How competitive is anesthesiology?

[Surgeonizer]

I'm an M3 at the University of Michigan and I'm really interested in becoming an anesthesiologist. I've asked several anesthesia residents here about the process of getting into an anesthesiology residency and I've yet to get any consensus as to the difficulty. One resident told me that it's just as competitive as plastic surgery, which scared the crap out of me--there's no way in hell I'll have the credentials to score a residency that competitive. Other residents have told me that it's not that competitive or moderately competitive. What's the scoop on the competition? What kind of grades and board scores would I need coming out of here to land a spot at a solid residency program (not necessarily Harvard and the like but some place that would train me well and keep all career options on the table--fellowships, academics, private practice, etc.)?

Any feedback would be great.

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[VolatileAgent]

One resident told me that it's just as competitive as plastic surgery, which scared the crap out of me...

he was breaking your balls. unless, of course, you have your heart set on one of the absolute top tier of the top tier programs (which you say you don't).

Other residents have told me that it's not that competitive or moderately competitive.

that's about more like it.

as for the rest of your post, there are plenty of other threads here that discuss this. do a search. but, generally speaking, you'll have no problem coming from michigan unless you look (and smell) like a troll... in which case i suggest pathology or radiology as a career.

 

[Coastie]

Sent you a pm.

 

[bullard]

Last year, people applying to anesthesiology were generally sending out 25-30 applications.

People applying to radiology were sending out 35-40.

People applying to orthopedics and uro were applying to 55-60 programs.

The derm and plastics applicants that I met were applying to every program in the nation (on the order of 80 for derm, I think).

That's as good a barometer as any.

 

[VentdependenT]

Less well known programs: NOT COMPETITIVE

more well known programs: Mild to moderate competitive.

Fancy schmancy programs: moderate competitive.

there are plenty of spots to go around with a full range of programs. almost all of which are university based.


If you are a USMD with board scores of 210 usmle or greater, no fails, no taking years off school, an anes roatation under your belt, and some standard letters, you'll get in somewhere decent.

>220 step one, youre set if nothing glaringly egregious is on your record.

PD's like to see good letters. Goes for any specialty however. Good = well known/respected letter writer in the specialty of interest. Seek that person out and have em write a letter. It'll be nice but its FAR from a requisite.

Other helpful things: research, I had some from undergrad. I think I was asked about it once. I could barely remember what the hell I did.

ICU rotation (with letter I suppose). Youre going to get asked about this type of medicine as its going to be 6 months of our training in the future.

fer what its worth,
vent

 

[Pilot Doc]

See here

 

[aredoubleyou]

Less well known programs: NOT COMPETITIVE

more well known programs: Mild to moderate competitive.

Fancy schmancy programs: moderate competitive.

there are plenty of spots to go around with a full range of programs. almost all of which are university based.


If you are a USMD with board scores of 210 usmle or greater, no fails, no taking years off school, an anes roatation under your belt, and some standard letters, you'll get in somewhere decent.

>220 step one, youre set if nothing glaringly egregious is on your record.

PD's like to see good letters. Goes for any specialty however. Good = well known/respected letter writer in the specialty of interest. Seek that person out and have em write a letter. It'll be nice but its FAR from a requisite.

Other helpful things: research, I had some from undergrad. I think I was asked about it once. I could barely remember what the hell I did.

ICU rotation (with letter I suppose). Youre going to get asked about this type of medicine as its going to be 6 months of our training in the future.

fer what its worth,
vent

I was surprised last year how competitive it became, there were plenty of people in my MD class who didn't match, whereas the year previous most everyone did. I think 220 remains a reasonable number that wont disqualify you at most places, but I think significantly lower than that its getting a lot harder to match. Of course, 10 years from now, who knows, maybe they'll be flying people to interviews and giving them bonuses again. Its all so random.

 

[Pilot Doc]

there were plenty of people in my MD class who didn't match, whereas the year previous most everyone did. I think 220 remains a reasonable number that wont disqualify you at most places, but I think significantly lower than that its getting a lot harder to match.

How many did you have not match? There were only 71 US Seniors who didn't match in anesthesia nationwide.

220 essentially guarantees a match - anything over 200 gives a 93% or better match rate.

 

[aredoubleyou]

How many did you have not match? There were only 71 US Seniors who didn't match in anesthesia nationwide.

220 essentially guarantees a match - anything over 200 gives a 93% or better match rate.

My guess would be about 10, maybe as high as 15? who at the end of 3rd yr med school listed Anesthesiology as their specialty choice and did not match anesthes. Some might have changed their minds, but I think the rest matched in a different specialty (mostly medicine). I dont know if those stats take account of those applying to 2 specialties or if those are only people who scrambled and didnt match in anesthesiology. Year before me about 25+ people were interested in gas and the all but a couple didbn't match.

 

[gambino]

vent,

where does masonic fall in your ranking of programs?

thanks

 

[VentdependenT]

Masonic is a fine program in its own right.

I would put it on the lower end of the competition scale.

 

[chicamedica]

How many did you have not match? There were only 71 US Seniors who didn't match in anesthesia nationwide.

220 essentially guarantees a match - anything over 200 gives a 93% or better match rate.

REally? only 71 didn't match? At least 10 of those people were in my med school class alone (that was ~50% of those who applied my year). Seems pretty steep. Was it just my school?

 

[Pilot Doc]

I dont know if those stats take account of those applying to 2 specialties or if those are only people who scrambled and didnt match in anesthesiology.

The stats are based on the field of the #1 choice in your rank list compared to the field you match into. So if you list anes 1-10 and medicine 11-15 and match medicine you do show up in the anesthesia unmatch date.

That having been said, I double checked the NRMP report and it was for 2005, not 2006. No idea how many people went unmatched this year.