ranking prelim programs in the main rank order list.

[RussianJoo]

I am applying to a semi-competitive specialty and will end up ranking prelim programs at the end of my main rank order list. On match day when you get the email saying you matched. Will I find out if I matched into one of those prelim programs or will it just say I matched because that program is on my main rank order list? I know for programs that are advanced placement and require a prelim year, you find out if you matched into just the advanced program or both the advanced and prelim program. But I am not sure if you find out if you specifically only matched into the prelim program.


thanks for the answer.

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[Ludicolo]

If you get the message “Congratulations, you have matched!” – then you’re set.

If you get “Congratulations, you have matched to an advanced position but not a first year position!” – you matched into your chosen specialty off of your primary ROL but didn’t match off of your linked SROL. You’ll have to scramble for a prelim (and only prelims).

If you get “Congratulations, you have matched to a one year position!” – you’ll know you went low on your primary ROL. You’ll have the opportunity to scramble for advanced programs if you wish (and only advanced programs).

If you get anything else...

 

[RussianJoo]

cool thanks. this is exactly what i wanted to know. i knew they would tell us that we matched only into an advanced position, because the full algorithm wasn't complete, i.e. we failed to match into something that we ranked (prelim position) but i wasn't sure if they would tell us that we only matched into a one year position because theoretically you could just rank prelim positions in the match and then the email should technically say "congradulations you matched", since that's the only position the person was applying for. I hope that makes sense... but that's good to know that they'll tell you if you matched into just a prelim position or full residency program.

 

[cgk]

Is it true if you list a prelim medicine program at the bottom of your primary list and you don't match into any of your advanced programs, but match into the prelim medicine program, then you can't scramble for an advanced program? Comments please!

 

[Nicholaus]

Not to hijack this thread, but on a separate note:

How do I go about ranking a Categorical and Advanced position at the same program? I really want to match at this program, so right now I have Categorical for my #1 rank and Advanced for my #2 rank. Is that all? Just needed some clarification.

Thanks.

 

[okayplayer]

Not to hijack this thread, but on a separate note:

How do I go about ranking a Categorical and Advanced position at the same program? I really want to match at this program, so right now I have Categorical for my #1 rank and Advanced for my #2 rank. Is that all? Just needed some clarification.

Thanks.

I'm pretty sure the advanced "track" and the categorical "track" have different NRMP numbers you put in to rank them.

 

[Ludicolo]

Is it true if you list a prelim medicine program at the bottom of your primary list and you don't match into any of your advanced programs, but match into the prelim medicine program, then you can't scramble for an advanced program? Comments please!

Not true. You are permitted to scramble for advanced programs. You don't have to though, because you are at least set for the next year. What you can't do in this case is scramble for categorical programs or a different prelim program.

 

[paco4488]

I'm couples matching, and in a couple of our top cities, I don't have too many options for prelim spots (prelims are very competitive in these two cities). My concern is that I may match to one of my top choices for advanced position, but go unmatched in a prelim spot and not know what city we matched in. If I have to scramble for an intern year, is there any way to know in what city I matched to an advanced spot? Anybody have any experience with this?

 

[Rogue Synapse]

I'm couples matching, and in a couple of our top cities, I don't have too many options for prelim spots (prelims are very competitive in these two cities). My concern is that I may match to one of my top choices for advanced position, but go unmatched in a prelim spot and not know what city we matched in. If I have to scramble for an intern year, is there any way to know in what city I matched to an advanced spot? Anybody have any experience with this?

I'm also couples matching and I have your exact dilemma (prelims can be a real pain in the butt). If one of you has to scramble for either an advanced or a prelim, NRMP will tell you what city you partially matched in so you know where to focus your efforts for scramble. This has the added effect of basically letting your partner know a few days ahead of time where he/she matched if he/she applied only to categorical programs. We had some folks couples matching at my school last year go through this.

My top choice is advanced, but in a very competitive city in which I have a real lack of prelim options. It will be very appealing to rank categorical programs much higher than advanced in general because it would be so horrible to have to spend a year apart (especially because we'll be newlyweds).

 

[paco4488]

I'm also couples matching and I have your exact dilemma (prelims can be a real pain in the butt). If one of you has to scramble for either an advanced or a prelim, NRMP will tell you what city you partially matched in so you know where to focus your efforts for scramble. This has the added effect of basically letting your partner know a few days ahead of time where he/she matched if he/she applied only to categorical programs. We had some folks couples matching at my school last year go through this.

My top choice is advanced, but in a very competitive city in which I have a real lack of prelim options. It will be very appealing to rank categorical programs much higher than advanced in general because it would be so horrible to have to spend a year apart (especially because we'll be newlyweds).

Thanks for the fast response, this is exactly what I was wondering. Unfortunately she is matching in a specialty with only categorical programs and my specialty has VERY few categorical programs. Good luck in the match and your new marriage!

 

[Rogue Synapse]

Good luck to you too! I think everything will work out for us all in the end, even if we have to scramble for a prelim. It seems like the worst case scenario now, but the vast majority of people who have to do this wind up working it out. We'll be laughing about how stressed we were about this a few years from now when we have other things to worry about (jobs, money, etc).

 

[Nicholaus]

So I was trying to CERTIFY my ROL and I got the following message:

Warning: You have 1 Advanced (PGY-2) program(s) without an assigned supplemental list.

What exactly does that mean and what do I need to do to correct it? Not quite sure what a supplemental list is.

Thanks.

 

[NotAProgDirector]

So I was trying to CERTIFY my ROL and I got the following message:

Warning: You have 1 Advanced (PGY-2) program(s) without an assigned supplemental list.

What exactly does that mean and what do I need to do to correct it? Not quite sure what a supplemental list is.

Thanks.

You have ranked an advanced program -- such as Anesthesia or Radiology or Dermatology -- that starts in the PGY-2. Should you match there, you probably want a PGY-1 prelim. You need to create a supplemental list for your PGY-2 match, ranking any prelim you'd be interested in.

If you've already done a prelim, this would not be necessary.

 

[Law2Doc]

So I was trying to CERTIFY my ROL and I got the following message:

Warning: You have 1 Advanced (PGY-2) program(s) without an assigned supplemental list.

What exactly does that mean and what do I need to do to correct it? Not quite sure what a supplemental list is.

Thanks.

As aPD indicates, assuming you are applying out of med school (and not from internship), each of your advanced ranks needs a supplemental list of one or more prelims or TY programs, because advanced programs start in year two). So you should have a rank list with multiple sub-lists under each rank if you are ranking advanced programs.

 

[Rogue Synapse]

If one of you has to scramble for either an advanced or a prelim, NRMP will tell you what city you partially matched in so you know where to focus your efforts for scramble.

By the way, I called the NRMP this morning to make absolutely sure of this and they confirmed it. HOWEVER, if you are NOT a member of a couple, they will NOT tell you which city you matched your advanced in. If you are applying as a non-coupled applicant and fail to match your prelim, you will have to blindly scramble into a prelim without any knowledge of where you matched to an advanced program. I asked the NRMP this question specifically, even though I am a member of a couple and so I will definitely be told which city to look for prelims in.

 

[Law2Doc]

... HOWEVER, if you are NOT a member of a couple, they will NOT tell you which city you matched your advanced in. If you are applying as a non-coupled applicant and fail to match your prelim, you will have to blindly scramble into a prelim without any knowledge of where you matched to an advanced program. I asked the NRMP this question specifically, even though I am a member of a couple and so I will definitely be told which city to look for prelims in.

I think this is not accurate, or at least it hasn't been in years past. The folks I know who scrambled for prelims got to know where their advanced programs were the day before the scramble.

 

[medsRus]

I think this is not accurate, or at least it hasn't been in years past. The folks I know who scrambled for prelims got to know where their advanced programs were the day before the scramble.

Would love to have confirmation....

 

[howelljolly]

I am applying to a semi-competitive specialty and will end up ranking prelim programs at the end of my main rank order list. On match day when you get the email saying you matched. Will I find out if I matched into one of those prelim programs or will it just say I matched because that program is on my main rank order list? I know for programs that are advanced placement and require a prelim year, you find out if you matched into just the advanced program or both the advanced and prelim program. But I am not sure if you find out if you specifically only matched into the prelim program.


thanks for the answer.

Everyone should rank their prelim programs at the end of their main ROL.

Otherwise, if you don't match into your advanced resdency, you won't get a prelim either. If you rank your prelims in your main ROL, you can match into a prelim if it comes down to it.

 

[Rogue Synapse]

I think this is not accurate, or at least it hasn't been in years past. The folks I know who scrambled for prelims got to know where their advanced programs were the day before the scramble.

I also thought that was the case. I specifically asked the NRMP lady - just out of curiosity - if they would tell me where I matched an advanced (if I did not match a prelim) if I were not a member of a couple, and she said no, they only provide that information to a couple.

I would encourage anyone to call NRMP to get things like this clarified - they are very quick to answer and extremely knowledgeable. They clearly have been dealing with matching questions all day, every day, for several weeks now.

 

[NotAProgDirector]

Everyone should rank their prelim programs at the end of their main ROL.

Otherwise, if you don't match into your advanced resdency, you won't get a prelim either. If you rank your prelims in your main ROL, you can match into a prelim if it comes down to it.

This assumes that 1) you'd rather have a prelim than nothing, and 2) you'd rather have a prelim than a chance at scrambling into a different categorical field.

For example, let's say you're matching to derm, and fail to match.

If you "would rather die than do anything but derm", you might be better off with no match. Do a year of dedicated derm research, and apply again. You could match to a prelim and hope to scamble into Derm (unlikely), or try to do research with the end of your 4th year and then apply to derm again as a PGY-1, both will be difficult.

If you match a prelim, then you couldn't scramble into a categorical IM spot.

So, it depends on what's most important to you.

 

[howelljolly]

This assumes that 1) you'd rather have a prelim than nothing, and 2) you'd rather have a prelim than a chance at scrambling into a different categorical field.

For example, let's say you're matching to derm, and fail to match.

If you "would rather die than do anything but derm", you might be better off with no match. Do a year of dedicated derm research, and apply again. You could match to a prelim and hope to scamble into Derm (unlikely), or try to do research with the end of your 4th year and then apply to derm again as a PGY-1, both will be difficult.

If you match a prelim, then you couldn't scramble into a categorical IM spot.

So, it depends on what's most important to you.

True... didnt think of it that way

 

[Man In White]

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[radsbuddy]

When ranking prelims/TYs at the end of the primary rank list, would it be best to rank university prelim programs higher than easy TYs? Does it make any difference in scrambling for an advanced position or reappyling the next year that you completed one year of a tough university prelim medicine program rather than an easy TY?

 

[gutonc]

When ranking prelims/TYs at the end of the primary rank list, would it be best to rank university prelim programs higher than easy TYs? Does it make any difference in scrambling for an advanced position or reappyling the next year that you completed one year of a tough university prelim medicine program rather than an easy TY?

It would probably be best to rank programs at hospitals that have an advanced program in your chosen specialty higher than those without (regardless of "cushness") simply because you might have a better chance of sliding into an advanced position that way.