Easiest specialties during SOAP

[medicine12]

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I am an IMG, all my LORs are from IM and Neurology. Do you guys think I should apply to IM and Neuro only during SOAP in case I don't get matched? Or is it easier to get an unfilled position in FM, Peds, Psychiatry?

 

[Law2Doc]

I am an IMG, all my LORs are from IM and Neurology. Do you guys think I should apply to IM and Neuro only during SOAP in case I don't get matched? Or is it easier to get an unfilled position in FM, Peds, Psychiatry?

Neuro is going to be the most competitive of the things you list, and is an advanced residency, meaning youd have to scramble into both this and a prelim IM spot. As an IMG your best bet will likely be to just hit IM and FM hard. Just my two cents.

 

[medicine12]

So FM, Peds, etc would be easier than IM in SOAP?

 

[Law2Doc]

So FM, Peds, etc would be easier than IM in SOAP?

I didn't say " peds, etc". Hit FM and IM hard.

 

[NotAProgDirector]

In general, there are more FM than IM spots in the scramble. So, FM tends to be less competitive.

 

[medicine12]

Thank you. Is there anyway you can find what programs went unfilled last year? I could only get data about how many unfilled positions for different specialties but not specific programs.

 

[Svidrillion]

Thank you. Is there anyway you can find what programs went unfilled last year? I could only get data about how many unfilled positions for different specialties but not specific programs.

http://www.nrmp.org/data/resultsanddata2011.pdf

 

[gutonc]

http://www.nrmp.org/data/resultsanddata2011.pdf

That's not the question that was asked. The more helpful answer to that question would have been:
IM: ~60 spots
Peds: ~50 spots
FM: ~150 spots
Psych: ~30 spots
Path: ~45 spots

The question was about which specific programs were open last year, not which specialties had open spots.

That information is out there somewhere but I haven't had much luck googling it this year. It's technically proprietary info and has been a closely guarded secret in the past. That said, discovering which programs went unmatched last year, while psychologically helpful won't help you much this year.

 

[asmith1121]

http://www.nrmp.org/data/programsresults2007-2011.pdf

You can figure out which programs went Unfilled by looking at the hospital and specialty.

 

[Law2Doc]

.... That said, discovering which programs went unmatched last year, while psychologically helpful won't help you much this year.

agreed. There are many programs which end up in the scramble in a given year through miscalculation, and will try not to make the same mistake twice. You'd need to look back over years and see which programs are regularly in the scramble. I'm not sure where you'd get that data though.

 

[derailed]

agreed. There are many programs which end up in the scramble in a given year through miscalculation, and will try not to make the same mistake twice. You'd need to look back over years and see which programs are regularly in the scramble. I'm not sure where you'd get that data though.

How will having that data help? Even if you knew for sure which programs were going to be on the upcoming scramble, how would you be helped by that knowledge?

 

[NotAProgDirector]

agreed. There are many programs which end up in the scramble in a given year through miscalculation, and will try not to make the same mistake twice. You'd need to look back over years and see which programs are regularly in the scramble. I'm not sure where you'd get that data though.

How will having that data help? Even if you knew for sure which programs were going to be on the upcoming scramble, how would you be helped by that knowledge?

The link above, in post #9, is exactly the link you need. It shows you every single program and the number of spots in the match, and filled, for the last 5 years. It lists both filled and unfilled programs, so you'll need to sift through it to find what you're looking for. You could probably convert it to a spreadsheet, and then be able to sort by number of unfilled spots (and by specialty).

It MIGHT help, since you could guess that programs which regularly don't fill might not fill this year, and you might be able to review them and decide which you want to apply to. You only get 30 applications in the first round of SOAP, and have 2 hours to decide where to apply. So, doing some homework first might be helpful. of course, the unfilled list this year could look completely different to prior years, and it would all be a waste.

 

[deleted103644]

You could probably convert it to a spreadsheet, and then be able to sort by number of unfilled spots (and by specialty).

You'd think, but PDF is a format that apparently was invented to prevent useful access to information. I've tried doing this with that document with multiple tools and the results are always worthless - for a complete solution it would need to be done by hand.


What you can do is search the PDF for asterisks (*) - these only show up next to results for unfilled programs.

 

[deleted103644]

The question was about which specific programs were open last year, not which specialties had open spots.

That information is out there somewhere but I haven't had much luck googling it this year. It's technically proprietary info and has been a closely guarded secret in the past. That said, discovering which programs went unmatched last year, while psychologically helpful won't help you much this year.

Your google-fu is weak.

 

[Saluki]

When I google unfilled programs 2011, this is the very first thing that pops up:

https://www.meded.umn.edu/residency/documents/unfilled2011.pdf

I think it is pretty interesting, though some of the spots are deceptive. At first glance, it looks like there are unfilled psychiatry spots at UCLA and Hopkins, but when you look more closely, the spots are for research tracks. And I sincerely doubt that either program is going to be trying to fill those slots in the scramble.

 

[rad0nc]

Your google-fu is weak.

 

[medicine12]

If a program used to go unfilled for the past few years, does that make it relatively undesirable and your chances would be higher to get an offer there during SOAP?

 

[Law2Doc]

If a program used to go unfilled for the past few years, does that make it relatively undesirable and your chances would be higher to get an offer there during SOAP?

Probably, although sometimes the place goes unfilled in the match for a reason.

 

[NotAProgDirector]

If a program used to go unfilled for the past few years, does that make it relatively undesirable and your chances would be higher to get an offer there during SOAP?

Yes, that's the whole point of my above advice.

 

[medicine12]

Yes, that's the whole point of my above advice.

Thank you.

 

[derailed]

Side q- Will the interviews (phone/skype/in-person) be held from Moday 2pm until Wednesday ONLY or throughout the soap week? Thanks.

 

[docmed2012]

If you had to go through SOAP, would you apply to programs that you originally applied to but did not get an interview at? Not sure if its better to just apply to all new programs altogether or give it a second try with some of the same programs that did not grant an interview. Thanks

 

[Law2Doc]

If you had to go through SOAP, would you apply to programs that you originally applied to but did not get an interview at? Not sure if its better to just apply to all new programs altogether or give it a second try with some of the same programs that did not grant an interview. Thanks

Might as well do a mix. You don't really know if the places that didn't invite you would have if they knew they would end up in the scramble, or whether they simply saw a lack of good fit that isn't going to change regardless. It's like closing time at the bar and everyone wants to go home with somebody. Do you double back and try again with the person who snubbed you when they still thought they could do better, or do you focus in on the ones you never talked to yet? I don't think there's a single right approach.

 

[Svidrillion]

http://www.nrmp.org/data/resultsanddata2011.pdf

That's not the question that was asked....The question was about which specific programs were open last year, not which specialties had open spots..

That link does answer the question that was asked: if you look through the whole document, it lists all the specific program results from last year, but you have to search through it by hand (or using the search function). And you have to scroll past the first section. Did psychiatry at BU match all their spots last year? No, one went unfilled, and the information is there for your taking. Enjoy.

http://www.nrmp.org/data/programsresults2007-2011.pdf

This document is better, though, because it has information from more years.

 

[derailed]

Side q- Will the interviews (phone/skype/in-person) be held from Moday 2pm until Wednesday ONLY or throughout the soap week? Thanks.

any ideas?

 

[umz]

any ideas?

Why would they only interview through Wednesday? You can submit more apps Wednesday and Thursday, you really think the programs at those places of the new apps wouldn't be able to interview? Also, if you applied somewhere initially on Monday that didn't have time to interview you but didn't flat out reject you the first round, yet then went unfilled, they still have the option to offer you a position & thus interview you.

 

[deleted103644]

any ideas?

I'm sure programs that don't fill in the first round will continue interviewing. Each program will probably get the bulk of their interviews done before the first round though...