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.
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.
Many of you already know about the Insider Medical Admissions’ Guru on the Go© video shorts – a free, stop-motion animation series that provides critical advice in under one minute for medical school and residency applicants. I received some great feedback last year after rolling these out, including a nod from the NRMP® itself. Check out this brand new getting into residency video called “Put a Ring on It.” Also, take a peek at the Insider Medical Admissions Guru page for more shorts.
A residency applicant recently asked me if Board scores, grades, and academics in general were no longer significant once someone had gotten past the interview stage; she wondered if those factors were important to get to the interview but not get on the rank list.
Of course, every program is different, but generally, questions like this one can be answered with evidence – using the NRMP Program Director Survey. (According to the survey, academic issues are still a critical factor in deciding whom to rank.)
If you want to know what Program Directors really want, check out the Survey. The NRMP is very good about culling and publicizing 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.
Dr. Finkel is a graduate of Stanford University and Harvard Medical School. On completing her residency at Harvard, she was asked to
stay on as faculty at Harvard Medical School and spent five years teaching at the world-renowned Massachusetts General Hospital.
She was appointed to the Assistant Residency Director position for the Harvard Affiliated
Emergency Medicine Residency where she reviewed countless applications, personal statements and resumes. Read more
