No Pre-matching in 2004 for IMGs...

[carddr]

Take a look at this site...

<a href="http://www.nrmp.org/about_nrmp/new_policies.html" target="_blank">http://www.nrmp.org/about_nrmp/new_policies.html</a>

It concerns an update on the NRMP policies concerning IMGs and the Match 2004.

Got this info from the Residencies and Rotation forum under the Topic: "IMG'S will be prohibited from obtaining residency outside the match". Check it out, as if may affect some of you in your future planning.

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[The Pill Counter]

Makes sense, since even the most IMG friendly hospitals have stopped signing outside the match, out of fairness.

 

[Stormreaver]

•••quote:•••Originally posted by rsk77:
•Makes sense, since even the most IMG friendly hospitals have stopped signing outside the match, out of fairness.•••••That's news to me. While interviewing this year, I came across a ton of programs which signed 100% outside the Match. While filling out my rank-order list, I was surprised at the number of programs not going through the match or only nominally sending seats to the match. But I guess I've written about it in more details in the other forum.

 

[bold and beautiful]

can any body tell about a website where programs NOT participating in NRMP match AND ERAS is listed

Thanks

 

[halothane]

well I guess that was fair enough. till recently a pre match was legal for independent applicants. A uniform policy is welcome as it puts a lot less pressure on the IMG( especially good candidates). In my own case I had interviews at some of the best institutions but I settled for a pre match at a less reknown place just because a lot of times very good candidates go unmatched......and this is because many seats go to the pre match. A uniform policy is best. had it happened in my year I would have probably been at a better place than i am in now.....or even if I did not I would have felt that i got waht what I deserved unlike now where i will always live thinking what if? like it is indicated in the post below in frosts poem "the road not taken"

 

[carddr]

•••quote:•••Originally posted by bold and beautiful:
•can any body tell about a website where programs NOT participating in NRMP match AND ERAS is listed

Thanks•••••Sorry it doesn't exist...my bet though that it will soon given this development.

WELCOME to the forum, Halothane. Happy posting. I, too am a IMG and believe me I was tempted to accept a pre-match but I resisted and matched into my first choice and in Surgery. Don't waste valuable time second-guessing yourself, just plan where you want to be 10 years from now.

 

[halothane]

Hey Fatima, thats really nice of you to say....well actually for those interviewing for specialities which start at PGY2(eg Anesthe. in my case) and have few programs with PGY1 included the interview process can get very very frustrating. Especially as prelims in med and transitionals are very comp.You also interview at more places. When I started out I swore no prematch....down to my tenth interview with 13 left to attend I was beat and being tempted with a situation where i could have all four years I took it. I may have just left things to fate if there was no pre match. Well no regrets, I love the program and weighed the pros and cons before accepting. But pre matches are unfair nevertheless as they only add to the pressure of the inteview process. I personally would like to see it gone.....funny considering I myself took a pre match.

 

[BellKicker]

I just have to ask you guys this question, cuz I don't get it.

If it's so hard to match for IMGs, it should be equally easy for programs to fill. Why would a program ever offer a pre-match. No, I could see why in certain cases; but you guys make it seem like certain programs are almost scared to leave it up to the match. Could anyone clarify?

Oh yeah, one more question: Can't USMGs sign a contract pre-match? (I'm not a USMG; hell, I'm not even a G yet).

Thanks,

Rasmus

 

[carddr]

Well, lets see... a lot of it has to do with $$$$, salaries may be less for IMGs, minus the cost of the Match for programs, and some programs have large numbers of positions to fill, and the kind of talent they are seeing may be creating doubts so they panic and solve the problem when an above-average candidate is sitting across from them, at the end of the day position filled on to the next project. And yes, I do believe some programs have "bad" reputations/experiences so the Match may not be the way to go for them. And I think some of the PDs are lazy, hate paper work and dislike the waiting game... just a few reasons, I'm sure others can add their opinions.

No,AMGs cannot consider a Pre-Match, if they have committed themselves to the Match process, only IMGs have been able to do that up till now or up to year,2004. One of very few perks!!!

 

[BellKicker]

Thank you, Fatima.

It makes sense when you put it that way.

I'm going through the match in 2005. Let's hope they have come up with a substitute perk by then.

 

[Stormreaver]

•••quote:•••Originally posted by DaneMD:
• but you guys make it seem like certain programs are almost scared to leave it up to the match. Could anyone clarify?
•••••Its simple: its a way to get candidates the program wouldn't be able to get otherwise. A lot of good candidates sign at their early prematches, because they haven't seen many programs yet, and they think "this is it"-- so they sign. Had they gone on to other programs, they might have signed/matched elsewhere, so for the program its a win-win situation: they either get a good candidate or they know that he/she won't be heading there.

I also second the lazy part-- its INCREDIBLE how lazy some programs are-- some didn't even download and print the ERAS applications, and asked the candidates to bring copies of their documents and the photo. One program called me up and asked me to fax them my CSA result if I wanted a prematch. When I told them to get it off ERAS, they said, "no, we want you to fax it to us." Needless to say, I told them to get lost.

I for one am happy about this prematch situation being changed. Most IMGs I know who went through the Match ended up at much better residencies-- but maybe that's self-selection. Still, one less thing to worry about.

Halothane: you should have NO REGRETS. It's SO easy to second-guess yourself, but ultimately its the road YOU took which matters. It'd be so easy for me to mope over the programs which sent me rejections, or matching at #2 instead of #1, but I believe that it will all turn out to be the best.

And congrats on picking the Frost reference

 

[halothane]

Hey guys actually though the rule is that the not so good programs offer a pre match, you will be suprised as to how sometimes very very good programs do. This is simply because over the years the really good programs realised that thier ideal candidates sometimes take out a match positions and that they sometimes are left with those who did not and those who were not offered pre matches simply becos they were not up to the mark. All programs want candidates who will smash the boards. For that reason US or FMG they try to keep at least a minimum standard for USMLE scores. This was evident to me during the interviews at this one program ( amongst the top 5 hospitals US news) said they offer pre match to those candidates who they are sure will be flooded with so many pre match offers that they are unlikely to make it to the match. And the program I currently am in is very good too. They offered pre match to only those FMGs who had board
scores in the high 90s ( 99/95 like in my case.)This is just to make sure that thier board pass rates are good. Believe me US grads with scores in the high 90s typically make a beeline for derm, radio, ENT , ortho etc. Specialities IMGs get into are those that are not competitive amongst US grads(typically ....there are exceptions though). So all this said the prematch worked for programs who do not fill up in the match and those that like to grab good imgs before they are grabbed by others. Its just a matter of their policy and necessarily does not reflect on their quality.