Rank list. . .

[Doc825]

I am currently having an extremely hard time doing my rank list. The decision is who do I rank #1 or 2? I have been at Program #2 before and I have gotten good feedback from the program. I believe that I will be top of their list when it comes down to it. I, however, fell in love with program #1 after my interview and it would be a great program because of the new developments in their curriculum. But I suspect I will be further down on their list.
If I go under the assumption the program #2 ranks me high (#2) and I also rank them #2 but I rank Program #1 as my #1 but they rank me lower (3/4), then what if I don't match at program #1 . . .would I Match with program #2??
Does the Match place all residents that rank a program #1 first into that program then all other (those that rank the program #2/3/4) regardless of how the program ranks them??
This process gives me a headache. . .

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[lord_jeebus]

Where other programs rank you is irrelevant. Rank your top choice #1, your second choice #2, etc. The algorithm is designed for this.

 

[IndyXRT]

Where other programs rank you is irrelevant. Rank your top choice #1, your second choice #2, etc. The algorithm is designed for this.

That's right. You will not be punished for ranking a program lower on your list (the algorithm does not give preference to applicants who both ranked a program highly and are ranked highly by the program).

 

[ChiDO]

Put your #1 and #2 like you want to.

Come match day, the computer checks program #1 to see if they ranked you or if there are spots (if they ranked you to match, you match, done deal), if ranked but not in a "match" spot, then you get put there in a temp spot. If no other med students are ahead of you at the end of the day, then you match.

If more students ranked #1 ahead of you and you get bumped, you get put into program #2. The same process continues until all students are matched according to both your lists and the PD's lists.

 

[chopper]

Put your #1 and #2 like you want to.

Come match day, the computer checks program #1 to see if they ranked you or if there are spots (if they ranked you to match, you match, done deal), if ranked but not in a "match" spot, then you get put there in a temp spot. If no other med students are ahead of you at the end of the day, then you match.

If more students ranked #1 ahead of you and you get bumped, you get put into program #2. The same process continues until all students are matched according to both your lists and the PD's lists.

That's right. Look at it this way:

If Program #2 ranked you high enough (e.g. you are #1, 2, or 3 in a 3 resident program, 1,2,3,4 in a 4 res program, etc), Then YOU ARE GUARANTEED TO MATCH. Even if you ranked them last, and you were not ranked high enough anywhere esle. Sit tight and feel good about that.

Now, if you were to rank program #2 first, you give up any chance to to match anywhere else because the computer will put you in your first choice, and won't even look at other programs.

So . . . if Program #1 is where you want to be, rank it first. If that doesn't work, the computer will put you at school #2 (if they actually did rank you that high).

 

[peerie]

I have another question about this whole process. First tho, thank you for clarifying what 'ranked to match' means. I admit, I really didn't know until you spelled it out.

Soooo, if a program interviews 50 people for six spots, how do they rank people? I would think some they might not like immediately and then some they might definitely like immediately. But then what about the other 30+ people who interviewed? what happens to them? Do they just have a long list of everyone who interviewed starting at #1 and ending at #50?

I need to stop drinking caffeine, this is all making me think too much.

 

[ChiDO]

If a program interviews 50, they don't have to rank all 50 applicants. They may feel like 20 of them were awesome and they would like to have, so they rank 20.

It seems that a few programs compete on how far they went down their match list. I think programs would love to have their top 5 match and not have to go through #6-20.

 

[Ashers]

I've interviewed at programs that say they'll rank everyone they interview, and one program specifically said it'd rank 70-80 of the about 120 that were there.

 

[mcl]

I've interviewed at programs that say they'll rank everyone they interview, and one program specifically said it'd rank 70-80 of the about 120 that were there.

From a Program's perspective, most will probably interview 8-10 people for every available position and rank all except those who they felt clearly would not fit in well (either due to personality or academics). Applicants interview many places, so Programs don't automatically assume they'll fill within their top group (although it's nice when it happens). Also, Programs would rather fill with people they've met, even if they aren't at the top of their rank list, than go through the Scramble.

Just as the Program where you eventually Match will never know where it ranked on your list, you won't know where you ranked on the Program's list.