How about we let the people that want to bide their time by participating in this thread do so without the comments from the peanut gallery. If you don't like it, don't read it.
All 2nd, 3rd, 4th choicers or whatever, please be welcomed back to post your thoughts.
i don't expect that we're going to see many posts in this thread, at least from the people the OP solicited feedback from. some of you guys are really anxious about this issue, and i'm not one to talk cause there are plenty of things that make me anxious, but i don't know how any answer will make anyone feel more or less anxious about this, because if 20 people who didn't match at their #1 ended up at their #2 or #3 and posted it here, you still could end up matching at your #6 or #7. it seems like you're digging for anxiolytic answers, but they just don't exist.
also, next year when we're all in the midst of our internships and busy as can be, do you think you're going to be spending whatever free time you have perusing these boards? let's see how many of you are back here next year posting and checking what's been written on a regular basis....especially at this time of the year, when no one is posting questions about programs that you might be able to help answer, but when nervous applicants are ruminating over things that are beyond their control and are freaking out waiting for match day to come. i'm not going to want to be back here reliving it!
i wouldn't hold your breath waiting for responses. i bet a good number of people get their #1 or #2 choice--probably the majority of people, and i think the people who didn't get their first choice last year and the ones who aren't going to get their first choice this year are going to be the people who have been posting their rank lists with some permutation of 1) MGH, 2) BWH, 3) JHU, 4) UCSF, etc...there's such a disproportionate skew of applicants who post on these forums that it looks as though 75% of IM applicants this year interviewed at MGH/BWH/JHU/UCSF/etc...it is so far off from reflecting the typical applicant, and it's hard to take anyone seriously if they say they didn't get their #1 choice and had to settle for their 3rd, which was hopkins or stanford or something like that.
i agree with
coogmed and imagine that any intern reading this thread is rolling his/her eyes and has no interest in indulging anyone's fears of not matching at their #1 when their #2-8 programs are probably among the top in the country. i'm more interested in understanding how an applicant will find this information useful. i'd be happy to read any of those posts.
