What factors go into the fellowship match?

[osprey099]

I know your residency program name, research, letters, and phone calls matter. But what else is important for fellowship matching?

Does step 3 score matter since technically it's usually taken during residency? What about step 1 and 2?


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[Winged Scapula]

Depends on the field.

Some use in training examination scores as an important measure.

 

[Raryn]

Depends on the field.

Some use in training examination scores as an important measure.

Primarily only surgery does that. Most other fields I know of forbid the residency program directors from sharing the in-training exam results because it's meant to be a feedback tool only.

But yeah, it's super variable. Even within IM for example, to match a fellowship like Nephrology or ID you need an IM residency, a couple decent letters, and a pulse. OTOH, to match GI or cards, they'll care about your step I/II scores, research experiences, etc etc. No one that I'm aware of takes step III seriously, other than making sure that you didn't fail the exam.

 

[bashwell]

Primarily only surgery does that. Most other fields I know of forbid the residency program directors from sharing the in-training exam results because it's meant to be a feedback tool only.

But yeah, it's super variable. Even within IM for example, to match a fellowship like Nephrology or ID you need an IM residency, a couple decent letters, and a pulse. OTOH, to match GI or cards, they'll care about your step I/II scores, research experiences, etc etc. No one that I'm aware of takes step III seriously, other than making sure that you didn't fail the exam.

I think some anesthesia programs use ITEs for fellowship too, not sure how common it is though.

 

[Winged Scapula]

Yes you're absolutely correct.


I am aware that internal medicine especially does not use in training scores nor is there a minimum requirement for advancement. I only meant to say that some programs do ask for them although you are correct in that it's mostly surgical ones.

 

[neusu]

In neurosurgery it's half individual interest in the field and half who you know.

 

[Taddy Mason]

Primarily only surgery does that. Most other fields I know of forbid the residency program directors from sharing the in-training exam results because it's meant to be a feedback tool only.

But yeah, it's super variable. Even within IM for example, to match a fellowship like Nephrology or ID you need an IM residency, a couple decent letters, and a pulse. OTOH, to match GI or cards, they'll care about your step I/II scores, research experiences, etc etc. No one that I'm aware of takes step III seriously, other than making sure that you didn't fail the exam.

What about Pulm/CCM?

 

[Raryn]

What about Pulm/CCM?

It's right up there near the top for competitivness. GI is probably most competitive, followed by cards, pulm/cc, heme/onc (in some combination). Then a big gap and rheum and endo. Sleep is probably also somewhere in this middle group, but there's a paucity of data. Then an even bigger gap followed by nephrology, ID, geriatrics. No clue where allergy/immunology fits in. YMMV.

 

[notcool]

It's right up there near the top for competitivness. GI is probably most competitive, followed by cards, pulm/cc, heme/onc (in some combination). Then a big gap and rheum and endo. Sleep is probably also somewhere in this middle group, but there's a paucity of data. Then an even bigger gap followed by nephrology, ID, geriatrics. No clue where allergy/immunology fits in. YMMV.

Could you please say more about "heme/onc (in some combination)"? I don't understand the "in some combination" part? Do you mean heme/onc less competitive if you only do one or the other, heme or onc? Thanks!

 

[bashwell]

Could you please say more about "heme/onc (in some combination)"? I don't understand the "in some combination" part? Do you mean heme/onc less competitive if you only do one or the other, heme or onc? Thanks!

I think he means cards, pulm/cc, or heme/onc are each more or less on the same level of competitiveness, i.e., "in some combination" of the three, as each could be second, third, or fourth in competitiveness (after gastroenterology). Not that heme/onc itself is less competitive. Heme/onc is still pretty competitive, see NRMP.

 

[Raryn]

Could you please say more about "heme/onc (in some combination)"? I don't understand the "in some combination" part? Do you mean heme/onc less competitive if you only do one or the other, heme or onc? Thanks!

I think he means cards, pulm/cc, or heme/onc are each more or less on the same level of competitiveness, i.e., "in some combination" of the three, as each could be second, third, or fourth in competitiveness (after gastroenterology). Not that heme/onc itself is less competitive. Heme/onc is still pretty competitive, see NRMP.

Exactly. Pulm/Crit Care and Heme/Onc have gotten more competitive over the years and are now pretty much on level with cards, though depending on which data you use for comparison you can put them in different orders.

http://www.nrmp.org/match-data/fellowship-match-data/ has the datasets, though the most comprehensive is the charting outcomes, which applies to the 2010 match for the 2011 appointment year (i.e. it's way out of date).

 

[osprey099]

Primarily only surgery does that. Most other fields I know of forbid the residency program directors from sharing the in-training exam results because it's meant to be a feedback tool only.

But yeah, it's super variable. Even within IM for example, to match a fellowship like Nephrology or ID you need an IM residency, a couple decent letters, and a pulse. OTOH, to match GI or cards, they'll care about your step I/II scores, research experiences, etc etc. No one that I'm aware of takes step III seriously, other than making sure that you didn't fail the exam.

Interested to know why IM fellowship programs will care about step I and II scores since they were taking in medical school. Seems a little unnecessary, just like how Med schools dont care about SAT scores or Residencies dont care about MCAT scores.

Likewise, do fellowship programs take into consideration the name of your medical school (MDvsDOvsIMG and reputation/rank)?

 

[Redpancreas]

. OTOH, to match GI or cards, they'll care about your step I/II scores, research experiences, etc etc. m.

Really?!?


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