Come and Get It! The 2018 NRMP Program Director Survey is Out

Every two years the National Resident Matching Program® (NRMP) publishes a program director (PD) survey that focuses on two main questions: 1) What factors do PDs use in deciding whom to interview? 2) What factors do PDs use in deciding whom to rank? Results of the 2018 Program Director Survey are available here.

So, as you approach interviews, if you're wondering what PDs want - by specialty - here are your answers. This document is extremely valuable. 

Inaccuracies in Medical Student Grades Translate into Residency Application Strategy

Here's an interesting article by Dr. Pauline Chen on medical student grades. In reading the article, residency applicants should reflect on how important the content of their letters of recommendation is, especially in the setting of medical school grades that may be inflated or simply inaccurate. The 2016 NRMP Program Director Survey supports the importance of letters, as well, with statistics. Make sure your letters are very strong; remember that mediocre letters should not be a part of your residency package.

NRMP Applicant Survey Is Out

The National Resident Matching Program® does an excellent job of amassing and publishing relevant data regarding the Match. Their most useful information is found in the NRMP Program Director Survey and Charting Outcomes of the Match. The organization recently published Results of the 2015 NRMP Applicant Survey. While the information is less strategic for candidates making application decisions, it's still pretty interesting to see what factors students use in deciding where to apply (geography is more important than reputation in general) and where to rank. It's worth a look.

Do Interviews Matter?

Yes!

For residency candidates: The NRMP Program Directors' Survey makes it very clear that interviews matter a lot, which was also my experience as an Assistant Residency Director. I recall very robust conversations about even small comments candidates made during their interviews, some of which affected their ranking on our Match list.

For medical school applicants: Although there is controversy over how much college interviews matter, even skeptics acknowledge that graduate school interviews make a difference in the application process. In this NYT piece, two former interviewers strongly advise conducting mock interviews and being prepared for "curve ball" questions.

Remember: If you're well-prepared, once you get your foot in the door, you can make a strong impression about the worthiness of your candidacy.

Evidence-Based Decision Making Regarding Your Planned Specialty

For those first-, second-, and third-year medical students who are trying to pick a specialty, remember to start with the facts: The NRMP published Charting Outcomes of the Match to give applicants an idea of what characteristics successful 2014 Main Residency Match candidates had. While sobering (the mean Step 2 score for successful radiology U.S. senior applicants was 249), the information is valuable as you approach the decision-making process.

If you're early in the process, you can strategically plan your candidacy for success. If you're later in the process, you can decide whether you have the characteristics necessary to pursue a successful Match process.

2014 NRMP Program Director Survey is Now Available

Every two years the National Resident Matching Program® (NRMP) publishes a current program director (PD) survey which focuses on two main questions: 1) What factors do PDs use in deciding whom to interview? 2) What factors do PDs use in deciding whom to rank? Results of the 2014 Program Director Survey is available here.

So, as you approach interviews, if you're wondering what PDs want, here are your answers.

New NRMP Data Available

As I've mentioned before, the National Residency Match Program (NRMP) provides copious statistics regarding the Match. Recently, the NRMP published Results and Data: 2014 Main Residency Match, which is filled with information that can help you approach this year's application cycle strategically. For example, the report includes a chart called, "Positions Offered and Number Filled by U.S. Seniors and All Applicants, 2010 - 2014," which gives you a pretty clear idea of how competitive different fields are. Here is the newly published report.

Residency Match Data

The National Resident Matching Program (NRMP) has recently updated their website. It's still easy to navigate, but some web pages have been replaced with newer ones. Here is the NRMP data page, which includes some current reports on the 2013 residency Match.

Get Started on Your ERAS® Now

Every September a swarm of panicked residency applicants contacts me asking for urgent help. Don't be one of those harried people, approaching your future career goals in a frenzy! It's time to get started on your ERAS® personal statement and experiences section now. MyERAS® is already open for candidates to start working on their applications, and residency tokens are already available for International Medical Graduates (IMGs) through the Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates® (ECFMG).

Here is a list of the residency application services I provide and here is my comprehensive package.

And for those of you who don't think the personal statement matters, take a look at the (bizarrely) high percentage of residency directors who site the personal statement as a factor in selecting whom to interview in the 2012 NRMP Program Director Survey.

Finally, for fun, take a look at my under-one-minute Guru on the Go® stop-motion, animation video "Honors Won't Make It Write" about the import of the residency personal statement.

Check me out at www.InsiderMedicalAdmissions.com

Inaccuracies in Medical Student Grades Translate into Residency Application Strategy

Here's an interesting article by Dr. Pauline Chen on medical student grades. In reading the article, residency applicants should reflect on how important the content of their letters of recommendation is, especially in the setting of medical school grades that may be inflated or simply inaccurate. The 2012 NRMP Program Director Survey (yes, I do mention that document a lot because it's so helpful) supports the importance of letters, as well, with statistics. Make sure your letters are very strong; remember that mediocre letters should not be a part of your residency package.

Check me out at www.InsiderMedicalAdmissions.com

What do Residency Directors Really Want?

The 2012 NRMP Program Director Survey results are out, and they are very instructive. The NRMP sends questionnaires every two years to residency directors who have participated in the previous Match in an attempt to determine what factors program directors use to decide whom to interview and then whom to Match.

The overall response rate this year was 44.8% - down from 2010's survey - but the results are as useful as ever. Of note, the personal statement is one of the top factors in deciding whom to interview - more than Step 2 scores! (See page 3 for details.) Furthermore, interactions with faculty and house staff and interpersonal skills are more important than Step 1 scores and honors in clinical clerkships in ranking applicants. (See page 5 for details.)

What this means: Your personal statement and your interview skills are critical for success in the application process! Some candidates spend months studying for the Boards, yet they rush through their application written materials and don't practice before their interviews. Don't be one of those misguided people! Contact me for assistance.

Check me out at www.insidermedicaladmissions.com

Insider's Evidence-Based Advising Strategy

As those of you who have worked with me or have heard me lecture know, I use Evidence-Based Advising in mentoring my clients. Just like we use data to drive good clinical practice, I have developed the concept of Evidence-Based Advising to use facts to drive strong application decisions.

In previous blog entries, I've discussed the utility of the NRMP Program Director Survey and the NRMP's Charting Outcomes in the Match in helping to make solid, informed application decisions.

The Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates' (ECFMG) data on Match results is another piece of information that can be helpful. For those contemplating applying to an international medical school or for those International Medical Graduates (IMGs) approaching this year's application cycle, understanding IMGs' performance in the Match is important. The current data just came out and is available here.

Of course, basing your decisions only on numbers is not adequate. When we provide excellent clinical care, we use experience, as well as the literature, to make our decisions. (This necessary combination is what makes managing patients during medical school and residency so hard.) For those of you interested in strategy based on years of admissions experience, coupled with Evidence-Based Advising, please contact me for one-on-one help.

I'll continue to publicize useful sources of data for applicants.

AMSA Success

Thanks to everyone who attended my AMSA lecture. We had a standing-room only crowd. Your support is appreciated!

NRMP Rank Order List Certification Deadline

Just a reminder that applicants and programs must certify their rank order lists before February 22 at 9pm EST.

Please see my previous blog entry on creating a rank list. Don't make the error of changing your rank order last minute based on panic! Your list should be a considered decision.

Mocking Optimally

This time of year I'm commonly asked when the best time to set up a mock interview with me is.

I would recommend arranging your practice session(s) with me in the month prior to your first interview. Whether you complete the mock interview(s) weeks in advance or the day before depends on how you best retain information.

More important than when you practice is that you simply do. The NRMP Program Directors' Survey, my experience at Harvard, and my work with hundreds of Insider clients all reinforce the critical nature of the interview in assessing an applicant's candidacy.

If you are planning to hire me, please do so as soon as you get that first interview invitation. My slots go very quickly, and although I try to accommodate everyone I can, I am currently scheduling several weeks in advance because of high demand.

Here is a link to my services page.

NRMP Stats

The NRMP does a really great job of collecting and distributing useful statistics about the Match. Many of you know that a document I refer to often is the NRMP Program Directors' Survey. Recently, the NRMP has published several more documents, including "Charting Outcomes of the Match - Characteristics of Applicants Who Matched to Their Preferred Specialty in the 2011 Main Residency Match." I know clever applicants who have used the data in this document to strategically apply to residency this year.

The NRMP comments as follows regarding their analysis:

"The data in this report support the following straightforward
advice one should give to an applicant.

- Rank all of the programs you really want, without regard to
your estimate of your chances with those programs.
-Include a mix of both highly competitive and less
competitive programs within your preferred specialty.
-Include all of the programs on your list where the program
has expressed an interest in you and where you would accept
a position.
-If you are applying to a competitive specialty and you would
want to have a residency position in the event you are
unsuccessful in matching to a program in your preferred
specialty, also rank your most preferred programs in an
alternate specialty.
-Include all of your qualifications in your application, but
know that you do not have to be AOA, to have the highest
USMLE scores, to have publications, or to have participated
in research projects to match successfully."

New "Getting Into Residency" CD-ROM Available

I don't usually refer readers of this blog to my other blog, but with the launch of my new "Getting Into Residency" CD-ROM, I thought that might be easier. Here is the information. The CD includes video, audio, printable slides and a transcript.

NRMP Program Director Survey

by Michelle A. Finkel MD, Insider Medical Admissions

The results of the 2010 NRMP Program Director Survey are out. (The last survey was done in 2008.) This document is tremendously helpful, documenting what percentage of residencies (separated by specialty) use specific factors (personal statement, perceived commitment to the field, etc.) in interviewing and matching applicants. You can use this evidence to make a strategic plan for your candidacy. (Warning: The PDF is large, and the download may take a while.)

Please contact me now for help with your residency application. You want to submit as early as possible.

What factors are most important in your residency application?

The results of the 2008 NRMP Program Director Survey are currently available on-line. According to the NRMP website, data are reported for nineteen specialties and include: (1) factors used for granting interviews and ranking applicants, (2) use of USMLE exam scores and (3) the percentage of interview slots filled prior to the November 1 release date of the MSPE (medical student performance evaluation).

Many applicants will find this information valuable in determining what program directors are currently using to evaluate applicants. Note that personal statement and interview performance are highly valued even in surgical fields. This demonstrates how important it is a) to submit excellent written materials and b) to be well-prepared for residency interviews.

This is - in part - why my application assistance has such a high impact for my clients. Contact me for assistance: InsiderMedicalAdmissions.com .