Now that rank lists are in, the next important date for residency applicants is March 11 at noon EST when both applicant 
matched/unmatched information and individual program filled/unfilled results are posted to the National Residency Match Program (NRMP) website. If you are not confident you will be matching, it’s worth looking at the NRMP’s schedule of dates, so you understand what the timeline of the Supplemental Offer and Acceptance Program (SOAP) – previously called the “Scramble” – is.
NRMP Schedule of Dates
Who Says You Can’t Have It All?
Pre-meds and 2014 ERAS applicants: Who says you can’t have it all?
Every winter applicants contact me asking if I can work with them throughout the medical school and residency admissions processes. In the past, my help has been through a la carte services, but now I’ve created two packages (each with a $430 discount) for those applicants seeking my assistance from the beginning to the end of the admissions process.
The Complete Package for medical students covers a one-on-one Medical School Strategy Session, Editing Services (including the Medical School Personal Statement, AMCAS®, Medical School Secondary Essays, and a Letter of Intent) and Medical School Mock Interviews. Check it out here on my website!
The Complete Package for residency applicants (including IMGs) includes a one-on-one Residency Strategy Session, Editing Services (including the Residency Personal Statement, ERAS®, Curriculum Vitae, and a Letter of Intent) and Residency Mock Interviews. Check it out here on my website!
As always, feel free to email me with questions: insidermedical@gmail.com
Check me out at www.InsiderMedicalAdmissions.com
The Nobel Prize and the Match
Some of you may have heard about last week’s economics Nobel Prize announcements, but you may not know that one of the Nobel winners created the current Match algorithm. Previously, residency applicants would try to game the Match because of an algorithm flaw, but now the system is much fairer. See this interesting NYT article for details.
What do Residency Directors Really Want?
The 2012 NRMP Program Director Survey results are out, and they are very instructive. The NRMP sends questionnaires every two years to residency directors who have participated in the previous Match in an attempt to determine what factors program directors use to decide whom to interview and then whom to Match.
The overall response rate this year was 44.8% – down from 2010′s survey – but the results are as useful as ever. Of note, the personal statement is one of the top factors in deciding whom to interview – more than Step 2 scores! (See page 3 for details.) Furthermore, interactions with faculty and house staff and interpersonal skills are more important than Step 1 scores and honors in clinical clerkships in ranking applicants. (See page 5 for details.)
What this means: Your personal statement and your interview skills are critical for success in the application process! Some candidates spend months studying for the Boards, yet they rush through their application written materials and don’t practice before their interviews. Don’t be one of those misguided people! Contact me for assistance.
Changing Medical School Curriculum
Here‘s a NYT piece by Pauline Chen, MD regarding changes in medical school training at Harvard, Columbia, and the University of Minnesota, among other institutions. I’ll also add to Dr. Chen’s point: Not only does the current system of third-year rotation blocks reinforce fragmented care, but it also does not allow students adequate time to make informed decisions about their future specialties.
Dr. Finkel is a graduate of Stanford University and Harvard Medical School. On completing her residency at Harvard, she was asked to stay on as faculty at Harvard Medical School and spent five years teaching at the world-renowned Massachusetts General Hospital. She was appointed to the Assistant Residency Director position for the Harvard Affiliated Emergency Medicine Residency where she reviewed countless applications, personal statements and resumes.
