What to do if i don't match?

[aury]

hi folks,

i've been hearing that pm&r has gotten much more competitive in the last couple of years. so with my sub-par grades and class ranking, there's a big possibility of me not matching this year, although my top 2 choices are not too competitive: UT-san antonio and UT-southwestern/dallas. i'd say my chances are about 30%

so i need to start thinking what to do if i don't match and can't scramble into any programs. i guess i'll do a TY year, but what about after that. do i have to apply for the 2006 spots next year, and just moonlight for a year in between start of residency and end of TY year?

any thoughts/comments/advice welcomed

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[Stinky Tofu]

How many programs did you rank? I wouldn't stress out about not matching yet unless those were your only two interviews. Are you willing to go to a program outside of Texas? Given the number of spots in NY, you'd probably have a good chance at scrambling into a spot there. Personally, I would avoid applying during your intern year because you'd be forced to sit out one year. Try and get what's available during the scramble because you can always try and transfer to an open spot at another program later. If you don't pick up a spot in the scramble, try and look for an opening during the first couple of months of internship before you apply again. Openings in residency programs are sometimes listed at the website below:

http://www.physiatry.org/position.html

 

[DigableCat]

Originally posted by aury
although my top 2 choices are not too competitive: UT-san antonio and UT-southwestern/dallas. i'd say my chances are about 30%

ahem...

although UT-San Antonio may not be mentioned in the high rankings of say a BAYLOR or RIC, I hardly think that we are not competitive. Nick Walsh(CHAIRMAN and Pain Guru) is President of the ABPMR, Dumitru(Residency Program Director and EMG Yoda) is the AAPMR President. Many of our faculty have co-written chapters in either Braddom or Delisa's textbooks. As a resident present at the AAP conference this year, I realized how lucky I am to have over 200 EMGs by this point(as a 3rd yr) as well as experience with fluroscopic injections first hand. Not to mention the free books, paid vacations to both conferences AAP and AAPMR for 3rd and 4th year respectively. Join this with a low cost of living city with decent weather year round and I'm surprised we don't get mentioned more often.

We interview about 40-45 people for 6 spots...and I'll be very shocked if we have to scramble.

 

[aury]

stinky tofu,

unfortunately those are my only 2 rankings. i had a couple of more interviews in the northeast, but i thought i would take my chances scrambling than ending up at those programs. but thanks for your input. i'll definitly check the website you mentioned, and i'll try scrambling somewhere if i don't match. that's good advice. i am willing to move out of texas if i have to, but i rather stay close to my hometown in houston.

thanx for your time

 

[aury]

digablecat,

i didn't mean to diss your program in san anatone, in fact that is my #1 pick for the match. i rotated there for a whole month and i enjoyed it and was pretty psyched for ending up there. but then i read the evals the residents had written about me and was pretty shocked. there wasn't too much good feedback considering how much time and effort i put into the rotation, and i ended up with a grade of an 88 for the rotation by dr. domitru, which i'm assuming is not a good mark for someone trying to end up there.

my point was that san antone (and southwestern) are not that competative of a program compared to baylor, emory, and northwestern. like you said, you only interview 40-45 students for 6 spots. but that doesn't mean that UTSA is not a great program. i loved it there and the people are very professional; i sure do hope i end up there.

and since we're on the topic, do you know how the selection criteria is at UTSA? do i have a better shot since i rotated through there?

again sorry if i offended you, didn't mean to. UTSA is a kick ass program all around!

 

[Stinky Tofu]

If you only interviewed at two programs, I can understand why you would be concerned. Check out this thread for tips in case you do need to scramble.

 

[DigableCat]

Originally posted by aury
digablecat,

i didn't mean to diss your program in san anatone, in fact that is my #1 pick for the match. i rotated there for a whole month and i enjoyed it and was pretty psyched for ending up there. but then i read the evals the residents had written about me and was pretty shocked. there wasn't too much good feedback considering how much time and effort i put into the rotation, and i ended up with a grade of an 88 for the rotation by dr. domitru, which i'm assuming is not a good mark for someone trying to end up there.

my point was that san antone (and southwestern) are not that competative of a program compared to baylor, emory, and northwestern. like you said, you only interview 40-45 students for 6 spots. but that doesn't mean that UTSA is not a great program. i loved it there and the people are very professional; i sure do hope i end up there.

and since we're on the topic, do you know how the selection criteria is at UTSA? do i have a better shot since i rotated through there?

again sorry if i offended you, didn't mean to. UTSA is a kick ass program all around!

No harm, no foul...I just have to stick up for my program. We have a great group of residents. And I feel lucky in the fact that we continue to attract quality applicants.

I'm sorry you didn't get the eval you think you deserved when you rotated with us...you must not have rotated with me...I wrote great things about my students and I would have been happy to have any one of them here.

The match list is made in a closed meeting with the faculty and chief residents. From seeing things over the last few years I think it's probably a benefit to rotate with us. In the intern class...3/6 did a month with us as med students.

Good luck in the match. You definitely put quite a contraint on yourself only interviewing at 2 programs. But if things work out, think about how much richer you were this year than all of us who paid hundreds if not thousands of dollars trekking around the US, sleeping in hotel rooms, sitting on airplanes for hours, putting ourselves through multiple psychological exercises that people call benignly "interviews".