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deleted128562
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For someone with few interviews.... odds of available scramble positions??
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Why not..just rank EM programs, hopefully you match, but if you dont, chances are that you get to scramble into an open EM program is really low.
You could then scramble into FM which im sure you could get or you could take a year and do some research or bs and match into EM.
You could then scramble into FM which im sure you could get or you could take a year and do some research or bs and match into EM.
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You have some quick soul searching to do...
First question, did you do any rotations (home spot or aways) with EM programs? You sound good on initial look of paper. If you did no academic EM rotations, thats a huge red flag. Or you did rotations, and had issues and it stands out in your SLORs...
Understand that 'residency funding' is locked in when you match into a specialty. In other words, say you match General Surgery.. you have 5 years of funding. Say you match , FM, you have 3 years of funding. If you match 'prelim' anything, then you are a temp year, and still have a wide open funding match.
Why does this matter?... Well, you need to decide what you want to do. Scrambling, is NOT going to happen. Last year there was zero spots, years before that there has been less than 10, and those always essentially filled 'by the brother-in-law' way.. meaning, most of those programs had 'oh crap' moments, we didnt rank enough, and those spots were probably filled before the 'scrambled' even happened. This is my speculation, but I think most would agree.
I would HIGHLY encourage you, if you are mostly set on EM, then I would rank the interviews you have... and then scramble into a prelim spot if needed. Do the prelim spot and re-apply to EM and FM next year. Next year, if EM is still a no go, I would then settle on FM or whatever. IF you rank FM now, and match... and then are miserable, and wish to apply to EM next year. You are going to be limited as above as your funding is locked for 3 years so the program has to pay for your last year spot. Its not a huge deal at some places, but at many it would likely be a deal breaker.
Good luck to you...
First question, did you do any rotations (home spot or aways) with EM programs? You sound good on initial look of paper. If you did no academic EM rotations, thats a huge red flag. Or you did rotations, and had issues and it stands out in your SLORs...
Understand that 'residency funding' is locked in when you match into a specialty. In other words, say you match General Surgery.. you have 5 years of funding. Say you match , FM, you have 3 years of funding. If you match 'prelim' anything, then you are a temp year, and still have a wide open funding match.
Why does this matter?... Well, you need to decide what you want to do. Scrambling, is NOT going to happen. Last year there was zero spots, years before that there has been less than 10, and those always essentially filled 'by the brother-in-law' way.. meaning, most of those programs had 'oh crap' moments, we didnt rank enough, and those spots were probably filled before the 'scrambled' even happened. This is my speculation, but I think most would agree.
I would HIGHLY encourage you, if you are mostly set on EM, then I would rank the interviews you have... and then scramble into a prelim spot if needed. Do the prelim spot and re-apply to EM and FM next year. Next year, if EM is still a no go, I would then settle on FM or whatever. IF you rank FM now, and match... and then are miserable, and wish to apply to EM next year. You are going to be limited as above as your funding is locked for 3 years so the program has to pay for your last year spot. Its not a huge deal at some places, but at many it would likely be a deal breaker.
Good luck to you...
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Just to clarify, while a prelim year doesn't "set the clock" on your CMS funding, it does count against your total years of funding. So if you fail to match categorical this year, match/scramble for a prelim year then match the following year for a categorical residency, you will have used up one year of your funding, no matter how long the training for the specialty you ultimately match into is.
So practically speaking, from a CMS funding standpoint, there's no difference between prelim --> EM than FM for 1 year --> EM. There are a lot of other good reasons why the prelim --> EM path is "better," but the CMS funding issue isn't one of them.
We have interviewed a ton of prelims this year who did not match last year. I have found about 50% of them to be truly solid and I would be happy to land one. So I would say if you are certain you want do EM, try for a prelim spot and hope for the best next year. I would not settle with a strong desire to do EM.
Only having one slor is probably a source of your difficulties but like you said nothing you can do this time around. Wish you the best
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I have already forgotten when rank lists get finalized. Any chance you could do another EM rotation starting like tomorrow somewhere?
At some less than desirable locale.
If you are a great student, may get you a spot at that program.
Could also get another SLOR for next year just in case.
Probably a little too late to make this happen.
If you don't match, do a rotation at the end of this year and get another solid letter.
Don't go for another field if that's not what you want.
On paper, your stuff is fine.
The one home letter might have bit you in the behind.
At some less than desirable locale.
If you are a great student, may get you a spot at that program.
Could also get another SLOR for next year just in case.
Probably a little too late to make this happen.
If you don't match, do a rotation at the end of this year and get another solid letter.
Don't go for another field if that's not what you want.
On paper, your stuff is fine.
The one home letter might have bit you in the behind.
