What are the chances one doesn't into top 3 in IM?

[chintu]

---

Members don't see this ad.

Does anyone know what the odds are of not matching into your top 3 choices in IM? I know in general ~85% US grads get it but I would imagine it being somewhat higher for IM. Most residents I talked to matched at either their #1 or 2, very few got their #3 but I don't know of anyone who didn't match into their first 3 choices. I ask because I can only see myself going to my top 3, the rest of the programs I interviewed at are places that I would really be unhappy at for some reason or another. If this is the case then is it a good idea to rank only 3 programs and if I don't match then take a year off (get married,travel,etc), do some research at a place I really want to go to and then reapply? Does this sound like a completely crazy idea?

 

[johnnywalker]

how many programs did u apply 2 and interview at? just curious ...

 

[RTrain]

Does anyone know what the odds are of not matching into your top 3 choices in IM? I know in general ~85% US grads get it but I would imagine it being somewhat higher for IM. Most residents I talked to matched at either their #1 or 2, very few got their #3 but I don't know of anyone who didn't match into their first 3 choices. I ask because I can only see myself going to my top 3, the rest of the programs I interviewed at are places that I would really be unhappy at for some reason or another. If this is the case then is it a good idea to rank only 3 programs and if I don't match then take a year off (get married,travel,etc), do some research at a place I really want to go to and then reapply? Does this sound like a completely crazy idea?

I don't know the statistics, but I do know that you answered your own question. The way to approach the match is to rank everywhere you would go, and rank only those places where you would be okay with going - so if you truly couldn't be happy anywhere but your top three, then those are the only places you should rank. But you should carefully examine whether you really couldn't be happy anyplace else you interviewed, or if you'd just be less happy than at your top three (which is why you'd rank them lower), because only ranking three places would decrease your chance of matching, no doubts. If the answer is that your really would be happier not matching than going to your fourth choice, then you don't really have a question.

 

[chintu]

I applied to 22 places, got 15 offers and went to 9 of them based on geographic location where I want to be. As I mentioned some of the ones I interviewed at I just didn't feel like I would fit in well with the residents, either had poor fellowship matching, or were in a city I wouldn't like to live in.

 

[Doctor]

If you got interview offers at 15 programs and can only "see yourself" at 3 of them, I suggest being less picky. Taking a year off seems like a highly illogical solution to a non-existent "problem"! But that's just me... I'm a non-traditional pre-med and have lots of life experience that tells me I was too picky and missed the big picture far too often earlier in life.

My suggestion: rank the programs 1 to 15 and do not hesitate to go for #4 or #7 or even #12 if that is the first one on the list that wants you.

 

[NDESTRUKT]

If you got interview offers at 15 programs and can only "see yourself" at 3 of them, I suggest being less picky. Taking a year off seems like a highly illogical solution to a non-existent "problem"! But that's just me... I'm a non-traditional pre-med and have lots of life experience that tells me I was too picky and missed the big picture far too often earlier in life.

My suggestion: rank the programs 1 to 15 and do not hesitate to go for #4 or #7 or even #12 if that is the first one on the list that wants you.

Disagree with the above. Obviously depends on your situation. If you are nontrad PRE-med and you have responsibilities to assume, then yes, getting into a program (any program) is priority. If you are like most of us then getting into the best program you can and love is priority. I myself was a nontrad pre-med and slightly older than my classmates but I ain't settling for less than what I want. Taking a year off to do an MPH or research in a field you want to do a fellowship in is totally a good idea.

 

[dadr]

To answer your first question, if you are a USMG and got a good number of interviews, then you probably have a >90% chance of matching into your top 3. However, be cautious in thinking there are only 3 programs you could stand matching into. I don't know your personal situation, but I think you may really regret it if you delay a year. The fact that you went unmatched would certainly be a red flag when you apply again so I don't think your chances would be any better, unless you had some really groundbreaking clinical or research experience in the off year. I suppose if you moved to go do research at one of the 3 programs you wanted to match into, it might work. Otherwise I think it is a very bad idea to risk going unmatched.