"Scrambling smart or effectively"

[Neuro or Derm]

I've seen people on this and other online forums advising applicants who apply to prelim & advanced specialties as well as couples matching, about the "smart" and "effective" way to scramble - i.e. if you match advanced but not prelim, call your advanced program to ask that PD for help to find you a prelim spot (the argument being that if he/she does not help you, then they will have to deal with you losing their advanced spot also). The same goes for couples; if one member of the couple matches for a categorical spot, they can call on the PD where they matched to help them find an open spot nearby for their significant other. I have some questions about this:

1) Assuming that on March 14, people only find out "congratulations you have matched", how are they finding out where exactly they matched and which PD to call to help them or their s/o? I thought that information is not released until March 17?

2) Say they find out through an NRMP-legal means, isn't it still a match violation to contact their new PD anyways before March 17, even if it is regarding a s/o's scramble or a prelim scramble?

3) Is this legitimate advice or just some people talking a bunch of crap they don't know anything about?

4) If this advice turns out to be a match violation, what then is a non-violation smart way for a person whose s/o did not match to help them scramble nearby, or for a person who matched to advanced but not prelim?

Thanks!

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[gutonc]

I've seen people on this and other online forums advising applicants who apply to prelim & advanced specialties as well as couples matching, about the "smart" and "effective" way to scramble - i.e. if you match advanced but not prelim, call your advanced program to ask that PD for help to find you a prelim spot (the argument being that if he/she does not help you, then they will have to deal with you losing their advanced spot also). The same goes for couples; if one member of the couple matches for a categorical spot, they can call on the PD where they matched to help them find an open spot nearby for their significant other. I have some questions about this:

1) Assuming that on March 14, people only find out "congratulations you have matched", how are they finding out where exactly they matched and which PD to call to help them or their s/o? I thought that information is not released until March 17?

First off...this same question gets asked and answered every year so please try an advanced search (the basic SDN search kinda sucks, the advanced search is great).

The answer to this is that, if you get the "you suck...didn't match prelim" or "your wife matched but you didn't...ha ha" email, you can can call NRMP and they will tell you the city where you matched advanced or your couples match partner matched. If you only applied to one program in that city, you know the answer.

2) Say they find out through an NRMP-legal means, isn't it still a match violation to contact their new PD anyways before March 17, even if it is regarding a s/o's scramble or a prelim scramble?

Short answer is no. You don't technically know which program you're matched to, just which city. So you can start to ask around that city or better yet, ask the PD at your med school if s/he has any contacts there.

3) Is this legitimate advice or just some people talking a bunch of crap they don't know anything about?

Legit advice. Happens all the time.

 

[smq123]

1) Assuming that on March 14, people only find out "congratulations you have matched", how are they finding out where exactly they matched and which PD to call to help them or their s/o? I thought that information is not released until March 17?

On March 14th, you're told if you matched prelim only, advanced only, or both. So, if you only matched one but not the other, you are still able to participate in the Scramble.

2) Say they find out through an NRMP-legal means, isn't it still a match violation to contact their new PD anyways before March 17, even if it is regarding a s/o's scramble or a prelim scramble?

See above. It's not a Match Violation.

3) Is this legitimate advice or just some people talking a bunch of crap they don't know anything about?

No, it's perfectly legitimate advice. You do what you need to do to assure that you will have both an internship and an advanced position. And it's not an NRMP violation.

 

[Neuro or Derm]

thanks to both of you for your replies.