Graduating off track HELP!

[alwayshopeful]

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Hi all!
I am an allopathic medical student graduating July 31, 2007. I have been told that I can't match through the NRMP, period. I know that there are hospitals out there that will let you start residency off track, but I don't know where to find them! If you have any suggestions, please help! This is causing me A LOT of anxiety!

 

[NotAProgDirector]

This turns out to be a VERY interesting question.

You CANNOT participate in the match if you will graduate after July 1st. Most medical schools graduate in May or June, and usually most students can finish their requirements long before this, so it's uncommon for graduation to be delayed. Still, it happens.

Now for the interesting part:

1. You cannot participate in the Match if you graduate after July 1st.
2. You are only considered a Senior Medical Student if you graduate after Sept 1st.

So, if you graduate after Sept 1st you enter the match the following year. But, if you graduate from July 1st through Aug 31st, you don't have to participate in either match.

Seems like your screwed, doesn't it?

Here's the trick: You are not considered a senior medical student for the match. You are exempt from the match, and therefore you can sign outside the match.

So, here's what you do:

1. You register and apply to programs with ERAS. Nothing prevents you from doing this.
2. You mention in your personal statement that because of your graduation from July 1st - Aug 31st, you cannot match but you can sign outside the match. Obviously doing so means that you will start your internship 1-2 months late, but given the advance notice many programs will not care.
3. Will this help or hurt you? Can't tell. But you may be able to get a spot outside the match, and have everything signed long before match day.
4. If you can't find an acceptable slot this way, you get a chance to participate in the scramble. It's always possible that there will be some slot that you are very interested in that's open.
5. In order to get the scramble list, I believe you must register with the NRMP. You can wait to register until the ROL deadline approaches -- you will know way before then whether you have a spot or not.
6. If you can't find an acceptable slot this way, you can always enroll in the match the next year. You would then need to find a 10 month filler job, usually research or something like that.

If you are interested in the most competitive residencies, this will likely be a problem. Then again, whatever caused you to be off cycle by a few months may make these programs impossible for you anyway.

 

[MelRoos]

Hi all!
I am an allopathic medical student graduating July 31, 2007. I have been told that I can't match through the NRMP, period. I know that there are hospitals out there that will let you start residency off track, but I don't know where to find them! If you have any suggestions, please help! This is causing me A LOT of anxiety!

I'm off track as well-
I graduated June 23rd, 2007- and could not do LAST years match b/c I couldn't start in July 1 of 2007, but am doing this years match for a spot in July 2008. Further, I am considered a "independant' appplicant, and so can also take an out-of match position if offered one- I just have to withdraw from NMRP prior to the deadline, and the program also has to withdraw the spot...
is it just the june vs july difference?

 

[MsPiggy101]

Hello🙂
I am also a 4th year allopathic medical student scheduled to graduate in August 2008. I was specifically told by my Medical school Dean that I was not allowed to register with ERAS in order to search for programs available to me. The Dean informed me that I would have to individually call and email program directors for spots AFTER the match because this was when I could find out where there were available positions. Obviously, I was misinformed!!

Is it now too late for me to register with ERAS in attempt to find a program and start residency in August?

Do I still have any other options if it is too late?😕

Thanks for your advice in advance!!!!! I really appreciate it!

 

[PMR2008]

.

 

[NotAProgDirector]

Hello🙂
I am also a 4th year allopathic medical student scheduled to graduate in August 2008. I was specifically told by my Medical school Dean that I was not allowed to register with ERAS in order to search for programs available to me. The Dean informed me that I would have to individually call and email program directors for spots AFTER the match because this was when I could find out where there were available positions. Obviously, I was misinformed!!

Is it now too late for me to register with ERAS in attempt to find a program and start residency in August?

Do I still have any other options if it is too late?😕

Thanks for your advice in advance!!!!! I really appreciate it!

I am a bit outside my comfort zone here, but I thought that because you were graduating late you could participate in ERAS but not in the NRMP. Your Dean's office generates tokens, and I don't think there's any rule about who can get one -- hence I think that even off cycle students could do so. Participating in ERAS and NRMP are completely independent events. However, I couldn't find any instruction manual on the ERAS website that was clear about this.

Regardless, it's probably too late to do much. Almost all programs had application deadlines by Mid january, which has passed. Even if you applied to programs via ERAS now, they may not notice at all.

Getting an ERAS token would allow you to apply for programs in the scramble via ERAS, so if possible you should try to do so again. I would also discuss this with your Dean, as if the rules allow you to get a token you should have done so.

Quick question for aProgDirector or anyone else who knows. How does the NRMP or ERAS know when you will be graduating? Does the school provide them this information? Currently I am applying to Osteopathic internships programs who know I will be graduating a month late and are willing to accommodate me. Since I am only applying to advanced PGY2 allopathic programs can I still register for NRMP and go through with the match, since I will be able to start my PGY2 year on time?

Apparently the NRMP confirms this at the ROL deadline with each school. Applicants with grad dates beyond July 1st are withdrawn from the match. The AOA match may use different rules.

If you are off cycle by a month, it's unclear how you can be ready for a PGY-2 on time. Make sure that the Board of whatever advanced specialty you are looking at is willing to forgive this one month of training. If not, you could have a problem. I would also make sure with the NRMP that you won't be withdrawn -- I doubt it, but I'd call and make sure.

 

[PMR2008]

Thank you for your prompt response. If an applicant is withdrawn from the Match at the last minute do you have any suggestions on how to go about ranking at a program?

 

[NotAProgDirector]

Thank you for your prompt response. If an applicant is withdrawn from the Match at the last minute do you have any suggestions on how to go about ranking at a program?

I'm confused by your question. If you're withdrawn from the match, your ROL is discarded / ignored and you will not be ranking anyone. At that point, it's usually too late for prematches. Therefore, you're stuck in the scramble. As others have already pointed out, that's a tough deal -- spots fill quickly, phones are busy, decisions need to be made quickly.

So, if you meant "If I get withdrawn, how do I secure a spot anyway?", the answer is probably using ERAS in the scramble process as at least that's immune to the fax/phone problem, looking at the scramble list and quickly finding programs that are within your reach, and working quickly.