Length of match list doesn't tell enough because some schools are smaller than others. SABA is very small while Ross is huge for example.
I just don't really like match lists at all, they never tell you
A: how many students entered
B: how many graduated
Until they tell you that, match lists are useless.
Here is my revised list of proposed OBJECTIVE measures that a North American considering obtaining residency in North America may use to rank which International school they consider attending:
1) average MCAT of accepted applicants
-MCAT is standardized
-GPA may vary from school to school
2) attrition rate
-thank you Medstart
3) average STEP 1, 2 and 3 scores & for Canadians average MCCEE and MCQE1 E2 scores of their students
-the average Step 1 score for US &Canadian medical students is 227 for 2013
-the average Step 2 score was 230 for 2012
-some MDs complete Step 3 before residency
4) North American Hospitals where their students complete core rotations
-evaluate the reputation of the hospital; generally clerkships at US University programs are better esteemed than clerkships at US Community hospitals and US private doctor's clinics please see #10 about some Community hospitals
5) If their students have to arrange their core and electives in North America by themselves or if the school arranges them for the student
-its always better to have the school to arrange all cores and electives for you
-some schools may even help arrange housing at affilated University's campus housing
6) If the school pays for insurance for rotations
-some schools make students find and pay for liability insurance separately from tuition
7) number of weeks of core rotations and number of weeks of electives
the more hands on experience you get in the North America the better for:
-obtaining US and or Canadian LORs,
-and preparing for Step 2 CK and CS; having American Attendings and Residents scrutinize your notes and reminding you to see each patient and type the note within 20 minutes is good preparation for CS
8) if all rotations are done in the US or if some are done on the country where basic sciences are completed
-many residency programs now require at least ONE year of hands-on clinical experience in the UNITED STATES; and state that observerships and/or research in the US does not count towards this one year
9) if the school has courses and or time allotted towards preparation for the USMLEs
-some schools have contracts with USMLE prep companies and Q banks to provide their students with discounted rates
10) number of University programs that their students match into in the US/ For Canadians consider if anyone from the school has matched into the Canadian Universities that you may want to match into
-rather than community / university affiliate programs OR community programs
-several community programs like Mayo and Cleveland Clinic are highly regarded and some University Programs are not well regarded so you have to do your research
11) if students at the school have access to Title IV loans (for American citizens)
this usually means that:
-the school has been present for at least 10 years
-they report their attrition rate to the US Federal government
- and their students are unlike to default on loans
12) if graduates of the school are able to practice medicine in all 50 States
Please feel free to add OBJECTIVE criteria one can use to rank the International schools they are thinking of attending.
