Still can't believe I didn't match with anesthesia with these stats

[Jayhow92]

US-MD
Step 1- 250
Step 2- 251
CS- pass 1st attempt
- No red flags (no course failures or bad grades, mostly HPs in clerkships)
- No apparent issues during my interviews
- Good CV (1 pub, 2 posters, 1 podium presentation)
8 ranked programs (including home school) to top tier and mid tier places

My advisors don't know what the hell happened. They thought I was a shoe-in. Talked to the PD and she can't give me a straight answer either.

Match Data from NMRP had me basically as close to 100% chance of matching with my stats as I could have gotten.

I've gotten 3 surg prelim IVs so far through the SOAP, but man does this suck. Busted my ass to make sure I didn't get to this scenario. Might be the most unlucky anesthesia candidate in this cycle.

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[watermelon master]

US-MD
Step 1- 250
Step 2- 251
CS- pass 1st attempt
- No red flags (no course failures or bad grades, mostly HPs in clerkships)
- No apparent issues during my interviews
- Good CV (1 pub, 2 posters, 1 podium presentation)
8 ranked programs (including home school) to top tier and mid tier places

My advisors don't know what the hell happened. They thought I was a shoe-in. Talked to the PD and she can't give me a straight answer either.

Match Data from NMRP had me basically as close to 100% chance of matching with my stats as I could have gotten.

I've gotten 3 surg prelim IVs so far through the SOAP, but man does this suck. Busted my ass to make sure I didn't get to this scenario. Might be the most unlucky anesthesia candidate in this cycle.

Really unfortunate situation OP. Hopefully you can enter your anesthesia program after your prelim year. Also I think it's BS when your PD says she doesn't know.

"Why did you rank me not to match at your program?"

I wonder why she didn't rank somebody high who had a 250 and was from the home program?

I'm sure she knows why but didn't tell you, which is really unfortunate.

The only thing I can guess is either you had too many top tier interviews or too many low tier interviews.

Maybe you weren't the tippy top best candidate for any of the top tiers and you were overqualified for the lower tiers and you fell through the cracks. That's why it's so important to make sure you interview at enough programs and additionally make sure the programs include low mid and top tiers.

 

[Goro]

US-MD
Step 1- 250
Step 2- 251
CS- pass 1st attempt
- No red flags (no course failures or bad grades, mostly HPs in clerkships)
- No apparent issues during my interviews
- Good CV (1 pub, 2 posters, 1 podium presentation)
8 ranked programs (including home school) to top tier and mid tier places

My advisors don't know what the hell happened. They thought I was a shoe-in. Talked to the PD and she can't give me a straight answer either.

Match Data from NMRP had me basically as close to 100% chance of matching with my stats as I could have gotten.

I've gotten 3 surg prelim IVs so far through the SOAP, but man does this suck. Busted my ass to make sure I didn't get to this scenario. Might be the most unlucky anesthesia candidate in this cycle.

Perhaps our wise colleagues @getdown and @HomeSkool might have some insight?

 

[Jayhow92]

Really unfortunate situation OP. Hopefully you can enter your anesthesia program after your prelim year. Also I think it's BS when your PD says she doesn't know.

"Why did you rank me not to match at your program?"

I wonder why she didn't rank somebody high who had a 250 and was from the home program?

I'm sure she knows why but didn't tell you, which is really unfortunate.

The only thing I can guess is either you had too many top tier interviews or too many low tier interviews.

Maybe you weren't the tippy top best candidate for any of the top tiers and you were overqualified for the lower tiers and you fell through the cracks. That's why it's so important to make sure you interview at enough programs and additionally make sure the programs include low mid and top tiers.

Yea I wished I applied to more programs now. I only applied to about 20ish place because my advisors said more than that wouldn't make a difference. Plus my home program attendings basically told me I would match there if I wanted it (and I made it known that I wanted to stay since it's where my friends and family are).

But hard lessons were learned this week. A program's "word" doesn't count for anything and apply to more than you think.

 

[HomeSkool]

Perhaps our wise colleagues @getdown and @HomeSkool might have some insight?

I know a guy who ranked program X (a high-ranking program) as his top spot, they ranked him to match, and the NRMP system screwed up and he didn't match anywhere. He called the program and politely said "WTF?!" They said they were totally stumped, too, since they had wanted him and ranked him high. He ended up SOAPing into a prelim year and then matching into a low-tier program. The good news is that he's now a successful attending anesthesiologist. Not sure what happened to you, OP, but it could be the same kind of thing that burned my friend.

I do think you should schedule a meeting with your home program PD and ask what caused you not to be ranked higher in their program. If you don't feel comfortable doing that, approach your dean of student affairs (or whatever they call it at your school) and see if s/he'll ask on your behalf.

 

[watermelon master]

I know a guy who ranked program X (a high-ranking program) as his top spot, they ranked him to match, and the NRMP system screwed up and he didn't match anywhere. He called the program and politely said "WTF?!" They said they were totally stumped, too, since they had wanted him and ranked him high. He ended up SOAPing into a prelim year and then matching into a low-tier program. The good news is that he's now a successful attending anesthesiologist. Not sure what happened to you, OP, but it could be the same kind of thing that burned my friend.

I do think you should schedule a meeting with your home program PD and ask what caused you not to be ranked higher in their program. If you don't feel comfortable doing that, approach your dean of student affairs (or whatever they call it at your school) and see if s/he'll ask on your behalf.

Lol I really, really, doubt that the match program screwed up. You know who screwed up? The PD who said that that candidate was "ranked to match" because they probably weren't and the student also screwed up by trusting them.

People reading this thread and other threads like these need to realize that the match favors the student - choose where YOU want to go. Don't choose based on the presumed rank that the PDs will be assigning you in their rank list.

 

[watermelon master]

Yea I wished I applied to more programs now. I only applied to about 20ish place because my advisors said more than that wouldn't make a difference. Plus my home program attendings basically told me I would match there if I wanted it (and I made it known that I wanted to stay since it's where my friends and family are).

But hard lessons were learned this week. A program's "word" doesn't count for anything and apply to more than you think.

How many interviews did you get out of the 20 you applied to? Did you go to all of the interviews?

 

[jrlob91]

US-MD
Step 1- 250
Step 2- 251
CS- pass 1st attempt
- No red flags (no course failures or bad grades, mostly HPs in clerkships)
- No apparent issues during my interviews
- Good CV (1 pub, 2 posters, 1 podium presentation)
8 ranked programs (including home school) to top tier and mid tier places

My advisors don't know what the hell happened. They thought I was a shoe-in. Talked to the PD and she can't give me a straight answer either.

Match Data from NMRP had me basically as close to 100% chance of matching with my stats as I could have gotten.

I've gotten 3 surg prelim IVs so far through the SOAP, but man does this suck. Busted my ass to make sure I didn't get to this scenario. Might be the most unlucky anesthesia candidate in this cycle.

You must not have been as good of an interview as you thought?

 

[UnoMas]

US-MD
Step 1- 250
Step 2- 251
CS- pass 1st attempt
- No red flags (no course failures or bad grades, mostly HPs in clerkships)
- No apparent issues during my interviews
- Good CV (1 pub, 2 posters, 1 podium presentation)
8 ranked programs (including home school) to top tier and mid tier places

My advisors don't know what the hell happened. They thought I was a shoe-in. Talked to the PD and she can't give me a straight answer either.

Match Data from NMRP had me basically as close to 100% chance of matching with my stats as I could have gotten.

I've gotten 3 surg prelim IVs so far through the SOAP, but man does this suck. Busted my ass to make sure I didn't get to this scenario. Might be the most unlucky anesthesia candidate in this cycle.

This blows. Sorry dude, nobody would have foreseen this outcome for you. It's a rough year for Anesthesia. I hope you will find something in the SOAP.

To the rising 4th years: Apply very broadly, ERAS application is not where you want to save money. Interview at 10, hell 12+ places with a good number of mid-tier, a few 'undesirable locations' as backups- this very unfortunate story goes to show that there is no such thing as safeties or backups in this day and age. The residents or attendings that tell you to 'apply to 20-30, any interview that you go beyond 8 or 9 is a waste of money' is not thinking of your best interest. When you go unmatched, all they will do is shrugging their shoulder and ask 'man what the hell happened?' and then move on with their life.

Have some faith in the statistics but be a bit 'extra' just to be safe.

 

[Jayhow92]

Lol I really, really, doubt that the program screwed up. You know who screwed up? The PD who said that that candidate was "ranked to match" because they probably weren't and the student also screwed up by trusting them.

People reading this thread and others like these need to realize that the match favors the resident - choose where YOU would like to go. Don't choose based on the presumed rank that the PDs will be assigning you in their rank list.

Yep. She screwed me badly (which is really surprising considering she gave me her phone number to talk to directly about any questions I had since I've worked with her in the OR plenty).

How many interviews did you get out of the 20 you applied to? Did you go to all of the interviews?

12 but I cancelled the last 4 after I thought I was guaranteed a spot at my home spot if I ranked them 1st in January.

You must not have been as good of an interview as you thought?

Guess so. But when the head of Critical Care interrupts the interview to shake my hand and tell the interviewer to "hire me" in the 1st interview and interviewing with my advisor and LoR writer who gave me his personal phone number after the 2nd, I think it's reasonable to think they went well at the time.

 

[Jayhow92]

Lol I really, really, doubt that the program screwed up. You know who screwed up? The PD who said that that candidate was "ranked to match" because they probably weren't and the student also screwed up by trusting them.

People reading this thread and others like these need to realize that the match favors the resident - choose where YOU would like to go. Don't choose based on the presumed rank that the PDs will be assigning you in their rank list.

Yea I'm going to contact the PD see why they didn't rank me as high. Maybe that'll explained what happened at other top and mid tier programs.

EDIT: Apparent I can't do that until SOAP finishes.

 

[Lawpy]

I know a guy who ranked program X (a high-ranking program) as his top spot, they ranked him to match, and the NRMP system screwed up and he didn't match anywhere. He called the program and politely said "WTF?!" They said they were totally stumped, too, since they had wanted him and ranked him high. He ended up SOAPing into a prelim year and then matching into a low-tier program. The good news is that he's now a successful attending anesthesiologist. Not sure what happened to you, OP, but it could be the same kind of thing that burned my friend.

I do think you should schedule a meeting with your home program PD and ask what caused you not to be ranked higher in their program. If you don't feel comfortable doing that, approach your dean of student affairs (or whatever they call it at your school) and see if s/he'll ask on your behalf.

I’m wondering whether anesthesiology has gotten competitive recently. Or whether this year was just unusually competitive for residency apps overall? A bit frightening to see several “i didn’t match” posts this week

 

[GoSpursGo]

Yea I wished I applied to more programs now. I only applied to about 20ish place because my advisors said more than that wouldn't make a difference. Plus my home program attendings basically told me I would match there if I wanted it (and I made it known that I wanted to stay since it's where my friends and family are).

But hard lessons were learned this week. A program's "word" doesn't count for anything and apply to more than you think.

Sorry this happened to you.

The ONE caveat I would point out for future applicants reading this thread is that it doesn't matter what your "home program attendings" say, it matters what the PD says. If you get anything that isn't "We are going to rank you in the top X spots" for a program with X residents/year (ie guaranteed match, as opposed to "ranked to match" based on where they're expecting to go down on their rank list), you should not start canceling interviews because you think you're "golden" with a specific program.

That said, with 8 interviews and your stats, honestly it was totally reasonable for you to make the valuation that additional interviews weren't worth it and you were likely to match, and it sucks that it blew up in your face.

 

[HomeSkool]

Lol I really, really, doubt that the program screwed up. You know who screwed up? The PD who said that that candidate was "ranked to match" because they probably weren't and the student also screwed up by trusting them.

The PD specifically said he'd been ranked second, so either that's an overt lie or some error occurred. I'd call BS on the PD if it were a vague "IDK, we ranked you high but I won't tell you exactly where," but I rather doubt a PD at a top program would fabricate an actual number to assuage a non-matched MS4 he's probably never going to see again. I think there was an error in how the program submitted its match rankings or within the NRMP system itself, and I'd take even money on either.

 

[UnoMas]

The PD specifically said he'd been ranked second, so either that's an overt lie or some error occurred. I'd call BS on the PD if it were a vague "IDK, we ranked you high but I won't tell you exactly where," but I rather doubt a PD at a top program would fabricate an actual number to assuage a non-matched MS4 he's probably never going to see again. I think there was an error in how the program submitted its match rankings or within the NRMP system itself, and I'd take even money on either.

This actually happened before on this forum. Urology applicant well-known to the program, ranked program #1, program ranked applicant to match. Applicant matched #2, applicant super confused on Match day, sent program an email asking 'I am happy that I matched #2 but just curious why you guys didn't match me if your ranked me to match.' PD was mad too and replied 'yeah whatever u played us.' Then some more conversation, the PD and applicant contacted NRMP and there was in fact an issue with the way they submitted their ROLs or the algorithm. Let me look up the thread.

 

[operaman]

This actually happened before on this forum. Urology applicant well-known to the program, ranked program #1, program ranked applicant to match. Applicant matched #2, applicant super confused on Match day, sent program an email asking 'I am happy that I matched #2 but just curious why you guys didn't match me if your ranked me to match.' PD was mad too and replied 'yeah whatever u played us.' Then some more conversation, the PD and applicant contacted NRMP and there was in fact an issue with the way they submitted their ROLs or the algorithm. Let me look up the thread.

If anyone would like to donate money to my new charity, “Xanax for Med Students,” please contact me. Your donation will supply bags of benzos for anxious medical students who have read this post.

 

[lalalaaaaaa]

This actually happened before on this forum. Urology applicant well-known to the program, ranked program #1, program ranked applicant to match. Applicant matched #2, applicant super confused on Match day, sent program an email asking 'I am happy that I matched #2 but just curious why you guys didn't match me if your ranked me to match.' PD was mad too and replied 'yeah whatever u played us.' Then some more conversation, the PD and applicant contacted NRMP and there was in fact an issue with the way they submitted their ROLs or the algorithm. Let me look up the thread.

Genuinely interested in this. Seems like a fool proof algorithm in terms of the theory. My guess is that the program just matched higher on their list than they usually do.

"Ranked to match" also doesn't mean what people think it means. If a program usually matches in their top 50 applicants and takes 10 people, let's say. Then they could tell 50 people that they are "RTM" because that's usually how their numbers shake out. However if one year they match everyone in their top 40, the 10 applicants (#41-50 on the programs list) who got the RTM email but didn't match there even though it was their #1 are pissed because they got an email saying they were RTM.

Moral of the story: NEVER TRUST WHAT THE PROGRAM OR FACULTY SAY EVER. NEVER EVER.

 

[Melchizedek]

This actually happened before on this forum. Urology applicant well-known to the program, ranked program #1, program ranked applicant to match. Applicant matched #2, applicant super confused on Match day, sent program an email asking 'I am happy that I matched #2 but just curious why you guys didn't match me if your ranked me to match.' PD was mad too and replied 'yeah whatever u played us.' Then some more conversation, the PD and applicant contacted NRMP and there was in fact an issue with the way they submitted their ROLs or the algorithm. Let me look up the thread.

I know a guy who ranked program X (a high-ranking program) as his top spot, they ranked him to match, and the NRMP system screwed up and he didn't match anywhere. He called the program and politely said "WTF?!" They said they were totally stumped, too, since they had wanted him and ranked him high. He ended up SOAPing into a prelim year and then matching into a low-tier program. The good news is that he's now a successful attending anesthesiologist. Not sure what happened to you, OP, but it could be the same kind of thing that burned my friend.

I do think you should schedule a meeting with your home program PD and ask what caused you not to be ranked higher in their program. If you don't feel comfortable doing that, approach your dean of student affairs (or whatever they call it at your school) and see if s/he'll ask on your behalf.

What does an applicant do in this situation (besides SOAP in wherever), does NRMP acknowledge that they screwed the applicant? Is there recompense? I can't imagine any MS4 being happy to potentially being set back a year due to a system error.

 

[UnoMas]

What does an applicant do in this situation (besides SOAP in wherever), does NRMP acknowledge that they screwed the applicant? Is there recompense? I can't imagine any MS4 being happy to potentially being set back a year due to a system error.

I could find traces of the fiasco 'Urology fiasco of 05' but I couldn't pin-point the original thread. I think what happened was they reran the algorithm and matched people up correctly. Don't quote me tho

 

[anon6134]

I'm sorry to hear this OP, you deserved a better outcome. One of my surgery interns last year was a SOAP'd GS prelim and ended up in a PGY2 Top 10 anesthesia program starting this past July. I can't imagine what you are going through emotionally but you have earned a better outcome than this and it might just take a little more time than you thought. Keep your head up, it was a rough year

 

[sinombre]

Sorry you’re going through this. If it’s any consolation literately everyone I know who didn’t match wound up matching eventually.

 

[Melchizedek]

I could find traces of the fiasco 'Urology fiasco of 05' but I couldn't pin-point the original thread. I think what happened was they reran the algorithm and matched people up correctly. Don't quote me tho

oops.

 

[North meets South]

The PD specifically said he'd been ranked second, so either that's an overt lie or some error occurred. I'd call BS on the PD if it were a vague "IDK, we ranked you high but I won't tell you exactly where," but I rather doubt a PD at a top program would fabricate an actual number to assuage a non-matched MS4 he's probably never going to see again. I think there was an error in how the program submitted its match rankings or within the NRMP system itself, and I'd take even money on either.

0% chance this occurred as described. If I went unmatched and then found out my #1 program ranked me to match, I would not then SOAP into a random program. The simplest, and most likely, explanation is that your colleague/friend fabricated this story because he was embarrassed to not match. Easier to explain going unmatched by saying it was a system error.

What does an applicant do in this situation (besides SOAP in wherever), does NRMP acknowledge that they screwed the applicant? Is there recompense? I can't imagine any MS4 being happy to potentially being set back a year due to a system error.

Some descriptions regarding what happened in 2005:

"This is what I heard from applicants. The match occurred in January as expected and everyone got their program assignments....THEN, 6 programs (most of which were highly competitive programs) indicated that they didnt get any residents. I am not sure the reason...it may be a simple computer glitch, or maybe the programs were cocky and only ranked like 5 people.....who knows. Regardless, these programs were not expected to scramble for unmatched applicants."

"What the AUA told us applicants was that one of the "match safeguards" did not occur. What we were able to find out was that the match was run with different software by a new group of administrators this year. It appears as if the software did not use applicant preferences in the match, only the institution preferences. Therefore elite applicants who were ranked high by both top programs and "safer" programs produced most of the problems. Elite applicants matched at lower tier programs and the top notch programs, who usually rank fewer applicants, went unmatched. In the first match 8 spots were unfilled, and in the rematch all spots were filled. I would say that the majority of the people who matched ended up rematching at the same place. Some applicants moved up in the list. I have only heard of one person moving down. Unfortunately though, it appears as if a few people who originally matched ended up not matching at all."

 

[watermelon master]

12 but I cancelled the last 4 after I thought I was guaranteed a spot at my home spot if I ranked them 1st in January.

Oh no OP. This is where things went wrong. You only should have ranked your home program #1 if you truly wanted that as your #1 program. If you moved your home program up based on the perceived notion that you were also ranked highly by your PD that is how you get burned. Please, to everybody reading this, rank in the order of YOUR PREFERENCE, not the perceived rank that you will be on the PDs rank list.

Let's say you are a weak internal medicine applicant who gets an interview to MGH - and you really want to go there. Why would you match there? The PD is probably going to rank you super low on their match list. What do you choose MGH to be on your rank list if you really really want to go there but probably won't? YOU RANK IT #1. You do it because you choose your rank list based on where YOU want to go the most.

 

[Jayhow92]

Oh no OP. This is where things went wrong. You only should have ranked your home program #1 if you truly wanted that as your #1 program. If you moved your home program up based on the perceived notion that you were also ranked highly by your PD that is how you get burned. Please, to everybody reading this, rank in the order of YOUR PREFERENCE, not the perceived rank that you will be on the PDs rank list.

Let's say you are a weak internal medicine applicant who gets an interview to MGH - and you really want to go there. Why would you match there? The PD is probably going to rank you super low on their match list. What do you choose MGH to be on your rank list if you really really want to go there but probably won't? YOU RANK IT #1. You do it because you choose your rank list based on where YOU want to go the most.

I agree with that for anybody trying to learn from my situation, but I was honestly going to rank them 1 or 2 regardless. I ranked them 2 thinking I at least had them to fall back on and took a shot at a stronger program I liked a little more with my 1st choice.

 

[Tenk]

Your home PD hosed you. That sucks.

 

[Mad Jack]

US-MD
Step 1- 250
Step 2- 251
CS- pass 1st attempt
- No red flags (no course failures or bad grades, mostly HPs in clerkships)
- No apparent issues during my interviews
- Good CV (1 pub, 2 posters, 1 podium presentation)
8 ranked programs (including home school) to top tier and mid tier places

My advisors don't know what the hell happened. They thought I was a shoe-in. Talked to the PD and she can't give me a straight answer either.

Match Data from NMRP had me basically as close to 100% chance of matching with my stats as I could have gotten.

I've gotten 3 surg prelim IVs so far through the SOAP, but man does this suck. Busted my ass to make sure I didn't get to this scenario. Might be the most unlucky anesthesia candidate in this cycle.

Going to chalk this one up to bad luck with no safeties.

 

[Mad Jack]

Oh no OP. This is where things went wrong. You only should have ranked your home program #1 if you truly wanted that as your #1 program. If you moved your home program up based on the perceived notion that you were also ranked highly by your PD that is how you get burned. Please, to everybody reading this, rank in the order of YOUR PREFERENCE, not the perceived rank that you will be on the PDs rank list.

Let's say you are a weak internal medicine applicant who gets an interview to MGH - and you really want to go there. Why would you match there? The PD is probably going to rank you super low on their match list. What do you choose MGH to be on your rank list if you really really want to go there but probably won't? YOU RANK IT #1. You do it because you choose your rank list based on where YOU want to go the most.

The way the algorithm works, your overall ranking order of programs as an applicant does not affect whether or not you match, it affects where you match, as the algorithm factors applicant preferences first

 

[Lawpy]

Your home PD hosed you. That sucks.

Is this suggestive of a red flag? Or just bad luck? Usually I thought home programs favor their own so hosing them meant something else went wrong but not sure. Could also be specialty/PD specific.

 

[Tenk]

Is this suggestive of a red flag? Or just bad luck? Usually I thought home programs favor their own so hosing them meant something else went wrong but not sure. Could also be specialty/PD specific.

Huge red flag as most home programs do try to keep some locals if they like them. Ultimately only one person submits the rank order list under the residency NRMP login. Usually this is the program director. You could have a meeting with all the faculty and come up with one rank order and then the PD could literally enter in whatever they want and nobody would know. The OPs home PD did not rank them high.

 

[longhaul3]

This actually happened before on this forum. Urology applicant well-known to the program, ranked program #1, program ranked applicant to match. Applicant matched #2, applicant super confused on Match day, sent program an email asking 'I am happy that I matched #2 but just curious why you guys didn't match me if your ranked me to match.' PD was mad too and replied 'yeah whatever u played us.' Then some more conversation, the PD and applicant contacted NRMP and there was in fact an issue with the way they submitted their ROLs or the algorithm. Let me look up the thread.

Genuinely interested in this. Seems like a fool proof algorithm in terms of the theory. My guess is that the program just matched higher on their list than they usually do.

"Ranked to match" also doesn't mean what people think it means. If a program usually matches in their top 50 applicants and takes 10 people, let's say. Then they could tell 50 people that they are "RTM" because that's usually how their numbers shake out. However if one year they match everyone in their top 40, the 10 applicants (#41-50 on the programs list) who got the RTM email but didn't match there even though it was their #1 are pissed because they got an email saying they were RTM.

Moral of the story: NEVER TRUST WHAT THE PROGRAM OR FACULTY SAY EVER. NEVER EVER.

Urology is not an NRMP specialty so I would imagine (if this really happened as described) this wouldn't be a big concern for most. I agree with the "RTM" comment.

 

[libertyyne]

sucks OP. Keep your head up.

Oh no OP. This is where things went wrong. You only should have ranked your home program #1 if you truly wanted that as your #1 program. If you moved your home program up based on the perceived notion that you were also ranked highly by your PD that is how you get burned. Please, to everybody reading this, rank in the order of YOUR PREFERENCE, not the perceived rank that you will be on the PDs rank list.

Let's say you are a weak internal medicine applicant who gets an interview to MGH - and you really want to go there. Why would you match there? The PD is probably going to rank you super low on their match list. What do you choose MGH to be on your rank list if you really really want to go there but probably won't? YOU RANK IT #1. You do it because you choose your rank list based on where YOU want to go the most.

Your order of ranking doesnt matter. If you are higher than other applicants on the PD list you are still going to match.

 

[Angus Avagadro]

Wow, OP, I'm so sorry for your ordeal. I've read the whole thread and no one has mentioned that you are a very competetive candidate and any chance the programs might have gotten the impression that they might not be able to land such a good candidate or you might be more interested on a better program? Just a thought. Hang in there. Good luck and best wishes!

 

[UnoMas]

Wow, OP, I'm so sorry for your ordeal. I've read the whole thread and no one has mentioned that you are a very competetive candidate and any chance the programs might have gotten the impression that they might not be able to land such a good candidate or you might be more interested on a better program? Just a thought. Hang in there. Good luck and best wishes!

I am under the impression that programs rank applicants based on their preference as well unless they really care about how far down the list they go.

On the rare chance that he might have come off as uninterested or arrogant due to his high scores, that might have done it.

 

[mrbreakfast]

OP: I hate to say it, but it honestly sounds like you blew your interviews. I have a rather abrasive classmate who was very competitive but didn't match. A home program resident in the specialty (who I'm gym friends with) told me they didn't even rank this person, exclusively because of personality.

 

[IlDestriero]

I’d chalk it up to bad luck. The sweet spot was always traditionally ranking 10 programs if you were a reasonably competitive applicant and most get in their top 3.
You should be competitive for most places so if you didn’t interview poorly you should be able to get in next year.
Consider it an invitation to reconsider anesthesia one more time before you commit.
You can be a pretty average surgeon, smile a lot, say thanks, send coherent emails to the physicians sending you consults and have a pretty good career, with infinitely more control of your life, and plenty of money. There are a lot of bread and butter experts in urology, ENT, ortho, etc. that refer the complex crap to their partners, drive home at 4pm in their Panemara and bang the former homecoming queen after a nice dinner and 1/2 bottle of wine. Could be you.

 

[Jayhow92]

OP: I hate to say it, but it honestly sounds like you blew your interviews. I have a rather abrasive classmate who was very competitive but didn't match. A home program resident in the specialty (who I'm gym friends with) told me they didn't even rank this person, exclusively because of personality.

I guess so, but most of the interview didn't really feel like interviews at all besides the "Tell me about yourself" or "Do you have any questions for me" type statements. I've always been a down to earth guy with everybody. Maybe it comes off as arrogance, but I've never been told that before.

 

[IlDestriero]

PS Your confused and evasive PD is FOS.
Make sure you do some soul searching and see if you come off as arrogant, entitled, etc. If you lean that way, maybe unintentionally, this is a good reset for you moving forward.
I too was enthusiastically engaged in an interview with an obvious, though very smart and successful, douche with a huge ego and annoying personality for a faculty interview. “Good luck, you’ll do great” (somewhere else)
I wasn’t the only one that gave him the blackball. Great potential, horrible partner material. Hard pass.

 

[watermelon master]

Wow, OP, I'm so sorry for your ordeal. I've read the whole thread and no one has mentioned that you are a very competetive candidate and any chance the programs might have gotten the impression that they might not be able to land such a good candidate or you might be more interested on a better program? Just a thought. Hang in there. Good luck and best wishes!

"The only thing I can guess is either you had too many top tier interviews or too many low tier interviews.

Maybe you weren't the tippy top best candidate for any of the top tiers and you were overqualified for the lower tiers and you fell through the cracks."

from the very first reply

 

[operaman]

Agree with others that your PD isn’t being completely open with you. All they had to say was, “we had you ranked well within our usual match range but this was an off year where we filled much earlier on our list than normal.” This whole “I don’t know what happened” crap really translates to “I don’t want to tell you what happened.” They May also not feel at liberty to divulge the details either.

In my performing days we had a saying that everything you hear in auditions is just rumor until someone hands you a signed contract. I think we can safely apply that to all match related communications as well. Consider everything mere rumor until you open that envelope on match day.

 

[Taco Time]

Why isn’t anyone mentioning that programs don’t know WHO they matched until Thursday? I bet that the PD is FOS but who knows

This sucks for OP, but maybe it is a case of him/her being ranked to match but the program filled its spots before dropping out of the traditionally ranked to match zone of their rankees. Who knows? It’s still odd you didn’t match at all with 8 ranks and those stats. It could be bad luck or something else? Who knows, and we can’t definitively provide you with that answer in this thread.

You should definitely talk to the PD after match and SOAP wraps up as they would be a good source of insight and info as long as they can be honest, but do your best to come across as being humble and avoid anything that would make you seem entitled—can’t be easy as you’re obviously and understandably upset.

Again this sucks. But to all applicants: apply broadly, interview enthusiastically, and hope for the best.

I how everything works out OP!

 

[operaman]

"The only thing I can guess is either you had too many top tier interviews or too many low tier interviews.

Maybe you weren't the tippy top best candidate for any of the top tiers and you were overqualified for the lower tiers and you fell through the cracks."

from the very first reply

The overqualified thing only matters for obtaining interviews since time is limited and you want to maximize yield. If you’re a low-mid tier Midwest or southeast program and you only interview top tier applicants from the northeast or west coast, you would stand a good chance of not filling your positions on match day.

Once you’ve interviewed there really isn’t any sensible reason to rank you lower because stats were “too high” for that program. Theoretically a program could rank 100 random applicants they never even met as the first 100 slots on their ROL, then put in their actual list as the next slots, and it wouldn’t change the match outcomes one bit. They’d have to say they filled 100 slots lower than usual, but they would get the exact same people.

 

[libertyyne]

Anxious med student here... most competitive applicants who are told they were ranked highly by a program DO match well, right? The OP, who im sure is having a very rough time and who i sympathize with, is a rare anomaly - i hope?

Go to the number of interview spots with the corresponding match rate that is acceptable to you. 2 do not trust anything any anyone says.
Op got screwed by not going on and ranking 4 additional places because a PD lied to OP.
These hoes ain't loyal.

 

[mistafab]

Just gonna say OP that this stinks and I really hope things end up working out.

 

[Jayhow92]

Good news. I matched into a surg prelim so all is not lost. I will apply for anesthesia again for the upcoming cycle. I am more motivated to be an anesthesiologist now than ever before.

But lessons for everyone
- apply to more than you think even if you have great stats
- you are not entitled to anything. Getting a spot anywhere is an amazing opportunity.
- programs will tell you anything to fill spots so make sure you have plenty of options
- get a backup specialty to apply in if your interest is competive. You don’t ever want to go through SOAPing if you can avoid it. Wouldn’t wish what I went through on my worst enemy. It was absolute hell

 

[jw3600]

Sort of skimmed but I didn’t see anyone address this. Where does this myth come from that lower tier programs don’t rank “overqualified” applicants. They have nothing to lose if they do and maybe they’ll get lucky a couple times. Every program still lies about “only going down so far our list blah blah.” That data isn’t known to anyone. Bad programs are still ranking strong applicants knowing that their yield will be low but not always zero. OP probably was just a victim of variance. Just missed matching at all of his programs slash his home program hosing him.
Anyways congrats on the prelim!

 

[puahate]

Is this this the future?

 

[watermelon master]

Sort of skimmed but I didn’t see anyone address this. Where does this myth come from that lower tier programs don’t rank “overqualified” applicants. They have nothing to lose if they do and maybe they’ll get lucky a couple times. Every program still lies about “only going down so far our list blah blah.” That data isn’t known to anyone. Bad programs are still ranking strong applicants knowing that their yield will be low but not always zero. OP probably was just a victim of variance. Just missed matching at all of his programs slash his home program hosing him.
Anyways congrats on the prelim!

Where did the myth come from that they don't RANK overqualified applicants? Don't they rank the residents least likely to come lower because they don't want to fall down the rank list?

 

[jw3600]

Where did the myth come from that they don't RANK overqualified applicants? Don't they rank the residents least likely to come lower because they don't want to fall down the rank list?

No. That’s the myth. Doesn’t make sense logically. All programs go down their list to some extent. Then they all subsequently lie and say they got their “top X!” They rank the better applicants higher because that’s the only way they might get them.

 

[751866]

Where did the myth come from that they don't RANK overqualified applicants? Don't they rank the residents least likely to come lower because they don't want to fall down the rank list?

I have confirmation from someone who was in these rank meetings within the last 10 years that this does happen at some programs. It annoyed the person so much because they all knew how the algorithm worked, yet they ranked based on how likely they thought they could fill sooner into their list for dumb bragging rights (obviously there were some exceptions).