the "MSAR" of residencies

[kdburton]

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I remember when I was at an interview not too long ago (I haven't started med school yet), one of the speakers told us about a book that has all sorts of information about residency programs - maybe it wasn't specific programs, but it was at least divided up into specialties... It had information like average USMLE scores, AOA, class rank, research, blah blah blah that you needed to have to be competitive. Does anyone know what I'm talking about? What book is this? I know its really early to even be thinking about this stuff, but I always look back and say "I wish I would have known then what I know now" and I want to avoid that as much as possible when it comes to finishing med school

 

[colbgw02]

There are myriad books covering this. A simple search of "residency" at Amazon.com yielded this result:

http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_ss_/...l=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=residency

Over/under on number of weeks into medical school that you stop worrying about this: 4

 

[The Buff]

Over/under on number of weeks into medical school that you stop worrying about this: 4

I'll take the under.

 

[Critical Mass]

Check the two links in my signature.

One has the stats for NRMP matching in 2005 (a newer version should come out before too long). Keep in mind that some programs (e.g. urology, ORL, ophtho) run their own matches outside of NRMP. Neurology just started using NRMP.

The other is an online directory of what programs are where.

 

[Reimat]

I remember when I was at an interview not too long ago (I haven't started med school yet), one of the speakers told us about a book that has all sorts of information about residency programs - maybe it wasn't specific programs, but it was at least divided up into specialties... It had information like average USMLE scores, AOA, class rank, research, blah blah blah that you needed to have to be competitive. Does anyone know what I'm talking about? What book is this?

I think the book you're talking about is Iserson's guide to getting into a residency for medical students - it fits your description pretty well. It has lots of good advice - although much of that advice can be summed up by saying "honor everything throughout med school (most importantly in your clinical years), get to know some important people in your chosen field well so that they can write you killer LORs, and do great on the boards. And get research published if it interests you and you want to apply to a competitive residency".

 

[Prodigy]

How about FA for the Match?

 

[Law2Doc]

I remember when I was at an interview not too long ago (I haven't started med school yet), one of the speakers told us about a book that has all sorts of information about residency programs - maybe it wasn't specific programs, but it was at least divided up into specialties... It had information like average USMLE scores, AOA, class rank, research, blah blah blah that you needed to have to be competitive. Does anyone know what I'm talking about? What book is this? I know its really early to even be thinking about this stuff, but I always look back and say "I wish I would have known then what I know now" and I want to avoid that as much as possible when it comes to finishing med school

I'm not sure people approach residencies the same way as med schools. For the first couple of years, your goal is really to keep as many doors open as possible, because the vast majority of med students will change their mind on what specialty they want to go into. You want to do as well as you can in everything, particularly on Step 1 and rotations, and perhaps squeeze in some research if you think something competitive might be in the cards. Then once you know what you want to go into you find yourself a good mentor in the field because word of mouth is everything in this business. As others have said since most people don't know what they want to go into, and since all residencies are going to be easier to get if you do well, most people will basically just spend the first couple of years worrying about doing well and table residency stuff until you start rotations and start seeing things. (There are exceptions to this, but the majority of people don't have a clue what they ultimately will like -- and those that think they do are in most cases dead wrong).

 

[Critical Mass]

I made reference to NRMP outcomes because it is straight stats just like the MSAR. Iserson's is a great reference, but I thought that the OP just wanted stats based on a given match.

 

[racerx]

Maybe this is what you're talking about.

http://www.ama-assn.org/ama/pub/category/3991.html#1

 

[Guile]

Check the two links in my signature.

One has the stats for NRMP matching in 2005 (a newer version should come out before too long). Keep in mind that some programs (e.g. urology, ORL, ophtho) run their own matches outside of NRMP. Neurology just started using NRMP.

The other is an online directory of what programs are where.

Here are the links for posterity.

http://www.nrmp.org/matchoutcomes.pdf
http://www.ama-assn.org/ama/pub/category/2997.html

You might change your signature SOME day, you know? 😉

 

[crazy_cavalier]

Just read Iserson's

 

[kdburton]

Thanks for the responses