Q about TY/PRELIM MED - must I apply to both?

[Trooth]

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So I am a MS4 applying for an advanced position and I have a weird question that even people applying alongside me in school are unsure of, so they are just doing all 3 below.

So my applications should be as follows
1- In advanced
2- In transitional
3- AND in prelim medicine
Because I will not be allowed to scrample for a prelim medicine UNLESS I applied for in eras, true?
As in I cannot just do 1&2 and then if I don’t get TY scramble for prelim even though I did not originally apply for it?
I believe this is what is implied by the ERAS document/application help pages.

Thanks for the clarification

 

[Winged Scapula]

Moving to ERAS/Match Forum where I think you'll get more responses...

 

[Law2Doc]

"As in I cannot just do 1&2 and then if I don’t get TY scramble for prelim even though I did not originally apply for it?"

I could be totally wrong, and I don't know what part of the help page you are looking at, but I think if you apply to anyplace through ERAS you are allowed to participate in the scramble. You needn't only scramble to the type of program (or even the same specialty) as you applied. However from a match strategy point of view, why would you not apply to some prelim programs? You can rank them behind the transitional year stuff, and then you'd have a shot at not having to scramble into that same program later.😕

 

[NotAProgDirector]

Law2Doc is completely correct. If you apply to an Advanced program and TY programs only, and don't get a TY, you will be free to scramble for any prelim or TY position. You'll have to decide if you want to apply to prelim IM programs also, but it is your choice and you don't lose anything in the scramble.

That being said, the best match strategy is to avoid being in the scramble.

 

[Trooth]

Thank you mod.

That makes sense, thanks law2doc and aProgDirector - somehow I took the wording to mean that you can only scramble if you apply via ERAS in the program type.

This clarifies it. I think I will do the prelim Med ERAS, best not to scramble!
Thanks again for the help & advice!