Least competitive programs

[anestheticman]

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Any idea where a student with a 210-220, honors in only one 3rd year rotation, average to below average grades, in the bottom 25% of the class, with some ECs and decent to good recs can get in?

 

[InductionAgent]

I like your approach, you're going to do anesthesiology, wherever you can get in - none of this "what are my chances?" BS. However, I just hope you're not choosing anesthesia because you think we're all a bunch of slackers. I also hope this is a real post, and not just a joke.

One place to start is looking at some programs that had unfilled spots in the most recent match. Either no one wanted to go there last year, or they set their standards to high. In any case, they probably be more desperate the next year, although they may be paradoxically more competitive as a result of getting more applications from people such as yourself in search of a safer bet.

Just be sure and cast a wide net, apply to and rank a bunch of programs - it's easy, just click away. Forget about the cost - look at how much you've already spent to get this far!

 

[Surfer]

The truth is, you can get in anywhere. Grades and board scores are only part of it, honestly. Everybody says that, and I never believed it until I had been through the process myself, but it's TRUE. Sure, there are programs with cutoffs, but there are ways around those cutoffs too. Just play the game right and you'll get a spot you like.

Do a couple away rotations at schools you're interested in. Get some good letters out of it. Cast a wide net. You'll be fine. Honestly.

 

[jennyboo]

I agree with the above poster who said you're not the candidate who should be looking just at programs that didn't fill. You should be looking everywhere, including average programs and maybe even a couple of reaches. Even top programs take average people, and the application you describe sounds pretty average to me (assuming you didn't flunk anything).

I was most definitely bottom half of the class (this didn't help), honored only anesthesia during clinical rotations (this didn't help), scored 230s on boards (this helped), did aways and got good letters (this helped). I matched at a top program.

The main thing that'll hinder you getting invitations from top programs is your board score (below 220), but there are ways to get around cutoffs (away elective / LOR from the right faculty member / letter or call to the program telling them you're interested).

 

[RickKane]

It is hard finding the names of specific programs that may be less competative but I've come up with a pretty good formula. (well, at least I'm using it)

ANY ONE MAJOR CRITERIA or at least TWO MINOR CRITERIA= LESS COMP

MAJOR CRITERIA
--If a program didn't fill two years in a row. (one year can be a fluke exp Hopkins)
--If you have never heard of the program or the city in which it is located.
--Program is on probation

MINOR CRITERIA
--Did not fill in one of the last three years.
--You've never heard of the program.
--Located in less than desirable part of the country
--Lots of FMG/DOs(this is not meant to be a knock on either in fact I'm a DO)
--3 years or less accredidation


Good luck. I agree with the above posts. Don't sell yourself short and rotating is the best way to increase your chances at a given program. I just finished rotating a program that would never have given me an interview...the PD told me on my last day I have a spot waiting for me if I would like it. (I still am applying all over the place but it was nice to hear)

 

[Gern Blansten]

MAJOR CRITERIA

--If you have never heard of the program or the city in which it is located.

I think you have some good ideas and I agree with them for the most part. However, there are a handfull of programs out there that you may not have heard of that are extremely competitive. They may be well known regionally, but maybe not nationally.

 

[RickKane]

You are probably right the "never heard of the program or the city it is in" criteria is totally dependent on the person and leaves room for error. I can think of a couple examples off the top of my head. There are probably a lot of student that have not heard of UTMB and could never point out Galveston on a map but it (from what I've heard) is a very competative program. Thanks for the input.

 

[Gardner]

One place to start is looking at some programs that had unfilled spots in the most recent match.

I looked at the NRMP website and didn't find any info. Where should I look to find a listing of Anesthesiology programs that didn't fill in 2007?

 

[RickKane]

The best place to look for unfilled programs is usually the Dean's office at your school. They should have a record of all the unfilled programs for years back.

 

[amyl]

www.mdsecrets.com doesn't have 2007 up yet but it has the last few years all in one place.

 

[anestheticman]

Looking at those programs that didn't fill, I know some like Virginia Mason and Hopkins they obviously just didn't interview enough or want any more people but why didn't people scramble into the open spots in general? Does this mean that people tried to scramble but did not get in?

 

[Surfer]

Looking at those programs that didn't fill, I know some like Virginia Mason and Hopkins they obviously just didn't interview enough or want any more people but why didn't people scramble into the open spots in general? Does this mean that people tried to scramble but did not get in?

No, that means they didn't fill before the scramble. After the scramble I am pretty sure every spot is taken. There are some programs that keep a few spots open for CA-1 residents switching from other specialties, but these spots never show up in the match in the first place so they are not "unfilled spots."

Sometimes a competitive program will not fill because of the way the rank list works. Most programs don't even rank everybody they interview, meaning they would rather scramble a student than fill that spot with the chump they interviewed. Interviews are huge. Letting programs know how interested you are in their specific program is worth a lot. But don't lie, that will sink you faster than the titanic.

 

[InductionAgent]

Letting programs know how interested you are in their specific program is worth a lot. But don't lie, that will sink you faster than the titanic.

It's well known that the only rank-list lie that can possibly be detected is if you tell a program you're ranking them #1. If you then rank them lower, match elsewhere, and they have to go lower than you on the rank list, then they will know that you lied.

So a simple, vague "I'm very interested in your program" is perfectly safe, as long as you can sleep well at night.