Didn't match this cycle. Would preferably want to get into a prelim year, but I haven't been able to find any information on how to do it. What should I do now?
Didn't match this cycle. Would preferably want to get into a prelim year, but I haven't been able to find any information on how to do it. What should I do now?
I called a general surgeon at my school who I was comfortable with and knew me and she directed me in the right direction. I feel devastated right now, but I think we have to be more proactive now than ever. Good luck.
To those of yout hat didn't match, I truly am sorry. I was in the same boat last year and was very disappointed. You just have to remember that this process is more than just being smart, getting good grades and publications. Ideally, a handful of people just aren't cut out for it, and there are many of you who deserved to match but simply didn't. It is merely a numbers game combined with where you come from and who you know. My advice to everyone that didn't match is to:1.) Figure out wheter Urology is the only thing you want to do in life. (to many this may seem obvious right now, but things may change and reality is you may be happy doing something else and you just need to let go). If it is, I say stick with it and it will happen. Maybe next year or even the year after that, but it only get's harder with the effort you have to put forth and the people you have to please.3.) Many of you may have questions about prelim vs. research year vs. another field - If you had a backup and think you'd be happy doing it... go for it. - Prelim Surgery... you may get a PGY2 spot, but these are hard to come by and even harder to get into. Less time to intervew depending on where you go, but you'll be a resident and have a year under your belt in case you decide to go into whatever surgical field you want - Research year-- all depends on how productive you are, how the place is set up. - When it comes down to it, after doing this twice... I'm a stong believer that this field is a big numbers game and hence it comes down to YOU, WHO you know, and WHERE you come from.4.) In the end... people have said it over and over again in your life and in this forum. it sure feels like it, but it's not the end of the world. You'll figure it out. You're still going to be a doctor. Take some time to introspect. Check out your options, and get everyone's opinions. As confusing it may be to hear 10 different things.... that's just how it is.Anyway... i'm just one person and one voice. I did a research/clinical year this year and matched. Others i know that did the same didn't. I hope everyone figures out what they want to do and wish you the best of luck in your future endeavors and career.
If you didn't match, I am sorry. I know Duke fills one of their urology spots each year starting at PGY2. So if you can find a prelim gen surgery program, then you can apply for that spot next cycle!!!!
I feel you completely. I threw everything I could into this cycle, was definitely a "top" applicant numbers wise, even for urology, and was told by multiple programs that I was one of their top ranks, including one formal hand written letter from a program. Maybe they were being honest and I got really, profoundly, unlucky with the algorithm, or maybe they were simply lying to attempt to court more people to rank them highly. This news is still completely devastating for me, and I'm not really sure of my next move, but the idea of having to experience this altogether the next year (only 15% of reapplicants appear to have matched this year, and my God, congratulations to those of you all who managed to pull that one off) is a lot to try and motivate myself beyond just from a practical standpoint. I love this field, and the people I've met in it, but suspect I will move onto something else, although I have not ruled out the entire possibility of giving it one last solid try, as the idea of giving up such an amazing career is extremely difficult for me personally.I'm phenomenally happy for you all who did manage to match, and wish you all the best in your careers. For those of you in my boat, just know that their are others out there dealing with the same mess you are, so at least you aren't suffering alone.Finally the main reason I'm even posting this is for program directors/coordinators/current residents/etc. Everywhere I interviewed told me I would "match no problem whatsoever" in spite of the fact that I never solicited anyone for this perspective. The majority, at least 60%, of my programs went out of their way tell me I was a "top" or "highly competitive" choice. A few also mentioned that they regularly read this website. It's my first time posting here, but I would like to ask anyone in the position to tell an applicant how highly sought after they are to refrain from doing so unless you can meaningfully back that point up. It is frustrating to not match, but even more so if you felt falsely confident. I honestly believed I would have no problem whatsoever matching, an opinion I reformed exclusively on the basis of what everyone told me, and that differed from the obvious statistics of the match rate for this field. While it is your job to fill a program, it's worth remembering that you are doing it with the lives and career ambitions of individual human beings, and just as you hopefully wouldn't lie to your patients, it seems inappropriate to do so with applicants who invest significant time, money, and most importantly ENERGY into this process. Best of luck to everyone who matched or didn't this year. I can truly say that I was highly impressed by damn near everyone I met on the trail and you all seem like the type of quality individuals I would be honored to train with, in any field.
all i wanted last year after not matching was a success story. a successful reapplicant. It was hard to find them. I now have a decent collection of reapplicant experiences to share. i did a prelim year and have been successful this time around. One of the 15% of med grads to match...ouch.anyone is welcome to shoot me an email.ppmd13@gmail.com
I'm just going to go out and say it. I am so f**king pissed I didn't match. Feels like a godd*mn kick in the teeth. ok... now that's out of the way.I was given a few options:1) Do a surgery prelim - your chair should talk with the chair of the gen surg department about getting you in if they like you or find you a program elsewhere.2) Research year - good if pubs was your problem, worthless otherwise.3) Change fields - best thing to do if Urology is not a priority, honestly I don't think I can look those people in the face again without getting the urge to kick a donkey.I'm just really bitter about not matching (as are a lot of us) but congrats to those of you who did, it was tough and you guys deserve it. For the rest of us, it's time to pick up our arses and get on with life. I'm more likely than not going to try to scramble into a Prelim year for surgery and then re-apply and see what bites.BTW, scramble is now called SOAP.Good luck
To those who didn't match -- my sincerest and best wishes to you all. I know I've met some of you on the trail who didn't match, and I would love to have you all as colleagues should you decide to reapply. I hope that everyone finds something they will enjoy doing, be it urology or something else.I know it is still soon, but I wanted to get an idea across before this forum quiets down.If you did not match, please anonymously post your stats and data in the google doc match list. This will help us and next year's group hopefully get a better sense of what particular characteristics differentiated the matched and unmatched applicants.Thank you all for helping to transform this nebulous process into something more tangible, and helping to create some real data that can be used for future advising.
Are you kidding me? Those of us who were incredibly unlucky enough not to match are BARELY even able to grasp what the hell to do with our lives now after investing at minimum the better part of 5-6 months banking on this as a career option, in case you forgot how fun killing yourself on aways and spending crazy amounts of money was. As a poster above pointed out, many of us were courted and told of how likely and certain our matches was. My own home advisors told me it was a "sure thing". I'm thrilled you're riding the wave of euphoria for matching, but as a reminder, It hasn't been 48 damn hours yet since we all found out either good news or for the rest of us majorly devastating news. While I am still at a total loss as to why the hell I didn't match, I guarantee you it wasn't because of my stats (AOA, phenomenal board scores, pubs, and SOLID letters of rec, if that satisfies your curiosity) or where I did aways, so kindly back off....people need to know stats that matched, not dissect the details of the poor unlucky who did not after dragging it out of them on the thread where vulnerable, hurt people are searching for answers as to how to move forward. Nobody who took this process seriously was gambling at matching, and I'm sure their stats are equivalent to your own. On my read, your post comes across as patronizing at best, and at worst it feels like you rubbing salt in what is still and EXTREMELY FRESH wound.
Nevermind. Best wishes with planning in the coming months.