matching in top 3

[Guest]

False

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(03-24-2018, 10:20 AM)Guest Wrote: FiFMGH, Columbia, and Cleveland Clinic are the top 3 programs, no competition

False

[Guest]

Yeah, these are excellent programs but they certainly aren't Barrow or UCSF...

[That Anon PA]

[quote pid='8099' dateline='1521751358']
[quote pid='8095' dateline='1521749451']
Don't overlook the reality that this sentiment applies just as frequently on the program side. Applicants aren't the only ones "surprised" by their rank matches and a lot of applicants are also guilty of giving programs a false sense of assurance and/or mixed messages. I'm not saying this to give any incoming R1 a complex about where their program ranked them because it really doesn't matter in the long run as you mentioned. Just think it's important to emphasize that the match can be a crapshoot from both sides and PD's can be just as weird and insecure about their match lists and where applicants are ranking their program as applicants are.
[/quote]
Well, I wish the programs I communicated with would have trusted mine as I was honest about my communication and despite the alluring feedback I also fell to my 13th. Thankfully I also ended up at a good program and am also pumped about becoming a Neurosurgeon.
I just wish there was no trying to ‘game’ a system that was not designed to be gamed, but rather to maximize both applicants’ and programs’ preferences
[/quote]

This is true. I tend to think the majority of both sides are acting in good faith, but the process generates a lot of insecurity. Hence why in theory algorithims are great, but in practice throwing in emotional humans makes things imperfect. Unless there are major changes to the process, there will always be applicants and programs that will continue to respond to the uncomfortable, anxiety-producing, ambiguity of the match process with attempts at controling l what aspects they percieve they can. Maybe banning all communication between programs and applicants would help, but maybe it wouldn't. 

Alternatively, since you matched at a good program and are excited to be a neurosurgeon, the process arguabley worked exactly as it was intended.

[Guest]

(03-28-2018, 02:04 PM)That Anon PA Wrote: [quote pid='8099' dateline='1521751358']
[quote pid='8095' dateline='1521749451']
Don't overlook the reality that this sentiment applies just as frequently on the program side. Applicants aren't the only ones "surprised" by their rank matches and a lot of applicants are also guilty of giving programs a false sense of assurance and/or mixed messages. I'm not saying this to give any incoming R1 a complex about where their program ranked them because it really doesn't matter in the long run as you mentioned. Just think it's important to emphasize that the match can be a crapshoot from both sides and PD's can be just as weird and insecure about their match lists and where applicants are ranking their program as applicants are.

Well, I wish the programs I communicated with would have trusted mine as I was honest about my communication and despite the alluring feedback I also fell to my 13th. Thankfully I also ended up at a good program and am also pumped about becoming a Neurosurgeon.
I just wish there was no trying to ‘game’ a system that was not designed to be gamed, but rather to maximize both applicants’ and programs’ preferences
[/quote]

This is true. I tend to think the majority of both sides are acting in good faith, but the process generates a lot of insecurity. Hence why in theory algorithims are great, but in practice throwing in emotional humans makes things imperfect. Unless there are major changes to the process, there will always be applicants and programs that will continue to respond to the uncomfortable, anxiety-producing, ambiguity of the match process with attempts at controling l what aspects they percieve they can. Maybe banning all communication between programs and applicants would help, but maybe it wouldn't. 

Alternatively, since you matched at a good program and are excited to be a neurosurgeon, the process arguabley worked exactly as it was intended.
[/quote]
Well. I ended up much lower in my list than I expected. So it did not work as well as I would have liked it. I AM excited about becoming a Neurosurgeon and I am ok/happy I ended at a good program. But I am not as excited about it as I hope I would be. Regardless, nothing I can do about it.