Dual applying....

[megatron88]

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I thought I'd made up on my mind on my specialty choice, but my current rotation has made me completely confused again. I'm dual applying through ERAS now. When do I have to absolutely make up my mind? Just up until making my rank list or earlier? Are programs able to find out I'm dual applying? Thanks!

 

[Raryn]

I thought I'd made up on my mind on my specialty choice, but my current rotation has made me completely confused again. I'm dual applying through ERAS now. When do I have to absolutely make up my mind? Just up until making my rank list or earlier? Are programs able to find out I'm dual applying? Thanks!

You absolutely have to make up your mind when you formulate your rank list, though if you still don't care which one you want and you want to gamble you can still rank both and see where you match.

Otherwise, programs have no way to find out if you're dual applying except if they physically see you interview at the other specialty. I suppose they could also talk to each other, but they have better things to worry about. You can send a different personal statement and different letters to each separate program.

 

[megatron88]

What if programs ask you if you are dual applying during the interview? Should you tell the truth?

You absolutely have to make up your mind when you formulate your rank list, though if you still don't care which one you want and you want to gamble you can still rank both and see where you match.

Otherwise, programs have no way to find out if you're dual applying except if they physically see you interview at the other specialty. I suppose they could also talk to each other, but they have better things to worry about. You can send a different personal statement and different letters to each separate program.

 

[NotAProgDirector]

Theoretically, they should not ask.

Realistically, they might. And perhaps innocently. Let's say I see lots of neuro rotations on your transcript, and a neuro research project. Then you apply to my IM program. When I interview you, I might ask "So, megatron, it looks like you used to be interested in neuro and now you're interested in IM. What's up with that?". The discussion that follows may be tricky for you. You can lie all you want -- if you ultimately match in Neuro I'll know it (as I see where everyone on my rank list ultimately matches). But there's nothing I can "do" about it, and honestly at that point I won't care. Every year a few on my list end up matching in Derm, or Ophthal. And every year I look to see if I could have avoided wasting my time interviewing them by looking carefully at their apps.

 

[AdmiralChz]

Agree with above, usually there are "hints" in an application which might indicate this - usually research or extra rotations, occasionally it's explicitly said in a LOR. These absolutely do not disqualify you from applying and showing interest in another field, just be prepared to answer the question if asked.

It's quite often, especially in surgical subspecialties, that someone gets to M4 after 2-3 years of research and realizes the field isn't for them. Doesn't diminish their application or drive to succeed.

 

[Slack3r]

(as I see where everyone on my rank list ultimately matches).

Really? Is it a master list like the NRMP match list the applicants see?

 

[IMPD]

Really? Is it a master list like the NRMP match list the applicants see?

I'm not sure what applicants see. We can't see out-of-match agreements, or Canadian matches. But we see everyone on our list who matches through the NRMP.

Occasionally, I will leave someone on my match list solely for the curiosity of where-the-hell will this person match. My PC hates it.

 

[Psai]

I'm not sure what applicants see. We can't see out-of-match agreements, or Canadian matches. But we see everyone on our list who matches through the NRMP.

Occasionally, I will leave someone on my match list solely for the curiosity of where-the-hell will this person match. My PC hates it.

But what if they actually end up at your program when you didn't want them to

 

[IMPD]

But what if they actually end up at your program when you didn't want them to

My Program Coordinator reminds me of this possibility every time I put someone on the rank list "just to see". Truth is, we know fairly accurately where we are going to land on our rank list and I although I am somewhat risk-taking, I'm not taking *that* much of a risk.

 

[thoffen]

I applied to med and psych. Once someone asked me why medicine and not psych given my CV experience, but it was easy to give a plausible answer (at that time I was 50-50). Otherwise, the biggest downside is writing 2 PS, collecting 2 sets of letters, and keeping it all straight.

It's possible someone could find out and drop you on their list because they might perceive you as someone who will regret their decision and not want to finish. However, it's not a scandalous thing to do, so go for it if you really need more time to decide.

If you are a person that tends to be ambivalent and either not stick with things or think you've made the wrong decision, though, I'd try to get some help with that. Residency is a whole different ball game. You don't have to have your life figured out for it, but you better have the skills to do so going in.

 

[ZJz4]

Theoretically, they should not ask.

Realistically, they might. And perhaps innocently. Let's say I see lots of neuro rotations on your transcript, and a neuro research project. Then you apply to my IM program. When I interview you, I might ask "So, megatron, it looks like you used to be interested in neuro and now you're interested in IM. What's up with that?". The discussion that follows may be tricky for you. You can lie all you want -- if you ultimately match in Neuro I'll know it (as I see where everyone on my rank list ultimately matches). But there's nothing I can "do" about it, and honestly at that point I won't care. Every year a few on my list end up matching in Derm, or Ophthal. And every year I look to see if I could have avoided wasting my time interviewing them by looking carefully at their apps.

If that person were to reapply into IM realizing they made a mistake would you consider them? Or Hold it against them if they were unsure

 

[NotAProgDirector]

Please stop asking the same questions in multiple threads.

 

[GoSpursGo]

Closing this old thread