# of residency programs

This forum made possible through the generous support of SDN members, donors, and sponsors. Thank you.
Get help with your application

Use all the free resources available to you from SDN: articles, guides, expert advising, forums discussions, and school research.

bullet4444

Full Member
7+ Year Member
Advertisement - Members don't see this ad
Hi,

How many PGY-1 programs have you/did you apply to? What is the recommended # of programs to apply to?

I have 10 programs I’m looking at right now, I heard some people say 8-12, 10-15 and 15-20.
 
6, and that felt like a lot. By the last interview both you and the site are out of steam. It just seems exhausting to apply to 12-13 programs and then juggle interviews, APPEs, etc. If you are confident in yourself and your chances, 5-6 makes sense, IMO.
 
I applied to 5, but that was because I was severely geographically limited. Most people I know who matched applied to about 15-20. It's an exhausting process, and I was certainly happy that I only had 5 programs to juggle come interview time, but it definitely raises your chances of matching if you apply to more.
 
Advertisement - Members don't see this ad
I applied to 10. I was also geographically limited. Idk if I would’ve wanted to do more than that honestly. I guess it does depend on how many interviews you actually end up getting though.
 
I applied to 5, interviewed at 4 and matched. I was geographically restricted and did phase 2 only.

Flip side, I know someone who applied to 15 programs, interviewed at all of them and ranked dead last on his match list in phase 1.

I also know someone else who applied to 20 programs between phase 1 and 2, only got 1 interview and didn’t match.

Quantity does matter, but also have a realistic look at yourself and keep that in mind when applying too.
 
For PGY1 I applied to 14, which was probably too many. I had interview offers at 8, I interviewed at 6. I was truly not allowed to take any more time from my rotation to interview at the other two.

For PGY2 I applied to 8, I interviewed at 6 again.

I don't think it's unreasonable to apply to 8-10 programs. But I do think using midyear is a good chance to cut down your program list, and gives you an opportunity to explore programs you may not have considered before.
 
I applied to 5, interviewed at 4 and matched. I was geographically restricted and did phase 2 only.

Flip side, I know someone who applied to 15 programs, interviewed at all of them and ranked dead last on his match list in phase 1.

I also know someone else who applied to 20 programs between phase 1 and 2, only got 1 interview and didn’t match.

Quantity does matter, but also have a realistic look at yourself and keep that in mind when applying too.
How can I get a list of programs with openings for phase 2. I'd be a'nontraditional applicant whose geographically restricted as well. Thanks in advance
 
Posting to hopefully help next years candidates,

I applied to 11 and by the end I had messed up 2 applications. I was purely exhausted and it showed. I applied to 5 reach programs, 5 reasonable programs and one safety program as I had done all my rotations except 3 there this yr. I received 5 interview invites and 1 waitlist. 1 reach program, 3 reasonable programs and 1 safety program, with waitlist from one other reasonable program. I matched with my reach program!!!!!!!

Overall, I was happy with the amount I applied to and while some may look at it as a waste of $$ im truly glad i applied to as many reach programs as I did, because I got one. I would have been disappointed in myself for not at least trying. However, I wish I started apps sooner (I waited until after Midyear and felt so rushed on all of them.) I made a mistake one 2 apps, 1 reach and 1 reasonable. i feel like that is the ONLY reason i didnt get an invite to the reasonable program. My waitlist was a reasonable, and it was: if the program didnt match phase ii they would reach out to me if I chose to be on the waitlist. i said yes because for added security. I will never know this for sure but I believe they waitlisted me because they do rolling invites and had already invited their max # before getting to my app which i submitted the very last day before deadline. again, should have started earlier.

I agree that 6-10 is probably appropriate and even that feels like a lot, but keep in mind it depends on the places you are applying. Are you applying to competitive large academic medical centers? then do more than that. And definitely do a mix of programs. i chose all teaching institutions, but did 5 AMCs, 2 large teaching hospitals, 3 medium-to-large teaching hospitals and a pediatric hospital. geographically my AMCs were spread among the midwest/NE, since I am going to school in eastern portion of midwest and i am from the northeast. All other hospials were ones I was familiar w because they were either from my hometown city, the city I am currently living, or my SO’s hometown city. All of which are medium to large metropolitan areas within the eastern midwest and western northeast.