pulling from the match, trying next year - help

[gotdoc]

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hey all,

I need your help. I received interviews at places I am happy with but I did not get some I was expecting AND I realized I should have applied to other places.

I'm thinking that I really want to maybe apply next year. Is that risky? for example to the places that have already offered me interviews. Will that threaten my change next year?

Thanks for your input.

 

[tfom08]

I would think about it this way: Would you really rather take a year off to hopefully get interviews to some places you didn't get this year and apply to some others (of course there is no guarantee you will be granted interviews next year) than to match at one of the places you have been offered an interview this year? Unless you are planning to add something amazing to your CV in the meantime, I think it's doubtful that you will fare so much better in next year's match to make it worth it, unless you really don't like the places you can rank this year.

 

[ResidentMD]

I would think about it this way: Would you really rather take a year off to hopefully get interviews to some places you didn't get this year and apply to some others (of course there is no guarantee you will be granted interviews next year) than to match at one of the places you have been offered an interview this year? Unless you are planning to add something amazing to your CV in the meantime, I think it's doubtful that you will fare so much better in next year's match to make it worth it, unless you really don't like the places you can rank this year.

Agreed - also remember that programs more often than not try to see the "best fit" - so you may not see it initially, but the program often has a good idea of who they want in their program, and you may fit the bill. So if the interviews are in cities and/or programs that you would like to be in, just go ahead to the match

 

[Scaredshizzles]

hey all,

I need your help. I received interviews at places I am happy with but I did not get some I was expecting AND I realized I should have applied to other places.

I'm thinking that I really want to maybe apply next year. Is that risky? for example to the places that have already offered me interviews. Will that threaten my change next year?

Thanks for your input.

Take it from someone who did this last year (personal leave) that taking an extra year after med school will only hurt your chances of getting interviews, and you might not get many of the interviews you have gotten this year. You might think you can use the year to add to your CV, but programs expect you to be doing something with your time off, so it doesn't really improve your profile. Moreover some programs will view being a year away from clinical medicine as a big negative, and other programs who are used to taking 2-3 students from a given school (this is often the case with regional programs who seem to take about the same number every year from other local schools) are likely to only take those 2-3 from current 4th years to maintain the balance. While this year does seem to be an extra competitive year in im, it is unlikely that will change next year...I think there has been a very strong push to increase primary care doctors, from the political side and within your medical school teaching...and we're starting to see the results of that...Threatened reimbursement cuts for the traditionally competitive fields probably is pushing some people away from them as well.

 

[sluggo]

Real bad idea. Most programs consider a year off to be a very big negative. Plus if they ask why you took a year off, you will either have to lie, or sound like a big goof. Pick your favorites and interview this year!

 

[gutonc]

hey all,

I need your help. I received interviews at places I am happy with but I did not get some I was expecting AND I realized I should have applied to other places.

I'm thinking that I really want to maybe apply next year. Is that risky? for example to the places that have already offered me interviews. Will that threaten my change next year?

Thanks for your input.

You got good interviews at places you like, correct? Congratulations...lost of applicants aren't so lucky.

You didn't get interviews at places you wanted, correct? You and every other sub 260/non-HMS student out there.

You didn't apply to some places you think you should have, correct? Check and see if it's too late (some programs have 12/31 deadlines).

Pulling out of the Match this year, spending a year doing (what exactly?) and applying next year will essentially guarantee a worse match this year than you'd get next year. And everyone will want to know why you didn't match as a senior. Your explanation will be covered in so many flavors of weak sauce that you may actually get laughed at by interviewers.

Unless you absolutely can't stand any of the programs you've intereviewed in and would rather go unmatched than go there, stay in the Match.