Early Match and "Normal Match"

[Lucid Dreaming]

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We all know how hard it is to match in some of the early match programs such as neuroSx, uro, and plastics. Now I saw this on the NeuroSx site (http://www.aans.org/medical_students/questions.asp)

3. As a medical student, when do I need to decide on a subspecialty? Do I have options if I decide late or change my mind?
When you decide on a specialty is less important than choosing the right specialty for you. Keep in mind that neurosurgery is an early Match so it is important to start planning for the application process early, even if you haven’t completely decided. The advantage of the early Match is that you can still apply for the regular National Residency Match Program (NRMP) on time if you don’t match in neurosurgery or if you decide to pursue another specialty.


Do theses programs basically know that some people will interview for a certain specialty as well as something else, say Emergency Medicine and if they don't match early, then they rank the NRMP...but if they do match for the subspecialty then they don't turn in rank list for NRMP?

Have any of you done this?

 

[gutonc]

Tons of people do this. In general people applying for the early match specialties (which are now all surgical since Neuro finally stopped pretending to be competitive) will also apply to Gen Surg programs although I knew one Urology applicant who applied to IM as a backup and an ENT applicant (back when it was still early match) who went for EM as a backup. It's pretty much assumed that you'll be applying to backups if you're applying to something as competitive as integrated plastics or neurosurg.

 

[Faebinder]

Tons of people do this. In general people applying for the early match specialties (which are now all surgical since Neuro finally stopped pretending to be competitive) will also apply to Gen Surg programs although I knew one Urology applicant who applied to IM as a backup and an ENT applicant (back when it was still early match) who went for EM as a backup. It's pretty much assumed that you'll be applying to backups if you're applying to something as competitive as integrated plastics or neurosurg.

 

[Lucid Dreaming]

so, say if one applied to urology they could apply to internal medicine as well? do people find out? i mean i assume the person you knew probably didn't apply to the two programs at the same institution.

the reason i ask is because i'm considering applying to a competitive early match residency all over the country but i want to focus a back up plan in one geographical part.

thanks for the input.

 

[Jennifer626]

so, say if one applied to urology they could apply to internal medicine as well? do people find out? i mean i assume the person you knew probably didn't apply to the two programs at the same institution.

the reason i ask is because i'm considering applying to a competitive early match residency all over the country but i want to focus a back up plan in one geographical part.

thanks for the input.

My friend did this...she ended up matching in urology this year, but also applied to programs in the regular match. Our med school dean said that it was ok to apply to different specialties as long as they are at different institutions. Good luck!

 

[mmed]

so, say if one applied to urology they could apply to internal medicine as well? do people find out? i mean i assume the person you knew probably didn't apply to the two programs at the same institution.

the reason i ask is because i'm considering applying to a competitive early match residency all over the country but i want to focus a back up plan in one geographical part.

thanks for the input.

You are free to apply to different specialties in different or same institutions. If you are still not sure what specialty you are interested with or you interested in more than one specialty equally. As you want to secure the best program for you, the programs also want to higher the best applicant with best qualification even if he/she is applying for many specialties. It is free game.

 

[MR1]

I would say from talking to people at my school and reading this board (there are past threads on this) that applying to different specialities at the same institution may not hurt you or could be really bad. My personal opinion is it would be very bad esp if you are applying to two totally different specialities like uro and IM. (they may think you have no idea what you want to do) I would think it would look less worse if it were uro and gen surg for example.

Anyway if I were double applying I would not do it at the same place just to be on the same side. Also remember if you do this a lot of places offer interview dates after the match day for the SFMatch & Uro match. So you could possibly save a lot of money not doing your back ups if you match early.

 

[Lucid Dreaming]

so here's an important question on my part:

i'm considering uro as well as IM. now filling out ERAS i have to put an AUA number for uro. other programs will see that i have an AUA number and know that i'm applying to uro (bad for me!).

is there any way i can submit my uro application first with the AUA number, wait until the uro programs downloaded my application, then edit the ERAS app and take the AUA number off and have it submitted the other specialty i so desire (like IM)?

 

[werewethere]

Tons of people do this. In general people applying for the early match specialties (which are now all surgical since Neuro finally stopped pretending to be competitive) will also apply to Gen Surg programs although I knew one Urology applicant who applied to IM as a backup and an ENT applicant (back when it was still early match) who went for EM as a backup. It's pretty much assumed that you'll be applying to backups if you're applying to something as competitive as integrated plastics or neurosurg.

Note that early match is neurosurgery, optho, peds neuro, integrated plastics, all SF match, and urology. ENT is regular match.

 

[gutonc]

Note that early match is neurosurgery, optho, peds neuro, integrated plastics, all SF match, and urology. ENT is regular match.

Which, for the record, is exactly what I said. ENT used to be early match but last year joined the real world.

 

[werewethere]

Which, for the record, is exactly what I said. ENT used to be early match but last year joined the real world.

Sorry about that, my synapses are on strike, apparently.

 

[misery]

so here's an important question on my part:

i'm considering uro as well as IM. now filling out ERAS i have to put an AUA number for uro. other programs will see that i have an AUA number and know that i'm applying to uro (bad for me!).

is there any way i can submit my uro application first with the AUA number, wait until the uro programs downloaded my application, then edit the ERAS app and take the AUA number off and have it submitted the other specialty i so desire (like IM)?

I'd like to know the answer to this if someone will reply. thx

 

[TMFLA]

No, u cant change ANYTHING on your CAF after it gets submitted.

I guess it would go either way, but a lot of people who early match are asked what they plan to do if they dont get in with early match.

Having a backup plan is important. You can always try to switch to your dream specialty later. But they expect you to have a backup plan. It sounds foolish to say you just hope you get a spot and if you dont you will just give up medicine.

For IM as backup for surg specialties, i would say to the IM people if asked, that you werent 100% sure what you wanted to do, and esp for early match, u get the AUA (or whatever) and apply before you basically do any 4th year electives. That covers the other # on the app q but whi;e interviewing, if the notice it, they may ask have you decided now. Its a game. You tell every place you love them and tell each specialty that thats what you want. Sounds bad, but programs play the exact same game.