To those who were left out...

[goldengate]

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So I see 200 people got left out in the cold...any of you out there??? and there are less than 20 vacancies...what to do, what to do? The stats say there are actually 38 unfilled positions. But not all of them are posted...I wonder why? So the majority of those who did not match are going to have to resort to Plan B...anyone care to share theirs? Or any suggestions from those who did match? Thanks! Any support will be appreciated.

 

[penguins]

Where are you getting these numbers?

 

[copperhouse]

Did you got the statistics page from SF Match....??

 

[Claymore]

The match stats came out today. Avg USMLE for matched=219, avg for unmatched=205. Percent of US Seniors, which is sometimes used as a measure of competitiveness, was down from 96% to 93% indicating that neuro was in fact a slightly tougher match this year. Indeed, 200 people went unmatched and 38 spots were unfilled.

 

[ChildNeuro]

Does anyone know what the match statistics were for Child Neurology i.e. average usmle, % matched, unfilled? . . . thanks!

 

[goldengate]

So I see 200 people got left out in the cold...any of you out there??? and there are less than 20 vacancies...what to do, what to do? The stats say there are actually 38 unfilled positions. But not all of them are posted...I wonder why? So the majority of those who did not match are going to have to resort to Plan B...anyone care to share theirs? Or any suggestions from those who did match? Thanks! Any support will be appreciated.

OK, OK...I got the stats sheet in the mail with my official match result...but hey, before this thread goes off tangent any further, any thoughts on the issues I brought up in my initial post? Thanks!

 

[reesie0726]

Well, I am looking into several of the post match vacancies. One has been already taken that I was interested in. That program took someone they had already interviewed. I have an interview at another program. I am waiting for slow san francisco match to forward my application to two other programs. At this point if I don't get anyone of those three, I am going to sit out and try to do some good research next year and reapply.

 

[sting]

Congrats on the post match interview. I've haven't heard anything from the programs I faxed/called/emailed 🙁 But I'm still hoping for the best. Otherwise my plan involves a year of research also. If you don't mind could you tell us which program has that position filled. The silence of the programs in general bothers me and I would know not to expect anything from that program.

Thanks

 

[reesie0726]

Congrats on the post match interview. I've haven't heard anything from the programs I faxed/called/emailed 🙁 But I'm still hoping for the best. Otherwise my plan involves a year of research also. If you don't mind could you tell us which program has that position filled. The silence of the programs in general bothers me and I would know not to expect anything from that program.

Thanks

If you look at the sfmatch vacancy page, many of the programs that had vacancies have been removed. It looks like the programs are pretty good about getting taken off the vacancy list once they fill the spot.

 

[MDgirl76]

None of the programs (vacancies) on SFMAtch for Neurology have been removed since 2/1/06 to my knowledge. Can you please mention which program has filled its spot?

If you look at the sfmatch vacancy page, many of the programs that had vacancies have been removed. It looks like the programs are pretty good about getting taken off the vacancy list once they fill the spot.

 

[goldengate]

None of the programs (vacancies) on SFMAtch for Neurology have been removed since 2/1/06 to my knowledge. Can you please mention which program has filled its spot?

3 programs have been removed from the list since it first came out - Indiana U, U Mass, and Penn State U. That leaves 17 potential vacancies.

 

[MDgirl76]

thanks golden

3 programs have been removed from the list since it first came out - Indiana U, U Mass, and Penn State U. That leaves 17 potential vacancies.

 

[sting]

I really don't like this Neuro scramble at all. For one I haven't got a interview invite. The other big problem is that you can never talk to a human being associated with the program 😕 . You just talk to machines and communicate sparingly in cyberspace. i realize they are bombarded with applications. In fact one very cordial coordinator emailed me that they received over 75 applications for one bloody position. It would actually be nice if sent 'you gotta be kidding me' letter, then atleast I could move on. This is so much worse than the match. Atleast in the match you have a few more things in your favor. I think with the scramble where they have a year and half to find someone, the applicant is a sitting duck . But I must say it feels good to complain about. tell me what you think fellow scramblers

 

[MDgirl76]

i

I really don't like this Neuro scramble at all. For one I haven't got a interview invite. The other big problem is that you can never talk to a human being associated with the program 😕 . You just talk to machines and communicate sparingly in cyberspace. i realize they are bombarded with applications. In fact one very cordial coordinator emailed me that they received over 75 applications for one bloody position. It would actually be nice if sent 'you gotta be kidding me' letter, then atleast I could move on. This is so much worse than the match. Atleast in the match you have a few more things in your favor. I think with the scramble where they have a year and half to find someone, the applicant is a sitting duck . But I must say it feels good to complain about. tell me what you think fellow scramblers

 

[MDgirl76]

i feel your pain on and off -- wuts your back up plan?

I really don't like this Neuro scramble at all. For one I haven't got a interview invite. The other big problem is that you can never talk to a human being associated with the program 😕 . You just talk to machines and communicate sparingly in cyberspace. i realize they are bombarded with applications. In fact one very cordial coordinator emailed me that they received over 75 applications for one bloody position. It would actually be nice if sent 'you gotta be kidding me' letter, then atleast I could move on. This is so much worse than the match. Atleast in the match you have a few more things in your favor. I think with the scramble where they have a year and half to find someone, the applicant is a sitting duck . But I must say it feels good to complain about. tell me what you think fellow scramblers

 

[sting]

i feel your pain on and off -- wuts your back up plan?

Well the main options are 1. to try my luck in the medicine match or 2. to do a year of research. In a similar fashion to the med/neuro combined programs, I was thinking of doing a medicine residency and then reapplying for a neuro residency after that. I realize its a bit long in terms of training without getting fellowship training. However, looking carefully at the field, I see this as an area in which neuro is going. In this age of old stroke patients with multiple medical problems, neurology training does adequately let you take of their other problems like diabetes, CAD, Renal failure, etc. Doing both residencies allow for more job opportunities in neuro-hospitalist type fields and even in some areas of critical care. Being an IMG I realize that it is very important to find some way into the system and then take care of things later on. I love Neuro and this is what I want to do. I guess I will find a way in...eventually. Clearly, this is a way to make me a stronger clinician. MDgirl76 what's your plan?

 

[matakanan]

In a similar fashion to the med/neuro combined programs, I was thinking of doing a medicine residency and then reapplying for a neuro residency after that.

I am not sure about this ....but i heard from a resident that u can do 2 years of a categorical IM and then jump into neuro, thus u can write both boards(IM & Neuro).
Or u if u don't get a prelim... do a year of Categ IM while u look out for a neuro pgy2 spot... well if u get a spot, then quit the Categorical prog after a year and u would have completed the required IM pgy1 as well. ( Of course u are basically screwing the PD and the hospital, as u had committed 3 years to their hospital...)

 

[MDgirl76]

Yes when you apply for categorical you are intending to do a 3 yr residency. However, in all fairness both the program and candidate have the option of renewing the contract if either is not pleased. I am just curious as to what problems might arise if you choose not to renew the contract.. a problem with doing 2 residencies is that the government may not fund the second program as much for taking a resident who has completed a residency already and this depends on the program if they are willing to take the loss and still take you.. some don't mind, I am under the impression most do however.. though not sure

I am not sure about this ....but i heard from a resident that u can do 2 years of a categorical IM and then jump into neuro, thus u can write both boards(IM & Neuro).
Or u if u don't get a prelim... do a year of Categ IM while u look out for a neuro pgy2 spot... well if u get a spot, then quit the Categorical prog after a year and u would have completed the required IM pgy1 as well. ( Of course u are basically screwing the PD and the hospital, as u had committed 3 years to their hospital...)

 

[matakanan]

Well if u don't want to renew ur contract..there are many ways to goin abt it..
1) tell the PD in advance like 4 mths notice, tell him something like IM is not what u expected and u want to do neuro ad u did find a pgy2 spot for the coming year. But if ur PD and the department gets pissed, he could screw with ur remaining rotations and probably might sign the completion certificate saying that u were incompetant etc.
2) u could tell ur PD in the end of pgy1... but thats not fair since u could have given him ample notice to look out for a replacement. But i guess alls fair in love, war and pgy1 spots.
I know abt J1 visa.. u are allowed to change ur specialty once when ur on a J1.

the problem with finishing 1 residency(3 years of cat IM) and then jumping into another residency is that u have to be joining as a Pgy4 student in the next residency.... which means the next program(neuro) has to pay u a pgy4,5,6 salary...that might put some programs off. But i guess most don't mind.

 

[penguins]

Someone PLEASE correct me if I am wrong...

If you sign up for a cat spot fully intending on switching into neuro for PGY-2 then you are going to have to be careful about your schedule for PGY-1. It has to be set up to fullfill the criteria for a neuro prelim and I don't know how you could make such requests without telling them why. This wouldn't be a problem in all programs, but there will always be programs who set up their PGY-1 differently and it would suck to have too many electives or something and not have it fullfil the neuro criteria.
Plus, the cat programs will likely know that you had tried to get into neuro (unless you lie which would be dumb) so they would either need serious convincing to take you as a cat or not really care at all that there was a good possibility you would make the switch.
Some of my friends in residency already say that when people switch it isn't that big of a deal. Like the attendings/PD looks at is as someone changing majors as a sophmore in college. OBVIOUSLY, the reaction would vary at different programs though.
I interviewed with so many medicine attendings who had been neuro prelim and switched to IM and several neuro residents who had originally wanted to do IM.
It is important to get into the system however you can. But I wouldn't recommend lying to get in somewhere at all costs because medicine is a small world and it will come back to haunt you.

 

[sting]

Someone PLEASE correct me if I am wrong...

If you sign up for a cat spot fully intending on switching into neuro for PGY-2 then you are going to have to be careful about your schedule for PGY-1. It has to be set up to fullfill the criteria for a neuro prelim and I don't know how you could make such requests without telling them why. This wouldn't be a problem in all programs, but there will always be programs who set up their PGY-1 differently and it would suck to have too many electives or something and not have it fullfil the neuro criteria.
Plus, the cat programs will likely know that you had tried to get into neuro (unless you lie which would be dumb) so they would either need serious convincing to take you as a cat or not really care at all that there was a good possibility you would make the switch.
Some of my friends in residency already say that when people switch it isn't that big of a deal. Like the attendings/PD looks at is as someone changing majors as a sophmore in college. OBVIOUSLY, the reaction would vary at different programs though.
I interviewed with so many medicine attendings who had been neuro prelim and switched to IM and several neuro residents who had originally wanted to do IM.
It is important to get into the system however you can. But I wouldn't recommend lying to get in somewhere at all costs because medicine is a small world and it will come back to haunt you.

Yeah I completely agree with you. It will take some planning of schedules and of when to break the news and all if I decide to make the switch early on to neuro. You really can't really do anything till your actually at the IM program. btw thanks everybody for the input. 👍

 

[neuroboy69]

I was also scrambling for a spot. The programs that I know as a fact filled are: UC davis, U mass, Yale, and mississippi. UCLA said they're interviewing 4 people so most likely one of them got it.

Congrats on the post match interview. I've haven't heard anything from the programs I faxed/called/emailed 🙁 But I'm still hoping for the best. Otherwise my plan involves a year of research also. If you don't mind could you tell us which program has that position filled. The silence of the programs in general bothers me and I would know not to expect anything from that program.

Thanks