Interpreting match lists

[pedneuro6894]

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I know in general when interpreting whether a match list is good or not, you look at the number of applicants who matched into competitive specialties (ortho, ent, anesthesiology, etc.) and also where applicants matched (are they good programs or not). However, I'm deadset on general surgery, so I'm wondering how we look at the difference in numbers between categorical and preliminary for gen surg. For example, UMiami and Georgetown have classes that are 200+ and match 15 categorical gen surgery applicants to good programs, which gives me a nice warm feeling inside. However, they also have 8-10 prelim gen surg matches. What does that mean? Should that raise a red flag?

To add context, UMass Chan matched 8 categorical gen surg, but only 2 prelim. Is that better?

DISCLAIMER: these are all 2024 numbers. I believe this year Miami had a 12 to 2 ratio, don't know about the others. So that definitely sounds a lot better, but why the big discrepancy?

 

[wysdoc]

I know in general when interpreting whether a match list is good or not, you look at the number of applicants who matched into competitive specialties (ortho, ent, anesthesiology, etc.) and also where applicants matched (are they good programs or not). However, I'm deadset on general surgery, so I'm wondering how we look at the difference in numbers between categorical and preliminary for gen surg. For example, UMiami and Georgetown have classes that are 200+ and match 15 categorical gen surgery applicants to good programs, which gives me a nice warm feeling inside. However, they also have 8-10 prelim gen surg matches. What does that mean? Should that raise a red flag?

To add context, UMass Chan matched 8 categorical gen surg, but only 2 prelim. Is that better?

DISCLAIMER: these are all 2024 numbers. I believe this year Miami had a 12 to 2 ratio, don't know about the others. So that definitely sounds a lot better, but why the big discrepancy?

Some residencies, like Dermatology and Ophthalmology, require a preliminary year in medicine or sometimes surgery.
People that tried to match Orthopedic Surgery but didn’t might do a preliminary surgery year and try again next year to match in Ortho.
If you count up those prelims and there’s an equal amount of those specialities requiring one, you have your explanation.

 

[nibhighfootballrules]

Also just something to consider…I would take match lists with a grain of salt. Someone once said it’s like walking into a movie with three minutes left and trying to deduce the entire plot. You have no idea the motivation behind where students applied or where on their rank list they ended up. Go to the school that sets you up for success and ideally has an associated home program in the field of interest. Most US MD schools will allow you to match into gen surg as long as you do well in school and on away rotations during your fourth year!

 

[GoSpursGo]

As above, I feel like it's nearly impossible to interpret a match list in a vacuum. Gen Surg is a very big specialty, so just about every school will have a good number of students match, and the locations to which they match are likely largely dependent on their students' geographical preferences as much as anything else. The number of people who match to prelims may be related to the people who match advanced programs, or it could mean that they had some students who "hope applied" despite not being appropriately competitive.

Bottom line, every school is going to have some students get into gen surg, and every school is also going to have some students apply to a specialty that is over their head. Ultimately you can match to any specialty you want from any US MD school, but it is on you to deliver the performance during med school that makes you competitive for that specialty. So rather than trying to divine from a match list which school matches better, decide for yourself which school fits better with your learning style and where you will have the support you need to excel.

 

[Mr.Smile12]

I think one way of looking at match lists is how the schools say they want you to look at them. For example, how many residency spots fill community health centers closest to the campus/school, especially if the school has a charge to serve its community? It is unlikely to be 100% but the school wants to show it serves its community, and the Match Lists provide one opportunity to let the marketing/communications team promote that point (we are living our mission stuff).

 

[LizzyM]

As some of you know, I love analogies so I'll offer this one. You are walking into a baking competition where everyone had the same instructions and everyone baked a cake. The differences can be attributed, perhaps, to the ingredients the baker had, the baker's skills, and the effort the baker made to put them together and make them look beautiful and taste delicious. Now you go to a different competition where bakers used a different set of instructions. Maybe some of these bakers were less skilled to begin with and they had good but not excellent ingredients. Might you expect somewhat different outcomes.? To what might you attribute the differences?

 

[Goro]

Trying to interpret match lists is a fool's errand.