how hard is it to get a residency for general surgery?

[asdasd12345]

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for MD or DO applicants? i looked at the bigmedicalstudent guide or whatever, and they didnt have anything for general surgery and how competitive it is to get a residency in this area.

 

[gildas]

nobody knows. Just kidding.

 

[exmike]

General surgery is falling out of favor b/c it is not a "lifestyle" residency. I would say it is only moderately competitive nowadays.

 

[Gleevec]

for MD or DO applicants? i looked at the bigmedicalstudent guide or whatever, and they didnt have anything for general surgery and how competitive it is to get a residency in this area.

Apparently the %-unmatched for general surgery has gone down over the past decade but is starting to level off. About 18% of the general surgery spots are unmatched according to this thread, which means you have a good chance of getting in.

http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=110117&highlight=unmatched+specialty

1% Radiology-Diagnostic
1% Dermatology
1% OrthopaedicSurgery
1% PlasticSurgery
2% RadiationOncology
2% EmergencMedicine
4% Pediatrics
4% Psychiatry
5% PhysicalMedicineandRehabilitation
5% InternalMedicine
7% ObstetricsandGynecology
7% Anesthesiology
7% TransitionalYear
8% Pathology-AnatomicandClinical
18% Surgery-General
21% FamilyPractice

 

[SunnyS81]

This year, I think 2 spots were left open. Not at places most people would apply, but nevertheless they were open. There is a thread on SDN that has all the open spots listed......i'm too hungry to find it.

I think it has become a lot more competitive in the last year or so because of the 80 hour work rule. I know they are having record numbers of women entering surgery.

Time for food....

 

[Neuronix]

18% Surgery-General

This makes it almost the least competitive residency out there right now. Seriously, gen surg is very not competitive. The lifestyle and residency are both difficult and general surgeons get the most scut and the least pay of the surgeons. There are tons of FMGs in it now for a reason, and most are trying to get into surgical subspecialties.

Apologies in advance for everyone I piss off with this post. I'm not implying anything about general surgeons.

 

[VienneseWaltz]

This year, I think 2 spots were left open. Not at places most people would apply, but nevertheless they were open. There is a thread on SDN that has all the open spots listed......i'm too hungry to find it.

I think it has become a lot more competitive in the last year or so because of the 80 hour work rule. I know they are having record numbers of women entering surgery.

Time for food....

Yup. Last year (the first class for whom the new rules were in effect) it was 9 spots, so yes, it's becoming competitive again ...

 

[doc05]

the 18% includes a large number of prelim spots, which ALWAYS remain unmatched because prelim surgery is a crappy option. surgery has become more competitive over the last few years and there were only 2 unmatched spots this march.