Prelim v. Categorical Surgery Match

[AbcJuly]

I am going to Match next year. I have average Step 1 scores for Surgery and will take Step 2 later this summer.

I do not want a Prelim Surgical residency. I don't want that stress. So, my questions are:

1) Is it silly to be worried about Prelim or Categorical. Am I being silliy?

2) Is it wiser to apply for both Cat and Prelim at programs I really like?

3) What's the worst that can happen if I get a Prelim?

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[SouthernSurgeon]

1) Is it silly to be worried about Prelim or Categorical. Am I being silliy?

I don't know what you mean by "silly" - a categorical position is obviously preferable to a preliminary position.

2) Is it wiser to apply for both Cat and Prelim at programs I really like?

That depends entirely on your circumstances, your comfort level at whether you will match, and your willingness to go through the scramble.

Personally, I applied to only one prelim program - my home program - with a guarantee from the PD that I would have a prelim position if worst came to worst. This was the last spot on my rank list, and was essentially a "doomsday scenario"

3) What's the worst that can happen if I get a Prelim?

The worst that can happen is you complete your prelim year with no renewal of contract and do not find a PGY2 prelim year or a categorical year.

 

[Man In White]

Apply broadly enough and you won't have to worry about prelim at all.

And beware - board scores are not the best indicator of match. Plenty of people with clean apps and 'above average' scores for surgery do not match, because they get big-headed about it and turn down interviews. I personally know 4 people with 'above average' scores for surgery who ranked 8-12 programs who did not match for various reasons.

 

[MojoRisin]

Apply broadly enough and you won't have to worry about prelim at all.

And beware - board scores are not the best indicator of match. Plenty of people with clean apps and 'above average' scores for surgery do not match, because they get big-headed about it and turn down interviews. I personally know 4 people with 'above average' scores for surgery who ranked 8-12 programs who did not match for various reasons.

And on the flip side, many 'subpar' applicants will match because of how broadly they apply and interview. You have to be brutally honest with yourself about how competitive you are, and yes you know exactly where you stand.

 

[AbcJuly]

I am not a SUPER candidate- I'm an average surgical candidate according to AAMC statistics. So, I guess I will interview broadly. I'm not picky about geography or about program size, so that helps I suppose.

How many programs should you/did you rank? Is 15 an average number for a surgical match?

 

[MojoRisin]

I am not a SUPER candidate- I'm an average surgical candidate according to AAMC statistics. So, I guess I will interview broadly. I'm not picky about geography or about program size, so that helps I suppose.

How many programs should you/did you rank? Is 15 an average number for a surgical match?

The least programs that anyone at my school ranked was 11 supposedly. Our PD was very forward about us having a thorough rank list as we had a couple average to above-average students that didn't match last year who ranked 10 or less programs. I ranked 15 (most of us ranked 13-16). In the 2009 Charting Outcomes of the Match no person went unmatched who ranked 15 programs. I am not sure when the 2010 CO will be out, but I would use this and previous CO as a guide.


GL

 

[Man In White]

Ya only the applicant can really judge how many places he/she should rank. (And then add 2-3 to that). Go ahead and splurge - saving a few bucks now is not worth the risk of scrambling or having to reapply next year.

 

[gutonc]

Ya only the applicant can really judge how many places he/she should rank. (And then add 2-3 to that). Go ahead and splurge - saving a few bucks now is not worth the risk of scrambling or having to reapply next year.

QFT. Apply broadly, both geographically and "quality"-wise. I don't mean apply to 100+ programs, but 30 or 40 is not at all unreasonable. If you get 20+ interview offers out of that, you should be fine. If not, apply to more. Applying is dirt cheap. Interviewing can be quite expensive, but not nearly as expensive as a year working at Starbuck's paying on your student loans.

 

[DickyV]

The least programs that anyone at my school ranked was 11 supposedly. Our PD was very forward about us having a thorough rank list as we had a couple average to above-average students that didn't match last year who ranked 10 or less programs. I ranked 15 (most of us ranked 13-16). In the 2009 Charting Outcomes of the Match no person went unmatched who ranked 15 programs. I am not sure when the 2010 CO will be out, but I would use this and previous CO as a guide.


GL

I'm fairly certain that CO only comes out every other year.

 

[thedrjojo]

yeah... comfort level is very dependent. i applied to 14 got 12 interviews went to 9 ranked 9 matched at #1. did not apply to any prelims. the number for rank list seems to be around 10 or 11 for a nearly 100% match rate