Number of Interviews to Feel Safe to Match for OMFS

[SurgeonsSurgeon]

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What’s a genuine ballpark number to look for to match in OMFS? I obviously know that you can match with just 1 and people don’t match with 15+ but at what number would you feel comfortable?

 

[Sublimazing]

What’s a genuine ballpark number to look for? I obviously know that you can match with just 1 and people don’t match with 15+ but at what number would you feel comfortable?

i wouldn’t know since I went 1 for 1 (unlike most plebs...jk)...but i’ve heard 8-10 being the “safe” number.
Who tf knows this year though. Post match gonna be the Wild Wild West.

 

[SurgeonsSurgeon]

i wouldn’t know since I went 1 for 1 (unlike most plebs...jk)...but i’ve heard 8-10 being the “safe” number.
Who tf knows this year though. Post match gonna be the Wild Wild West.

Thank you, yeah I hope it works out for everyone. Would other people say around this number is accurate?

 

[piratewow]

Thank you, yeah I hope it works out for everyone. Would other people around this number is accurate?

That's what residents and upperclassmen have been telling me the past 3 years. But online interviews might be different. Could be 15-20 this year (and maybe next) to guarantee a match, since there aren't any limits.

 

[klownzo]

I actually don't think the "safe" number of interviews is increasing this year. I would argue that it's less this year. A lot of the same people are interviewing at a good amount of programs. They are taking an interview spot in a lot of programs but will obviously just take one spot. So those with only a few interviews have a higher chance than previous years because a lot of the people they are interviewing with have a lot of options. Just my thoughts

 

[Likkriue]

Starting to notice all the interviews go to the same people. People doing intern years will be heavily favored for 4 year spots. People can only attend 1 program out of 20 interviews. I am aboard with sublimazings theory that post match will be Wild this year. Probably the most spots in history. This year even people with 15-20 interviews are able to attend all of them fairly easily.
I noticed even when 2 programs land on 1 date, sometimes the time differences make up for it. One might be 11-2 the other 3-6 etc.

 

[keep2camel]

Starting to notice all the interviews go to the same people. People doing intern years will be heavily favored for 4 year spots. People can only attend 1 program out of 20 interviews. I am aboard with sublimazings theory that post match will be Wild this year. Probably the most spots in history. This year even people with 15-20 interviews are able to attend all of them fairly easily.
I noticed even when 2 programs land on 1 date, sometimes the time differences make up for it. One might be 11-2 the other 3-6 etc.

Why would you think there would be a rise in post match spots?

 

[HowsYourFather]

I posted this in another thread.
Rekawek P, Graves LL, Panchal N, Schlieve T. Navigating the Virtual Match: Pitfalls of the Virtual Interview. J Oral Maxillofac Surg. 2020 Oct 13:S0278-2391(20)31243-X. doi: 10.1016/j.joms.2020.10.012. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 33160923; PMCID: PMC7553057.

The rise in post match spots would occur if the same applicant occupy a critical number of interview slots. If the same 40 people interviewed at all programs, you would have more post match. This year applications are up 30% or more from discussions with other program directors. This is simply candidates casting a wider net. There is also now the possibility to accept and attend more interviews for each candidate, potentially taking interview spots from other deserving candidates.

We are interviewing the same number as usual and candidates are expected to spend the entire day logged in, just as they would stay the entire day for an in-person interview. We have the same timeline and structure with virtual tours, social hour/ interaction with the residents, and a guest lecture. So not possible to be interviewing at two programs in the same day if interviewing with us. If you can't commit to the day, then you don't really want to be here.

 

[gryffindor]

There is no safe number. If you go on 8 - 10 interviews and all of those program rank you toward the bottom of their lists, chances are low you will match. It didn't matter than you went on a ton of interviews. It only matters that you land at the top of at least one program's list which you have no way of knowing if that is happening.