Couples Match Psych/Psych

[battleship888]

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So my SO and I plan to couples match with both of us going into psychiatry. So we are still a few months away but I was wondering how this is viewed, how or if to disclose to schools, and what this forum's knowledge or experience of this was and some advice. I have heard different things so figured I could start gathering information on it. I am a little worried about this hurting our chances at certain programs. We are not super competitive but we are both at a 240 Step 1 or so from a US MD school etc. so I think we are both in a pretty good spot, just to give it some context.

 

[TexasPhysician]

My n-2 would say to disclose it. I've seen a program move an applicant up the match list to land a preferred applicant in the couple.

I've also seen a marriage initiate in a residency and then divorce. I've seen affairs develop with co-residents (non-physician spouses).

It seems silly to avoid a couple when coupling is not avoidable.

 

[MacDonaldTriad]

Couples matching disadvantages both parties but so what. Being together is more important. Once you have taken the leap to couples match, do disclose. Although you could couples into two different programs. 95% sure you will want the same program. If programs know this, you could save a lot of extraneous interview offers that may only want one of you. Besides if you are competitive, grabbing both of you fills two slots and give the program a leg up on not matching people below you.

I'm just trying to imagine couples matching somewhere with separate interview dates and then ending up in the same program and having that conversation with my PD.

PD: "Why didn't you tell me? You know I am in control of your vacation, call schedule and rotation assignments. Didn't you think I needed to know this?"

Someone would wonder if not disclosing is a professionalism issue? I know, I think this is overused too, but I would be above board from the get go. Besides, you have to disclose who you are couples matching with by name so they could figure it out unless they don't notice.

 

[Merovinge]

Couples matching disadvantages both parties but so what. Being together is more important. Once you have taken the leap to couples match, do disclose. Although you could couples into two different programs. 95% sure you will want the same program. If programs know this, you could save a lot of extraneous interview offers that may only want one of you. Besides if you are competitive, grabbing both of you fills two slots and give the program a leg up on not matching people below you.

I'm just trying to imagine couples matching somewhere with separate interview dates and then ending up in the same program and having that conversation with my PD.

PD: "Why didn't you tell me? You know I am in control of your vacation, call schedule and rotation assignments. Didn't you think I needed to know this?"

Someone would wonder if not disclosing is a professionalism issue? I know, I think this is overused too, but I would be above board from the get go. Besides, you have to disclose who you are couples matching with by name so they could figure it out unless they don't notice.

Completely agree except the wanting same program. I knew a few couples who explicitly wanted different programs, although they would take same program over not hitting on the same city. It obviously depends on the couple but I would 100% choose a different program in the same city (assuming commutes could be reasonable). The sphere of residency and sphere of relationship makes up like 90% of your life for 4 years, much rather have those non-overlapping if possible for the average person.

 

[MacDonaldTriad]

And I agree with you, but I see couples in the same program fairly often. It may have to do with the few number of places with two equally competitive programs within driving distance of each other.

 

[hamstergang]

I am a little worried about this hurting our chances at certain programs.

How would disclosing hurt your chances?

 

[battleship888]

Thanks for the replies. I agree that the most important thing is being together but I appreciate the responses.

 

[OldPsychDoc]

Once you're in the couple's match, isn't disclosure automatic? In my experience it shows up on the ERAS "cover sheet"--but maybe that's only if you check a box to allow that?

There was a bit of consternation expressed this year on the PD's listserv about a married couple "revealing themselves" to the program post-Match, but it was presented as a couple who had not gone through the couple's match...perhaps I misunderstood.

 

[MacDonaldTriad]

I saw that too, and it didn't look like a good beginning to me. It sounds like a sit com plot. "Heterosexual couple outed"

 

[battleship888]

Also I should mention that disclosing it and being forward is fine and seems like the best choice. Is the consensus though that it will most likely hurt our chances or is it mostly applicant or program dependent? It won't affect us couples matching or disclosing it but I'm just genuinely curious.

 

[OldPsychDoc]

Also I should mention that disclosing it and being forward is fine and seems like the best choice. Is the consensus though that it will most likely hurt our chances or is it mostly applicant or program dependent? It won't affect us couples matching or disclosing it but I'm just genuinely curious.

It's mostly applicant-dependent--if you and your SO are both desirable candidates, it will turn out fine at most programs.
One place where it could be program-dependent would be in very small programs which are more circumspect about having, say, 2 out of 4 interns permanently linked...

 

[TexasPhysician]

Also I should mention that disclosing it and being forward is fine and seems like the best choice. Is the consensus though that it will most likely hurt our chances or is it mostly applicant or program dependent? It won't affect us couples matching or disclosing it but I'm just genuinely curious.

The biggest way that it will hurt you is that you both must be accepted or you both drop down to the next linked option. Example: Say you would have been accepted to Stanford but your spouse is 1 person too far down on their match list - the match system declines that option and you miss out on Stanford.

Obviously this hurts you because you missed out on your linked top choice to fall lower on the list, sacrificing your acceptance to remain with your spouse.

Say linked option #2 is Dartmouth, but this time you are the 1 ranked 1 spot too low by Dartmouth - You both now drop to option 3 and so on.

Statistically, couples drop lower on the rank list due to this problem.

 

[MacDonaldTriad]

TexasPhysician has this about as succinctly as it can be said. The bottom line is that it isn't the programs, but the two of you will only be as strong as the weaker of the two of you.

 

[hamstergang]

To be absolutely clear, everyone is agreeing that couples matching is what hurts OP's chances, not the disclosing that they're couples matching, right?

 

[OldPsychDoc]

To be absolutely clear, everyone is agreeing that couples matching is what hurts OP's chances, not the disclosing that they're couples matching, right?

Correct.