Those "Linked" Prelims

[gabaergic1]

Hi,

I'm applying to a few advanced positions that carry along with them, guaranteed/linked prelims.

As I understand it, the advanced program and the guaranteed prelim program (internal medicine) rank you the same to make this work...HOWEVER...

I'm wondering if this ONLY works if you rank that guaranteed/linked prelim as #1 in the supplementary list?

I would think it shouldn't matter...Meaning I can rank another prelim as #1 and still be guaranteed the "linked" one if I rank it #2 (if my number one prelim doesn't rank me high enough)??

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[RangerBob]

Hi,

I'm applying to a few advanced positions that carry along with them, guaranteed/linked prelims.

As I understand it, the advanced program and the guaranteed prelim program (internal medicine) rank you the same to make this work...HOWEVER...

I'm wondering if this ONLY works if you rank that guaranteed/linked prelim as #1 in the supplementary list?

I would think it shouldn't matter...Meaning I can rank another prelim as #1 and still be guaranteed the "linked" one if I rank it #2 (if my number one prelim doesn't rank me high enough)??

I believe this is how linked programs work:

Lets say there are 4 linked positions, and for simplicity, lets say there are four positions total in the advanced program. The IM program sets aside four prelim positions in the match for the specialty those positions are linked with. Then everyone makes their rank list. If you match into that program for your advanced specialty, then the match algorithm looks at your prelim list. If your first choice is at that program with the linked prelim, then it'll put you there (but it may not if there aren't enough linked prelims for all the advanced positions).

If you end up ranking something higher and matching there, then you don't end up with the linked position, and that position either goes to someone else matching into your specialty at that program, or if those linked positions didn't fill, then usually that position becomes a general prelim spot for any prelim candidate.

That's how it was described to me by a program with true linked positions. Other programs don't have true linked programs, meaning while the advanced and prelim programs talk to one another about their rankings, no prelim spots are held for any department in particular and thus you're not guaranteed a spot if you match there for advanced.

So yes, I think in theory you're guaranteed that prelim position if you wanted to use it as a "backup" in the scenario you describe. However, I'd make sure the advanced program doesn't specifically want you to do your prelim year through the linked program.

 

[NotAProgDirector]

This is basically correct. Here's how it works:

When a program creates a "linked" prelim, the NRMP has a specific mechanism to make that work. I simply rank all of the advanced candidates on my prelim list. But, since it's linked, there's a setting by which I say that, when the prelim match happens, I only want those people whom have already matched advanced. Everyone else is "removed" from the list, so that they can't get a spot. So, if I have 4 advanced spots with linked prelims, the rank list that is processed will have 4 slots, and only 4 names on it. Hence, everyone who wants one gets a spot.

What happens in the OP's situation? The OP is welcome to rank some other program #1. If they don't get a spot there, then they will get a prelim spot at the same institution as the Advanced program (since the number of slots = the number of people on the rank list). If they do match at Program #1, then there will be an unfilled "linked" prelim spot.

What happens to that spot? It turns out that I can have several different prelim matches. So, I could have 4 neuro linked prelims, and 5 other unlinked prelims. I'll have 2 match numbers -- they will be XXXXXXXXP0 (for the unlinked spots) and XXXXXXXXP1 for the linked spots. What I'll do is "revert" the P1 list to the P0 list -- so any unfilled spots on P1 will roll over to the P0 list, and I'll get one more prelim from that list. Hence, no harm no foul, doesn't matter to the program at all if you take the linked prelim or not.

Probably more than you really wanted to know, but that's the scoop.

 

[gabaergic1]

Interestingly, there is a weird nrmp ranking glitch I picked up on.

So when I have my linked-prelim as #2 in my supp list and delete it... then try to rank it again (with my non-linked still on as #1), I get a freaky error saying something like "dual a/p not allowable."

I had to go back and delete my entire supp list, rank my linked prelim FIRST, then rank my preferred (non-linked) prelim second, and switch them around in order to make it work again.

This is basically correct. Here's how it works:

When a program creates a "linked" prelim, the NRMP has a specific mechanism to make that work. I simply rank all of the advanced candidates on my prelim list. But, since it's linked, there's a setting by which I say that, when the prelim match happens, I only want those people whom have already matched advanced. Everyone else is "removed" from the list, so that they can't get a spot. So, if I have 4 advanced spots with linked prelims, the rank list that is processed will have 4 slots, and only 4 names on it. Hence, everyone who wants one gets a spot.

What happens in the OP's situation? The OP is welcome to rank some other program #1. If they don't get a spot there, then they will get a prelim spot at the same institution as the Advanced program (since the number of slots = the number of people on the rank list). If they do match at Program #1, then there will be an unfilled "linked" prelim spot.

What happens to that spot? It turns out that I can have several different prelim matches. So, I could have 4 neuro linked prelims, and 5 other unlinked prelims. I'll have 2 match numbers -- they will be XXXXXXXXP0 (for the unlinked spots) and XXXXXXXXP1 for the linked spots. What I'll do is "revert" the P1 list to the P0 list -- so any unfilled spots on P1 will roll over to the P0 list, and I'll get one more prelim from that list. Hence, no harm no foul, doesn't matter to the program at all if you take the linked prelim or not.

Probably more than you really wanted to know, but that's the scoop.