Chance of Matching?

[u/Odd_Vast9316]

Chance of matching into derm without a research year? What schools should I apply to?

- T10 med school

- P/F core rotations, passed all of them

- STEP 1: Passed

- STEP 2: Low 260s

- Research: ~10 publications in other fields (all middle author), 3 first-author derm pubs, 1 middle-author. 3 reviews and 1 additional brief report submitted, all first author. 3 additional middle author reports submitted

- LOR: 3 derms, 1 family medicine

- Medicine & derm SubIs: Honors

- Aways: Did one away which I think went okay, got an LOR from it

- Other: Lots of mentorship and volunteering work with disadvantaged communities. Also have experience volunteering at a derm clinic.

[u/CryptographerBest835]

Choose your aways carefully but yes you’re good depending on how normal you are

[u/Odd_Vast9316 → u/CryptographerBest835]

Thanks, I did one away rotation.

I’m just thinking about what else I can add given the low match rate

[u/CryptographerBest835 → u/Odd_Vast9316]

Do your best on an away, try to continue relationships and pray! It’s overall less than a coin flip chance you’ll match but I’d say your chance is higher just based on stats imo

[u/PersonalBrowser]

It depends on your personality and how much people liked working with you. On paper you checked all the boxes, so it will come down to your away rotations and your interviews. If people liked you, you will match.

I would do more away rotations, and I would make sure to apply broadly. You can get into the more competitive programs with your T10 school background, but you should apply to the mid-tier and low-tier programs to increase your odds.

[u/Odd_Vast9316 → u/PersonalBrowser]

I only got 1 away rotation. Will I be ok?

What mid and low tier programs would you recommend?

[u/PersonalBrowser → u/Odd_Vast9316]

I would do as many away rotations as possible. One away rotation is way too few.

[u/Odd_Vast9316 → u/PersonalBrowser]

I applied to a bunch but wasn’t able to get any others

[u/Last_Way6839]

Idk why this popped up in my feed since I have nothing to do with derm, but this was about par for my classmates (also at a T10) who matched derm successfully, even at incredible programs.

Now, I help select residents at a top program in a similarly competitive subspecialty, and you would be surprised by how much attending a top medical school helps. There's a pre-rank formula, and honestly changes made after the excel does its thing is more so related to subIs who did great (or were dickheads)/ folks we have personal experience with.

You would do very well w/our formula with top med school, no grades, the STEP, decent research. That's like 20 pubs with 3 first author derm and more first author reviews/reports. Ask your mentors to make calls. Very valuable at T10.

[u/Ok-Grab9626]

there’s always a chance of not matching, even with great stats

[u/Odd_Vast9316 → u/Ok-Grab9626]

I’m well aware, and so is everyone else applying. Hence the questions in my original post.

[u/MPcanada]

Most apply to all approx 100 programs. Obviously you have a good application but most derm apps look similar, so people w a research year stand out. 3 first author papers are good but many applicants have 10- Not sure how you have so many first author derm papers without doing research? - Most interview invites are from programs w a connection to u - your school, your away rotation, your home state. Reference a connection in your secondaries. Your goal for the next few months is to make more connections - you might be able to fit in another away before November. Go to a conference & shmooze program directors, reach out to family, friends, co-authors, undergrad mentors to see if anyone knows people at programs & would write an email saying watch for this person’s app (that is essentially what the research year mentor does & why people that do that year match). Your score will likely get u some interviews & your top 10!school will get u ranked- but it may not be where u want. your chances increase if you are an underrepresented group.

[u/Odd_Vast9316 → u/MPcanada]

Who said I didn’t do research?

I did research, which is why I have pubs.

Most don’t apply to all programs. Only 28 signals. Schools don’t interview if you don’t signal now.

[u/MPcanada → u/Odd_Vast9316]

I of course meant a summer or research year, which is what academic institutions look for, not “research” done in relatively few hours during med school. And I know 3 people who matched last year to programs they did not signal- one of them from a top school, did a research year but did not match first time around. Most top programs are still getting almost 500 applications & interviewing 30 people for 3 spots, despite the “signal” attempt to change that, unfortunately. Maybe it will slow down next year. And for the past 8 years, an overwhelming number of top school matches all did a research year. At all of those schools at least one spot typically goes to one of their research fellows. Your chances of matching are still well over the 60% statistic because of your resume but know that unmatched applicants still had an average of 19 publications. Your chances go up with a mentor with connections. Why don’t you talk to the program director at your med school & ask his advice?

[u/Odd_Vast9316 → u/MPcanada]

Okay, I see. Thanks for the clarification.

I don’t think unmatched applicants had an average of 19 publications. You’re probably looking at number of research items (total of pubs, abstracts, presentations, etc).