couples match question

[docu]

Is it possible for people that were previously in residency with low scores and attempts and old grad date 8 years ago to make it in the couples match if they are paired with someone with high scores with recent grad date? or would that person get declined.

Thanks!

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[NotAProgDirector]

It's impossible to say, since there are too many variables. But some broad statements might be helpful:

If you're applying in different specialties, it's likely to have no/minimal effect.

I expect most programs do what we do -- we make a list of those we are definitely interviewing, those we are definitely not interviewing, and those in the "grey zone". Being coupled with a strong candidate might move you from the grey zone to being interviewed. It's not going to make me interview someone whom I otherwise wouldn't.

So, overall, I don't think this will be very helpful, but YMMV.

 

[docu]

Other things of interest may be that i am a US citizen caribbean grad, and the person im going to couple with is an non US citizen IMG that graduated this august..test scores 244 and 205 first attempt. This person is applying to neurosurg with gen surg prelim backup. I'm applying to IM, gen surg, and neurosurg.

I rarely get interviews...do you consider me a grey area or as someone you would never pick? am i stuck because i had a past residency? this year, i own my own visiting doctor company, can that improve my chances of getting interviews? or is it all the same old story of no interviews?

 

[NotAProgDirector]

If you've applied and not gotten interviews before, unless you make your application more competitive the same thing is going to happen. Each year you are one more year farther from your graduation. If you were in a residency beforehand, it depends on why you left. If you had some problem that got you terminated (or if you resigned to avoid being terminated), then that's the problem.

One big problem is that you don't seem to have a realistic sense of how to proceed. The fact that you're even trying to get a Neurosurg spot seems, well, pointless. NS is one of the most competitive residencies out there. There were 175 spots last year in the match, and the number that went to US IMG's? 4. And I can guarantee you those were superstellar IMG's with amazing US clinical experience and research. Bottom line is this: if you're having trouble getting interviews at all, applying to neurosurgery is a waste of money.

The same, to a lesser degree, can be said for General Surgery, although US IMG's do better there.

If you really want a spot, you should be looking at the least competitive IM spots, and FM spots (if you're willing to do that)

Your friend is equally fighting an uphill battle. 56 Non US IMG's matched into Cat Surgery last year, out of a total of 1100 spots. That's not good odds. The average Step 2 of non-US grads who matched was 232. Of those with Step 2 scores of 200-210, only 16/96 matched. Neurosurgery was much worse.