Does marking "couples matching" on ERAS affect the number of INITIAL interview offers?

[Ludicrousspeed]

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I've found plenty of info on if partner #1 gets an interview, partner #2 can attempt to email etc the program. However, I'm struggling to find the likelihood of partner #1 getting that initial interview if they marked couples matching on ERAS.

Another way to look at it is, do you think one would get more interviews initially if listed as individual matching vs couples?

Thanks.

 

[GoSpursGo]

The data you're looking for almost certainly doesn't exist. But I can't think of any particular reason that a program would view an applicant appreciably more or less favorably just based on you couples matching. It would be impossible to know from their end whether that makes you more or less likely to rank them highly, but one can reasonably assume you wouldn't be applying to their program if you weren't legitimately interested, so I would imagine that most programs would evaluate your app initially the same as they would any other app.

 

[NotAProgDirector]

It might not be that simple. In a big city where there are lots of options I expect that programs would ignore this. For programs that are located in les populous places, it may play more of a role. Imagine a program that is all by itself, closest neighbor program is 4 hours away. Presumably a couple is more likely "all or nothing" and programs might not want to waste interview spots on one person unless the other was also getting an interview. But this can work both in the applicant's favor, and not. If program A really wants to interview one half of the couple, the other program might interview someone who would otherwise not get an interview.

 

[Ludicrousspeed]

Appreciate the response from both of you! Thank you!