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What is "match" and how does it work/what exactly does it take into consideration?
Sorry, I guess I should know this.
Sorry, I guess I should know this.
what is "match"
- Thread starter gaki
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Im still applying to medical school but this is how I understand it. Basically as a 4th year you go to interviews for residency and at the end of it, you list your preferrences. The school does the same for the students that they interviewed. Then on Match Day, they cross the two lists together and send acceptances accordingly. So if Harvard was your number one choice, and you were their number one, then you'd match. If Harvard was not your first, they would go down to their number two, and so on.
Any current med students, please tell me if I have it right or wrong?
Any current med students, please tell me if I have it right or wrong?
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Pretty much right. The match is designed to permit students to interview at the maximum number of places they would like and then be placed at the program they most prefer that also prefers them.
Like you said, as a 4th year you interview around at programs and at the end you rank them in order of preference.
Programs likewise rank the people they interviewed in their order of preference.
After the lists are submitted a computer somewhere attempts to match students to the highest place on their list. If their #1 choice is already full of people that the program ranked higher they go to their #2. The system is biased towards students in that having a program rank you #1 doesn't "pull" you into that program if you don't want to go there.
For example: you rank Program X #2 and Program Z#1.
Program Z ranks you #15, Program X ranks you #1.
On match day the first 14 people program Z ranked did not want to go there, and ranked some other program higher. Since there is a spot for you, the computer matches you at program Z even though program X preferred you more.
If program Z was full you would bump someone off the list at program X, and the computer would rematch them somewhere else.
It seems complicated but really it's pretty straighforward - the match puts you at the program you most want to attend that has a place for you.
Like you said, as a 4th year you interview around at programs and at the end you rank them in order of preference.
Programs likewise rank the people they interviewed in their order of preference.
After the lists are submitted a computer somewhere attempts to match students to the highest place on their list. If their #1 choice is already full of people that the program ranked higher they go to their #2. The system is biased towards students in that having a program rank you #1 doesn't "pull" you into that program if you don't want to go there.
For example: you rank Program X #2 and Program Z#1.
Program Z ranks you #15, Program X ranks you #1.
On match day the first 14 people program Z ranked did not want to go there, and ranked some other program higher. Since there is a spot for you, the computer matches you at program Z even though program X preferred you more.
If program Z was full you would bump someone off the list at program X, and the computer would rematch them somewhere else.
It seems complicated but really it's pretty straighforward - the match puts you at the program you most want to attend that has a place for you.
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gaki said:
avoid wearing clashing colors. 👍
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wow this match stuff is pretty serious. 
but on a serious note, its seems fair to me. I guess you just have to be a good candidate all around to make sure you get in to a program that you like. cool.
but on a serious note, its seems fair to me. I guess you just have to be a good candidate all around to make sure you get in to a program that you like. cool.
