLEX. I will be participating in the couples match with a partner who is applying for OB/gyn. She has recieved 12 IVs. If the rank lists needed to be submitted tomorrow, then we would have 10 possible combinations using 9 EM programs and 8 OB programs. Is there a specific number of combinations that we should be aiming to achieve? Any help would be appreciated. Thank you!
I’m thankful to have recieved 15 IVs as a DO who only took the COMLEX. I will be participating in the couples match with a partner who is applying for OB/gyn. She has recieved 12 IVs. If the rank lists needed to be submitted tomorrow, then we would have 10 possible combinations using 9 EM programs and 8 OB programs. Is there a specific number of combinations that we should be aiming to achieve? Any help would be appreciated. Thank you!
I'm not couples matching, but I have friends who are couples matching in EM and pediatrics (both DO). I think Peds is less competitive than OBGYN, but they were advised to hit 200-300 combinations (~15 programs each), including combinations where he matches and she doesn't and vice versa. He is a weaker EM candidate than she is a pediatrics candidate if that means anything. There's a website that helps you generate your ROL as a couple if you want to see what possible combinations you have if you choose to rank the 15/12 y'all have or just the 9 that you prefer.
EDIT: See surely's post for the website. I forgot to link it in my original post.
EDIT: See surely's post for the website. I forgot to link it in my original post.
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Do you know what the website is called? Thanks for your help!
If we receive a post-interview letter from a program, what is an acceptable way to respond? Or are we even expected to respond? I'm sure it was just a generic letter about them enjoying having me rotate (earlier this year) and interview with them, but I still feel like it'd be rude to leave it on "read". Too early to say whether or not they are my number 1, but I anticipate ranking them highly.
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I would like to let programs know about a new SLOE being uploaded, but who do I contact about this? The PD or coordinator? Both?
Thanks!!
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Thanks!!
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Coordinator
No I'd just send it to the coordinator.
@gamerEMdoc Very curious as to what goes on during ranking meetings and how they work. Does everyone start out on equal ground and is given a score or something? Or are applicants started at certain positions and go up and down based on interviews and how are people compared from previous interview sessions? Genuinely curious of what really happens in these post-interview ranking meetings and what it is like making rank lists from a program perspective if you're allowed to give some insight. Cheers!
