couples matching

[xsxoxfx7]

How many programs do we need to apply to? Assuming we interview well, will couples matching put us at an extreme disadvantage in terms of matching? We are hoping to apply in the northeast.

Person #1: Applying Internal Medicine
-Step 1: 247
-Clinical Grades: Mostly Honors
-School: MD, low-tier (ranked in 80s)
-Lots of research at IV institution, a few paper publications including 1st author, lots of volunteering, leadership, etc. Very strong LOR.

Person #2: Applying Emergency Medicine
-Step 1: 241
-Clinical Grades: Mostly Honors
-School: MD, top 45
-Minimal research, several poster presentations, great leadership, LORs, etc.
-Away rotations scheduled at top programs in the NE

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[nimbus]

Northeast has many cities (NY, Philly, Boston) with multiple programs in all tiers within the same city. It’s probably the best/easiest region to couples match. I’d ballpark that 20 programs is more than enough.

 

[bananafish94]

I'm in a similar boat, but different specialties and region. It sounds like both of you have excellent applications and won't be hurting for interviews. One resource that I've recently discovered is the AAMC "diminishing returns" data for each specialty; it gives you a rough number of applications that you have to submit for your Step 1 score and specialty at which point your chances of matching are saturated. Right now I'm planning to use that information plus a very healthy padding of ~15 or so programs just to compensate for the increased unknowns associated with the couples match.

 

[Ninefingers]

You both seem like strong candidates.

 

[The Knife & Gun Club]

Similarly strong candidate here couple matching OBGYN and EM. Our school (mid tier) recommended applying to between 80-100 programs across the competition spectrum. They recommended at minimum 20 interviews, and suggest 25 interviews if we wanted to be confident we’d get a match

 

[enalli]

will couples matching put us at an extreme disadvantage in terms of matching

It doesn't have to put you at a disadvantage if you fill out your rank list with as many combinations as the NRMP will allow. Remember to have your last ranks be the combinations where your partner matches and you go unmatched and then vice-versa.