How do fellowship programs rank applicants?

[DOAZ31]

I've read numerous posts here about how after an interview the interviewers score an applicant on ERAS or they group discuss. But it has felt like in most of my interviews, the interviewers are selling the program as much as they can. Phrases like "you'd be a good fit for etc etc" "you'd like it here" etc etc, so who really do they think is a great fit and why?

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[Naruhodo]

I'd assume the ranking system is similar to how it works for residency (but obviously with smaller numbers). That means that the applicant's preferences are prioritized over the program's preferences. Therefore, it is in a program's interest to get the applicants they really want to rank them as highly as possible so that they end up with their favorite picks. I may have missed what you were really asking with your question though, can you elaborate on what you're curious about?

 

[applicant2016]

If you are applying for a non-competitive fellowship (which most peds fellowship are except for cards, ED and sometimes PICU), programs wants to fill their positions, especially those where 50% goes unfilled every year (endo, pulmo...etc), they want every applicant to rank them.

If you are applying for competitive programs or fellowships, then your residency program reputation, and you letters matter the most.

You can find all these information on the NRMP website and what program directors care about.

 

[DOAZ31]

I'd assume the ranking system is similar to how it works for residency (but obviously with smaller numbers). That means that the applicant's preferences are prioritized over the program's preferences. Therefore, it is in a program's interest to get the applicants they really want to rank them as highly as possible so that they end up with their favorite picks. I may have missed what you were really asking with your question though, can you elaborate on what you're curious about?

Which makes sense, but I was really going for, what is the point of the interviews? In residency, it was more of question after question asking us about ourselves, but some interviewers in fellowship didn't even ask me more than one question but then sold the program on all its strengths which im sure they give the same speech to every interviewee, so I'm wondering how they end up ranking the interviewers if they don't really ask those get to know you questions.

 

[DOAZ31]

If you are applying for a non-competitive fellowship (which most peds fellowship are except for cards, ED and sometimes PICU), programs wants to fill their positions, especially those where 50% goes unfilled every year (endo, pulmo...etc), they want every applicant to rank them.

If you are applying for competitive programs or fellowships, then your residency program reputation, and you letters matter the most.

You can find all these information on the NRMP website and what program directors care about.

Yeah I saw the NRMP program director data, only thing is that its 3-4 years old now and the survey retention for my specialty was less than 50%

 

[mvenus929]

Which makes sense, but I was really going for, what is the point of the interviews? In residency, it was more of question after question asking us about ourselves, but some interviewers in fellowship didn't even ask me more than one question but then sold the program on all its strengths which im sure they give the same speech to every interviewee, so I'm wondering how they end up ranking the interviewers if they don't really ask those get to know you questions.

The interview is to see how you interact in person, but also to really show you the program. My understanding is that fellowship interviews and attending interviews are relatively similar...once you make it to the interview stage they have a high likelihood of wanting to offer you a position, so it’s just seeing if you would be a good fit.