APDirector- why scramble?

[forex]

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I think most programs received more qualified applicants than they could handled during the regular season. Probably quite number of qualified applicants were not ranked ('cause limitation of number in the ranking list) or not interviewed ('cause time limitation).

Wonder why such a scramble service exits. Programs can easily select from the regular season applicants and extend the offer.

Don't you think scramble service is kinda duplicate/ double work for both programs and applicants?

What is the main essence of this scramble to a PD/program (filling the position in 2 days!!!!!!!)? It is very understandable if demand(programs) is higher than supply(applicants). Now the reality is the opposite.

 

[Doowai]

And if someone prematched, but has not signed a contract yet - could they theoretically scramble?

 

[chrisisinnocent]

Because people go unmatched and places go unfilled every year.... If everything filled up and everyone got a job the scramble would disappear. Nobody willingly goes into the scramble (and if they do I have to question their judgement).
There is no such thing as a limitation of numbers on the rank list.

 

[Leukocyte]

Programs can easily select from the regular season applicants and extend the offer.

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Why do you think scrambling is difficult and a pain? Off course this happens. Those who interviewed at a program have a better shot at scrambling into an open spot in that program PROVIDED there is no applicant who called the PD BEFORE them and is BETTER than them.

The scramble is a first come first serve. It is all about time and luck (yes, luck). If the PD knew that an applicant who he interviewed AND ranked did not match, there is a very good chance that PD will call that applicant at 12:01 on scramble day. The thing is not all PDs are that humble to make the call first. So in the scramble YOU have to make the first move, and never rely on the PD to call you. But if you are late, and someone else who has never interviewed at that program called BEFORE YOU, and he is competetive, then he will get the offer.

Moral of the story is this, the PDs ALWAYS have the upper hand. In the scarmble they are BOMBARDED with TONS and TONS of applicants. They have the luxary of picking and choosing the best. The best are not always applicants who he interviewed during the regular season.

 

[NotAProgDirector]

Although programs interview many more applicants than spots, applicants interview at many programs and only match at one. Therefore, it's hard to know how many people to interview.

There is no cost to programs to rank applicants. We pay one fee, and can rank as many people as we want. This is a huge advantage to applicants, as it encourages programs to list as many people as possible.

If a program ends up in the scramble, it means that they matched every person on their list who ranked that program high enough. It's impossible for someone to interview and be ranked at a program, that person not to match, and that program not to fill. If people were interviewed but not ranked, that means that the PD did not want them in the program -- I doubt they would take them in the scramble. The only exception to this is a couples match -- I might lose a person from the match because their partner failed to match, and then they could end up in the scramble. That's rare, but it could happen.

Can you pre-match (either signing a contract or not) and then scramble? This is a really interesting question. The scramble is not officially part of the match, as far as I can tell. So, if you "prematch", then find a spot in the scramble, then resign your first spot, you haven't created a match violation. We can argue about the ethics of this.

 

[doctor_doctor]

Thanks aProgDirector for your very helpful insight....you really have made a difference to many of us SDN visitors!

👍👍

 

[Doowai]

Can someone that is going to scramble contact programs before next Tuesday? Just drop them a line telling them a bit about yourself and to look for your scramble application.

 

[katarina]

I believe that would be a match violation. From the NRMP site -

Violations During Match Week

• An unmatched applicant contacts a program in the Match to seek a position before noon eastern time on Tuesday of Match Week
• A program director, anticipating that the program will not fill all of its positions, contacts a student affairs dean on Monday of Match Week to find out which students did not match.
• A student affairs dean consults with faculty and other colleagues about possible openings before the beginning of the Scramble period.
• A student affairs dean consults with students about their match status prior to the release of applicants' Match results on Monday of Match Week.

Hope that helps.

 

[Top Gun]

Can someone that is going to scramble contact programs before next Tuesday? Just drop them a line telling them a bit about yourself and to look for your scramble application.

Dude, why don't you just sign the contract for the prematch position instead of putting yourself through the ginormous headache of scrambling? Didn't you receive the contract yet? Or did you change your mind and decide that the prematch position was not for you?

 

[deleted109597]

Wonder why such a scramble service exits. Programs can easily select from the regular season applicants and extend the offer.

Except that most of them got jobs already.