Is Gas more competitive than normal this year?

[PELE#10]

Hi,
I have been talking to some of the 4th years at the hospital and they were saying how last year there were around 57 unfilled spots in Gas. What caught my interest is when they mentioned that they dont expect any spots to go unfilled this year.

Can anyone tell me if this is actually what is going on and if anyone knows what the actual end date is(when we actually know how many spots went unfilled)

Thanks!

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[chicamedica]

Hi,
I have been talking to some of the 4th years at the hospital and they were saying how last year there were around 57 unfilled spots in Gas. What caught my interest is when they mentioned that they dont expect any spots to go unfilled this year.

Can anyone tell me if this is actually what is going on and if anyone knows what the actual end date is(when we actually know how many spots went unfilled)

Thanks!

This years class at my school has an unusually large number of people applying for anesthesia. It's like double the usual number. And in addition, a handful of people are switching suddenly from wanting to go into surgery, to anes.

 

[Sugar72]

I noticed the same thing at my school. Last year 5 people matched into anesthesiology, this year around 20 people are planning on applying to anesthesiology programs. This is based on an unscientific piece of paper that went around the room during didactics in May - maybe people changed their minds. Beck9 and sleepytime probably know more about my school than I do.

 

[lvspro]

Hi everyone
It's funny how we all share the same neurosis not only together, but also with last years applicants. I looked it up on last yrs forum, and found them saying pretty much the same thing, and although the match number for 2005 turned out to be 95%, that's what it's been for about 4-5 yrs now adding some questionability to the perceived increase in competetiveness. I guess we really won't know until the match statistics are posted in mid 2006. Either way, it'll be interesting to see those numbers.

 

[Adcadet]

I'm only a third year so I'm clearly starting to worry a bit early...
I find it interesting how many people say they want to go into anesthesiology while on the rotation, when I know most of them probably won't. Of the three fourth years in the rotation I'm in now (anesthesiology), two want to do anesthesiology. Of the three third years, one had more or less declared anesthesiology (me), and two are "maybes." Obviously it's early for the third years so "maybe" is likely a totally legitimate answer, but I got to suspect that many people say "maybe" just for more attention and a better evaluation.

 

[Idiopathic]

Just anecdotal, but on my rotation at Southwestern in July, there were 18 studenst there (6 visiting) and every one of them wants to do anesthesia. The attending physicians/residents were very surprised, and they remarked how they have never seen it like that before.

 

[militarymd]

Yes, anesthesia is the pretty girl at the highschool dance again.

We were the fat, four-eyed, buck-toothed, pigeon-toed, wall flower just a few years ago because of some silly article in the Wall Street journal.

 

[masteropuppets]

Actually 89 Anesthesiology slots went unmatched last year, up from 53 and 57 the year before. This is not really "good" news, as some programs may have just decided to not fill rather than take substandard candidates. Go to the ASA newsletter website to get all the REAL information:

http://www.asahq.org/Newsletters/2004/05_04/grogono05_04.html

The field is MUCH more competitive each year, and especially so over '95-'99, when people would receive phone calls at home from program directors!! True story, one of my attendings got calls at home in 1998 from PD's at Alabama and UTSA offering to fly them, house them, and feed them for interviews!!


At my school: 2 years ago, 4 matched; last year, 3 matched; this year, 12 of my classmates are applying for Anesthesiology!!!!

The increased demand is not really hurting allopathic or osteopathic students "too much", but less foreign medical grads are matching. If a person is borderline, i.e Step I <210, average grades, no research, poor interview skills...I predict that they will ATLEAST have to scramble after match day.

Well, keep up the faith!!!

 

[Orchard]

If a person is borderline, i.e Step I <210, average grades, no research...I predict that they will ATLEAST have to scramble after match day.

Damn....thank God I'm an attending now since that pretty much describes my medical school career!

 

[masteropuppets]

Damn....thank God I'm an attending now since that pretty much describes my medical school career!

No doubt, it is unfair. Anesthesia more than any other specialty seems to ebb and flow every 5-10 years.

 

[nineeight]

I don't think anesthesiology is more competitive this year. My pd said he has recieved over 1000 applications. 2x usual number. People are applying broadly so it may appear competitive. I have heard of people applying to 30+ this year, last year most of my friends applied to ~15. I am sure some "lower tier" programs are even getting apps from USMG with 240s. Hopefully pds will realize this or risk going unfilled.

 

[VolatileAgent]

Actually 89 Anesthesiology slots went unmatched last year, up from 53 and 57 the year before.

dude you're looking at the numbers from the '04 match season, not the '05 one which is here:

http://www.asahq.org/Newsletters/2005/05-05/grogono05_05.html

 

[GasMD]

Just anecdotal, but on my rotation at Southwestern in July, there were 18 studenst there (6 visiting) and every one of them wants to do anesthesia. The attending physicians/residents were very surprised, and they remarked how they have never seen it like that before.

Except one, remember that ER dude !!!!

 

[rs2006]

Hi all,
I hope all is well for everyone in this forum. Based on the above comment that states that anesthesia "ebbs and flows every 5-10 yrs"-- is that true and is that true for all medical specialties (in terms of jobs and level of competetiveness for residency spots) and what is it that makes it this way in anesthesiology? Also, someone in this forum also mentioned something about anesthesia attendings actually calling anesthesia residency applicants during '95-'99-- why was this since anesthesiology seems to be a great field with tons of money for relatively less work (compared to medicine, surgery, etc) and in addition you get paid ton of money (compared to other specialties) to supervise nurses and it is also a fascinating field-- what gives-- and why would the field go from having attendings calling people to make them join anesthesia residencies to how things are today-- I have heard that as much as 20% of my med school class is going into gas (out of approx 150 total). Any thoughts????

No doubt, it is unfair. Anesthesia more than any other specialty seems to ebb and flow every 5-10 years.

 

[dave262]

Same deal here in Houston, at least 40 of the 200 students in my class (20%!) are applying for anesthesiology this year. This is certainly a competitive year.

 

[jc237]

From a couple of PD's I talked to, the number of applicants to anesthesiology seemed to be staying the same. I find this a little hard to believe. The only way this would make sense to me is less DO's, IMG's, and FMG's applying and more US MD's. My friends from other US MD schools say they all have a huge spike in the number of applicants to anesthesiology. If this is so, the answer to your question is yes, this year is more competitive.

 

[chicamedica]

From a couple of PD's I talked to, the number of applicants to anesthesiology seemed to be staying the same. I find this a little hard to believe. The only way this would make sense to me is less DO's, IMG's, and FMG's applying and more US MD's. My friends from other US MD schools say they all have a huge spike in the number of applicants to anesthesiology. If this is so, the answer to your question is yes, this year is more competitive.

Hmmm. . .well maybe it's just a few schools with this increased interest?

Cause from what's reflected on SDN, there seem to be a whole lot of IMGs and DOs applying (and FMGs probably).

I know that a lot of schools have more interest in other fields, like derm, ophtho or rads (e.g. Penn, Harvard, Stanford) and never really have too many applicants in anes.

 

[ThinkFast007]

hey chica..
i'm back...step 2...lol...all i gotta say is, its way better than step 1 AND, i think far easier than those question banks (usmleworld, kapln etc).

back to the OP's q..

as chica sorta implied...i think this 'increase in anes' perception is something we here in SDN have. in the 'outside' (lol) i think ppls interest in the field is roughly the same. I was waaaaaaay off when i thought anes was more competitive this yr. I mean i think it was lvspro or someone that presented a link to an article that showed this.

later

 

[Etomidate]

Just some more anecdotal evidence: my gf attends a top 5 med school that traditionally produces 2-3 anesthesia residents each year. this year 12 students applied for anesthesia.

 

[bigdan]

I'm not at a "top 5" school (but I love where I'm at!) and out of a class of 104, 15 are applying for anesthesia this year.

dc