Couples Match

[831929]

Could someone explain to me the couples match? Does it make it more difficult to land the residency you want? How to best go about it?

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[statia]

If you both are the same caliber of student, have the same caliber of education, equal scores, grades, and letters, the system works nicely. However, if one student is a standard deviation (measure that subjectively) below the other student, it's better to each do the match separately and try to land in the same geographic area. I would imaging each program views the couple match differently.

 

[FlameBroiledDoc]

The individual match works like this:

You submit your rank list. The program/algorithm checks the school that you ranked #1 on your list. If you are high enough on that school's ranked list, you're in. The couple's match works more or less the same, checking both of your rankings at the same time. If person A matches to their #1 choice but person B doesn't, the program checks both of your #2 choices. You don't have to rank order the same schools - in the same geographic area might be all you're concerned with. So long as both you and your partner aren't going for hyper-competitive specialties (plastics, ENT), the couples's match has statistically similar placement rates as the individual match.

My wife and I couples-matched and ended up with our #4 choice. *But*, our top 2 choices were long-shots, and I had a lackluster interview at our #3 location. In the long run we were happy (and stayed together).

 

[NWwildcat2013]

If you both are the same caliber of student, have the same caliber of education, equal scores, grades, and letters, the system works nicely. However, if one student is a standard deviation (measure that subjectively) below the other student, it's better to each do the match separately and try to land in the same geographic area. I would imaging each program views the couple match differently.

Why? Are you assuming the "better" applicant would not be willing to take a hit in caliber or program they match at.

Also, you can make different combinations I thought. So lets say you applied in Chicago. You could have the following rank list.

NW-NW
Chi-Chi
Rush-Rush
UIC-UIC
Loyola-Loyola
NW-Chi
NW-Rush
NW-UIC
NW-Loyola
Chi-NW
Chi-Rush
Chi-UIC
etc. etc. etc.

But the point is that you can mix and match programs, so I didn't think it would be a big deal if the couple wasn't equally competitive. Am I wrong? If so I need to rethink my couples matching strategy.

 

[sazerac]

In the couples match, if they rank every possible combination (including all the partner A no match and all the partner B no match combos) then the odds of couples matching is exactly the same as two individual matches. If a couple eliminates some or most of the possible combinations, then the odds of at least one member of the couple not matching (when they could have) go up.

Kind of like the individual match... if you eliminate a program from your individual rank order list, your total odds of not matching (when you could have) go up.

 

[Raryn]

If you both are the same caliber of student, have the same caliber of education, equal scores, grades, and letters, the system works nicely. However, if one student is a standard deviation (measure that subjectively) below the other student, it's better to each do the match separately and try to land in the same geographic area. I would imaging each program views the couple match differently.

This is an awful idea. Horrendously bad. It comes from not understanding how the couple's match works. We've had this discussion a million times, but to sum it up: it is mathematically impossible for a couple's match to be a disadvantage to your overall chances of matching if you rank all possible combinations. Period. You and your partner need to sit down and prioritize quality of program, distance from each other, etc and then rank all combinations in the order of preference. Ranking separately just basically says you'd rather give your explicit preferences up to chance.

See https://forums.studentdoctor.net/threads/couples-match-shennanigans.1118359/ for one of the many discussions with details of how the couple's match works. There's others all over SDN.

 

[831929]

Thank you for all of the responses everyone! My partner and I perform about equally academically (she usually does 1-2% better than myself). I will go ahead and search the previous threads for more detailed information. If we are both applying for different specialties, would we still by any chance have our interviews at the same institution at the same time? Or will we have to travel separately to each place? Is it common to contact an institution and request to schedule interviews at the same time (granted that at least one of us receives an invite)? We are currently just M1s so I still do not know a lot of information about the match.

 

[Raryn]

Thank you for all of the responses everyone! My partner and I perform about equally academically (she usually does 1-2% better than myself). I will go ahead and search the previous threads for more detailed information. If we are both applying for different specialties, would we still by any chance have our interviews at the same institution at the same time? Or will we have to travel separately to each place? Is it common to contact an institution and request to schedule interviews at the same time (granted that at least one of us receives an invite)? We are currently just M1s so I still do not know a lot of information about the match.

Honestly, my only advice would be to wait to see what happens.

You have no clue what specialty you'll want to apply for in Sept 2019, what specialty your current partner will apply for at that time, or even if you'll still be together at that time. Even if you think you're both 100% certain on all three of those variables, you aren't. I've seen die-hard people gunning for every specialty known to man change their minds during third year. And medical school puts a ton of stress on most relationships.

When you get to spring of your M3 year and you're making M4 schedules, pretty sure what specialty you're applying for, starting to gather letters of rec, etc, then sit down and come up with a concrete plan.

(As to whether you can coordinate interviews: this is extremely variable from place to place. The answer is sometimes)

 

[FlameBroiledDoc]

Thank you for all of the responses everyone! My partner and I perform about equally academically (she usually does 1-2% better than myself). I will go ahead and search the previous threads for more detailed information. If we are both applying for different specialties, would we still by any chance have our interviews at the same institution at the same time? Or will we have to travel separately to each place? Is it common to contact an institution and request to schedule interviews at the same time (granted that at least one of us receives an invite)? We are currently just M1s so I still do not know a lot of information about the match.

I can only speak to Canada, but here at least the schools coordinate their interview days as much as possible to make things easy for all parties involved. For example, Halifax (on Canada's East Coast) does all its interviews on Monday, Toronto (in Central Canada) on Thursday, and Vancouver the following Tuesday. Bear in mind interview days are more disruptive to the institutions than they are to the students - unlike medical school, residency interviews are done by very busy doctors needing to open up 1-2 days of their time. My wife is a subspecialty program director, and interview time is murder on her schedule.

 

[J ROD]

OP, you are premature to this topic. Hold that nut for about 2 more years. Let it mature a bit!

Get through the first 2 yrs and 3rd yr first and that little thing called Step 1

 

[pedssped]

Anyone have general recommendations of how many additional programs to apply to if you are couples matching? Let's say based on my stats, if I were planning on applying individually, I'd be comfortable applying to 20 programs. Applying as part of a couple, I assume I should apply to more... like 30? 40? Obviously applying to cities with clusters of programs increases odds of partners matching in same geographic area. Just wondering if there's any more specific advice out there.

 

[831929]

OP, you are premature to this topic. Hold that nut for about 2 more years. Let it mature a bit!

Get through the first 2 yrs and 3rd yr first and that little thing called Step 1

did it

 

[MSTP18]

Having watched friends couples match and friends who were not the same year go through the match at separate times, I can unequivocally say that couples matching is an absolute godsend for those people. There is literally no circumstance where it would be beneficial to untether the match lists.

Now, where there might be some room for debate is whether or not you mention on your interview day that you are going through couples match. I imagine it's specialty/program/competitiveness specific with it generally being not a factor at all, and possibly helpful if the more competitive one mentions it. If I put myself in a PD's shoes, I frankly have more faith in landing the couples matcher than say someone in a relationship with a non-physician because I know the partner is also job hunting and isn't potentially "giving up a job" to accommodate a move.

 

[Govols22]

Can you do a couples match if you and your significant other go to different medical schools?

 

[Raryn]

Can you do a couples match if you and your significant other go to different medical schools?

Yes.

 

[Cognovi]

The only situation when a couples match is detrimental is when you do not rank all possible combinations and end up not matching when you would have otherwise matched. This can occur if you rank so many combinations you run into the NRMP's limit of 700 combinations. However, no couple has ever matched below their combined rank like 300 (or something, idk) even though people have occasionally ranked many more combinations.

 

[MSTP18]

The only situation when a couples match is detrimental is when you do not rank all possible combinations and end up not matching when you would have otherwise matched. This can occur if you rank so many combinations you run into the NRMP's limit of 700 combinations. However, no couple has ever matched below their combined rank like 300 (or something, idk) even though people have occasionally ranked many more combinations.

I think there’s a higher chance someone hacks NRMP and no one matches. You would need to be the type of people to get ~25+ interviews each and then fail to match in your top 24 each.

 

[MSTP18]

Can you do a couples match if you and your significant other go to different medical schools?

Literally any two people can enter couples match. Don’t even have to be romantically involved.