counting the chickens before the eggs hatch!

[Postictal Raiden]

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I was wondering about the matching process. I tried to search that, but I couldn't find a thread that discusses it thoroughly.

1. I know that based on the students' specialty choices and their USMLE scores they get assigend to a specialty by the computer. So, do students list their residency options in order of interests? (so if they don't match in their first choice, then they might get their second, third,...etc. based on the available spots and the test scores).

2. I've noticed that there are more osteopathic residency spots than the number of DO grads. Despite this fact, why almost half DO grads apply to allopathic residencies? is it not easier for DO grads to match to DO spots?

thanks,

 

[ensuii]

1. Kind of...you apply to various programs of various specialties and go through the interview process. You then match a list ranking your choices for where you want to go. Each program in turn makes a list of the candidates they want to come to their program. A computer algorithm tries to match everyone up accordingly.

2. It is easier for DO grads to match to DO spots because only DO graduates can apply to them unless they're dually accredited. (There was was some talk a while back about DO programs taking MD candidates to fill up the spots post-match.) Really it comes down to personal preference. For a lot of people, location is a big factor in terms of matching. Many DO residencies are in rural/small town setting so the geographic range is somewhat limited.

 

[engineeredout]

2. I've noticed that there are more osteopathic residency spots than the number of DO grads. Despite this fact, why almost half DO grads apply to allopathic residencies? is it not easier for DO grads to match to DO spots?

thanks,

Uhh actually there are far less DO residency spots as compared to the number of DO graduates.

 

[tkim]

You really are counting chickens before they hatch.

The Match is a computer algorithm that takes your preferences of residency spots - 'ranking', and compares it to the preferences of the places that interviewed you. The algorithm has nothing to do with test scores.

http://www.nrmp.org/about_nrmp/how.html

 

[Postictal Raiden]

Uhh actually there are far less DO residency spots as compared to the number of DO graduates.

According to this site http://www.jaoa.org/cgi/content/full/106/2/59/TBL6
in 2005 match, there were 5216 positions available of which is only 2422 ones were filled.

However, I did read in some other threads that the number of DO spots is significantly less than the number of the grads. Could you provide a reliable source of this information?

 

[p30doc]

According to this site http://www.jaoa.org/cgi/content/full/106/2/59/TBL6
in 2005 match, there were 5216 positions available of which is only 2422 ones were filled.

However, I did read in some other threads that the number of DO spots is significantly less than the number of the grads. Could you provide a reliable source of this information?

There are more DO grads than DO residency spots. Just because there are unfilled spots in the DO match, does not make this untrue. The rest of the DO grads went to allo residency programs.

 

[rockchalkjdoc]

Another thing to consider is even though spots go "unfilled" a residency isn't going to fill all of its spots in one year. DME's tend to space out their allocated positions so they have a consistent number of residents at each level of training. Therefore, when you see a difference of 1800 spots, not all of those positions are going to be filled in the current application year because a program might have an empty spot that wasn't filled 2 years ago.

For example: say a surgery residency has 20 positions, the DME will generally only accept 4 applicants per year (times 5 years = 20 spots). Say for the 2009 match he has 4 spots to fill and fills them all, but has 4 PGY-1, 2 PGY-2, 4 PGY-3, 4 PGY-4 and 4 graduating PGY-5's. When the AOA looks at how many open positions there are, they will count those two "open" PGY-2 positions that could be filled but likely won't.

The sad truth is that yes, there are increasingly more DO graduates than there are post-graduate training positions. The good news is that the AOA is aware of this and advocating for more DO residencies.

 

[danimjo]

Wow! Great information, thanks for sharing. I'm glad I don't have to face all of this stuff right now!