What stats/application are safe to have for IR?

[medradthrowaway]

You should take a look at the data from 2018 and 2020. There were decreases in the number of applicants from most score categories, and actually an increase in people with 260+ applying. This speaks to self-selection, and if you look at the number of applicants to IR overall (it decreased from 253 to 199 applicants from 2018 to 2020) it also shows the self selection. There is actually a published paper looking at this trend in IR. I'm not here to say IR is bulletproof and is the most uber-competitive specialty, but the match rate probably has more to do with better self-selection than a change in the competition.

Lol. That's what I'm looking at and what you're saying is not true. For 2020 Charting Outcomes, there were 14 with 260+, 40 with 250-260 and 35 with 241-250. For 2018 Charting Outcomes, there were 17 applicants with 260+, 48 with 251-260, and 62 with 241-250. So there has been a dramatic decrease in applicants from the top end.

Guys, I don't know how some of you are trying to rationalize this. The numbers are what they are. IR had a decreased in applicants overall, yes, but specifically they also had a dramatic decrease in competitive applicants as well. There were definitely decreases from the < 240 group (43 in 2020 vs 70 in 2018) but IR has lost even more applicants in the 241+ range (90 in 2020 vs 127 in 2018). There's no speculation here, the numbers speak for themselves. If it was due to self selection, you would see the curve shifting upward with more applicants from the top end applying, which is not the case here. Your argument now would be that the 250s and 260s are self-selecting themselves out...lol. Then, you look at other surgical subspecialties, and some of them have increases at the top end (most likely where these applicants went).

What you're seeing here is an overall decrease in applicants (from every score category) and overall decreased interest in IR.

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[medradthrowaway]

Actually you're right about the first part....I just looked at the wrong number lol.

It is interesting to look at the trend, but I still think that a lot of this goes back to an element of self-selection, even when the top numbers decrease a bit. You're only looking at the step scores, which are only a part of the application.

The research numbers went up in 2020, and the step score went up by 1 point (negligible). People who go into IR are generally pretty committed folks due to the field being small. As an applicant, a developing a late interest in this specialty doesn't bode well. I think a lot of people with high step scores probably applied to IR in addition to other competitive specialties a few years ago, and what you're seeing now is people who are more specifically focused on IR applying. The field is becoming more of its own entity and people are realizing that you don't succeed with just throwing an app at IR. I don't know that it makes sense to look at the decreasing number of applications over a two year period (after a bloodbath match in 2018) and say "people aren't interested in IR anymore". Sure, specialties go in cycles, but this quickly? And seeing an increase in research numbers? I could be wrong, sure. But to say that this "isn't up for debate" is premature and immature. Everything is up for debate, and a lot of people in IR would disagree with your one-sided assessment of the specialty.

I think this is all speculation on your end. The only thing we can use to measure competitiveness is step scores. If we are using scores to assess competitiveness for derm, plastics, ortho, ent, and other competitive fields then it's only fair that we keep it consistent. When you start delving into "research" it's a bunch of nonsense really, as the average derm applicant has 19 publications. A lot of that is fluff and there's no way to know for sure unless we're looking at the specifics of these "research."

 

[whataschool_classof24]

Hi, current M1. Didn't want to start a new thread for a basic question. But what effect does step 1 being p/f affect the odds of a person like me (a future mid-tier state grad) of matching into IR and what should I do to be more competitive early on in my med school career in hopes of matching into IR?

 

[irwarrior]

The things to focus on are all the other things.
1) Step 2 scores
2) 3rd year grades (especially surgery)
3) SIR involvement
4) Dedicated IR research
5) being involved in your local Interventional interest groups
6) Going to SIR meeting or other local IR meetings
7) Reaching out to residents at integrated IR training programs to express interest to shadow