MD & DO Dual Applying & SFMatch

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I am preparing to dual apply in a few months: one specialty in the NRMP, the other in the SFMatch.

My preferred residency uses the NRMP. It is uncertain how I will match into my preferred residency. My preferred specialty’s fellowships all use SFMatch.

The other residency I am considering uses SFmatch. I am certain I will match well in it, but again, it is not my preferred specialty.

The problem: SFMatch occurs in February and is binding before the regular match day of NRMP. If I dual apply, can I withdraw from the SFmatch if I end up matching in the NRMP? Will that blacklist me from applying to fellowships? How can I try for both this cycle without breaking any rules?

My medical school has not been able to advise me. I’m not willing to risk going unmatched (ie, not applying in SFmatch) and I’m not willing to give up yet on the preferred specialty (ie, not applying in ERAS). Not being able to do a fellowship would be devastating, and I’ll have to consider this piece further at another time. I unfortunately cannot delay graduation any further, and so cannot improve my application for my preferred specialty. Does anyone have any advice?

 

[NotAProgDirector]

You're going to discover that "you can't always get what you want".

You're being quite vague. There are two residency fields in the SF Match - Ophthal and Plastics. You state that you are certain that you will match well in these fields. They are both hypercompetitive and good people don't match every year.

The fellowships in SF are mostly the surgical ones.

If you match in the SF Match, you will be required to withdraw from NRMP except for prelim positions if you're matching into Ophthal. Not doing so is a violation of both match agreements and puts all results in jeopardy. You can't just "try in NRMP" and if you get another categorical spot, somehow just resign your SF Match spot. SHould you try to do that, the NRMP might invalidate your NRMP match - since to do so you need to certify that you are uncommitted, and since you'll have matched in the SF match that is not true.

So, either you're going to try for your preferred specialty in NRMP and forgo the SF match (and take some risk of not matching), or you're going to apply SF Match and forgo your preferred specialty. You can't have it both ways. This is an argument for having a single match process, where this wouldn't be an issue.

What you can do is apply to both and see what number of interviews you get, and then make a decision from there.

 

[sf2xapply]

What you can do is apply to both and see what number of interviews you get, and then make a decision from there.

Thank you for your thoughts. This is an excellent idea.