Strategy
For Early Match
Applying to Two
Matches (subspecialty and a first-year
position):
- Chairman’s letter — consider obtaining one from individuals in both areas, although the first-year position is much less critical unless you’re considering a few first-year positions in academic centers.
- Expect to spend considerable energy applying to two different types of programs.
- Don’t gloss over first-year position applications. Apply as if it were your only match. Keep the same philosophy of the dream/hope/sure-bet for applying because you may need a strong program for a first-year option, should you need to re-apply for your subspecialty choice in second year.
- Expect totally different approaches for your two types of programs. If you plan to apply for both positions at the same time, concentrate more heavily at first on your subspecialty position. In the period before interviewing, apply for your one-year position.
- Applicant packets should look essentially the same. You may not want to include your subspecialty letters of recommendation in the first-year packet, since it will be so specifically directed, but if you are more generally directed, it could be included.
- It is possible, and even recommended, to interview during the same period for both types of programs. The reasons for this are as follows:
- It serves as a confidence booster.
- It strengthens your interview skills.
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But Remember ...
- Expect rejection!!!
- Don’t get
downhearted. Just apply with the assumption that one-third to one-half of subspecialty/competitive applications were rejected immediately, without ever getting an interview.
- Be sure to apply to enough programs!!!
- Seek support from your
advisor or departmental chairman.
- The more competitive the specialty, the more important it is to leave no stones unturned. Give them the best application, appearance at interviews, etc.
- Expect to be quizzed about subspecialty areas, and remember, it's okay to say that you don’t know something. After all, they aren’t hiring you as a faculty member, but they will try to assess your level of understanding.
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Balancing the Specialty Match in NRMP
If you are interested in Orthopaedic Surgery, for example, should you apply to a program in the match, outside the match, or both in and out of the match? How many programs does this mean you should apply to, particularly if there a need to choose a “back-up” specialty as well?
Currently, approximately 50 percent of the Orthopaedic programs are in the NRMP match. Both those in and outside of the match will be of two types: Those
which have arranged for first-year (categorical) programs and
those which are advanced specialties only. Given these circumstances, it is probably necessary to apply to those programs both in and outside of the match, as well as applying to a sufficient number of first-year (transitional) surgical programs to
ensure a first- year position. Carefully assess your competitiveness for both Orthopaedics and for
a general surgery first-year position, and determine if a “back-up”
specialty is necessary.
What happens if a program outside the match calls and offers you a position in December and you’re interested in a program in the March match? By now you should be aware that there are several risks in obtaining post-graduate positions. The variety of possibilities include: NRMP (more than 90% of all positions); those who run their own specialty matches (currently ophthalmology, neurology, and neurosurgery); and those who simply select,
on an “ad-hoc” basis, participating in the NRMP, but give
strong indication to candidates of their residency location
(psychiatry).
Students who stay in the NRMP match should know that they are legally bound (having signed the NRMP agreement) to accept whatever position
in which they match.
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