The EM scramble isn't REALLY a scramble...the open spots seem to be either pre-ordained, or no effort is made to fill them during the scramble. For example, at Metropolitan last year (where they had 3 openings out of 7), the scramble started at noon...by 4pm, all spots were filled, and they had 2 contracts SIGNED and IN HAND at that time. I would have been hard-pressed to even have been up on the upper east side in less than an hour and a half, so those were real locals.
The midwestern programs stay true to themselves - even in the scramble, they, as a PD told me, "Only take their own tri-state people". Drew-MLK (the only hospital in the country to have unfilled EM and ortho positions) even took their own sweet time (where they only filled 12 of 14) - and they still were full the next day.
I have one piece of advice, on the off chance you end up like an egg in waiting...
Go for the weakest programs first; the strongest ones will be flooded, so, when you DO get through, they'll tell you to fax your stuff. Bing. Big surprise Then, you've missed the window for the others.
I have a suspicion, too, that there will be more open spots this year...I personally think that the demand has reached its max two years ago.
Quote me in 4 months or so, especially if I am dead wrong!