Rank Lists

[larman1409]

Hello I was wondering if anyone who is familiar with the topic could please shed some light about how programs typically make rank lists and if interviews really do contribute to them or not significantly?

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[racerwad]

Hello I was wondering if anyone who is familiar with the topic could please shed some light about how programs typically make rank lists and if interviews really do contribute to them or not significantly?

It's my understanding most programs make their lists alphabetically, but I'm sure some programs use a hybrid birthday/name matrix.

 

[gutonc]

My program did a combination of keg stands, pin the tail on the donkey and blindfolded dart throwing to make their rank list. It was widely agreed to be the most scientific approach.

 

[Law2Doc]

Hello I was wondering if anyone who is familiar with the topic could please shed some light about how programs typically make rank lists and if interviews really do contribute to them or not significantly?

Yes interviews count. In the process I am familiar with, the whole application is certainly considered but the interviews were huge in moving people up and down the list. Good credentials but people didn't like you, you would sink way down the list. Decent credentials but everyone liked you, you could vault upwards. And so on. A committee would sit in a room and go through everyone, trying to see where they fit, and moving them up and down the list accordingly. At the end of the day the list somewhat mirrored how likeable an applicant was as much as their stats. Which kind of makes sense because everyone is stuck working with these people the next 3-7 years, not their Step scores. A few people nobody liked inevitably were deemed "not better than SOAP" and left off the list each year too.

 

[NotAProgDirector]

A similar thread appears every year. There is no answer.

Imagine a program with 20 PGY-1 spots in the match, they interview 10 per spot, so 200 applicants to rank. In that case, I'm really not going to sweat whether you're ranked #111, 112, or 113. I'd drive myself crazy worrying about things like that. In this case, I'm likely to categorize whether academically which quartile of the list you will fall in, and then use your interview performance to decide whether you'll be at the top or bottom of that quartile.

On the other hand, if I'm matching 3 PGY-1's and interview 25 people for a competitive field, the process is likely to be very different. In this case, all 25 are likely to be academically strong, and the differences are likely to be small. With a small program, "fit" becomes more important, and interviews might have a much bigger impact -- i.e. aacdemics buys you an interview, interview performance drives your rank.

A poor interview performance can get you dropped off the rank list, in any system.

 

[IMPD]

A similar thread appears every year. There is no answer.

Imagine a program with 20 PGY-1 spots in the match, they interview 10 per spot, so 200 applicants to rank. In that case, I'm really not going to sweat whether you're ranked #111, 112, or 113. I'd drive myself crazy worrying about things like that. In this case, I'm likely to categorize whether academically which quartile of the list you will fall in, and then use your interview performance to decide whether you'll be at the top or bottom of that quartile.

On the other hand, if I'm matching 3 PGY-1's and interview 25 people for a competitive field, the process is likely to be very different. In this case, all 25 are likely to be academically strong, and the differences are likely to be small. With a small program, "fit" becomes more important, and interviews might have a much bigger impact -- i.e. aacdemics buys you an interview, interview performance drives your rank.

A poor interview performance can get you dropped off the rank list, in any system.

This reply should be stick-ied as it needs to be repeated each year

 

[chronicidal]

Hello I was wondering if anyone who is familiar with the topic could please shed some light about how programs typically make rank lists and if interviews really do contribute to them or not significantly?

The interview/visit interactions and interpersonal skills are the most commonly cited and most important factors that program directors consider when ranking applicants. Source: NRMP PD Survey http://www.nrmp.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/PD-Survey-Report-2014.pdf

 

[J ROD]

Yeah, interview is huge especially in more friendly, less competitive programs.

And each program has their own way of making their list. Can't worry about. Just do your list and best overall. See how it shakes out.