Tough Year?

[Newt23]

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Hey fellow applicants,

Hope this doesn't raise the collective anxiety level, but I wanted to get a sense for the feeling out there. I'm a current applicant for residency. I considered myself an average/above average ophtho applicant. Above average Step, good research, decent grades (not AOA, but top 15% of class), great letters, good EC's. Really no weakness, even if I'm not the strongest.

When applying this year, I thought I would at least hit on programs that applicants from my school usually get interviews (especially since I know I'm a stronger applicant on paper than a couple of them from last year). However, I have missed on some common programs in the region and that we normally get interviews at. I'm not too worried as I have 4 interviews now, but I just thought I would get some that I'm missing.

So, I'm wondering if anyone has heard from PDs or residency committees whether this is a hard year for applicants. High numbers? Super strong applicants? Just my problem?

 

[ophthapp1]

If you are average/above average like you say, and the average # of interviews is around 4, and you have 4 already, then I'd say you're really going to be OK.

The biggest factor here is still today's date: 9/29. Early for the majority of programs.

 

[supersnazzy]

i heard today that this year has a "record breaking number of applicants"

 

[napo1eon]

wonderful!

i also have not gotten a single transitional year interview yet... i mean...damn

 

[ocularis]

Look, everyone said the same last year, it's what people are always buzzing about on interviews, etc.

I think IT IS fair to say it this year is the toughest year yet, as every year has only been getting tougher. Same goes for getting into med school and the majority of other residency specialities (even IM), the national USMLE avg, etc. Average matched ophtho board scores creep up yearly, as do the number of applicants. Most of your rejection emails will include an explanation of how it has been the hardest year yet and they have so many more qualified applicants, part of it is sugar-coating & letting you off easy, part of it is true .. but this truth hasn't changed year to year, and every year has indeed been record breaking. All that being said, I don't think the differences have been drastic year to year, and I am sure this one is no different, if you compare 5 years back - sure, cumulatively, it's drastic.

Interview offers vary yearly, and it is still very early, many schools will have more waves of invites. It depends on who you talked to, etc, don't let yourself believe that every individual from your home program gets an interview at program X - it's simply not true, and unless your application is truly an outlier among your peers (good or bad), I am sure your invites are not outliers either. You may have not gotten some offers you anticipated, and I am sure you will have some unanticipated surprises from programs off your radar, too. In the end, more or less, it will all come out even, understanding that every year is more challenging but your chances of matching should be comparable to last year.

https://www.sfmatch.org/SpecialtyInsideAll.aspx?id=6&typ=2&name=Ophthalmology#