Rank order list

[tyrabanks]

Hello,

I am dual applying to a very competitive specialty (like Ortho, ENT) and a less competitive specialty (like anesthesia, IM). I could honestly see my self doing either specialty. I have a question in regards to ranking, specifically for those who are dual applying. I watched the NRMP video on ranking, and according to the video ranking different specialties within my rank order list should not affect my chances at either respective specialty and that I should just rank in order of preference. I just wanted to verify that this is actually true, and see if anyone has had personal experience ranking two different specialties. I just have a hard time believing it doesn't affect my chances. Am I overthinking this?

Thanks

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[Banco]

If you TRULY don't have any preference for specialty, then it shouldn't make a difference. But if you do prefer one specialty over the other, then mixing and matching can make a difference for reducing your chances for the preferred specialty.

The rank occurs based on how high the specific program has ranked you - the specialty doesn't matter, even if you mix and match. But having anesthesia sprinkled does reduce your chance for ENT, because it increases the chance that you will match anesthesia.



Take an example, this is how you rank the places (RTM = ranked high enough to match by the program)

1. ENT A - not RTM
2. Anesthesia A - not RTM
3. Anesthesia B - RTM
4. ENT B - RTM

So in this case, you will drop to number 3 anesthesia, and they have you ranked to match, you will match there. But if you had the ENT at number 4 ranked 1 spot higher, you would have matched there too. But because you ranked an anesthesia program higher, you missed your theoretical shot at the ENT program that had ranked you to match.


Take a second example of where you rank all ENT first:

1. ENT A - not RTM
2. ENT B - RTM
3. Anesthesia A - not RTM
4. Anesthesia B - RTM

In this case, you would have matched ENT B.


So again, if your true preference is ENT, I would rank all ENT first. Then if you rank all the anesthesia after, and don't match at any of the ENT, it doesn't reduce your chance for anesthesia. If you mix and match, it CAN reduce your chance for ENT. But if you truly don't care which specialty it is, and are simply basing it off which program/hospital you liked more regardless of specialty, then mix and match in terms of your preference.

Hope that's not too confusing haha.


Edit: Also this is better posted in med student forums.

 

[Banco]

Thank you! that helps a lot. I will copy paste this into the appropriate forum then.

lol How did you know ENT and anesthesia by the way.

You can ask a mod to just move the thread.

Also you wrote ENT and Anesthesia in your post for the lists lol...

 

[gyngyn]

I watched the NRMP video on ranking, and according to the video ranking different specialties within my rank order list should not affect my chances at either respective specialty and that I should just rank in order of preference. I just wanted to verify that this is actually true,

It's actually true.

 

[Dral]

You'll have to decide how much you want to do each specialty.

If you would rather be at anesthesia program X over ENT program Y. Then rank X over Y. If you are "I am ENT or bust, don't care where I go". then it would be Y (and all your other ENTS) over X (and all your others anesthesia programs).

If you interview at intern years for anesthesia (assuming at least some anesthesia are still not categorical), then I would rank all your intern years at the bottom of your list after your ENT and Anesthesia programs. That way in the unfortunate case that you don't match in any of your ENT or Gas programs, you can still at least get in an intern year. I speak from experience. For that list of intern years, rank your most vigorous well respected big academic centers first down to the podunk community places last (think that if you match intern year only, what place will give me the best chance of getting a residency spot to finish out my training?). That order may be different than your order of your secondary lists linked to each of the non-cat gas programs.

 

[NotAProgDirector]

You're quoting / talking to yourself, which isn't a good sign...

There's no way to know. Should be no worse than applying individually. If the chance of matching in your top 3 in field X is 80%, then the chance of getting one of the top three choices in that field (wherever you ranked them) is the same 80%.