Most competitive matches

[skiracer123]

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Maybe there has been a thread on this topic before, but I am curious, when I evaluate schools based on their match-lists, what residencies are the most competitive? What hospitals are best for each residency (I did look at US News, but they only rate a few specialties).

Also, what are the best schools/hospitals for General Surgery?

thanks guys

 

[lattimer13]

proctology

 

[skiracer123]

oh man, you're good! Have you ever seen Patch Adams? You'll be like him. You don't even need to go to medical school, you can just cure your patients with laughter! That was hillarious!!!

 

[mpp]

A lot of people here will just tell you that you shouldn't evaluate a school based on its match list.

But, since you asked, I'll try to answer the question as best I can. Right now the competitive programs include (but not necessarily limited to) dermatology, radiology, radiation oncology, urology, otolaryngology (ENT), and orthopedic surgery. As far as which residency programs are particularly competitive that is much more difficult to spell out directly. But certainly programs at some of the top medical schools (Harvard, UCSF, Yale, etc.) tend to be very competitive. However, certain residency programs in certain fields at places you've probably never heard of can also be incredibly competitive. So this is a difficult thing to judge unless you know something about each field.

The reasons that comparing match lists between schools can be difficult is because you have no idea what the class wants to do. Just because everyone goes into family practice at a particular school (a generally non-competitive field) does not necessarily mean that students couldn't match into neurosurgery if they wanted to...they just didn't want to.

Match lists are certainly one criteria to use to compare schools but it should be low on your list of factors.

 

[mikecwru]

Originally posted by skiracer123
Maybe there has been a thread on this topic before, but I am curious, when I evaluate schools based on their match-lists, what residencies are the most competitive? What hospitals are best for each residency (I did look at US News, but they only rate a few specialties).

Also, what are the best schools/hospitals for General Surgery?

thanks guys

You're not going to like my answer. Your way of picking schools is BS. Let me explain. Most of the "ultra" competitive specialties are extremely small, so they're going to more prone to variance among schools. Also, competitiveness swings somewhat each year. What if the two people at school A wanting ENT were idiots and didn't match? What if the two people at school B were the top two in their class and both went to Super ENT University? Can you really say B > A?

As far as general trends:

ENT, Optho (decreasing), Neurosurg, Plastics integrated, Rad Onc, Ortho, Derm, and Urology are among the most competitive.

Some people bicker about radiology, which I don't think is as competitive. Emergency medicine took a big drop in filled spots this year/previously was moderately competitive. Anesthesiology seems like it's on an uprise again.

Also, you have to realize that where you go in the specialty is also important. If you have a pulse, you can get an internal med spot, but to get one at Mass Gen, Hopkins, etc, is a very different story.

mike

 

[sd77]

hey good question, as i was actually searching for this very information earlier today. of course, if you are like me, you will probably change your mind on what specialty you want to do a bunch between now and then.

anyways, to Mike, the previous poster...I am not doubting your knowledge on the subject at all, but I was hoping that you could give us some references to find information regarding the general trends to which you referred. In other words, what stats are out there regarding the competitiveness of residency programs and fields? most of what i have heard makes a lot of sense, i was just hoping to see some data on the subject. on the other hand, people i speak to in medical school and others who generally know more about it than me always seem to have some input on this topic, so the knowledge may just come with experience. but if there are any sources out there, please let me know. thanks in advance.

 

[mpp]

One thing you can look at in terms of "trends" of competitiveness in residencies is the percent matched by U.S. seniors...that is how many U.S. seniors that tried to get into a certain residency ended up matching (and conversely how many did not match). This information is available on the NRMP website.

 

[indiangirl]

Does anyone know which category nephrology is classified under?

Thanks!!

 

[Brewster]

Nephrology is a subspeciality of internal medicine. So, you would go to residency in internal medicine (3 years) and then do a fellowship in nephrology.

For stats on ophtho, ENT, neurology, and neurosurgery you should look at:
http://www.sfmatch.org

Urology also has its own stats page, but I don't know what it is.

 

[Bonds756]

Originally posted by mikecwru
ENT, Optho (decreasing), Neurosurg, Plastics integrated, Rad Onc, Ortho, Derm, and Urology are among the most competitive.

Some people bicker about radiology, which I don't think is as competitive. Emergency medicine took a big drop in filled spots this year/previously was moderately competitive. Anesthesiology seems like it's on an uprise again.

Definitely a bunch of hard residencies to get that you listed. Rad Onc has what, 70 spots in the entire nation for at least twice as many applicants.
But I think the talk about radiology is justified since intervention radiology is becoming more and more appealing. Anesthesiology seems to always cycle, but it is usually pretty tough to get.

 

[mpp]

The Urology match statistics can be found at www.auanet.org under the residents section.

 

[carrigallen]

I started a thread on matching & match lists...let me find the link. http://www.studentdoctor.net/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=61854

btw mpp's list was almost complete - i think it left out the new integrated plastics spots though, and optho.

I've heard interventional is breaking off from dx rad, if it does that will also be really competitive.

 

[carrigallen]

Originally posted by indiangirl
Does anyone know which category nephrology is classified under?

Thanks!!

You do neph as a fellowship after medicine. I think it's not that competitive, although it does attract some of the brightest people. Gastent and cardio are the more competitive of those medicine specialties (mainly because of compensation).

 

[xaelia]

mpp is The Man. I'll bet he's got a bucket of shoes in his foyer like the big dawgs!