The Scramble

[Lefty]

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I guess its time to get geared up for the scramble. Any suggestions are greatly appreciated--especially from those who may have scrambled in the last 2 years.

Here are some specific questions I have that I'd love to get answers to:

1- Should I plan to apply to more than the 30 extra apps that ERAS allows us?

2- Did most who scrambled for anesthesia last year get into anesthesia? If not what did you scramble into?

3- For those that were able to successfully scramble into anesthesia how long did it take?

4- Am I going to be at the mercy of trusting someone over the phone who offers me a position but could always back out if they liked another applicant better?

5- Has anyone else had their pregnant wife go into labor on the same Black Monday they didn't match?

Thanks for your help and suggestions,

Lefty

 

[txdoc2b]

5- Has anyone else had their pregnant wife go into labor on the same Black Monday they didn't match?

Thanks for your help and suggestions,

Lefty

Sorry, I'm not going to be much help with questions #1-4, but I just wanted to offer my sentiments. I'm assuming you are also referring to yourself when you ask #5 and if you are, first and foremost...congratulations. That's something to really be excited about. But I just wanted to say that must be a lot of stress to have to worry about scrambling when you just want to be enjoying this special time on your life. I wish you the best of luck with both the baby and with the scramble. Hang in there....good things will come! 🙂

 

[VentdependenT]

I'm not too scramble savy but I hope you land a spot for cryen out loud.

 

[matt25]

Good questions Lefty. Your not alone. I wanted to add a few more:

1.) Does anyone know how many people scramble each year for a spot?

2.) If you don't match and end up doing 2 preliminary years, are you more or less competetive when you re-apply?

 

[LonghornJPS]

Check out this site. It gives some good advice about how to scramble.

http://www.imgresidency.com/

Good Luck!

 

[refreshingred]

Can someone please help me get a list of non-filled positions when they become available tomorrow? Perhaps they could be posted on SDN or PM'd to me. I'm trying to scramble for 2006 positions and would have registered with the NRMP and done the whole traditional application, but I didn't decide to leave my FP program till pretty late . . . and consequently missed the deadline. Lend a helping hand, if you can.
Thanks.

 

[Lonestar]

Lefty,
sorry to hear about your troubles. I scrambled into an anesthesia spot last year. Many of the programs were in new york. But I wanted to stay in the south (where its sunny). Luckily i ended up matching at a decent program through the scramble. I can tell you all about this program if they don't match all their spots again this year.

The process in general is very nerve-racking. Last year they had 89 spots open of which not all were officially open (some were reserved for surgery people or others who wanted to switch over). From your grades (mainly step 1) I don't think you will have problem matching. Lot of PDs love to have us grads with those scores. Just caste your net wide. Try for anesthesia first and if that doesn't work out try for prelim medicine spots on the second day of scramble. Thats what I would do. Give all your attention to gaining an anesthesia spot (that should be your sole purpose on the first scramble day). Hope this helps.

P.S. my stats : step 1 234, US grad, good lors, good clinical grades. **** happens you just gotta to put it aside and move on. BTW my intern year is going just peachy.

 

[Capsaicin]

Lefty,

Know that we are all pulling for you on scramble day. You got screwed, put it behind you and be strong...I can see you already have the winning attitude about this. Stay focused and give 'em hell. I am sure you'll make it in. Best of luck.

--Cap

 

[VentdependenT]

Any luck out there on the scramble front peeps?

 

[feelin gassy]

lefty,

My heart goes out to you. Congratulations on the new baby and I hope evrything worked out well for you.