Is Prematch common in Psych?

[OBfan]

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I was reading some of the other forums and have also heard from some 1st year residents that Prematch isnt that common in Psych. I had thought that it was but I guess I was wrong. Has anyone experienced or heard the same?
Thanks

 

[Solideliquid]

I would tend to agree with what you have been hearing. Also, you know that only IMG/FMGs can accept a prematch right?

 

[Adam_K]

I was offered prematch possibilities at a couple programs. I turned them down in order to remain in the match as I haven't finished my interviews. Also, I know of a couple folks who accepted prematches already. OTOH, about half of the programs that have offered me interviews have official policies that prohibit prematches and make this clear either in their interview invitation or on their website.

Solideliquid: FYI. Not only IMGs can accept prematches. Any independent applicant can. In other words, only US allopathic seniors are bound by the match.

 

[sga430]

also D.O. people can take prematches. i am an IMG that has been offered 2 prematches but will go for the match.

 

[Solideliquid]

I stand corrected! Thanks for the info.

 

[OBfan]

I was offered prematch possibilities at a couple programs. I turned them down in order to remain in the match as I haven't finished my interviews. Also, I know of a couple folks who accepted prematches already. OTOH, about half of the programs that have offered me interviews have official policies that prohibit prematches and make this clear either in their interview invitation or on their website.

Solideliquid: FYI. Not only IMGs can accept prematches. Any independent applicant can. In other words, only US allopathic seniors are bound by the match.

Do you mind sharing what programs offered you the prematch?
Thanks

 

[goldengate]

What about programs that don't even participate in the Match, and therefore recruit exclusively via prematch? So you don't even have a choice. I have been invited to one such program, and wonder what I would do if offered a position. I've had only one other interview so far, but I would have to forfeit my chances at that program if I take the prematch. Any thoughts?

 

[OBfan]

What about programs that don't even participate in the Match, and therefore recruit exclusively via prematch? So you don't even have a choice. I have been invited to one such program, and wonder what I would do if offered a position. I've had only one other interview so far, but I would have to forfeit my chances at that program if I take the prematch. Any thoughts?

How can I find a list of these programs?

 

[Adam_K]

Do you mind sharing what programs offered you the prematch?
Thanks

I received the offers in confidence. One of the PDs told me: "This isn't something we like to advertise." Which is probably why you don't hear about these things.

Aside: I should also mention that I'm a pretty strong candidate as a USIMG (I only say this because I have been told this by a bunch of PDs), which is why I think I got the offers.

As I am going to rank those programs very highly (the only reason I didn't accept the prematch offers is that they are weaker than other programs in the subspecialty of my interest -- though I would have no problems matching there otherwise), I simply don't wish to ruin my chances of matching with them through the NRMP by breaking their trust.

I hope you understand.

 

[Solideliquid]

Giant Delete Button...idiot post

look below

 

[Adam_K]

OK here we go again. It is my understanding that as a USIMG (US medical school graduate) you can only accept a residency position through the official Match.

Why did the PD offer you a prematch offer when you cannot accept such an offer in the first place?

USIMG = US citizen who is an international medical graduate (therefore either fifth pathway or ECFMG certified).

There are seven categories of people in match. Six of the seven can accept prematches as long as they withdraw in time, they are known as independent candidates (e.g. a US allopathic medical school is not sponsoring them).

http://www.nrmp.org/res_match/special_part/ind_app/

Applicants who are not seniors in a U.S. LCME-accredited allopathic medical school may participate in the NRMP Match as independent applicants if they meet certain criteria.

Six types of independent applicants may participate in the NRMP Main Match:

Previous graduate of a U.S. medical school (someone who graduated earlier than September 1 in the year before the match)

Student/graduate of a U.S. osteopathic medical school

Student/graduate of a Canadian medical school

Student/graduate of a Fifth Pathway program

U.S. citizen student/graduate of an international medical school

Non-U.S. citizen (including permanent residents) student/graduate of an international medical school.

The only ones who cannot are US Seniors in US allopathic schools who are sponsored by their medical schools and therefore are not independent applicants.

http://www.nrmp.org/res_match/special_part/us_seniors/index.html

A U.S. senior is a fourth-year medical student in an LCME-accredited U.S. allopathic school of medicine. A student with a graduation date after September 1 in the year before the match is considered a U.S. senior. U.S. seniors are sponsored by their medical schools in the NRMP Main Residency Match. Information about the results of the Match is sent to the U.S. senior's school of medicine.

If a senior student is withdrawn from the Matching Program because he/she will be ineligible to enter graduate medical education on July 1 in the year of the Match, the student may accept a position outside the Matching Program provided training will begin no later than February 1 in the year following the Match; however, if the student elects to participate in the Match, he/she will be a sponsored applicant.

 

[DebDynamite]

On this topic, sould someone answer a question I have regarding AMG's and the match:

I've been told that if an AMG does not sign the match contract, that they can prematch. Is this true? The reason I ask is that: #1-my school has a Med/Psych program and #2-as far as I can tell, my school likes me and I like them. Thus, if I am drawn to Med/Psych (my medicine rotation is next- have no idea if I will love it or not), would a prematch be at all possible? I really doubt I'd be seriously interested, because there are other programs out there to examine, and likewise other applicants for them to consider, but I'm wondering if AMG's ever do this. As it was once explained to me, an AMG can sign a contract outside of the match if they never enter it (are not sponsored by their school), but doing so would bar them from ever using the match again in the future. Anyone know about this? Thanks.

 

[Adam_K]

For those of you who don't think that prematch is that common in psych, I recommend that you check out the quotas (the actual number of positions in the match) on the NRMP match system when entering your rank order lists.

Now that the R3 system is open, I've found that many of the programs I visited have far fewer places in the match now than listed on FREIDA.

 

[whopper]

I was offered 2 prematch contracts.

Upfront, both programs asked me if I participated in the match yet. They told me if I had, they couldn't offer me the contract. Supposedly if you're already involved in the match, you can't do a prematch contract because you're bound to go into the match.

I can't say if it happens in this field more than others because its not like I have a statistical analysis that grades which residency field gets more.

When I did get offered the contracts, my feeling on the entire process went from slightly scared to pretty good. From there I knew I was going to get into some place that was at least decent. As an American born IMG, I was fearing getting into a program.

 

[OBfan]

I was offered 2 prematch contracts.

Upfront, both programs asked me if I participated in the match yet. They told me if I had, they couldn't offer me the contract. Supposedly if you're already involved in the match, you can't do a prematch contract because you're bound to go into the match.

I can't say if it happens in this field more than others because its not like I have a statistical analysis that grades which residency field gets more.

When I did get offered the contracts, my feeling on the entire process went from slightly scared to pretty good. From there I knew I was going to get into some place that was at least decent. As an American born IMG, I was fearing getting into a program.

Hey Whopper,
Hope all is well! I have a friend you just last week prematched into a program and he was in the match. He basically had to notify ERAS and take himself out of the match. He then went and signed the contract with the hospital.

So, i dont know what is correct but that was his situation.
All the best!

 

[whopper]

Yeah-thanks for bringing that up because I don't want to steer people the wrong way.

I guess if you can pull yourself out of the match you'll be alright. Hope everything is well with you OBfan. I know this process is scary, especially for an IMG.

 

[NonUSIMG]

You can withdraw from the match any time before Feb 21, the ROL deadline.
I signed a prematch contract recently and withdrew from the match.

 

[psych.MD]

I understand that we can accept pre match offers until Feb. 21st, but what about the programs offering the positions?

I thought they had to report all quotas and positions they are withdrawing from the match by jan 31st.

Just confused about this

 

[Adam_K]

I thought they had to report all quotas and positions they are withdrawing from the match by jan 31st.

They do. Imagine if they didn't; there would be a huge scramble in the three weeks prior to the ROL deadline.