AP only and couples matching

[BeeDrizzle13]

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I’m couplesmatching with my wife. We’re both fairly competitiveand getting many interviews at the same institutions. I’m interested inacademically-oriented programs and especially in AP-only tracks. My question isthis – is being an AP-only applicant place me lower on rank lists compared toAP/CP applicants?

Ultimately, Iwould rather do AP/CP if it helps us couples match higher on our rank list.

Thanks forany insight!

 

[mlw03]

The honest answer to your question is maybe. It's difficult to know for sure, as the dynamics of each program would come into play. For large programs used to taking AP-only candidates, it probably won't make any difference. But for a mid-size or small program, yeah it's going to hurt you a lot. __-only residents throw off schedules (call and rotation), leaving service work gaps. And depending on how call is done, that can be a pain to deal with too. I say all this as someone who switched to AP-only during my first year. It's doable with a supportive PD, but it's still a pain many PDs just won't be interested in dealing with. You have to decide in the end, but in my opinion, you'll have an easier go of it as AP/CP and a couples-match participant.

 

[KCShaw]

There's just going to be more positions available for an AP/CP, on the whole. As mlw points out, residents are involved in call coverage, which varies by program, as well as service coverage like grossing and transfusion -- small programs may combine AP/CP call so may avoid taking any XP onlies, while big programs may split call and have so many residents that a couple of XP onlies isn't going to screw up coverage. However, being AP only rather than CP only does help gross room coverage. At any rate, if you apply AP/CP it doesn't mean you can't switch to AP only later, you just don't want to be a d(or)k about it with the program.

 

[lipomas]

I think a lot of programs consider AP only and AP/CP candidates in the same general pool. Most CP rotations can run without CP residents. Are you both applying for pathology? Would programs even take a husband/wife couple match? Kind of screws up vacation time and scheduling since presumably you are both taking the same time periods off.

 

[Ombret]

I was in exactly your situation, applied AP-only, got more interviews than I could go to and generally had no problem. I may have gotten lucky, but I would recommend that you not overthink this. Good luck.

 

[BeeDrizzle13]

Sorry about the formatting on the OP - I had copy/pasted from a word doc.

@mlw03 and KCShaw - thanks for the insights.

@lipomas - she's not applying path, so we're OK there!

@Ombret - thanks for the advice. . . I just hope I don't underthink it either.

I've been thinking that a good approach might be applying AP/CP at a several programs and AP only at some programs (I've got 16 interviews scheduled as of now). This approach might help us stay higher on the rank list but allow for some risk as well. I don't feel that I'm quite strong enough to go AP only at all my interviews if programs indeed prefer AP/CP applicants for resident scheduling purposes.

 

[Torsed]

Do AP/CP. Unless you are doing something odd in fellowship like neuropathology or forensics you will have a markedly limited role in the private world without both. I would rather have the option if I were you. At the very least you could do AP/CP and then just take AP boards at the end. I wouldn't hire an AP only pathologist, they couldn't handle half the lab at my job.

 

[mlw03]

I suppose an additional question to ask you is why you're considering AP-only? Unless it's for one of the niche subspecialties (FP, neuro, maybe derm), it's really not a great choice because of the limitations discussed.

 

[BeeDrizzle13]

I agree AP-only imposes unecessary limitations for those going into private practice. My long-term career goals are in academic pathology -- combining signing out with teaching and research. I thought since my interests are in GU and breast pathology that AP-only would be a nice fast-track route to this type of career.

But, considering that I'm couples matching I think AP/CP may be the way to go for reasons we've already hit upon. Another reason is that since I have no CP experience in medical school, I don't have a good enough reason reject getting CP training and experience if only to rule out practicing a CP subspecialty in academics. I suppose I can afford one more year of my life. . .

 

[mlw03]

Plans and interests often change during training, and if you're married to another physician, more flexibility is always a good thing. In your situation, I really think AP/CP is your better choice.