Ranking top tier IM programs

[Youknowgo]

Hey guys just wanted to see if anyone could answer my question:

If I am lucky enough to have been invited for interviews to top tier programs, what are my chances of matching to one of these programs if I only rank them (leaving out lower-mid tier programs)?

For example if my rank list looks something like this:
1. Mass gen
2. Johns hopkins
3. Stanford
4. Uchicago
5. Northwestern
6. UMich
7. UWash

I am very interested in these programs but should have thought more carefully about the lower-mid tier programs I have been invited to because I have absolutely no interest in those programs. I know the ones I listed are very competitive programs so I feel like I may be setting myself up for failure if I only rank these top tier programs. Can anyone with experience comment on this?

My stats are 250+/260+, AOA, all honors in clerkships + research in undergrad with 2 pubs, no stellar ECs during med school, lower-mid tier med school . + assume I have a decent interview, what are my chances of matching if I just rank these 7 programs? thanks

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[hello1234!]

The match is in the favor of the applicant. General advise is to rank all the programs u would rather go to then go through SOAP.

Also google the match works, there are plenty of simple videos out there that explain it well.

 

[Youknowgo]

i guess my question is more what is the danger of ranking ONLY these top tier competitive programs? or am I relatively safe if I will be ranking at least 8 top tier programs?

 

[hello1234!]

Oh sorry, I've had some wine and think I misread your question . I have no idea what your chance is ... but cheers and good luck!!! With those scores I imagine you will do well.

 

[jdh71]

Why has no one ever done this before in this forum?

This is clutch cargo gold.

 

[rokshana]

Hey guys just wanted to see if anyone could answer my question:

If I am lucky enough to have been invited for interviews to top tier programs, what are my chances of matching to one of these programs if I only rank them (leaving out lower-mid tier programs)?

For example if my rank list looks something like this:
1. Mass gen
2. Johns hopkins
3. Stanford
4. Uchicago
5. Northwestern
6. UMich
7. UWash

I am very interested in these programs but should have thought more carefully about the lower-mid tier programs I have been invited to because I have absolutely no interest in those programs. I know the ones I listed are very competitive programs so I feel like I may be setting myself up for failure if I only rank these top tier programs. Can anyone with experience comment on this?

My stats are 250+/260+, AOA, all honors in clerkships + research in undergrad with 2 pubs, no stellar ECs during med school, lower-mid tier med school . + assume I have a decent interview, what are my chances of matching if I just rank these 7 programs? thanks

so i take it that you would rather SOAP than go to any of the lower and mid tier programs? Because that is what you are risking by not ranking safe programs...just because they invited you for an interview doesn't mean they will necessarily rank you high...everyone else interviewing at those places are the cream of the crop as well..

 

[Milotic]

This is a good question. They publish the statistics that X% match to 1st choice, Y% match to 2nd choice etc etc, but I have to believe that the higher ranked places skew this data. For example, if the top places are offering 250-300 interview spots, surely people ranking that place as their 1st choice aren't getting the ~50% match rate.

 

[ABatOutofHeck]

I have now seen multiple people with top heavy rank lists fall way down their list. I'd pretty strongly prefer going to mid-tier over SOAP-ing, so I think it's foolish to not rank every program, particularly if you already went to the hassle and expense of interviewing there. If there was a program that was so malignant you would really take your chances scrambling, leaving that off the list would make sense. That being said, your list isn't that absurdly top heavy - you have a good chance of matching with it, but I wouldn't say guaranteed.

 

[Mad Jack]

I have now seen multiple people with top heavy rank lists fall way down their list. I'd pretty strongly prefer going to mid-tier over SOAP-ing, so I think it's foolish to not rank every program, particularly if you already went to the hassle and expense of interviewing there. If there was a program that was so malignant you would really take your chances scrambling, leaving that off the list would make sense. That being said, your list isn't that absurdly top heavy - you have a good chance of matching with it, but I wouldn't say guaranteed.

Basically this. SOAPing will likely leave you with lower tier and community programs to pick from, or doing an intern year at similar. You're better off going mid-tier than that route.

 

[Mad Jack]

i guess my question is more what is the danger of ranking ONLY these top tier competitive programs? or am I relatively safe if I will be ranking at least 8 top tier programs?

The danger is SOAPing because you were too foolish to rank a couple of mid-tiers.

 

[DokterMom]

While "The average applicant who ranks 7 programs may have an 'X%' chance of matching", your chances cannot be quantified because you are not 'generic' and neither are the programs you specified. You're a top candidate applying to top programs with other top candidates

Your chances at matching at one of those top 7 programs are in no way affected by anything you do or do not do below spot #7 on your rank list.

What that strategy will do is reduce (to 0%) your chances of matching below spot #7 and therefore increase your (probably small) chances of not matching at all. Rank every program you would prefer to either SOAPing or taking a research year. If you didn't apply to many "good" programs (upper mid tier) you might want to add some now to cover your downside risk.

 

[deleted454156]

Hey, you seem like you're probably a reasonably smart guy, especially if these programs end up gracing you with an invite. A reasonably smart guy would probably rank all of his or her interviews, because do you know what's better than SOAP'ing? Literally anything. Talk to someone that has gone through the process (one of my best friends did last year), and you'll understand why it would be so infuriatingly dumb to not rank everything. And to calm your neuroses, if you're the guy that gets interviews those programs, you'll probably match into one of your top choices.

 

[Elixir6]

Hey guys just wanted to see if anyone could answer my question:

If I am lucky enough to have been invited for interviews to top tier programs, what are my chances of matching to one of these programs if I only rank them (leaving out lower-mid tier programs)?

For example if my rank list looks something like this:
1. Mass gen
2. Johns hopkins
3. Stanford
4. Uchicago
5. Northwestern
6. UMich
7. UWash

I am very interested in these programs but should have thought more carefully about the lower-mid tier programs I have been invited to because I have absolutely no interest in those programs. I know the ones I listed are very competitive programs so I feel like I may be setting myself up for failure if I only rank these top tier programs. Can anyone with experience comment on this?

My stats are 250+/260+, AOA, all honors in clerkships + research in undergrad with 2 pubs, no stellar ECs during med school, lower-mid tier med school . + assume I have a decent interview, what are my chances of matching if I just rank these 7 programs? thanks

What a ridiculous brag thread. You are probably one of those people who looks great on paper but is a poor logician and doesn't understand common sense if you don't understand the basic freaking tenets of the match rank system. Every single other person here knows what you should do regardless of if your chances are 99% or 12% of matching into those 7 programs.

 

[Broponinelevation]

definitely just rank the one program you want to go to, i.e. JHH or Man's Greatest Hospital, that really increases your chances of matching there. but make sure you just rank the one. wouldn't want to end up at NW, Uchicago, michigan etc with all the plebians now would we?

 

[wiloghby]

I get it...this is a ridiculous thread and if you are doing this as a strategy, it is monumentally stupid. But there is a situation where it might be a reasonable question -- not before rank lists are due, but at the start of interview season -- when the question was asked after all.

I can imagine a scenario where an MS4 has only budgeted for 10-12 interviews based on the NRMP data. Then he or she, as a student at a low-tier MD school and with good -- but not amazing -- scores and research, is surprised to get interviews from the 10 or 12 most coveted programs (i.e. most selective) and happens to want to go to all of them.

In that case, do you cancel 2 or 3 of the top tier interviews so you can attend a few solid mid tier interviews, stay within budget, and improve your chances of matching and avoiding the SOAP?

I think that's what I would do...or, more realistically, just find SOMEONE to borrow money from so I can attend all those interviews plus a few more.