CAP match question for former applicants

[letsdothis2020]

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Hello,

I am currently in the process of interviewing for CAP fellowships. I would love to hear from former applicants regarding how far a typical applicant goes down on their rank list? I have heard that most people match w/in their top 3; however, what if your top 3 consist of all very competitive places? I would appreciate any input regarding this.

 

[Sushirolls]

You'll likely not find the reassurance you seek here.

You did this once before with general residency. Do your interviews, make your match list, wait for your results, then go do your fellowship.

 

[clozareal]

Wish I had a working crystal ball for you. Everyone's going to have a different resume with different programs they're applying to than you. Any reassurance you get here is likely to be unhelpful unless they attach their ERAS application along with their rank list and where they matched.

 

[TexasPhysician]

2 large considerations

1. There are more spots than applicants.
2. Fellowships generally prefer their own residents.

Theoretically let’s say the least competitive psych residency has 4 CAP fellow spots. 4 of their residents want it and 1 Harvard applicants applies. The 4 in-house applicants likely get the job if faculty remotely like them. They are known entities that know the system and require less assistance to get up to speed. This CAP fellowship may not be competitive at all in an average year. It may not be have filled the last 3 years. It could be the Harvard applicants back-up and end up being the most difficult spot to obtain.

Every year is a bit different. Fellowship has fewer spots, and the desire from internal applicants ranges year to year on a large scale.

As there are more spots than applicants, there is a big opportunity for poor applicants to take good spots. The worst resident that I’ve ever met ended up doing a Harvard fellowship. Any given year, some people will get lucky. Any given year, some fellowships will be impossible for outsiders.

 

[Merovinge]

2 large considerations

1. There are more spots than applicants.
2. Fellowships generally prefer their own residents.

Theoretically let’s say the least competitive psych residency has 4 CAP fellow spots. 4 of their residents want it and 1 Harvard applicants applies. The 4 in-house applicants likely get the job if faculty remotely like them. They are known entities that know the system and require less assistance to get up to speed. This CAP fellowship may not be competitive at all in an average year. It may not be have filled the last 3 years. It could be the Harvard applicants back-up and end up being the most difficult spot to obtain.

Every year is a bit different. Fellowship has fewer spots, and the desire from internal applicants ranges year to year on a large scale.

As there are more spots than applicants, there is a big opportunity for poor applicants to take good spots. The worst resident that I’ve ever met ended up doing a Harvard fellowship. Any given year, some people will get lucky. Any given year, some fellowships will be impossible for outsiders.

Whoa whoa whoa, are you saying there is an element of chance in outcomes for medicine or even more broadly, life? That I simply can't work harder, study harder, and be smarter to assure that absolutely everything goes in the manner I want it to!?