Match 2021

[Guest]

So what are your thoughts on the match? Any trends or effects from this unique cycle? Are you happy with your result?

[Guest]

Little disappointed, but I matched, and the program I got is pretty good in the important metrics, all things considered. I think my disappointment was mainly the rejection from the places I ranked higher, and to a lesser degree that the place I matched doesn't have as much research infrastructure as I had hoped. But I'm motivated and can make it work.

Most of my classmates fell down their list at least a little across all specialties, and a significant percentage of my class didn't match and some didn't even soap. Much higher than you would expect for a school like mine. I think this match cycle was much tougher

[Guest]

Same. The thing they don't tell you is that you feel all this pressure to be happy if you match at all, but the majority of people don't match their number 1 and have some underlying disappointment. I'm grateful that I matched and will make this program my home, but it's definitely a time of mixed emotions and that's okay.

[Guest]

(03-22-2021, 11:48 AM)Guest Wrote: Same. The thing they don't tell you is that you feel all this pressure to be happy if you match at all, but the majority of people don't match their number 1 and have some underlying disappointment. I'm grateful that I matched and will make this program my home, but it's definitely a time of mixed emotions and that's okay.

Agreed. Wish I had appreciated this more. It was a little bittersweet for me.

[Guest]

There was virtually no home student preference this year - I think the most I saw was 2/4 spots at Baylor, but for the programs that put out >3 applicants (Pitt, Vanderbilt, UCSF, Hopkins, etc.), at most 1 student stayed home. Even the smaller programs like VCU matched their applicants to Mayo and UF.

I think the biggest surprise is that there were no surprises at the top programs commonly cited on this forum. These were the applicants seen everywhere. I think that this is where aways help - to reveal the hidden pathologies of so-called top applicants, and to rise up those without the connections that applicants from bigger schools have.

IMGs and MD/PhDs crushed it this year.

Finally, don't ever let anyone tell you that the virtual match doesn't work when Rush is able to recruit their first female resident.

[Guest]

Speaking of the virtual match...I wonder what the decision is going to be.

Sure, it's a LOT cheaper but it also impacts applicants' and programs' abilities to see each other in person and get the true vibe from each other.

Perhaps the best strategy will be to continue virtual meet-and-greets pre-interview season, virtual aways, etc., so that applicants can better gauge various programs, but then continue to have in-person interviews.

With the majority of applicants likely being vaccinated by away rotation time in 2021, however...limiting applicants to 1 away in the 2021-22 cycle will hurt everyone.

[Guest]

Matched at my #2. The main difference between my #1 and #2 was geography, and I will now have spent more time living away from family than I have with them. Opening the letter was a gut punch, especially since I got great feedback from my #1, and I question how worthwhile it was sending that one letter of intent to begin with. But I'm over it. The program I'm at has a track record of producing quality surgeons with ridiculous numbers, is in a much more affordable area, and gives my partner better job opportunities than my #1. Above all, this program was very clearly enthusiastic for my match and advocated for me throughout the application process (faculty/residents willing to speak to me post-interview, phone calls/emails, etc.). At least I think they were. Fuck this process.

[Guest]

(03-22-2021, 01:37 PM)Guest Wrote: Speaking of the virtual match...I wonder what the decision is going to be.

Sure, it's a LOT cheaper but it also impacts applicants' and programs' abilities to see each other in person and get the true vibe from each other.

Perhaps the best strategy will be to continue virtual meet-and-greets pre-interview season, virtual aways, etc., so that applicants can better gauge various programs, but then continue to have in-person interviews.

With the majority of applicants likely being vaccinated by away rotation time in 2021, however...limiting applicants to 1 away in the 2021-22 cycle will hurt everyone.

I would actually rather have real aways and virtual interviews, but with the ability to travel to places post interview

[Guest]

(03-22-2021, 03:11 PM)Guest Wrote:

(03-22-2021, 01:37 PM)Guest Wrote: Speaking of the virtual match...I wonder what the decision is going to be.

Sure, it's a LOT cheaper but it also impacts applicants' and programs' abilities to see each other in person and get the true vibe from each other.

Perhaps the best strategy will be to continue virtual meet-and-greets pre-interview season, virtual aways, etc., so that applicants can better gauge various programs, but then continue to have in-person interviews.

With the majority of applicants likely being vaccinated by away rotation time in 2021, however...limiting applicants to 1 away in the 2021-22 cycle will hurt everyone.

I would actually rather have real aways and virtual interviews, but with the ability to travel to places post interview

Yeah this would be ideal

[Guest]

(03-22-2021, 01:16 PM)Guest Wrote: There was virtually no home student preference this year - I think the most I saw was 2/4 spots at Baylor, but for the programs that put out >3 applicants (Pitt, Vanderbilt, UCSF, Hopkins, etc.), at most 1 student stayed home. Even the smaller programs like VCU matched their applicants to Mayo and UF.

I think the biggest surprise is that there were no surprises at the top programs commonly cited on this forum. These were the applicants seen everywhere. I think that this is where aways help - to reveal the hidden pathologies of so-called top applicants, and to rise up those without the connections that applicants from bigger schools have.

IMGs and MD/PhDs crushed it this year.

Finally, don't ever let anyone tell you that the virtual match doesn't work when Rush is able to recruit their first female resident.

Rush, in fact, has had 4 prior female residents since program inception in 1971. The most recent matched in 1996.