Didn’t match DR today. Looking for advice.

[hot_thicc_potato]

Title says it all.

I’m feeling pretty pathetic right now because I didn’t match DR, only a surgical preliminary position at my home institution.

I’m set on Rads, but there aren’t many advanced DR positions available for SOAP.

This means that I’ll have to apply again in the fall of 2021. How many R positions are usually available? Do most people in this position go for advanced positions again? Would I be able to do 2 preliminary positions before starting DR residency?

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[Zen Arcade]

I'm sorry to hear that. It seems like you should have been an easy match based on your STEP scores and top 25 status that you posted earlier. Did you just not apply very broadly? How many programs did you rank? Either way, with your STEP scores I'd imagine you'd be a top pick for SOAP even if you dont match an ideal program.

 

[hot_thicc_potato]

I'm sorry to hear that. It seems like you should have been an easy match based on your STEP scores and top 25 status that you posted earlier. Did you just not apply very broadly? How many programs did you rank? Either way, with your STEP scores I'd imagine you'd be a top pick for SOAP even if you dont match an ideal programs

I applied to 30 DR spots using Texas star and residency navigator to pick reaches and places that I thought were realistic, mostly in the Midwest. I had 7 interviews.

My only conclusion is that I was too average with under average board scores. My fingers are crossed for the few SOAP positions available.

 

[PhysMatMan]

Sorry this happened to you. I recommend applying to 100 places next year including R positions and use the apdr postings throughout the year. R position availability varies but can be up to 10 or so a year.

 

[Dryad8212]

I applied to 30 DR spots using Texas star and residency navigator to pick reaches and places that I thought were realistic, mostly in the Midwest. I had 7 interviews.

My only conclusion is that I was too average with under average board scores. My fingers are crossed for the few SOAP positions available.

according to your previous post, it states you have board scores of 250/260 or am i incorrect?

 

[Zen Arcade]

according to your previous post, it states you have board scores of 250/260 or am i incorrect?

Yeah, those are not under average board scores.

 

[hot_thicc_potato]

according to your previous post, it states you have board scores of 250/260 or am i incorrect

yes

 

[hot_thicc_potato]

Yeah, those are not under average board scores.

Yea, I wrote that in a haze. I meant to say “under average interviews”

 

[hot_thicc_potato]

Sorry this happened to you. I recommend applying to 100 places next year including R positions and use the apdr postings throughout the year. R position availability varies but can be up to 10 or so a year.

How competitive can I be as a re-applicant? Is there any hope of me matching at an academic center?

 

[Dryad8212]

Yea, I wrote that in a haze. I meant to say “under average interviews”

Definitely was your interviews. You must have had bad interviews to not match with those amazing scores man. No offense. Please dont flag anyone lol.

 

[hot_thicc_potato]

Definitely was your interviews. You must have had bad interviews to not match with those amazing scores man. No offense. Please dont flag anyone lol.

I think you must be correct. I'll try to work on that this year, but I'm not sure how to do that

 

[Zen Arcade]

I think you must be correct. I'll try to work on that this year, but I'm not sure how to do that

One of the most important things you can do is do a mock interview, but before that interview its good to prepare some responses to typical interview questions so you know what to say. Things like 'why are you interested in radiology' and 'tell me about your research' are pretty high yield questions for example. Don't try to over-memorize what you are going to say, but have a bullet point list of what you want to mention in your mind. That way you wont be making up things on the fly. Some people are good at winging it, but a lot of people aren't so that's why trying to think of all the possible questions ahead of time is beneficial. You will inevitably be given curveballs, but if you feel confident answering all the other questions you'll have more confidence going into the hard questions. Also, pay attention to the non-verbals: eye contact (but not too much), smile, don't seem too relaxed but engaged, etc. Thankfully all these things you can improve with practice.

 

[robellis]

You need to ask people that will be honest with you why you don’t come across well, are you awkward? Are you unfriendly? Too intense? Do you come across confrontational or creepy? If you have close friends ask them these questions

 

[brownman23]

I matched lower than my #10, with similar stats. I applied to 60+ programs, and ranked 20 programs. I've had interviewers state things along the lines of "you're an awesome applicant", "I hope you consider us", and "we would love to have you." Most of my interviews were fun, pleasant conversations.

I'm saying this because I wouldn't jump to the conclusion that you're a poor interviewer. I think your biggest issue was applying to a small number of programs, and hence only being able to interview at 7 places. Sometimes, people just fall through the cracks.

With this upcoming cycle, I'd recommend applying broadly and also doing many mock interviews (to guarantee that your interview skills don't hold you back).

 

[AzBasRad]

I matched lower than my #10, with similar stats. I applied to 60+ programs, and ranked 20 programs. I've had interviewers state things along the lines of "you're an awesome applicant", "I hope you consider us", and "we would love to have you." Most of my interviews were fun, pleasant conversations.

I'm saying this because I wouldn't jump to the conclusion that you're a poor interviewer. I think your biggest issue was applying to a small number of programs, and hence only being able to interview at 7 places. Sometimes, people just fall through the cracks.

With this upcoming cycle, I'd recommend applying broadly and also doing many mock interviews (to guarantee that your interview skills don't hold you back).

Sorry to hear that dude, but congrats on matching Rads.

On discord and reddit, many are recounting similar experiences of dropping below #10 in their rank list. It has been a wild cycle. If interviews remain virtual, I assume next year's application cycle may have similar or worse trends.

 

[hot_thicc_potato]

Thanks, I'll work on those areas

I matched lower than my #10, with similar stats. I applied to 60+ programs, and ranked 20 programs. I've had interviewers state things along the lines of "you're an awesome applicant", "I hope you consider us", and "we would love to have you." Most of my interviews were fun, pleasant conversations.

I'm saying this because I wouldn't jump to the conclusion that you're a poor interviewer. I think your biggest issue was applying to a small number of programs, and hence only being able to interview at 7 places. Sometimes, people just fall through the cracks.

With this upcoming cycle, I'd recommend applying broadly and also doing many mock interviews (to guarantee that your interview skills don't hold you back).

Thank you for your perspective

 

[RadsRocks!]

@hot_thicc_potato I agree and think the issue was you didn't apply to enough places. I don't have discord so dont know what they are saying, but I can imagine it would have been fairly easy to "slip through the cracks" this year as many people were interviewing at the same places due to virtual interviews to maximize their chances.

 

[deleted314957]

A clinical internship will make you a better radiologist. You will not believe me now but you will later.

 

[hot_thicc_potato]

@hot_thicc_potato I agree and think the issue was you didn't apply to enough places. I don't have discord so dont know what they are saying, but I can imagine it would have been fairly easy to "slip through the cracks" this year as many people were interviewing at the same places due to virtual interviews to maximize their chances.

yea I don't know wtf I was thinking with 30, ty

 

[Dryad8212]

A clinical internship will make you a better radiologist. You will not believe me now but you will later.

not surgical?

 

[deleted314957]

not surgical?

I use the term “clinical” to mean patients. A rotating internship is a “clinical” internship. So is a medicine or surgery internship. For example, mine was called “basic surgery” and was 5 mos. surg with shock-trauma, 3 mos IM with CCU/ICU, 1 mo ER (mandatory) 1 mo out pt clinic( mandatory) and 2 elective. I did 1 derm and 1 ENT. No vacation time.

 

[Lnsean]

I think you must be correct. I'll try to work on that this year, but I'm not sure how to do that

Trust me, you are not bad at interviewing. Most of my interviews were 15mins each. There was really nothing crazy or "uncrazy" that you could have said or not said in 15 minutes...short of standing up and yelling profanity at them...to ruin your app. Most of my interviews were a combination of "Do you have any questions for us?" to "Tell me about your hobbies." By the time the interviewers introduced themselves and talked a bit, you basically had like 7-10 minutes left. I think there is definitely a small component of luck or unluckiness to the match system where there are stellar applicants who fall through the cracks.

 

[clutch21]

Trust me, you are not bad at interviewing. Most of my interviews were 15mins each. There was really nothing crazy or "uncrazy" that you could have said or not said in 15 minutes...short of standing up and yelling profanity at them...to ruin your app. Most of my interviews were a combination of "Do you have any questions for us?" to "Tell me about your hobbies." By the time the interviewers introduced themselves and talked a bit, you basically had like 7-10 minutes left. I think there is definitely a small component of luck or unluckiness to the match system where there are stellar applicants who fall through the cracks.

Disagree. As someone who has taken part in rank meetings for DR residency, interview day can really hurt an applicant. This is particularly true in the current virtual setting with shorter interview days. It’s even harder to separate out applicants in these circumstances, so just the slightest of perceived red flags could be magnified when the rank list is made. I’m not speculating that this is the reason the OP didn’t match, but they certainly should not overlook the importance of this part of the process.

 

[RadsRocks!]

OP don’t be stressed. Just apply to like 60 programs next year and you’ll get in. Try to knock out a research project before your internship if you don’t have research and you can probably get into a top program.

 

[hot_thicc_potato]

OP don’t be stressed. Just apply to like 60 programs next year and you’ll get in. Try to knock out a research project before your internship if you don’t have research and you can probably get into a top program.

That’s plan, ty!

 

[Lnsean]

Disagree. As someone who has taken part in rank meetings for DR residency, interview day can really hurt an applicant. This is particularly true in the current virtual setting with shorter interview days. It’s even harder to separate out applicants in these circumstances, so just the slightest of perceived red flags could be magnified when the rank list is made. I’m not speculating that this is the reason the OP didn’t match, but they certainly should not overlook the importance of this part of the process.

I'm more incline to believe that OP didn't apply smartly (I mean OP applied to 30 programs which was very risky...my classmates all applied to 50-100 with 250s and 260s). There were interviews where my interviewer talked the majority of the time. What you're saying isn't unheard of...it's just less likely. If you look at the top institutions and their matches this year, there's a focus on diversity, something that a lot of the programs even told me on interview day. So you could be bumped for anything really. Every program wants a good mix of residents, having high stats isn't everything anymore I suppose. The smart thing is to apply broadly, even if you have high stats.

 

[clutch21]

I'm more incline to believe that OP didn't apply smartly (I mean OP applied to 30 programs which was very risky...my classmates all applied to 50-100 with 250s and 260s). There were interviews where my interviewer talked the majority of the time. What you're saying isn't unheard of...it's just less likely. If you look at the top institutions and their matches this year, there's a focus on diversity, something that a lot of the programs even told me on interview day. So you could be bumped for anything really. Every program wants a good mix of residents, having high stats isn't everything anymore I suppose. The smart thing is to apply broadly, even if you have high stats.

I think we are in agreeance here. As said in my last post, I wasn’t speculating on why the OP didn’t match. My point was simply that the interview is a crucial part of the process. I do think it’s more likely that under application was the issue here, especially with those board scores.

 

[PhysMatMan]

Honestly 40-60 programs is what you should've applied to the first time. After not matching it should be closer to 100, and I would aim for at least 80. There is a stigma, unfair or not, associated with not matching that you now have to overcome.

 

[Dr. USMLE]

One thing people don’t realize is just how arbitrary decisions are in the admissions meetings, even at good programs.

It is inevitable that some strong applicants will slip through the cracks.

 

[littlestar71]

Another thing I have heard is that it might be important to check whether letters of recommendations were actually good letters.
I've heard of people finding out that letters were actually not good after the fact..