match stats

[amyl]

anyone have any info as to match statistics...as far as what percentage of people match at their number one, in the top five...etc.

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[Pilot Doc]

anyone have any info as to match statistics...as far as what percentage of people match at their number one, in the top five...etc.

www.nrmp.org

"Charting Outcomes in the Match"

 

[lane]

she's asking for stats not given by that document

 

[amyl]

yeah...i was just wondering what percentage of people get their number one choice, etc.

 

[numbmd]

For what it's worth, I attended a conference for program directors to help them attract medical students. For what it's worth, they told us that over 60% of AMG's match with their first choice. The fudge factor to consider is that it covers all specialities and not just anesthesia. I caution you to not take too much stock in ANY stat, because the market for anesthesia changes from year to year. Plus many students don't fill out their rank list correctly.

The only person that truly matters is you and your rank list. If your application is strong and you interview well, that is far more important than any market forces that pertain to the anesthesia match.

As I tell medical students who ask me about the match, where you match is less important than just getting a spot. One of my good friends had to go out to Oklahoma to do his plastics fellowship, not particularly desirable for someone who was born and raised in New Jersey. And guess what? He is a really good plastic surgeon that practices here in New Jersey.

I guess my point is that there are over 120 programs out there. Don't stress. You will probably get a top choice, and four years from now, you won't be able to picture yourself at any place other than where you ended up.

 

[Curare]

For what it's worth, I attended a conference for program directors to help them attract medical students. For what it's worth, they told us that over 60% of AMG's match with their first choice. The fudge factor to consider is that it covers all specialities and not just anesthesia. I caution you to not take too much stock in ANY stat, because the market for anesthesia changes from year to year. Plus many students don't fill out their rank list correctly.

The only person that truly matters is you and your rank list. If your application is strong and you interview well, that is far more important than any market forces that pertain to the anesthesia match.

As I tell medical students who ask me about the match, where you match is less important than just getting a spot. One of my good friends had to go out to Oklahoma to do his plastics fellowship, not particularly desirable for someone who was born and raised in New Jersey. And guess what? He is a really good plastic surgeon that practices here in New Jersey.

I guess my point is that there are over 120 programs out there. Don't stress. You will probably get a top choice, and four years from now, you won't be able to picture yourself at any place other than where you ended up.

NUMBMD,

Thanks for your insight. For me it is always appreciated and helpful. I think I am going to cancel a few of my interviews now!

 

[mmag]

According to Scott Mittman PD at JHU an application who interviews and ranks it #1 has an 85% chance of matching at JHU. I'd imagine the percentage isn't that much different at other programs.

http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?p=5776586#post5776586

 

[lord_jeebus]

According to Scott Mittman PD at JHU an application who interviews and ranks it #1 has an 85% chance of matching at JHU. I'd imagine the percentage isn't that much different at other programs.

http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?p=5776586#post5776586

That basically means that JHU goes most of the way down their match list.

I'd guess that many programs aim for a larger safety margin. The only program I know stats for usually goes slightly less than half-way down its list.

 

[deleted126335]

.

 

[numbmd]

Going down rank lists doesn't matter really, does it? A week after the match, who is going to remember your rank list? Maybe not even you!

Programs as well as applicants go with their guts. Not too many people on this website talk about their must/want analysis. It's more like "I like them, I hope they like me." Or "I don't like them, I don't want to go."

Actually, now that I think of it, it's kind of like high school.

After doing this for almost 12 years, and now just checking out this place over the last week or two, I've got a new outlook. There really is a lot of inefficiency and capriciousness to the system. I haven't figured out the best way to combat it either.

But back to your gut. Programs do it as well. Interviewers say "Ooh, I really like this guy(girl)." In fact, when we have students, I most certainly try to appeal to their gut. I try to call them personally both before and after the interview. It's a lot of work, but I hope that they realize that if they get personal care as a student then they certainly will get it as a resident. It's not a lie, actually, its the truth. But it still is getting to their gut and hopefully making a connection.

In summary, if you have a good gut feeling about a program, they most likely have a good gut feeling about you. And they will probably rank you higher. You both will (most probably) match highly.

At least it sounds good.

 

[amyl]

for me, at least, this decision is not being made that way. i have a list of wants and the program at the top of my list fulfills all of those and thats why its at the top. the rest of my list progressively has fewer and fewer of those wants as you go down it. it is early in the interview season for me and this might change but I don't think so.

 

[lord_jeebus]

Not quite. It means that JHU applicants who interview there frequently make JHU their top choice.

The way the match algorithm works (ignoring couples match), everyone who matches at JHU had it as their top choice out of programs that had not already filled with higher ranked applicants. Ranking it #1 only increases the odds of matching in that you will not end up at some place you would prefer to be -- it doesn't give any edge other than that. If you are in the bottom 15%, you will not match regardless of ranking JHU #1 or #9; if you are just above that your chances are not improved by ranking JHU #1.

Hence, if it is said that ranking JHU #1 gives one an 85% chance of matching, that means that 85% of applicants are given the opportunity to match at JHU (or any place ranked higher than JHU). That is, the algorithm goes 85% down the match-list.

I do not know how many people JHU interviews (your statement would be correct if it was around 40-50, which seems unlikely), but this seems to suggest that most JHU interviewees do not rank it #1.

 

[amyl]

a PD at another solid program told me they go down to about 30s-40on their rank list. he says they interview about a 100, rank 80. they have 10 spots. he also said that they rank people strictly on desirability and do not take in to account the likelihood or not of getting said candidate. is it okay to post what program told me this or not?
any of you residents out there know how far down the list your program goes, etc.?

 

[numbmd]

Must/Want analysis is good. I wish more students used it. I ask the students on interviews if they have ever heard of Iserson's book, and the percentage is going up.

 

[amyl]

I have heard of Isersons but never bought it. does he advocate a want list in the residency search?

 

[VentdependenT]

a PD at another solid program told me they go down to about 30s-40on their rank list. he says they interview about a 100, rank 80. they have 10 spots. he also said that they rank people strictly on desirability and do not take in to account the likelihood or not of getting said candidate. is it okay to post what program told me this or not?
any of you residents out there know how far down the list your program goes, etc.?

None of this crap is going to help you match.

Interview and rank 10 places and you're set.

 

[swpm]

None of this crap is going to help you match.

Interview and rank 10 places and you're set.

I agree.

Statistics on how many people "got their #1 choice" are useless, because it completely fails to account for the bias of self-selection. They tell me that derm and plastics are tough to get, but everyone I knew who applied got a spot ... of course, that doesn't count all the people I knew who talked about derm but settled for something else and didn't apply at all, or the plastics-wannabes who took general surgery spots instead while nurturing the hope of a fellowship down the road. But I'm fairly sure all of them matched near the top of their rank list.

Nearly everybody gets one of their top choices, simply because nearly everybody is realistic enough to only apply to specialties and programs where they're competitive.

It's more helpful to look at your CV and the kind of people who are at programs you're interested in, and decide if you're in their league.

 

[amyl]

It's more helpful to look at your CV and the kind of people who are at programs you're interested in, and decide if you're in their league.

i agree but this is hard info to find. programs don't list the average usmle scores or class ranks or amount of research or whatever that people who successfully match with them had. i wish they would. it is hard to figure out where i fit in...

i wish someone could tell me which places on my list I have a good shot at, which are a reach, and which i can safely say i will likely get into.
i am a little lost, thats why i asked.... i don't have an advisor

 

[VentdependenT]

i wish someone could tell me which places on my list I have a good shot at, which are a reach, and which i can safely say i will likely get into.
i am a little lost, thats why i asked.... i don't have an advisor

If you get an interview somewhere you have a shot of getting in. Your rank list should be laid out in the order of places YOU WANT TO GO not the ORDER OF PLACES YOU THINK YOU CAN GET IN THE EASIEST.

So, you see, it really doesn't matter. If you interview thats all you can do.