When do EM programs stop reviewing apps?

[calespine]

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Hey guys- I posted this in the EM in Cali thread but realized it wasn't really related, so sorry about the double post. Friends going into other specialities have been talking about programs that stop reviewing apps after inviting a certain number of applicants. Is this what EM programs do too? I'm wondering b/c I was planning on waiting to submit my app until the 2nd week of October (waiting for step 2), but now I'm wondering if any programs will have already filled their interview spots by then? I'm guessing no since so many EM programs don't start sending invites until mid-october (based on last year's invite thread). I've also heard more selective programs send out interviews later?

 

[DrZuza]

Hey,

go to NRMP website and download the Results of the 2010 NRMP Program Director Survey. On the actual page 41 of that pdf document (would be page 44/164 in your adobe reader) you can find Figure EM-5 Emergency Medicine Program's Interview Activities. It gives you an idea on "Percentage of Program's Interview Slots Extended Prior to the November 1st MSPE/Dean's Letter Release".

Good luck

PS. Look at the ERAS forum here for advice on applying early vs late.

 

[calespine]

Looks like by november 1st, 20% haven't sent any invites, 18% sent 1-24% of invites, 19% sent 25-49%, 25% sent 50-74%, 19% sent 75-99%, and 0% sent 100%. So I'm guessing this shows applying the 2nd week of october wouldn't be too big a risk overall, right?

 

[deleted109597]

It is risky, only in what more than 2 PDs have said.
They have criteria that weed out applications they don't want to read. When they pare it down enough, they start going through them from the top of the stack. Once they offer the "normal number" of invites they stop going through the stack. If enough people decline, they continue. This stack is chronological, so the closer to the top, the better you are.
I'll be some places aren't like that though.

 

[calespine]

It is risky, only in what more than 2 PDs have said.
They have criteria that weed out applications they don't want to read. When they pare it down enough, they start going through them from the top of the stack. Once they offer the "normal number" of invites they stop going through the stack. If enough people decline, they continue. This stack is chronological, so the closer to the top, the better you are.
I'll be some places aren't like that though.

Thanks a lot for the info. I really need some advice. Most people are telling me to apply September 1st, but my problem is that my step 1 was a few points below average, so I took step 2 early and felt great coming out of the exam. My score won't come out until october 6th, and I'm afraid if I apply now, the criteria used to weed applications you mentioned will screen me out b/c of my step 1 score. Would programs not automatically screen me out if they see that I have a step 2 score pending?

It seems I'm between a rock and a hard place because if I apply early I might get auto screened out, if I apply in october, there might not be any spots left at the programs I want...

 

[deleted109597]

If they screen and reject on Step 1, they'll still do it even if you get a 280 on Step 2. It is a filter built into ERAS, not something where someone picks it up, and looks at it, and goes "hmm, bad Step 1 but good Step 2". That being said, if you do well on Step 2, but a place you didn't get an interview is still appealing, you can have someone call/write on your behalf, and they can still pull the file after the filtering.
Problem is, residency in general, not just EM, cares about graduating residents passing their boards, not about who will be a good doctor. Best data for passing boards is prior standardized testing.
Apply early and as broadly as you need to based on RxnMan's data.