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Which of these is most important for match day? Obviously all are important, but which plays the largest role?
school prestege, class rank, or board scores
- Thread starter bokermmk
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I'll guess: board scores, then prestige, then class rank.
Crap scores from a top school probably won't get you far.
Crap scores from a top school probably won't get you far.
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Try asking this in "general residency topics", you'll get more qualified answers.
Prestige is a significant factor in the Match for graduates of Harvard and Hopkins--almost every graduate of these medical schools lands a spot in a top 5 residency program (mostly Hopkins and Harvard programs). For other elite medical schools, however, the prestige factor is secondary in importance--i.e., it helps an applicant's curriculum vitae, but it cannot overshadow mediocre board scores, grades, and evaluations.
In regards to the order of importance of criteria, I don't think that it's possible to generate a universally valid order of this sort, because residency programs vary in competitiveness, goals, demands, etc. You can make some generalizations, though.
1. Step 1 is the equalizer--it levels the playing field for all competitors in the Match. Thus, your score on this exam is important, particularly if you want to match at a very selective residency program. Additionally, the importance of Step 1 scores is commensurate with the selectivity of the desired residency program--the more selective the program, the more important a strong performance on Step 1 becomes.
2. With few exceptions, research experience is very important for academic residency programs that churn out more academics than clinicians who go into private practice. Indeed, research is almost a tacit eligibility requirement for very selective programs in highly competitive specialities like orthopaedic surgery. For community-based residency programs, research experience is neither required nor important.
3. Evaluations from clinical rotations (esp. medicine, surgery, and subinternship) are more important than preclinical grades.
4. With the notable exceptions of Harvard and Hopkins, prestige only benefits graduates in the Match if they get endorsements from faculty members with "connections." A glowing recommendation from a nationally renowned faculty member (usually the chairman of a department) can open doors for applicants. Institutional prestige, when it is divorced from an endorsement of this sort, doesn't mean very much in the Match (Hopkins and Harvard being the exceptions to this statement).
5. AOA status is a tremendous asset in the Match, because a small percentage of the medical student population achieves it. Many people would argue that AOA is bulls*it because of the politics involved (some medical students liken it to a popularity contest). Even so, it's a major boost to someone's C.V. AOA grads from every medical school in the country secure positions in the very best residency programs.
6. MD/PhD's rock the Match. If you're willing to bust your ass for 7 years and you have awesome credentials (high MCAT score, ample research experience, and an excellent GPA), MD/PhD is the way to go. Full-tuition scholarship, monthly stipend...man, that's the way to go.
7. There are plenty of "backdoors" into highly competitive specialties. For instance, it's possible to become a plastic surgeon by doing a residency in general surgery and then a plastics fellowship, instead of a residency in plastic surgery (residency programs of this sort are EXTREMELY competitive, whereas general surgery residency programs with a history of sending grads into fellowship positions are less competitive). Thus, it's possible to circumvent some of the numbers-oriented pitfalls of the Match and achieve your dream--it just takes more time and more hard work.
Just my .02
In regards to the order of importance of criteria, I don't think that it's possible to generate a universally valid order of this sort, because residency programs vary in competitiveness, goals, demands, etc. You can make some generalizations, though.
1. Step 1 is the equalizer--it levels the playing field for all competitors in the Match. Thus, your score on this exam is important, particularly if you want to match at a very selective residency program. Additionally, the importance of Step 1 scores is commensurate with the selectivity of the desired residency program--the more selective the program, the more important a strong performance on Step 1 becomes.
2. With few exceptions, research experience is very important for academic residency programs that churn out more academics than clinicians who go into private practice. Indeed, research is almost a tacit eligibility requirement for very selective programs in highly competitive specialities like orthopaedic surgery. For community-based residency programs, research experience is neither required nor important.
3. Evaluations from clinical rotations (esp. medicine, surgery, and subinternship) are more important than preclinical grades.
4. With the notable exceptions of Harvard and Hopkins, prestige only benefits graduates in the Match if they get endorsements from faculty members with "connections." A glowing recommendation from a nationally renowned faculty member (usually the chairman of a department) can open doors for applicants. Institutional prestige, when it is divorced from an endorsement of this sort, doesn't mean very much in the Match (Hopkins and Harvard being the exceptions to this statement).
5. AOA status is a tremendous asset in the Match, because a small percentage of the medical student population achieves it. Many people would argue that AOA is bulls*it because of the politics involved (some medical students liken it to a popularity contest). Even so, it's a major boost to someone's C.V. AOA grads from every medical school in the country secure positions in the very best residency programs.
6. MD/PhD's rock the Match. If you're willing to bust your ass for 7 years and you have awesome credentials (high MCAT score, ample research experience, and an excellent GPA), MD/PhD is the way to go. Full-tuition scholarship, monthly stipend...man, that's the way to go.
7. There are plenty of "backdoors" into highly competitive specialties. For instance, it's possible to become a plastic surgeon by doing a residency in general surgery and then a plastics fellowship, instead of a residency in plastic surgery (residency programs of this sort are EXTREMELY competitive, whereas general surgery residency programs with a history of sending grads into fellowship positions are less competitive). Thus, it's possible to circumvent some of the numbers-oriented pitfalls of the Match and achieve your dream--it just takes more time and more hard work.
Just my .02
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I agree with you on that MSTP's do extremely well on the match. Residency directors, in particular academic, want people who will push medicine to the frontier. They recruit MSTP's because they believe they are the ones who are dedicated enough (since they have spent another extra 3-4 years +) plus have the ability to get seriously involved in a project(their thesis) to do it. Still tho,I wouldn't want to take an MD/PhD spot from someone who truly wants to do research all their lives.
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American Osteopathic Association😉
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Nope. I met a URM on the airplane who was going to an interview for an orthopaedic residency and he told me that URMs need good grades, competitive board scores, excellent recs, etc as a non-URMs.
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forgive my stupidity!
what are the competetive residencies? and i would assume they are most competetive at the most competetive schools/hospitals?
and what is an academic residency? is it a field, or does it just depend on where you do it?
what are the competetive residencies? and i would assume they are most competetive at the most competetive schools/hospitals?
and what is an academic residency? is it a field, or does it just depend on where you do it?
The distinction between academic residency programs and community-based programs lies in the purpose of each: the former strive to produce academic physicians, which means that research is integral to these programs, and the latter are designed to produce community-based clinicians--i.e., clinicians who go into private practice. Typically, academic residency programs are significantly more competitive than community-based ones for a variety of reasons, including fellowship placement.
Currently, the most competitive specialties to match into are orthopaedic surgery, neurosurgery, dermatology, ENT, and opthalmology. The "lifestyle" specialties have become extremely competitive because an increasing number of medical graduates each year desire more control over their work schedule--dermatology is the quintessential example of a controllable lifestyle in medicine (9-5, no call, very few emergencies). Practically every residency program in these specialties, both academic and community-based, is very difficult to match into.
The moderately competitive specialties, including internal medicine, have residency programs that are extremely competitive, too. These programs are academic in nature, and they're pretty easy to identify (big names like Duke, Massachusetts General Hospital, UCSF, Michigan, etc.); although, some prestigious programs in these specialties are not household names. For the most part, however, average students can match somewhere in these specialties.
Currently, the most competitive specialties to match into are orthopaedic surgery, neurosurgery, dermatology, ENT, and opthalmology. The "lifestyle" specialties have become extremely competitive because an increasing number of medical graduates each year desire more control over their work schedule--dermatology is the quintessential example of a controllable lifestyle in medicine (9-5, no call, very few emergencies). Practically every residency program in these specialties, both academic and community-based, is very difficult to match into.
The moderately competitive specialties, including internal medicine, have residency programs that are extremely competitive, too. These programs are academic in nature, and they're pretty easy to identify (big names like Duke, Massachusetts General Hospital, UCSF, Michigan, etc.); although, some prestigious programs in these specialties are not household names. For the most part, however, average students can match somewhere in these specialties.
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For a lot of residencies, the answer is yes. I know the ortho Dept here actively recruits URM's and women.
As for what is important, elias514 actually nailed it. The only thing I would add is home school advantage. Wherever you go to school you have an extremly high chance of getting the residency that you want at your own school.
E
Eraserhead
What about anesthesiology? Isn't that in the "very competitive" category?
Anesthesiology, CURRENTLY, is considered very competitive, simply because of the lifestyle associated with it (high pay, decent hours, reasonably long residency training, etc.). This could definitely change, though, given the rising number of nurses who specialize in this area.
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Most competative nowadays (need research, great letters, very high board scores):
Derm
ENT
Ophtho
Ortho
Nuerosurg
Plastic Surg
Next tier(Probably need research, good letters, high boards):
Radiology
anesthesiology
Right below (Good letters and pretty good boards)
ER
Derm
ENT
Ophtho
Ortho
Nuerosurg
Plastic Surg
Next tier(Probably need research, good letters, high boards):
Radiology
anesthesiology
Right below (Good letters and pretty good boards)
ER
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i think you mean neurology. in the past few years, neurology has been relatively less competitive compared to other specialities. neurosurg however is one of the most competitive specialities to match.
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Here are some profiles (board score, research, tier of med school, etc) of people successful (and some who didn't match 🙁 ) in this year's opthamology match[as most of you know, one of the most competitive]. I believe the match results were just released a few days ago.
http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?s=&threadid=100344
Thought it would be relevant to this discussion.
http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?s=&threadid=100344
Thought it would be relevant to this discussion.
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Go hang out in the residency forums (i love lurking there). It will give you a better idea of what the match is really like; I think it's hard for us since we haven't done it yet.
Believe you me, if 4 years from now i'm entering a rads residency, then I will be jumping for joy.
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If only 23% of people interested in plastic surgery do not match, why is it considered competitive? I understand its the highest percentage, but getting into medical school is competitive too if only 1/3 of applicants actually end up receiving an acceptance (this is a figure I read in a pre-med book, the actual might be closer to 1/2).
Is the field self selecting where only people with high board scores apply and therefore the 23% unmatched is mainly among the top tier of med students or what?
Is the field self selecting where only people with high board scores apply and therefore the 23% unmatched is mainly among the top tier of med students or what?
