Couples Match

[tylerdurden48]

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My fiance and I are both interested in anesthesia. Is it better to go for the same program or just same region? Do programs look down taking a couple? What are our chances of getting into same program? Any advice/similar situations?

For completeness sake, here are our stats: both on border of AOA, 225-230 step 1, both have research experience

 

[amyl]

i don't think any programs look down on couples at all. you are both competitive enough applicants -- rotate at a few places you think you might want to go and apply to as many places as you would both be happy at. couples matching usually requires more apps than single matchers. actually is probably easier to couples match in the same specialty than with another competitive specialty.

 

[Canrenone]

My fiance and I are both interested in anesthesia. Is it better to go for the same program or just same region? Do programs look down taking a couple? What are our chances of getting into same program? Any advice/similar situations?

For completeness sake, here are our stats: both on border of AOA, 225-230 step 1, both have research experience

The feedback I heard from couples doing couples match was that most hospitals didn't want couples who were doing the same specialty. They both want the same time off, they feel like they have to defend each other, they have a tendency to bring their problems to work etc.
For the small programs they said it was out of the question.
If there is a family wedding, funeral or they give birth they both need the same time off.
They recommend different departments in the same city.

Best of luck they all said it is tough.

 

[DrDre']

I know a couple that matched at a moderate sized program. I would concentrate on moderate to large programs and cities with multiple programs. It will work out fine.

The feedback I heard from couples doing couples match was that most hospitals didn't want couples who were doing the same specialty. They both want the same time off, they feel like they have to defend each other, they have a tendency to bring their problems to work etc.
For the small programs they said it was out of the question.
If there is a family wedding, funeral or they give birth they both need the same time off.
They recommend different departments in the same city.

Best of luck they all said it is tough.

 

[Gern Blansten]

I agree with Canrenone and Dre. A married couple at the same training level, in the same dept at a small program would be a huge hassle. Your call schedules would be out of sync and your vacation time would be problematic. Consider if you got approved off time for xmas, but your spouse did not. I would say that programs with at least 10 residents per year would be the minimum for you to consider. Twenty per year? Even better. The bigger programs can just absorb those issues easier. If you were in differing levels of training, it might be easier to work out at the smaller programs.

 

[Pilot Doc]

I would say that programs with at least 10 residents per year would be the minimum for you to consider. Twenty per year? Even better.

My wife and I couple matched into a GS program with 8 residents/year. Had no problems at all and really enjoyed getting to see so much of each other at work. I'd recommend it highly and wouldn't hesitate for a second to couple match into any anesthesia program.

 

[noles925]

My fiance and I are in the process of couples matching. On the trail I met a couple that was trying to match to the same specialty. The advice I have for you is look at big cities where you can have multiple combinations of matching. If you apply to, say, NY, Philly, Chicago, etc -- there are multiple programs that you can rank so that even if you aren't in the same program at least you are in the same city. Good luck to you!

 

[Beck928]

There is a married couple in my program, who didn't seem to have I problem couples matching into Anesthesiology. Our program is moderate-sized, this might not work in a smaller residency class. I couple's matched with my husband who is in General Surgery, so that was a bit easier, but it's not impossible. As far as I know, the program hasn't had any real issues with them being married, although as I couple I think they see each other less than my husband and I.