So I’ve been looking at school MSARs and it seems like the vast majority have 0% match rates for plastic surgery but some have like around 1%. I know that most people do general surgery then plastics but how to increase chances of matching. For example what schools should I be targeting?
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Matching plastic surgery?
Started by calipremed5768
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You're going to be that 1% 
Or go into the 0% match rate schools and be that 1%🤔
check out this thread and the Plastic Surgery board in general. Can't post there as a premed but if you lurk you'll probably find some good info. Integrated plastics is a pretty small specialty and whether or not people match into it from yr to yr probably depends a lot on individual students deciding to apply into it or not as well as it being obviously incredibly competitive.
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Also check out the applicant spreadsheet to peep what ppl applying into it look like on paper
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Plastic, Aesthetic and Craniofacial Surgery
Greetings all, I am a boarded general surgeon, BE plastic surgeon and now doing a craniofacial fellowship. I also have a PhD (med school combined). I will try to answer what I can about surgery in general along with questions pertaining to academic surgery and plastic surgery. Because this...
forums.studentdoctor.net
Also check out the applicant spreadsheet to peep what ppl applying into it look like on paper
2019-2020 PRS Application Cycle Google Sheet
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please don't choose a medical school based on if they had a match rate of 0% or 1% in plastic surgery... @calipremed5768 you're killing me
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deleted1000960
When you see another ambitious calipremed thread:
You can’t decipher ANYTHING from those match rates. You have to consider:
1) which programs are the applicants from XYZ targeting? If a school’s strongest applicants only apply in ERAS for plastics programs that yield protect, that artificially deflates the average.
2) Where is the research happening? Going to a school with elite Plastics researchers >>>> going to a school where every single M4 matches in plastics but did research in wood-cutting.
3) You’re a premed! Worry about getting your IIs so that you can get to the interview first. THEN ask to speak to the chief of surgery about your question.
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deleted903608
M2 planning to apply integrated plastics here. Integrated plastics is a very small field and there are probably a number of schools where people are not regularly applying.
Essentially, the way to match plastics is 1) have great board scores, 2) have significant research in the field, 3) know people in the field.
You can do all of this from any med school. Obviously 2 and 3 are much easier if you have a strong home plastics department, but not impossible if you don't. Taking a year off to do research is becoming very common for applicants and can significantly improve chances of matching.
Essentially, the way to match plastics is 1) have great board scores, 2) have significant research in the field, 3) know people in the field.
You can do all of this from any med school. Obviously 2 and 3 are much easier if you have a strong home plastics department, but not impossible if you don't. Taking a year off to do research is becoming very common for applicants and can significantly improve chances of matching.
I've just been watching a lot of Nip/Tuck recently. Figure that should give me the leg up I need to match into plastics.
It's just an exceptionally small specialty. There are 20,000+ medical students matching every year and only ~150 plastic surgery matches. It should be 0-1% just because of that.
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deleted962973
Probably could look at Doximity rankings for integrated plastic surgery by reputation or research output to find med schools with good home programs. A strong home program will help you a lot in terms of getting good research and recommendation letters. Even if you did get into one of those schools it would require, on average, a 255 Step 1 and 14 abstracts/presentations/pubs according to NRMP match data for 2018. Don’t go to any med school banking on matching plastics
Noob question: what is the difference between integrated plastics and regular plastics?
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deleted903608
Yes, integrated is a residency you apply to right out of med school. The independent pathway is gen surg -> plastics. This used to be the more common pathway, but is becoming increasingly less popular as more integrated programs start up. Independent pathways are disappearing (I think theres only like 40 left); soon it won't be a feasible option.
