possible to match prelim but no advanced spot?

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AestheticAnesthetic

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There's a lot of threads about matching into advanced but not prelim. My question is can you match into a prelim or transitional year without matching into an advanced spot first? Or will the match system not even go to the supplemental ROL for prelims/trans year without first securing an advanced spot?

Thanks in advance for your input.

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Yes, you can do this if you want. You list your prelims on your MAIN match list, under all of your advanced programs. If you only list your prelims on your supplemental lists, then they will not be processed unless you match to an advanced.
 
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Some people do what aProgDirector mentioned, so that if they don't match advanced they can at least get a pre-lim position.

I thought about it but opted not to--I figured if I didn't match advanced with ranking 13 programs, mostly advanced, that I was unlikely to match at all into my advanced field, and that it'd be better to SOAP into another field I also enjoyed like psych or FM (PM&R rarely has any positions available through the SOAP). If you match into a pre-lim you can only SOAP into an advanced position.
 
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So my follow up question to that is that if you do it that way and you match into a prelim but no advanced, then wouldn't you have to complete the prelim before applying again for the advanced or reserved spots? Meaning a gap year? Cuz I'm guessing if you start in say July 2017 at a prelim, the program won't allow you to take a lot of days off to go interview like 3-4 months later meaning you'd miss out on the 2017-2018 match year? Or am I missing something. Thanks again.
 
So my follow up question to that is that if you do it that way and you match into a prelim but no advanced, then wouldn't you have to complete the prelim before applying again for the advanced or reserved spots? Meaning a gap year? Cuz I'm guessing if you start in say July 2017 at a prelim, the program won't allow you to take a lot of days off to go interview like 3-4 months later meaning you'd miss out on the 2017-2018 match year? Or am I missing something. Thanks again.

Ideally you'd find an advanced spot in the SOAP. The next option is you reapply during internship for "R" positions (positions that start for the coming July, typically available due to a resident deciding not to pursue the advanced position they matched in anymore) and for normal advanced positions (will start the following July). You could apply for categorical positions as well, but that would mean doing an intern year again, though that does give you a job during the "glide year" in the event you can't find an R position.

Most prelim programs will be understanding and try to accommodate you if you need to go on interviews, assuming you let them know in advance so they can try to design the rotation schedule to put you on a rotation where you can take vacation without putting too much stress on the program/other residents. Ultimately it's on a case-by-base basis.

The key is to not get in this situation in the first place of course. Applying as an intern puts you at a disadvantage compared to applying as an MS4--you want to match the first time around. That means if you don't think you're a competitive applicant, to apply very broadly. It's better to apply to too many programs than too few, as you can always cancel interviews.
 
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Ideally you'd find an advanced spot in the SOAP. The next option is you reapply during internship for "R" positions (positions that start for the coming July, typically available due to a resident deciding not to pursue the advanced position they matched in anymore) and for normal advanced positions (will start the following July). You could apply for categorical positions as well, but that would mean doing an intern year again, though that does give you a job during the "glide year" in the event you can't find an R position.

Most prelim programs will be understanding and try to accommodate you if you need to go on interviews, assuming you let them know in advance so they can try to design the rotation schedule to put you on a rotation where you can take vacation without putting too much stress on the program/other residents. Ultimately it's on a case-by-base basis.

The key is to not get in this situation in the first place of course. Applying as an intern puts you at a disadvantage compared to applying as an MS4--you want to match the first time around. That means if you don't think you're a competitive applicant, to apply very broadly. It's better to apply to too many programs than too few, as you can always cancel interviews.


Yea that definitely makes sense. I was just trying to get an understanding of how the system works. Thanks.
 
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