Off-match offers, please help!!

[ilovepubmed]

---

Members do not see this ad.

Hey all, so what does an off-match offer really mean?

Lets say Program A takes 10 people. If they offer to take me off-match, does that mean I'm in their top 10 match spots? Or does it mean I could be in their top 10-20 spots, but they're still willing to take me if I really want to go (ie would take them off-match)?

If I decline the off-match spot, does that mean I can rest easy that I'll have a spot at their program if I don't match at my top pick?

I hate to sound neurotic, buts its sorta agonizing to try to figure this stuff out!

 

[gbwillner]

Hey all, so what does an off-match offer really mean?

Lets say Program A takes 10 people. If they offer to take me off-match, does that mean I'm in their top 10 match spots? Or does it mean I could be in their top 10-20 spots, but they're still willing to take me if I really want to go (ie would take them off-match)?

If I decline the off-match spot, does that mean I can rest easy that I'll have a spot at their program if I don't match at my top pick?

I hate to sound neurotic, buts its sorta agonizing to try to figure this stuff out!

I'm pretty sure "off-match offers" are just that- outside the match. If they commit 10 spots to the match and offer you a spot "off-match", they will still be bound to take 10 candidates that year PLUS you.

If you decline them off-match because you'd rather go elsewhere, and still take part in the match, I'm sure this would not look favorably on you when it comes time to ranking applicants. I'm sure it depends on a lot of factors (like the quality of your application), but if I were a program director and offered someone a spot and they declined it, I would not likely rank them very highly. Why not give that spot to someone who really wants to be there?

 

[heartsounds]

hmm... interesting. but you've got it wrong on at least one point.

all the off-match offers are signed by the end of january, because then the programs go to the match and tell them how many spots they need to fill. if the program started off with ten spots, and they signed two people off match, they go to the match and tell them they're ranking eight people.

i had this explained during interviews.

 

[tkim]

hmm... interesting. but you've got it wrong on at least one point.

all the off-match offers are signed by the end of january, because then the programs go to the match and tell them how many spots they need to fill. if the program started off with ten spots, and they signed two people off match, they go to the match and tell them they're ranking eight people.

i had this explained during interviews.

They will rank more than 8 people for those 8 spots, because if any of those 8 match somewhere else higher on their list, that program will fail to fill and they'll have to enter the scramble as well. Though it's probably less nerve-wracking for them as it would be for the applicant.

Sometimes they will hold one or two spots for after the Match to scoop up highly desireable applicants who failed to match. Those aren't reported as available spots, either.

 

[yaah]

You certainly aren't guaranteed to match at a program if you decline their pre-match offer. I would say it's a good sign though, if you are good enough to offer a spot to, you are likely good enough to rank. How high though, I don't think anyone can give you an answer.

 

[b&ierstiefel]

Hey all, so what does an off-match offer really mean?

Lets say Program A takes 10 people. If they offer to take me off-match, does that mean I'm in their top 10 match spots? Or does it mean I could be in their top 10-20 spots, but they're still willing to take me if I really want to go (ie would take them off-match)?

If I decline the off-match spot, does that mean I can rest easy that I'll have a spot at their program if I don't match at my top pick?

I hate to sound neurotic, buts its sorta agonizing to try to figure this stuff out!

You agree to sign with the program that is offering you an out of match spot. If you do so, you should opt out of the match. Such offers are not frivolous.

Should you stay in the match and decline the offer, it is up to the program to rank you to match. If they like you and are serious, you declining the offer should not affect your position.

 

[SLUsagar]

Hey all, so what does an off-match offer really mean?

Lets say Program A takes 10 people. If they offer to take me off-match, does that mean I'm in their top 10 match spots? Or does it mean I could be in their top 10-20 spots, but they're still willing to take me if I really want to go (ie would take them off-match)?

If I decline the off-match spot, does that mean I can rest easy that I'll have a spot at their program if I don't match at my top pick?

I hate to sound neurotic, buts its sorta agonizing to try to figure this stuff out!

who's offering an off-match?

 

[ranmyaku]

I'm a 3rd year interested in path and was just perusing some older threads... I was not aware that you could get a spot without going through the match. CAn someone explain a little. I am aware of the San Francisco Matching Program which makes its decisions prior to the 'match' but the fields are like neurosurg, opthalmology, etc

 

[Thaitanium]

These offers are only possible if you are a DO or FMG/IMG/USIMG. These offers are known as "pre-match." If programs really like you, they would offer you a prematch at the interview. If you accept it, you don't have to go through the match since you already have a spot.

 

[yaah]

Basically the only way you can be offered a spot outside the match is if you are not a traditional applicant. Traditional applicants do not have PhDs and are graduating med school at some point after the match. You can be a US MD grad and take a spot outside the match if you graduate early (like in january). You usually can be if you are an MD/Phd as well (although many of these candidates go through the match) or if you are a foreign medical graduate. However, most programs (especially the better programs) do not fill a lot of spots this way. They may fill a couple of their spots each year in this fashion, but the rest would be filled via traditional match methods.

 

[ranmyaku]

Basically the only way you can be offered a spot outside the match is if you are not a traditional applicant. Traditional applicants do not have PhDs and are graduating med school at some point after the match. You can be a US MD grad and take a spot outside the match if you graduate early (like in january). You usually can be if you are an MD/Phd as well (although many of these candidates go through the match) or if you are a foreign medical graduate. However, most programs (especially the better programs) do not fill a lot of spots this way. They may fill a couple of their spots each year in this fashion, but the rest would be filled via traditional match methods.

I gotcha. Thanks!

 

[docbiohazard]

Unless you're an IMG and/or worried about not matching, its hard for me to see the advantage of taking an offer outside the match...

 

[Pangu]

who's offering an off-match?

Unless you're an IMG and/or worried about not matching, its hard for me to see the advantage of taking an offer outside the match...

As an IMG candidate, I probably know more about the prematch situation than many on this forum.

--All the independent applicants are eligible to take an out of match offer. Independent here means one that's not sponsored by an LCME accredited medical school. Copying from the NRMP website, independent applicants include the following:
(a) A physician who is a graduate of an LCME-accredited medical school;
(b) A student enrolled in, or a graduate of, a medical school accredited by the Committee on Accreditation of Canadian Medical Schools;
(c) A student enrolled in, or a graduate of, a school accredited by the American Osteopathic Association;
(d) A student enrolled in, or a graduate of, a school not accredited by the LCME, the Committee on Accreditation of Canadian Medical Schools, or the American Osteopathic Association; or
(e) A student enrolled in, or a graduate of, a Fifth Pathway program.

--By offering safety, some less competitive programs give prematch to attract candidates whom they may not normally get through normal Match. Because of this, some competitive programs also offer prematch to keep their highly-desired applicants from taking other's prematch offers.

--Not taking a prematch offer sometime is equal to telling programs that they are not your top choice, thus may jeopardize one's rank position if programs do care about that. I suppose if a program really like a candidate, they may still rank him/her high though. Also, sometime a good reason can be given to reject the prematch offer, such as in a couple's match situation, one may reject an offer simply because his significant other did not secure a position in the same city.

--For IMGs, rejecting a prematch offer may completely kill the chance of Matching at certain programs. This is because certain programs will quickly offer the position to someone else that may indeed take it. Some programs tend to fill a few positions by prematch and for the rest of positions, rank US seniors over independent candidates regardless of their credentials. I cancelled some of my interviews after learning that because I was certain about not taking their prematch offers, and I didn't think I stand much of a chance to match there. I was advised to go to places like that by some, because using their prematch offers, I might negotiate offers from better places. I was uncomfortable about this strategy and didn't take the advice.

--I finally took a prematch offer after going through all my interviews and was offered prematch at a program that I would clearly rank #1. I also know some others who took prematch at their top programs. In such a situation, I do consider prematch advantageous for the certainty it offers.

 

[alois]

Unless you're an IMG and/or worried about not matching, its hard for me to see the advantage of taking an offer outside the match...

If you are off-match eligible (IMG or you received your MD degree at some time prior to Spring 2008) and the program you want to join makes you an off match offer, by accepting it you are done. The off-match offer is equivalent to being offered a job, as you are asked to sign a contract (or the equivalent) at the time you take the offer. That is the advantage -- you are done with the entire process, no waiting until mid-March and no uncertainty.

 

[docbiohazard]

I can see that - being done, no uncertainty... especially if you are concerned about matching. All I was saying is, unless you're really worried about the uncertainties of the match, I don't see the advantage of it. I was given the vague impression by some faculty that the match affords applicants a measure of "protection" from being taken advantage of by programs...

If you're hired outside the match, can they offer you a different contract than the one they offer to matched residents (ie. more/less salary, different benefits, etc?)

BH

If you are off-match eligible (IMG or you received your MD degree at some time prior to Spring 2008) and the program you want to join makes you an off match offer, by accepting it you are done. The off-match offer is equivalent to being offered a job, as you are asked to sign a contract (or the equivalent) at the time you take the offer. That is the advantage -- you are done with the entire process, no waiting until mid-March and no uncertainty.

 

[sylver]

My understanding is that if you are offered a position as a Resident as a pre-match, then you must be offered exactly the same everything as a Match applicant. If anyone tried to do otherwise I am sure ACGME would not look favorably on such policies. The job is the same, just how its offered differs...

-S