Help on rank order list

[dorsal horn]

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I am participating in this year match. I was little confused that if I put advanced program + prelim position as my first choice and in case I dont get the prelim position, will i be moved to next choice on that list or will i be matched for that advanced position only? I am freaking out because of this as I dont want to go through the scramble for a prelim spot. Any help will be greatly appreciated.

 

[BrainWorks]

I am participating in this year match. I was little confused that if I put advanced program + prelim position as my first choice and in case I dont get the prelim position, will i be moved to next choice on that list or will i be matched for that advanced position only? I am freaking out because of this as I dont want to go through the scramble for a prelim spot. Any help will be greatly appreciated.

From what I understand about the match (hypothetically), if one does not match to the prelim position (with the advanced position that one has matched at) then there will probably be scrambling for the prelim position. Have you showed interest in the prelim spots?

 

[AlternateSome1]

That is correct. If you match into an advanced position but do not match into one of the intern program on your supplemental list then you will need to scramble. It is important to place all of the prelim programs you interviewed with on every supplemental list for this reason.

 

[uberneurd]

just thought i'd post a reply because the question & answers seemed a little ambiguous...

if you match at the advanced program but don't match at any of the prelims on the corresponding supplemental rank list, you will have to scramble for prelim only. you will still get your advanced program.

...that's how i understand it, at least.

 

[dorsal horn]

Thats really stupid. I applied to most of the categorical program and very few advanced and that is why didnot applied to prelim spots. so the situation now is that my first choice is advanced but gosh.......now i have to put it last because of the fear of scramble and not matching at all. I just have two prelim interviews. Is there any way out?

 

[uberneurd]

scrambling for a prelim spot might not be that bad, depending on what geographic area you're looking at.

you can look at the NRMP website to see if there were any unfilled prelim positions in the past in the area you're targeting... it might give you an idea of what your scrambling options might be.

even if you end up scrambling, just think -- it's only a year. maybe it's not worth giving up your top-choice neuro program. internship is likely going to suck, no matter where you are, whether or not you scramble. just my humble opinion.

good luck!

 

[dorsal horn]

I dont mind working at any program for a year and even ready to move anywhere in the world. But I fear that I may not be able to secure the prelim spot during scramble. I am an IMG and will need visa. so the match system sucks for me as its not allowing me to pick up my first choice based on fear. I have to make ROL in order of what prelim progam thinks of me and is totally opposite the philosophy that match favors the applicant.

I am still looking desperately for answers for this ridiculous conundrum.

 

[buckley]

I think you are getting the answers...you just don't like what you're hearing. If I would put it in my own words, the computer matches you with an advanced program first. The moment you match into an advanced program, that's it. It doesn't care whether or not you have a prelim spot.

So if rank 1 is an advanced program, but you didn't match in the prelim, you scramble even if rank 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 are categorical programs you would have matched into had you ranked them ahead of number 1.

It's tough, I agree with you.

 

[dorsal horn]

I appreciate everyone's help. But its too disheartening for me when i look at it. because I worked hard to get prelim interviews in January and travelled quite a distance during the hectic schedule. Alas, I should have known the matching process. But this far down the road, still I think i would not have known of this little fact about the matching process.

this is just my swansong.