Are Applicants from the Same Medical School Compared to Eachother?

[elr1983]

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So I'm hoping this is a stupid question......but, when ranking applicants to residencies, do program directors consider applicants from the same school in comparison to one another? Like, say there are three applicants, all from the same average, state medical school, who all want to go to the same top residency program in a relatively non-competitive field. Is there any reason to think that only one of them "can" match there? As in, would a program director be less likely to rank 3 applicants from the same school highly as opposed to 3 applicants from 3 different schools highly, all other things being roughly equal?

 

[Law2Doc]

So I'm hoping this is a stupid question......but, when ranking applicants to residencies, do program directors consider applicants from the same school in comparison to one another? Like, say there are three applicants, all from the same average, state medical school, who all want to go to the same top residency program in a relatively non-competitive field. Is there any reason to think that only one of them "can" match there? As in, would a program director be less likely to rank 3 applicants from the same school highly as opposed to 3 applicants from 3 different schools highly, all other things being roughly equal?

They will take the three students they want the most, notwithstanding the school. If everyone they liked came from the same school, then that's who they take. They aren't generally trying to spread the wealth -- they want folks who impressed them the most, who they can work with and who they think will make the best residents. In fact this happens a lot when programs take their own or neighboring school's students, because they know them the best. However if the situation is that there is only one slot left, then they absolutely are going to evaluate these people against each other, and will probably put a lot of weight on things like the dean's letter and other hints as to whom the med school thought was the best applicant.

 

[bjackrian]

They will take the three students they want the most, notwithstanding the school. If everyone they liked came from the same school, then that's who they take. They aren't generally trying to spread the wealth -- they want folks who impressed them the most, who they can work with and who they think will make the best residents. In fact this happens a lot when programs take their own or neighboring school's students, because they know them the best. However if the situation is that there is only one slot left, then they absolutely are going to evaluate these people against each other, and will probably put a lot of weight on things like the dean's letter and other hints as to whom the med school thought was the best applicant.

One of the program directors at my home school said that when they're deciding who to offer interviews to they do in fact take all of the students from each school and rank them, and then give interviews based on that (so that a lower ranked person from a school would not be offered an interview ahead of a higher ranked person from that school). I don't know how common this is or how it really works in practice, but that's what he told us.

 

[bigdan]

I suspect the default answer is "yes, they are compared"; if the residency program is comparing all of the other applicants against one another, why would one assume that 3 from the same school wouldn't be compared against one another?

dc

 

[elr1983]

Right, of course all applicants are going to be compared to one another for sure. I was just wondering more what bjackrian was addressing....ie is it possible that people from one school are compared against one another in addition. For example, say my school has 2 people with 260's on step 1, AOA, and did an away at that program, and a third applicant with like a 245, AOA, and didn't do an away, or something like that. The third candidate is obviously very strong, but does the fact that there are two rockstars from the same school who did an away lessen their chances of getting an interview more than two rockstars from a different school would.

Bjackrian, from what your school said it sounds like your chances of matching at a program may in fact be affected by those applying to that program, which is kind of what I didn't want to hear! Our school has a really, really strong group of applicants applying for peds this year, most of whom want to go to one top-notch program who has accepted like 1 student/year from our school in the past at most (although I can't comment on how many ranked it high or were great applicants, which I realize is important information).

 

[dragonfly99]

If it's peds and it's a fairly large program you are applying to, would think that the 3rd applicant, if still a strong applicant, would still have a decent shot. I do think they will compare you but if you are a strong applicant for peds, you are a strong applicant for peds.

I also think that pushing hard during the interview (i.e. acting quite enthusiastic and blatantly stating this program is your first choice) goes a lot further than you would think. Not if they don't want you. Not if it's some super-competitive thing like derm or ortho, perhaps. But if it's peds or medicine, then definitely. I mean, if they are taking 20 or 30 people, they definitely might take 2 or 3 from your school, even if in the past they only took one. The other strategy besides trying really hard at your interview is to get your chairman of peds, or a full or associate prof. of peds at your school who knows you well, to call the prog. director or dept. chair of the school where you want to go. PD's respond to personal attention to their program...as long as you arent annoyingly calling them every day or something.

I think I'd just go for it, and stop worrying about those other applicants. It doesn't help you and it will only psych you out. They (the superstars) may hurt you a little, but for something like peds where there are quite a few spots, it's not the same as plastic surg or something (i.e. where they have 5 spots and they probably would only take the 'top guy' from any particular school).