Less Competative Programs

[Taciturngosamer]

So, here's the annoying 64,000 question: If you recognize that you're not the best applicant what are some programs that you have an outside chance of matching at.

Furthermore, how does one review the competativeness of a program? Anyone have good resources?

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[Winged Scapula]

Competitive means different things to different people.

But a generally accepted definition would be that a non-competitive program has a pattern of not filling its positions in the match.

Less competitive programs tend to be in less desirable geographic areas.

Some AMGs would say that less competitive programs have a high number of FMGs.

The problem with the above is that you don't know why these factors happen. Does a program have an open spot because they couldn't fill it or they preferred not to with the candidates available? If they couldn't fill it, why? Is the location undesirable, is it "malignant", is the education poor, the ancillary staff non-existent, etc.?

Word of mouth is usually helpful and your faculty and others before you can give you some inside tips/info on the above. But there is no centralized database of non-competitive programs or rankings of residencies.

 

[Skialta]

Apply broadly and to many programs. I had the same question at the begining of the process this year, I didn't know how competative my application was so I applied to 43 programs and had roughly 28-30 invites and ultimately interviewed and ranked 14. The small amount of money you will spend on applications will be well worth it in increasing your odds to match. Also, your program director and chairman at your home program can give you ideas and tell you good programs to apply to and they likely will know people there which can help I beleive.

 

[Dock In A Box]

Generally, community programs are less competitive than academic programs.

 

[bcoak]

Take a look at Sound Shore Medical Center in New Rochelle, NY. It's virtually all FMG's, so I would think it'd be less competitive.