The match...

[Babycatcher2B]

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... Is a big fat game of selfish lies and deceit, WHAT A GREAT WAY TO START YOUR PROFESSIONAL CAREER!!! I guess we're in the real world now.

 

[Law2Doc]

... Is a big fat game of selfish lies and deceit, WHAT A GREAT WAY TO START YOUR PROFESSIONAL CAREER!!! I guess we're in the real world now.

Well, there certainly is a large component of applicants and programs blowing smoke up eachother's backsides, and lots of old boy network phone calls, but I don't think it's as bad as you make it out. In most cases you do your best, bring whatever resources you have to bear, and the programs likewise try to woo you with pre-interview dinners and catered lunches and show you a good time. Then you rank the programs in the order they impressed you, and the programs rank the applicants. And a computer sorts it all out and gives you an answer a month later. Not the worst system in the world. I think there was an equivalent number of problems with the med school admissions game.

 

[JanetteBournes]

What a waste of $.

I like you, you like me. The deal could've been struck on Interview #1 and not Interview #20.

 

[Law2Doc]

What a waste of $.

I like you, you like me. The deal could've been struck on Interview #1 and not Interview #20.

unless it took twenty interviews unti you found a good option.

 

[JanetteBournes]

unless it took twenty interviews unti you found a good option.

True but I'm willing to wager the vast majority of us were able to do it in under 10 interviews. If not 5.

 

[John Deere Gree]

Med school admissions was worse. Just think, a candidate interviews at x amount of places, and gets accpeted to x amount of places, and HOLDS onto all acceptances (or most) until the last minute because they can't decide. Then that leads to several people being waitlisted (myself included) to get into medical school at the last minute.

The match prevents this from happening, and for that I'm thankful. Yes the match is a game/crapshoot, and once you are at peace with that then life gets much better.

 

[gutonc]

True but I'm willing to wager the vast majority of us were able to do it in under 10 interviews. If not 5.

Mine was 13 (of 16 I went on). I was happy to have the extra exposure. Not happy about the debt but that's the way life goes sometimes.

 

[PeepshowJohnny]

Med school admissions was worse. Just think, a candidate interviews at x amount of places, and gets accpeted to x amount of places, and HOLDS onto all acceptances (or most) until the last minute because they can't decide. Then that leads to several people being waitlisted (myself included) to get into medical school at the last minute.

The match prevents this from happening, and for that I'm thankful. Yes the match is a game/crapshoot, and once you are at peace with that then life gets much better.

I agree. Even though the match is a dictator, it's somewhat of a benevolent one.

 

[LadyGrey]

Stressful as this process is, and as much as it feels like a Rules-based dating scene, it is sooooo much better than the med school application/interview process. (And I went through that twice, so I feel like an expert on how much it sucks 😉).

Some people still wind up in a horrible limbo (the Scramble), but at least it's brief -- compared to the vast numbers on med school waitlists for months, hoping for some movement. I'll definitely take the Match over that system.

 

[error404]

I'd take the med school process over the match any day-- but then again, I was one of those asshats who held a few acceptances while trying to make up my mind. (Though I promise I tried not to drag it out.)

The match is more *fair.* But those of us who could have had an offer back in September hate all the waiting.

In what other profession do you get assigned your future location, and possibly specialty?

 

[NotAProgDirector]

True but I'm willing to wager the vast majority of us were able to do it in under 10 interviews. If not 5.

This assumes that I'm ready to strike a deal. Perhaps I want to wait for someone "better". I put you on a waitlist. Now you go on your next interview, and that PD offers you a spot. Etc...

What you get is exactly what happens in med school -- a small number of competitive candidates get a bunch of offers, sit on them, and tie up the system. Except, in that case, Med Schools are not worried. They know that if someone turns them down at the last minute, there are 10 other people who would be happy to take the spot.

In residency, there are just about as many spots as US candidates. Assuming that many programs may want to focus on US candidates, I'm going to be under severe pressure to fill my slots. If I give them to the "best" cadidates, perhaps they'll bail at the last minute to go to another program. But, if I give them to weaker candidates, then there's more chance they'll stay.

Also, this creates a "first come first served" situation. Interviewing early is better than interviewing late, as perhaps all of the spots will be gone by then.

 

[Babycatcher2B]

Well now that I think about it the med school process may be a bit worst. I didn't experience that stress because I knew exactly where I wanted to go, got accepted, and then accepted the spot, and canceled all my other interviews (lucky me). But I must say the waiting process is still comparable and similar since we all have to wait to see if we get a spot in somebody's program. And there is much more deceit in the match since everyone is playing the game for their own selfish purposes.

 

[BlondeDocteur]

Remember how it was in the 60s, before the Match? Very competitive candidates were getting residency offers in second year to lock them in-- there were so many rounds of escalation of the process AProgDir described. Candidates were given "exploding offers" that gave them 72 hours to decide. And everything was conducted by postal mail, adding to the chaos.

 

[NotAProgDirector]

Remember how it was in the 60s, before the Match? Very competitive candidates were getting residency offers in second year to lock them in-- there were so many rounds of escalation of the process AProgDir described. Candidates were given "exploding offers" that gave them 72 hours to decide. And everything was conducted by postal mail, adding to the chaos.

No need to go back to the '60's. Simply look at what was happening in the GI Fellowship application process about 5 years ago, pre match. It was ugly.