NRMP Match

Congrats to all those who successfully matched the week before last! The NRMP just published statistics from this year's Main Match:

Of interest, there were 42,549 applicants who submitted certified rank order lists in this year's Main Match, and 34,075 of those matched to PGY-1 positions (80.1%). This was a 1.6% increase over last year.

The NRMP also reports that out of 39,205 total positions offered, 36,943 filled (94.2%), and of 36,277 first-year positions offered, 34,075 (93.9%) filled. These rates were similar to last year's. Of 6,087 total certified programs, 5,367 filled (88.2%), which was a decrease from last year, per the NRMP.

For more numbers, take a look at this NRMP press release.  

Studies Show that Physicians are More Likely to Use Negative Terms in Black Patients' Medical Charts

Here's a disturbing and important New York Times article detailing two studies showing that physicians were more likely to use negative language in the medical record about Black patients than about those of other races. 

Medical notes from emergency departments and inpatient settings were more likely to use this pejorative language, possibly because of a lack of long-standing relationships with patients.

Along these lines, a term like "refused" should not be used in the medical record. If we, as medical professionals, believe the patient is truly in charge of his/her body, "declined" is an appropriate replacement.  

Medical School Letters of Recommendation: Asking the right people

For those applying to medical school this cycle, if you haven't already, it's time to start asking for letters of recommendation (LOR).

Beyond simply fulfilling requirements, you want to get the strongest letters you possibly can from the most influential writers. Choosing the right individuals can be a challenge, and advisees often ask me what to look for in a letter writer. Here is my suggested wish list for potential letter-writers:

1. Explicitly state they will write you a strong LOR

2. Senior faculty

3. Weighty academic titles
4. Well known in their field
5. Spent significant time with you
6. Experienced letter-writers

Of course, all of these qualifications are not possible for all writers. But the more of these you can garner the better. 

With regard to #1, don’t be afraid to ask a potential letter-writer if she will write you "a very strong" LOR. It may seem awkward at the time you ask, but, believe me, getting a wimpy letter will be much thornier. If the faculty member says no, hesitates, or tells you in March that she has to plan her Thanksgiving get-together ;), politely thank her and move on. Although disappointing, acknowledge that she has done you a huge favor. You are far better off avoiding her letter, and you now have the advantage of substituting a stronger LOR written by someone who loves you.

With regard to #2 through 4, admissions officers are human just like the rest of us: Receiving a LOR from an accomplished, known colleague will be weighed much more heavily than one from someone deemed less successful and unfamiliar. If you are better connected to someone without a title, consider asking the professor (a more senior person who has a weightier title) if she would consider writing the LOR with significant input from your closer contact (i.e., the TA who taught your section, or the postdoctoral fellow who directly supervised your research project). That way you get a LOR that includes insight from someone who knows you, signed by a name that packs a punch.

Fee Assistance Program

As the 2021-22 medical school application process ramps up, I want to remind candidates about the Association of American Medical Colleges' (AAMC) Fee Assistance Program (FAP) and Insider Medical Admissions' available discount for those with a current FAP. The FAP is designed to offer help to individuals with financial limitations who cannot pay the MCAT registration or AMCAS application fees without financial support.

If you think you are eligible, it's worth applying for an FAP grant early: If an applicant submits his/her AMCAS prior to receiving a decision on his/her FAP application, that candidate will be ineligible to receive the FAP for the AMCAS. In other words, the candidate will not receive a refund.

For more information on the FAP, please click here. I offer reduced rates for applicants demonstrating financial hardship through a current AAMC FAP grant. After researching the issue, I believe Insider is the only medical consulting company that currently supports a discount for FAP grant recipients. (I apologize if I'm missing a company.) Once you have been granted the FAP and thus, can prove receipt, please feel free to contact me for more information.