decreased competitiveness this year?

[chronicidal]

The number of applicants to ENT is down 21.1% (124 ppl) compared to last year. This was coupled with an abrupt increase in mean applications to 62.0 programs this year vs. 46.1 last year.

How do you explain this?

My guess is multifactorial: 1) some applicants are dissuaded by the relatively high unmatched rate in ENT in recent years (on par with plastics, derm, neurosurg, and ortho). 2) some applicants are increasingly drawn to other surgical subspecialties, namely ortho (which increased applicant number by 12.2% this year). 3) the previous year had an unusually high number of applicants, so actually this year is on par with most other years.

Source: https://www.aamc.org/download/321564/data/factstable41.pdf

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[FranzLO]

I am only a first year but I have spoken with 4th years and heard some differing opinions. Your first guess is incredibly accurate. It is really stressful to bother with an uphill battle when you can match in general surgery and move on. Many people eliminate Uro, ENT, and Derm right away in 1st and 2nd years because of the number.

 

[Wordead]

Thats for 2013 to 2014. The preliminary data for 2015 actually shows a further drop in applicants this year. Not sure if it was a crazy spike the previous few years or if there's another explanation.

That said, the otomatch threads show several qualified people on paper (255+ step, AOA) not having any luck in securing interviews, so I think to apply you really need to have the whole package - boards, letters, research, grades. Without any glaring weaknesses.

 

[IceHouse]

the specialty is changing and not for the better. Too bad.

 

[Wordead]

the specialty is changing and not for the better. Too bad.

Care to elaborate?

 

[TraumaLlamaMD]

Thats for 2013 to 2014. The preliminary data for 2015 actually shows a further drop in applicants this year. Not sure if Twas a crazy spike the previous few years or if there's another explanation.

That said, the otomatch threads show several qualified people on paper (255+ step, AOA) not having any luck in securing interviews, so I think to apply you really need to have the whole package - boards, letters, research, grades. Without any glaring weaknesses.

Where's the preliminary data for this year? I've been hearing General Surgery has a lot more applicants this year but haven't found the numbers to back it up.

 

[Daodejing]

Where's the preliminary data for this year? I've been hearing General Surgery has a lot more applicants this year but haven't found the numbers to back it up.

https://www.aamc.org/services/eras/stats

 

[VisionaryTics]

Care to elaborate?

Ignore him. He's a dermatologist who enjoys trolling the otolaryngology forum for some reason.

 

[chronicidal]

https://www.aamc.org/services/eras/stats

This data makes no sense.

Plastic surgery-integrated number of applicants in 2010-2014:
Prelim data (as of 12/15 each year, your link): 247,249,199,222,219
Final data (later, my link): 232,235,396,330,214