gayathri
Forum Newbie
Topics: 1
Posts: 3
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Hi,
I happened to read ur discussion abt...whether to accept a prematch or not???
My interviews are just getting started & I too need to decide. I read in the NRMP website that last year, almost 80% of candidates who had on average 7 programs in their ROL matched! So, I feel if u have good scores Its not all that risky to go for Match....What do u guys think??
After discussing with few residents, I feel, there is a chance of getting a better position thro'match. I mean...Its very favorable to the applicants. But the fear of not being matched & slight amount of uncertainty makes people grab the prematch offer.
Pl share ur opinion.....Is going for the Match better or risky???
I know its ultimately a personal decision...but ur suggestions will help many to decide.
Thanks & GL.
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| retroviridae
Forum Guru
Topics: 29
Posts: 871
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I accepted prematch because my first choice program offered it to me. I was surprised that prestigious university programs offered prematch. Some do. So if you get the one you want, well then take it! Otherwise, I think I got a good feel of how programs felt about me during the interviews. I would have been comfortable going into the match with the interviews I had. I knew I would end up somewhere, probably nicer than some of the other programs that offered me prematch. So in that case, I would just do the match. But it is a risk, esp at university programs. I sensed that some programs would probably rank all their US grad interviewees above any IMGs. So like you said, if you have several interviews, and enough of them gave you a good feeling, match. I am concerened that they won't even rank me since my Step II CS is being delayed so much (late Jan-early Feb). And like I said, my most prestigious interview offered me prematch, and I liked their program when I was there. So seems like a win win situation to me.
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| gayathri
Forum Newbie
Topics: 1
Posts: 3
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Congrats Retroviridae!!!
Thanks for answering. I think I'll do the same...If my first or second choice program offers a prematch..I'll accept. If not I'll go for the match.
Thanks again & GL to u.
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| nonstopdoc1
Forum Senior
Topics: 14
Posts: 196
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Gayathri i think you r confusing the NRMP stats.
First i am concerened that 20% ppl even with more than 7 interviews still go unmatched. What percentage of these 20 % are IMGs? nobody knows. If somebody got more than 7 interviews than obviously he has average to good credentials. and who knows i might end up in the unfortunate 20%.
Than these stats do not present the true picture cuz it shows only the ppl who go for match but lot of Imgs take a spot out of the match so they dont come in these stats. Most american grads will attend somewhere around 10 interviews or more and thus will constitute the majority of this 80% figure.
And than situation is lot differnet this year due to ecfmg's stupidity. so i will be bit more careful.
Many ppl i met on interviews understand this and dont want to take any risk this year and are ready to take prematch even if its not from their first tier of wanted programs.
WELL my first choice doesnt gives any prematch so no point expecting one from them.
further, delay in CS has further complicated the situation. An average program is sometimes accomodating wrt to issue of H1 if you are interested in, but the competetive ones arent (cuz they have long line of ppl with completed credentials)
The problem is that there is now way to know with a significant degree of confidence that the program will definitly rank you no matter how good your interview went.
And suppose if they dont rank me and the average programs that i ranked suppose from 3 to 10 positions in my ROL are already filled by prematches than i might end up unmatched although i had good scores and a good number of interviews.
Its so damn confusing 
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| gayathri
Forum Newbie
Topics: 1
Posts: 3
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Thanks so much for replying.
I'll think over it. Yeah..anyday...U feel safe if u already have a prematch offer in hand. GL to u & lets hope all of get into a decent program( of our choice.)
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| nonstopdoc1
Forum Senior
Topics: 14
Posts: 196
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i was still editing the post 
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No spring skips its turn.
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| retroviridae
Forum Guru
Topics: 29
Posts: 871
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I want to add something here. I think nonstopdoc is right in a way. Maybe I painted too rosey a picture of all this. I think the stats are for IMGs that only 50% who go through the match match. That is pretty rough. I would think over things very carefuly. Like I said, I suspect some programs would take any US grad over an IMG, no matter how good the IMG was. It is always a risk. It depends on how competitive a candidate you are. Do you have great scores, ECFMG certified, US CE, US LoR, research, publications/presentations, US awards/honors, visa status, connections to a program, length of time since med school .... Even with all that, average programs would still reject you.
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