Residency match algorithm for MD admissions?

[Turd_Ferguson]

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I was wondering what is preventing medical schools from adopting the residency match algorithm for selecting MD classes and not just for residents. It seems like it works pretty well for residents. It might help do away with some aspects of the long drawn-out process that is the current MD selection process, at least after interviews. Or maybe I'm missing something. This isn't meant to be a loaded question, just curious.

 

[WillburCobb]

1. Most students and residents hate the match.

2. Texas uses a similar system to the match for med school admissions.

 

[Boolean]

They already have an algorithm.

Take all applicants.
Weed out those who have below your institution's average LizzyM score from last year.
Assign each applicant at this point a strand of spaghetti.
Boil the spaghetti for an arbitrary amount of time.
Throw spaghetti at wall.
Strands that stick get their acceptance. Those that sorta stick get the WL. Those that do not stick are rejected.

 

[darkjedi]

TMDSAS is already a match process for Texans.

Match is necessary for residency due to the sheer number of programs that exist, plus the very small classes of each program. Not that med school applications aren't unwieldy already, but it's still manageable. Match brings uncertainty for the schools themselves, so they would likely not agree to it readily.

 

[Oso]

1. Most students and residents hate the match.

2. Texas uses a similar system to the match for med school admissions.

Do most people really hate the match? I was under the impression that most people are happy with where they end up going, even if it wasn't their absolute top choice. But again, I'm basing this solely on what people told me on interviews...

 

[Catalystik]

I was wondering what is preventing medical schools from adopting the residency match algorithm for selecting MD classes and not just for residents.

For some applicants, final decisions rest on the amount of financial aid they are offered. You don't find this out until after an acceptance. How would this factor be accommodated with a match system?

In Texas, all public schools have "reasonable" tuition, so I expect this is less of an issue.

 

[Espadaleader]

I was wondering what is preventing medical schools from adopting the residency match algorithm for selecting MD classes and not just for residents. It seems like it works pretty well for residents. It might help do away with some aspects of the long drawn-out process that is the current MD selection process, at least after interviews. Or maybe I'm missing something. This isn't meant to be a loaded question, just curious.

The biggest barrier is financial aid and recruitment. Students would lose the ability to go their most affordable option and schools would not be able to recruit the students that they want to. Recruitment is something that does not get play on these forums a lot. Schools might recklessly cut their pool from 6000+ to 200+ accepted students. After that they are doing everything in their power to recruit you to come. Its wild.

 

[Oso]

I think med students are just good actors because they have to be. Do you really think that med students are going to be honest and complain about how messed up the Match is in front of a bunch of pre-meds on interview day? It would be unprofessional to do anything else.

I guess I'm referring to the "X percent of students matched to one of their top three choices" comment.

And of course there will be an unhappy minority, but that group also exists for med school admissions. There will always be an unhappy minority. It's my impression that most people are satisfied with their match.

 

[Turd_Ferguson]

I guess I'm referring to the "X percent of students matched to one of their top three choices" comment.

Yeah, that's what I was thinking of too when I said the match works pretty well. I guess the Match isn't all sunshine and rainbows and Top 3's...

 

[Mad Jack]

I wouldn't say that the Match works well.

http://www.forbes.com/sites/theapot...dency-matching-system-for-newly-minted-m-d-s/

Most people who claim the match does not work well have not thoroughly examined the ramifications of a matchless world. Most students would be forced to take an acceptance the day of their interview, wealthy students could forego their salary entirely to become more competitive, programs would have to worry they selected applicants early on that would not have been the best to come along, etc. The advantage in the process would tip further in the favor of residency programs, as future residents only go through the process once, while the programs can master the art of screwing future residents over the course of decades.

 

[darklabel]

Well, the system would have pro's and cons. Probably the biggest con would be that wait lists would be almost useless. Since everyone is "stuck" with whatever school they matched into, there's no real hope for ever getting into other schools and for those that don't get in (which would leave A LOT of applicants "unmatched"), they can't really bank on a wait list that moves.

There also won't really be a "SOAP" version because unlike residencies, every medical school would let you be a doctor so it's in every student's best interest to rank every school they interview, including the one(s) they hated. Also, most residents have multiple interviews and can "rank" multiple programs while there are a lot of applicants that may only get one or two interviews and the "match" won't really benefit them as they're banking on one school to rank them high enough to get in.

I guess my main concern is just that wait lists would be useless and you can end up with a lot of people who dislike their school choice. Waitlists give people hope and there are always stories of people being accepted 1 week before orientation.

I prefer the current system, but I can see how some people may prefer a matching system.

 

[mcloaf]

Do most people really hate the match? I was under the impression that most people are happy with where they end up going, even if it wasn't their absolute top choice. But again, I'm basing this solely on what people told me on interviews...

It's worth noting that you can be pleased with the end result and still not enjoy the process. I like where I ended up in medical school, but the application process was a pain.

Unfortunately that Forbes article doesn't offer anything of substance as far as how the author would like to fix or change the system.