Why does the "match" take so long?

[Thrombus]

This is rather stupid having to wait weeks for a algorithm which should take minutes to run.

Another joke by the medical administrative people.

The AMA, NBME, and NRMP all are a big joke.

We are little pawns in their $$ game.

We wait for weeks for this stupid algorithm, we pay thousands which we do not have to go towards a 4 year boot camp which could easily be narrowed down to 3. We pay thousands more just to take tests. We pay thousands more to interview around the country for a job which they make tons of money off of us yet have successfully been able to form a trust which for some reason hasn't been outlawed. We work for peanuts during residency. After this, we each pay lawyers tens of thousands per year because they have corrupted the courts.

Time for doctors to take the industry back and play hardball I say.

Hopefully enough of you out there are willing to roll up your sleeves along with me and help change some things.

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[yaah]

Agreed. We have rants about this issue quite often and there really aren't any good explanations other than the NRMP wants to positively make sure everything is accurate before releasing the results. I guess a lot of it is also probably tradition. Right now, in that stupid computer (whole thing could probably be handled on a decent PC) all the match results are sitting there and just waiting to be released, probably while they check everyone's registration to make sure they paid their fee in full.

The tests are worse, I agree. Step I I can understand, it's reasonable to have a national standardization similar to the MCAT to compare applicants. Step II is basically like taking step I again only no one really cares. Step III is a complete waste of time and effort and if a med school is not adequately teaching you how to know the material on step III than they shouldn't be accredited. Step II is generally taken at the middle or end of 4th year anyway, so there isn't anything that you learn between the time you take Step II and the time you take step III. So why not combine them, or just eliminate one of them?

And of course the Step II CS is complete and utter BS. I had 5-6 sessions with standardized patients during my 3rd and 4th year of med school, which were graded, and I had to pass in order to pass the rotations. Why the lack of trust out there for US med schools so that students are forced to take another test? This one isn't even really for comparing performances, it's basically so that everyone can feel better about themselves and so they can avoid a lawsuit when some idiot sues the AMA or the NRMP for allowing a crappy doctor to proceed to practice medicine.

If I was still in med school I would seriously consider trying to lead a nationwide boycott of step II CS. If enough people refuse to take it, what can they do? Their residency programs will go unfilled. It's probably not a realistic situation but it would force them to make a decision.

BTW - wait for the lovely few days when they tell you you have matched until they tell you where. As far as I can tell, as I have posted before, this is merely done to assuage the egos of those who didn't match and are forced to scramble for a spot. This isn't kindergarten.

 

[geddy]

If I was still in med school I would seriously consider trying to lead a nationwide boycott of step II CS. If enough people refuse to take it, what can they do? Their residency programs will go unfilled. It's probably not a realistic situation but it would force them to make a decision.

I admire your chutzpah, but I doubt it would work. Even for this first year of the exam, we received thinly veiled threatening emails from the admins telling us that we had to pass it to graduate, don't delay scheduling it, etc. If the schools come down hard, which they would, any boycott would collapse. Med students have too much invested by the time of 4th year to take such a risk. People would act with self-interest: they would fold and follow the path of least resistance, which is to take the stupid exam. Fighting for the principle of not having to fork over $1000+ to take a ridiculous exam is not worth the remote risk of not graduating from medical school on time.

 

[yaah]

I admire your chutzpah, but I doubt it would work. Even for this first year of the exam, we received thinly veiled threatening emails from the admins telling us that we had to pass it to graduate, don't delay scheduling it, etc. If the schools come down hard, which they would, any boycott would collapse. Med students have too much invested by the time of 4th year to take such a risk. People would act with self-interest: they would fold and follow the path of least resistance, which is to take the stupid exam. Fighting for the principle of not having to fork over $1000+ to take a ridiculous exam is not worth the remote risk of not graduating from medical school on time.

You're right. I agree it would never work. I just registered for Step III. $625.

 

[Pingu]

Right now, in that stupid computer (whole thing could probably be handled on a decent PC) all the match results are sitting there and just waiting to be released, probably while they check everyone's registration to make sure they paid their fee in full.

Now if someone just had some computer hacking skillz

 

[b&ierstiefel]

I admire your chutzpah, but I doubt it would work. Even for this first year of the exam, we received thinly veiled threatening emails from the admins telling us that we had to pass it to graduate, don't delay scheduling it, etc. If the schools come down hard, which they would, any boycott would collapse. Med students have too much invested by the time of 4th year to take such a risk. People would act with self-interest: they would fold and follow the path of least resistance, which is to take the stupid exam. Fighting for the principle of not having to fork over $1000+ to take a ridiculous exam is not worth the remote risk of not graduating from medical school on time.

I remember the day we were told about our class being the first class to have to pass step 2 bs. You have to realize that students here are some of the most bitchy, whiny, angry med students in the Midwest (maybe even in the country, or the world, or the whole wide universe). Any revolt or rebellion that was in the works was quickly suppressed when they told us that there was no way around it since we were required to take it to graduate.

Now if someone just had some computer hacking skillz

what about numchuck skillz or bowhunting skillz? after i use my L337 computer hacking skillz to find out where we matched, i'm gonna break that thing.

 

[bananaface]

It's probably a safety factor.

 

[Pingu]

what about numchuck skillz or bowhunting skillz? after i use my L337 computer hacking skillz to find out where we matched, i'm gonna break that thing.

It'll be much more discreet if I just send my black helicopters to take it out

 

[b&ierstiefel]

It'll be much more discreet if I just send my black helicopters to take it out

helicopters are too expensive. i'm gonna steal pedro's sledgehammer and bike my way to the computer, hack it, and smack it with my numchuck.

bad computer!

 

[Pingu]

We could use rex kwan do...it would only cost 300 dollars for the 8 week course

 

[b&ierstiefel]

We could use rex kwan do...it would only cost 300 dollars for the 8 week course

"At Rex Kwan Do, we use the buddy system. No more flying solo. You need somebody watching your back at all times. Second off, you're gonna learn to discipline your image. You think I got where I am today because I dressed like Peter Pan over here? Take a look at what I'm wearing, people. You think anybody wants a roundhouse kick to the face while I'm wearing these bad boys? Forget about it. Last off, my students will learn about self respect. You think anybody thinks I'm a failure because I go home to Starla at night? Forget about it!"

now don't forget about d-qwon's dance moves

 

[Pingu]

Starla could take out the match computer on her own

You know, when I picture the match computer, I see an old commodore 64 with an ancient dot matrix printer beside it...maybe it's just me though

 

[b&ierstiefel]

Starla could take out the match computer on her own

You know, when I picture the match computer, I see an old commodore 64 with an ancient dot matrix printer beside it...maybe it's just me though

and starla would be even more of a badass if she bought Bust-Must from Uncle Rico.

I never had a commodore 64. There was one crappy computer back in the day before the commodore 64. Yep...and I had that one It was the Vic20! Ever heard of one of those? Probably not. You were likely a fetus back in those days

 

[Pingu]

I was born in 78 so it's likely I was a fetus when many things were happening

We had commodore 64s to learn typing on in grade school/middle school, but my family was always an apple family...the joys of the christmas when we got the iic and I could play kings quest were unrivaled!

 

[b&ierstiefel]

I was born in 78 so it's likely I was a fetus when many things were happening

We had commodore 64s to learn typing on in grade school/middle school, but my family was always an apple family...the joys of the christmas when we got the iic and I could play kings quest were unrivaled!

holy crap? you played kings quest too?

wasn't that game awesome?!? i remember playing the kings quest series backwards starting from kings quest 4. of course, i remember how i was almost done with the game but i made the unicorn run away, realized that i couldn't finish the game as a result, and had to start all over.

 

[yaah]

Don't think I ever played that game. I played wizardry on the Apple IIC.

 

[b&ierstiefel]

Don't think I ever played that game. I played wizardry on the Apple IIC.

yeah i think if you had a PC based system, you played certain games. if you had an apple based system, you played different games. i don't recall there being much crossover between the two systems with regard to games back then.

except...Oregon Trail which was quite a stupid but addictive game for some reason. That game was available on both PC and Apple.

 

[yaah]

Carmen Sandiego too, right? Loved that game.

 

[b&ierstiefel]

Carmen Sandiego too, right? Loved that game.

oh yeah

and the list goes on...

space quest
leisure suit larry
police quest
sentinel worlds

yes i was an avid gamer when i was a kid...just think if i was born 10 years later and i was a kid hooked onto starcraft and warcraft...i would have straight C report cards, would never get into college, and every time you saw me, i would have one simple question for you:

"Would you like fries with that?"

 

[yaah]

oh yeah

and the list goes on...

space quest
leisure suit larry
police quest
sentinel worlds

yes i was an avid gamer when i was a kid...just think if i was born 10 years later and i was a kid hooked onto starcraft and warcraft...i would have straight C report cards, would never get into college, and every time you saw me, i would have one simple question for you:

"Would you like fries with that?"

Yeah I am kind of glad the internet wasn't really big when I was in high school. I was on the Prodigy net for awhile and lots of little buddies there but that was it.

 

[b&ierstiefel]

Yeah I am kind of glad the internet wasn't really big when I was in high school. I was on the Prodigy net for awhile and lots of little buddies there but that was it.

interesting...never heard of it. i guess yaah was seducing girls over the internet even when he was a kid. mad propz.

seriously though, what was prodigy net? looks like i missed out on something.

 

[yaah]

interesting...never heard of it. i guess yaah was seducing girls over the internet even when he was a kid. mad propz.

seriously though, what was prodigy net? looks like i missed out on something.

It was some kind of dialup service - they had forums and boards and emails. They had some places where you could play trivia games or read news and stuff. Basically like a precursor form of the internet on a smaller scale.

 

[geddy]

oh yeah

and the list goes on...

space quest
leisure suit larry
police quest
sentinel worlds

Sierra had some kick-ass games - I loved those games, especially King's Quest and Space Quest. Remember Astro Chicken? Dude... a game within a game. The best music, though had to be Leisure Suit Larry.

 

[geddy]

It was some kind of dialup service - they had forums and boards and emails. They had some places where you could play trivia games or read news and stuff. Basically like a precursor form of the internet on a smaller scale.

As I recall, Prodigy was pretty big before the internet. It was part of IBM - I had a buddy whose dad worked for IBM and he was way into Prodigy. It couldn't adapt or compete after the itnernet started, though, and I think it was bought by SBC.

 

[Pingu]

I had all the kings quest, but my favorite was number 3, you got to make potions and spells and sail on a pirate ship...the 4th, the perils of rosella, was much hyped but truly sucked.

I recall getting busted by my parents for calling the kings quest helpline which was 1.99 a minute. I racked up a 30 dollar bill for that and had to pay for it out of my birthday money.

I also racked up a hefty bill using bbs services to go online...had to pay for that too...

Now you wonder why I never went to prom

 

[b&ierstiefel]

I had all the kings quest, but my favorite was number 3, you got to make potions and spells and sail on a pirate ship...the 4th, the perils of rosella, was much hyped but truly sucked.

I recall getting busted by my parents for calling the kings quest helpline which was 1.99 a minute. I racked up a 30 dollar bill for that and had to pay for it out of my birthday money.

I also racked up a hefty bill using bbs services to go online...had to pay for that too...

Now you wonder why I never went to prom

you were in high school during this? these days were middle school for me. I remember my first middle school report card: 2 Cs, 2 Ds, and an F (just like Pinto in the movie Animal House, and I'm dead serious ).

and just like you, i too remember calling up that help line. interestingly, they said that you had to be 18 or get your mommy's permission to call. yeah whatever...i was 13 when i was playing this and they never verified my age

 

[b&ierstiefel]

Sierra had some kick-ass games - I loved those games, especially King's Quest and Space Quest. Remember Astro Chicken? Dude... a game within a game. The best music, though had to be Leisure Suit Larry.

Dude, I totally remember Astro Chicken!

 

[Pingu]

No, I was in grade school and junior high...my total nerdiness continued through high school though, as really tall girls who like genetics, calculus, and british literature are essentially screwed finding a prom date

I actually lied when my parents asked me about the kings quest number and they then called it themselves.

 

[b&ierstiefel]

No, I was in grade school and junior high...my total nerdiness continued through high school though, as really tall girls who like genetics, calculus, and british literature are essentially screwed finding a prom date

I actually lied when my parents asked me about the kings quest number and they then called it themselves.

genetics -
calculus -
british literature - is this the same as English? i took English in high school. it was hard.

 

[Pingu]

british literature - is this the same as English? i took English in high school. it was hard.

No, it's like chaucer, dickens, the brontes, shakespeare, hardy, and so on....

See, guys don't dig girls who like books

 

[Pingu]

7 more posts and we beat surgery!

We can do it!

 

[b&ierstiefel]

7 more posts and we beat surgery!
We can do it!

They say "Bring it!"
We say, "Oh, it's already been brought'n!"

No, it's like chaucer, dickens, the brontes, shakespeare, hardy, and so on....

Did you read the Miller's tale in Canterbury tales? Now that was a hilarious story. The guy farting in that other guy's face...then he gets a hot poker up shoved up his bunghole. Classic!

 

[Pingu]

Did you read the Miller's tale in Canterbury tales? Now that was a hilarious story. The guy farting in that other guy's face...then he gets a hot poker up shoved up his bunghole. Classic!

All of the Canterbury tales are like that...totally dirty and lewd...totally made me want to be british...and yet people are totally resistant to reading them!

 

[b&ierstiefel]

All of the Canterbury tales are like that...totally dirty and lewd...totally made me want to be british...and yet people are totally resistant to reading them!

yeah, but those people suck. you, on the other hand, don't have to suck. you have a choice and you should choose not to suck.

 

[vetiver]

Whoa, reading this thread brought back many computer nerd memories. I used to play lots of old Amiga games like Defender of the Crown, and those cool Mac puzzle games like Fool's Errand and Deja Vu. And this Commodore 64 game called Tank. I actually remember the first Leisure Suit Larry coming out, and thinking it was the fanciest game I had ever seen. I can't even go into the text-based educational games I used to access through the phone modem, they were so nerdy.

 

[Pingu]

As a catholic school girl, leisure suit larry was strictly forbidden in my house, as were def leppard and bon jovi

I always wanted to play it though...i think they have one out for ps2 or xbox

 

[b&ierstiefel]

As a catholic school girl, leisure suit larry was strictly forbidden in my house, as were def leppard and bon jovi

I always wanted to play it though...i think they have one out for ps2 or xbox

I found it funny how in Leisure Suit Larry, you could adjust how dirty and lewd the gameplay was.

 

[Pingu]

I just found that you can get the first 6 kings quests in a compilation disc on amazon for 70 bucks....hmmm...70 dollars for the reliving of my childhood

 

[yaah]

Whoa, reading this thread brought back many computer nerd memories. I used to play lots of old Amiga games like Defender of the Crown, and those cool Mac puzzle games like Fool's Errand and Deja Vu. And this Commodore 64 game called Tank. I actually remember the first Leisure Suit Larry coming out, and thinking it was the fanciest game I had ever seen. I can't even go into the text-based educational games I used to access through the phone modem, they were so nerdy.

Fool's Errand kicked major butt. I loved that game. My uncle got into mac computers way before anyone I ever knew, and one christmas probably in the mid 80s he brought home a mac to show everyone. I almost destroyed it though by dragging "Macpaint" into the trash and he flipped out and got it out of there fast. We had these marathon tetris sessions. But then he showed me fools errand and I was definitely hooked.

 

[b&ierstiefel]

I just found that you can get the first 6 kings quests in a compilation disc on amazon for 70 bucks....hmmm...70 dollars for the reliving of my childhood

huh? they made SIX of them? i thought they only made 5.

given that computers are much faster now, if you try playing KQ4, Rosetta would end up running around like an ewok on speed and advance to the next screen before you knew what you wanted to do. Then you would hit the next screen and there would be a four-assed monkey with a shotgun ready to pop a cap in her ass.

 

[Pingu]

according to amazon, there are now 8. I find this incredible, but I am oh so tempted to get the disc with the first six just so I can play 3 again and make the cookie that turns you into a cat.

 

[b&ierstiefel]

according to amazon, there are now 8. I find this incredible, but I am oh so tempted to get the disc with the first six just so I can play 3 again and make the cookie that turns you into a cat.

you know...how long do you think it would take for us to beat that game now? back then everytime the character would move to once side of the screen, it would take like a minute to load up the next screen. one could probably beat each game in a day or two now.

 

[Pingu]

I remember when you would get to certain stages and it would tell you to insert disc 3 now to continue...I think I could beat it pretty quick though, but maybe not, maybe it was one of those games you need childhood brillance for

 

[b&ierstiefel]

I remember when you would get to certain stages and it would tell you to insert disc 3 now to continue...I think I could beat it pretty quick though, but maybe not, maybe it was one of those games you need childhood brillance for

Oh that reminds me of what happened in Kings Quest 4. There were four 5.25'' floppy disks (yes, my parents were poh at that time and couldn't afford the 3.5'' drive). And at one point in the game, the computer said insert disk 4 to continue. So I insert disk 4. Then an error message appeared on the screen and my computer went spastic. Apparently the disk was bad. So in addition to having lost major progress in the game (since I forgot to save the game again before this happened), I had to buy another copy of the game.

 

[geddy]

I hate you guys for starting this thread. I am still walking around whistling the theme to Space Quest.

 

[joedogma]

I remember playing bard's tale on the old apple 2...that game sucked up my childhood. Now world of warcraft is keeping me busy until match day (Damn you LADOC!)

16 more days...you know the results are done and just sitting on some admins desk until the 14th...what a waste...

 

[bananaface]

I hate you guys for starting this thread. I am still walking around whistling the theme to Space Quest.

Hate is such a strong word. I prefer the term "complete and utter disdain."

 

[b&ierstiefel]

Focus your hate on the Match. I have utter and complete disdain for the Match. The Match is dumb.

 

[geddy]

Focus your hate on the Match. I have utter and complete disdain for the Match. The Match is dumb.

If you had to rate disdain on a scale of 1-10, with 1 being no disdain and 10 being the most you could imagine...

So, between step 2 BS and the Match... which is dumber and more worthy of disdain?

 

[geddy]

Hate is such a strong word. I prefer the term "complete and utter disdain."

True, true... I strongly dislike the fact that the song is incessantly playing through my head, with that synthesized music... The people who started this sub-thread, no doubt, knew not what they wrought...