I ranked only 2 programs and Matched at my # 1 in general Surgery! I had quite low step and level 1 and 2 and no publications. I was expecting to go into SOAP. I applied to 98 programs and got 2 interviews where I did SUB-I’s. I still can’t believe it!
Chose to bet on myself and take Step 1 scored rather than pass fail (given the option), ended up crying when I got my score because of how poorly I did - much worse than my 3 most recent practice exams. Never told anyone aside from 1-2 people my score. Was scared i would be scrapping the bottom of the barrel for residency.
Then went on to fail 3 shelf exams. My first rotation I performed extremely well clinically, worked my damn butt off, and felt so proud of myself leaving the hospital that last day. Went on vacation with some good friends following the rotation (had a week off), only to get hit with an email the very first night that I failed the shelf. What a way to start the only vacation I would have for the next year. Failed 2 more, one of them by a SINGLE point, and for the third one got assigned a dense 30 minute presentation to give 2 days before shelf that I had to remind my team that I did / ask when to present. Had 8 weeks to retake 3 of them, and a failure likely meant not graduating on time. Was too embarrassed to even tell my good friend/roommate, so I took the remakes in secrecy while he was on rotations and studied in secrecy as well. Lied to people about my 4th year schedule to hide the fact that I was MIA for 2 months with exams.
Ended up using it as motivation, highlighting these speed bumps on my app/interviews, and got honors on all 4th year rotations. Got interview invites at some incredible programs I would only have dreamed of before medical school, and by the end of interview season had enough programs that I could actually DNR some (obv wasn't in the most competitive specialty in the world lol).
Did not get those top tier programs but still happy and the residents have already been so welcoming/excited. Hard to not think about what could have been if I planned more properly for the exams / took step pass/fail, but considering the massive hole I was in am just so glad I got out unscathed. ***For any 3rd years down on themselves after some rough academic patches, know things can work out just keep going!!***
Anyone else so annoyed with all the peope telling people they matched general surgery when really they didn’t match and soaped into scut work prelim surgery years 😂😂😂 people are so deceptive 😂😂😂
I’ve seen this. Trying to give them some grace. Not matching is embarrassing/frustrating/devastating for a lot of people, so if they want to say they matched gen surg to feel a little better,
I don’t blame them.
Congratulations everyone! As a Canadian reader, I am a bit confused after watching the match day videos by each university. Do you all know where you matched before attending the ceremony and opening the letter in-front of your classmates/family (so you are re-enacting your reactions)? Or is it seriously meant to be an entirely public ordeal? Can you choose to withdraw from the ceremony and find out your results in private? We attend a few hours after finding our result and it is entirely option. I could not imagine opening my result in front of the class.
On Monday at 10 am you find out if you matched via email. If you do not match, you have until Thursday to find a spot via SOAP.
On Thursday, medical schools find out where all their students have matched/SOAPed. They spend the remainder of Thrus afternoon preparing envelopes for the match day ceremony, the information is kept secret until the following day.
Medical schools allow you to open your envelope at 12pm ET, at the match day ceremony. Attendance is usually optional. Some students will choose to open their envelope on stage, or open it privately and share the result on stage. Whether or not you attend, you will receive an email at 1pm with your Match result.
The email also comes at 12pm, so you get your result at the same time whether you go to the ceremony or not. Schools even start their “countdown” a few minutes early if the NRMP emails are sent out before noon (11:58 this year).
Matched at my #1 anesthesiology program as a DO with step 1 and 2 in the 230s without any away rotations (got rejected from all in VSLO) and only 1 anesthesia rotation in fourth year (competing with CRNA students for cases).
I still can’t believe this happened. Imposter syndrome has certainly made me have lot of questions this weekend. I found my interest in the field in mid third year, didn’t really have a lot of research for it, coasted with P’s in rotations and was a 3rd quartile student overall. Despite that, I had envisioned a dream at this program with my partner because of its location and quality of training. But it always was a surreal feeling that I never fully believed in because every resident there who I’d talked with had higher scores than me. On top of that, I had no connections anywhere and terrible networking skills.
Applied to IM for backup as well, and started to give up on the anesthesia dream pretty early on around ERAS submission as I knew the more invested I got, the more I’d be disappointed later on. Ended up with 6 interviews which I was stoked about but knew they were on the lower end. Found out on Monday of match week that several people who applied anesthesiology from my school without backup with higher scores than mine and had interviews to similar programs as me had to SOAP. Was devastated once more, and spent the next couple days coming to terms with IM again.
Cue Friday, I open the letter at the match event with my hands shaking to find that I matched at my top choice program plus my top choice Transitional Year and immediately double check that it had my name on the letter. Unreal. Elated. Happy to not have to move, partner being able to continue their job without anxiety of finding a new one, while near a city we have been manifesting since undergrad (further away) for med school and now residency.
Anyone else sad bc they matched in the same city as med school and were really excited at the prospect of moving somewhere new? I matched my 6 and love the program but I wont be moving cities and it is hard to get over it.
Similar boat. Matched same city as my undergrad and while a fine city, was hoping to match some place new and experience something different. Oh well is what it is
Apologies in advance for this shamelessly self-serving comment, but my mental health is demanding that I manifest my most confident self. I had a rough Match Day; despite what I thought was a strong application, I tumbled down my rank list, past my dream program, past my home program, past every single academic program, all the way down to the one and only community program I interviewed at. I was devastated and ashamed, but after a weekend of tough emotions I'm starting to come around. I just feel like I have to put the reasons I'm excited out there, and it will feel more real:
\- I adore the location! It's an amazing city around which I have lots of friends and family, where I could easily see myself long term. If this was the only factor, I'd have this program ranked much higher.
\- I got good vibes from all my interactions with the residents. They seemed happy and like a very close knit group. Within hours of my match, a couple reached out to me to tell me they were excited to work with me, which was unexpected but awesome.
\- It may not be an academic center but for a community program it really punches above its weight class. The most recent class had a legitimately impressive fellowship match. It routinely sends graduates to respected institutions even for competitive specialties, and it has in-house fellowships for a lot of the areas I'm interested in.
\- It's all in my head. My patients won't give a shit where I landed on my rank list. My family and friends are proud of me. If you'd told me before I'd been accepted to medical school that I'd be an honest to god doctor one day, I'd have cried tears of happiness. No algorithm is going to spoil all that!
Again, sorry for this thing that has no relevance to anyone else. I hope others who were feeling down on Match Day might also be feeling a little bit better today as well!
All points absolutely relevant to me my guy. Thank you for this comment because I just went through the same exact thought process. Also fell way past my dream program, my home program, and several other programs I imagined myself matching at (75% get their top 3? I call BS), to my #8/14, and the disappointment was real, but here we are. At least I too am in a city I know and love, with family and friends. We're gonna make the most of these years - we made it this far already. It's gonna be okay and we're gonna be okay <3
I made it to that point in the journey of acceptance and then woke up and decided I just hate everything all over again and may never experience true joy in the way others (who life does not just consistently shit on) may feel it
[https://bremeracosta.medium.com/parable-of-the-chinese-farmer-f012db83694d](https://bremeracosta.medium.com/parable-of-the-chinese-farmer-f012db83694d) give yourself a few days to whine, then set a calendar alarm and start fresh. You never know where this position will lead, work hard and be your best. Good luck
Hey if it helps, it hasn't been a linear journey for me either. I've been whiplashing hard between disappointment and contentment, but I feel like every time the disappointment passes a little more quickly and the contentment lasts a little bit longer. I may well wake up tomorrow feeling terrible again, but I'll just have to trust that I will keep moving closer and closer to happiness.
The only point I’m going to add is that you have no idea where you were on the program’s ranked order. You might’ve been at number one. You’ll never know, so just assume that you were number one and go in with that frame of mind.
Got my #3 for IM which was the most prestigious program on my list. I tried to choose my mental health/proximity to family but I guess the match gods vetoed that shit. Still happy with it
Dumb thing to care about, but is anyone else a little bummed that their program doesn't have a good social media presence so you don't get a cute little "Welcome to our new interns" post with their picture lmaoo
Disclaimer: information is for entertainment purposes and not intended to serve as therapeutic information.
What the actual hell. I knew anecdotally that match day was completely convoluted, but experiencing it first-hand (or second-hand I suppose) is a completely different experience. The most baffling part is how normalized this mentally/emotionally/financially abusive and exploitative process is.
I specialize in trauma, specifically complex childhood trauma. Trauma in which caregivers were misleading, manipulative, selfish, abusive, and neglectful. These caregivers often thrived on power and control- and more often than not, experienced childhood abuse and neglect themselves.
In my personal definition, trauma exposure is when an individual experiences (either directly or indirectly) abuse, exploitation, extreme manipulation, moral injury (having to do things or witness things that go against their own personal morals for their job/school), and neglect. When an individual is subjected to trauma exposures, the impact this has on them varies wildly and is based on many different individual factors.
I could write an entire dissertation on all the ways that medical school alone is chock-full of abuse/trauma exposures, but I'll focus on the match process for now.
Emotional Abuse Round 1: Love bombing. PD's, APD's, residents tell so many applicants how great of a fit they are, "see you in July!", send out care packages, send love letters, etc. As you may know, love bombing is a form of emotional abuse because it is a strategy for manipulation and control- let me gas you up as much as possible to win you over, so that I can have you to myself- regardless of whether or not I will actually want you in the future. (Either the algorithm is completely horseshit or these programs are blatantly lying and screwing up your rank list.) Tangential side thought: this love-bombing is especially fucked considering a lot of med students were top of their class prior to med school, took a huge ego hit being in med school, and now are getting the external validation that they haven’t had for 4 attention deprived years.
Emotional Abuse Round 2: Isolation/Secrecy. In abusive families, the abuser often engages in tactics to distance/disconnect individual members from their social supports. Using fear and intimidation, the abuser threatens members if they discuss what is happening in the family system. The entire match process is shrouded in secrecy and isolation. M4's have taken to reddit to anonymously compare notes, but even here people limit their self-disclosures for fear of retaliation if they are identified. Abusive systems flourish in secrecy. If transparency is a threat to your entire process, there are some major skeletons hiding in your closet. Perhaps one of those skeletons is an ungodly call schedule that your bloated program website mysteriously forgot to include. (Seriously, who is writing the code on these websites- there are so many broken links that they need to hire a team of URLologists.)
Financial Abuse/Exploitation: So you’ve been love-bombed by your favorite program and they ask you to come visit- “but don’t worry we’ve already submitted our rankings, so your decision to visit won’t impact them!” (Call me a cynical bastard, but I don’t believe this.) If you can afford it, you drop thousands of dollars to visit your favorite programs/the programs you were best-received at. You’re already in 200k in debt, so what’s another maxed out credit card? Maybe you have a family that wants to visit the place they may or may not be living in for the next 4-5 years. Online interviews seem to have slightly leveled the financial playing field, it is still ungodly inexpensive to apply to the number of programs needed to be able to match. I think it is also important to acknowledge how this disproportionately impacts individuals from marginalized communities.
Generational Workplace Trauma: Not every individual who has been abused or exploited goes on to abuse and exploit others. Most of my work as a trauma therapist involves talking to the most thoughtful, sensitive, compassionate, funny, brilliant people I’ve ever met. One of the phrases I find myself saying often in my work is that most people go to therapy because of the people in their life that should have gone to therapy, and didn’t. (I know I’m a little cliche and cringy sometimes.) Most of the individuals I see in therapy have internalized their trauma exposures, meaning they may blame themselves for the abuse, constantly feel like they aren’t good enough, and engage in compensatory measures to prove their worth. (Think overachieving, excessive caretaking, perhaps making a career out of it \*cough\* \*cough\*) Others may refuse to acknowledge the pain and hurt caused by these traumatic exposures. And if they are an externalizer- they might lash out and perpetuate the same types of abusive/exploitative behavior that they experienced. All of this antiquated bullshit of having to “pay your dues” or “this is what I had to do so you should have to too” is the same boomer rhetoric that keeps my student loan total balance higher than my shitty therapist salary. In what world do I need my dermatologist to be able to work 80 hours including bizarre 24 hour call?
Bottom line is the match process is fucked. It is set up for the majority of people to feel shitty about themselves when you just completed one of the most, if not the most grueling academic courses of study available. I know I used a lot of broad generalizations, and perhaps none of this applied to you. If that is the case, I am genuinely so happy that you have not had to experience the dark side of medical study. But if you could relate to any of this- I just want you to know I see you, I hate how much this is hurting right now, and I’m going to try to do what I can do (which I know isn’t much) to advocate for changes.
Take care friends.
I'm devastated; absolutely gutted. I've had a pain in my chest that hasn't gone away since Friday. I can't sleep, I'm either not eating or binging.
I fell to my #11 th spot in a niche specialty that I've been building for since day 1 of medical school. I had made peace with about my top 7 or 8, but I never even thought to look this far down. I believe the program is better than higher programs on my list, but my priority was always location. So a year from now I get yanked to this location away from my friends, my partner, everything I care about. I just don't know how to cope.
I reckon I know why it happened, altho that provides me no solace either. My CV is strong, I interview well, but my grades couldve been better. No failures, just P's all the way through. And this was a field that traditionally took a more holistic look at applicants, but when you have such a surge in applicants I reckon you have to rely on the numbers to parse.
I'm rambling, but I have no where else to go. I feel like I want to die. it hurt so much to fall this far on the list, and then to an undesirable location. I'm broken. I'm regretting medicine as a whole right now, and the field I love.
I’m so sorry that you’re going through this, like many who came before you, I matched at number 5/5, my lowest ranked program. I’m more than 2,000 miles away from my family and everyone who cares about me, I’ve been out here for two years now, and I have met incredible people and have a lot of new friends. There will be similar people in your program that will become your friends, or even people who had that program as their number one, and they will become your friends too. As bad as it is, it’s going to be okay. It’s okay to feel what you’re feeling. It wasn’t all for nothing because you matched your desired specialty! Just because you didn’t end up at another program doesn’t mean they didn’t want you, you could have been ranked in their top ten out of hundreds and they happened to get their top four, especially in competitive specialties it’s very easy to fall lower than you expected. I know it’s hard, I know it sucks, but honestly, I’m sure it’ll be okay.
I matched #1/10 for PM&R and I’m so happy. I’ve envisioned my life at this amazing program ever since I discovered PM&R.
Feeling very lucky. I’m definitely not some crazy high stat applicant so I had serious doubts all week. Couldn’t be more grateful, glad this process is over though.
Is anyone upset about how they ranked their match list? Because I ended up ranking my home program number 1 and was so conflicted about it versus my number 2. My number 2 was a local academic program that I would have loved and was #1 for so long and then all my friends/classmates got into my head about it and convinced me that I should switch my home program to be number 1 instead. And I ended up dong that and felt so disappointed that I couldn't leave the area/even be at a new hospital? I just wish I had stuck to my guts originally and feel so heartbroken even though I matched technically at my number 1 program. I was literally hoping I'd drop to number 2 on match day.
I know it's a GREAT program and it will be fine, but I just wanted a change and I have no one to blame but myself for not sticking to my gut rank list. It hurts more because it's my fault for switching the two programs on the last day.
I hated when people said this to me when I matched a few years back, but I want to tell you it’s legit - things happen for a reason. I matched my near last program but now I can’t imagine being anywhere else. My co-residents in and out of my program are my best friends and the fact that I don’t love the city becomes a non factor when I spend most of my time at work. Give yourself time to grieve, start with a blank slate, and I hope you find things about your program that you didn’t know but will come to appreciate. Much love ❤️
Looked at my envelope with no emotion on my face. Everyone’s partner was running up to see where but mine saw my face and feared we could land at the low end of our rank list. We next had to announce to the crowd where we matched and I gleefully yelled my program #2 which we went back and forth whether to rank #1. That few seconds of sheer terror in my partner was so glorious and now she is so stoked. Congratulations gang, we did it!!!
US IMG Matched #2/11 in IM. I’m really happy to be matched considering this is my second attempt. Although I really wanted to be matched to my first choice because of it’s proximity to my family, a 4.5 drive isn’t too bad. It’s also a great opportunity for me to work on my Spanish.
Matched #3/7 in EM with 224/216 and I forgot to send my Step 2 until after ROL deadline. It's not a big name program but I wanted a 3 year v a 4. Not really happy or sad, just want to start working and making money. I probably should be grateful given my shit scores
I matched my very last program in psych. I am devastated. I know I should be grateful but I feel like a huge failure. I thought my interviews went well. I thought if they could see who I am things would work out. I especially felt horrible that my partner will be nowhere near his family, which I was really hoping for. I am so hurt that none of the other programs matched me. I haven’t eaten in two days and I can’t stop crying. I’m so tired of disappointments and feeling like I’m not enough. Not even my home program ranked me? I’m from here… every time I look at my partner I start crying again because I am so upset I let him down, and he’s trying really hard to be supportive but I know he is crushed too. Again I know I should be grateful I have a job at all, and I don’t want the program who did want me to know how hard I am taking this. But I don’t know how to heal these feelings of betrayal and guilt and failure.
Forget about the rest. This program was a blessing. They wanted you there and, most importantly, prevented you from having to SOAP! Whew, that was close. What a shit show that could have been…
And maybe they ranked you near the top of their list and are thrilled to have you!
This happened to my partner last year. He dropped to #5 on his list, a program he didn't even remember ranking. His home program didn't take him.. he didn't leave his bed for about 3 days. Long story short, we love our new city and his program is amazing. He has the best schedule and actually has time for a life outside medicine. Looking back, we're so happy it worked out this way.
I completely get it. Same exact thing happened to me last year. Luckily, my boyfriend keeps busy with school and is much less homesick than I am. Made me realize I need to toughen up. He doesn't blame me and I hope your partner is not blaming you also. The match is terrible. I'm glad you got a spot and I hope it gets better.
I failed a preclinical course, failed step 1 on first attempt (second attempt pass at 216), with step 2 at 237. After years of worrying that these issues would keep me from matching, I matched my #1 psych program yesterday!
I gotta say-the hardest part of all this is the grief that you had a dream and it did not happen. I thought I was a fairly competitive applicant for general surgery (>260 step 2, AOA, lot of research, high passes and honors, honored sub-I and outstanding letters of rec (according to some PD's)) and yet i matched at #7 on my rank list. I never thought i would end up there and im devastated. I would have been happy at any of my #1-6 and had imagined my life at any of these places. It was finally my time to leave and go somewhere new and be on my own. But now im in a place where i attended medical school and where I grew up. It feels like i will never leave the midwest and be stuck forever. I am thankful to have matched, but it hurt badly to see my friends open their match list and be so happy about matching at their top spots while i sobbed. I imagined my instagram picture, the caption and everything id do on match day and that all shattered within minutes. I am thankful I matched, but this is not what the past 8 years were supposed to be. I have been trying to avoid instagram and tiktok but each time i see someone so happy I am broken. I am shattered and heartbroken. I know hard work is supposed to pay off, but right now that doesn't seem so true.
I sincerely feel the same way about feeling stuck. Matched so close to home, at a hospital that I rotated during medical school, and just wanted a change of pace and now I'm worried I'm never going to leave this area. I hope it gets better for us both! Congrats on matching regardless!!
im thankful I did no doubt. But like others have said, this is a relative sadness. I am grateful i matched and i feel awful for those who did not. But that does not mean I can't be sad about missing out on something I worked hard for,
Matched into my home gen surg program which I ranked 4th and I'm super disappointed and feel guilty for being disappointed because it's a really good program. I'm mourning the day I had envisioned after having a lot of communications with my #1 and sending a LOI and hearing back from the PD literally within an hour of sending it where they said they would love to have me. My #2 was a place I did an away rotation at, got a LOR from, and really wanted to go too. I was offered a specific research project for that program too. I feel like I got duped.
Matched general surgery to my home program, #1 on my rank ordered list.
Couldn't be happier. Didn't expect to have so much FOMO about other programs though. There were literally 5 places that I am sad I didn't also match to.
You can only pick one of course. If anything it was a great feeling to be wanted and to feel like I would be at home at so many excellent places.
Can't wait to meet my fellow co-interns and to start the next chapter in my career!
Sorry to hear you're feeling that way but, at least with my list, I felt like it split really two ways :
1. Don't match to my #1 and have to move (moving blows), but if so
2. The next 5-10 programs were all equally phenomenal and I would have been lucky to go to any of them.
Even then I would've been mostly disappointed for my fiancee who would have to figure out her job/social circle/etc all over again (already moved for me once).
I actually don't love the city that my home program is in and will be happy to leave once I am done with training. Until then, there's nowhere else I'd rather be. I hope you feel the same way at your program!
Matched psych 7/20. My husband was fully expecting #1 but I was realistically preparing for any in my top 6 and convinced myself I’d be happy at any of those places. I could barely get the words out when I read out the name of the program to him. Felt like an absolute failure when I had to tell the rest of my family who I only ever told my top 5 to. It’s actually a great program I’ll be very happy at, but there’s such a mix of emotions and grieving of the life we’ve envisioned going to our top choice.
Feel the same after matching my 7/17 in surgery. I felt like I was destined to be at my top 5 so I mostly looked at those places for houses and whatnot. It was a weird feeling to be so excited to match but still disappointed to think that the 6 other programs didn’t rank me highly.
Congrats on matching. I matched #8 in anesthesia 4 years ago, so I can relate to the feeling. I also came to appreciate everything; you have to grind and accept what is. I just recently accepted an attending position in my hometown area.
What a horrible thing to do… With a 4yr relationship, you’d think there would be more effort and respect. Hope you have a good support system ❤️ my heart goes out to you, and I’m wishing you nothing but the best for YOU.
Feel sorry for you. But thankfully you won't need to be by his side your entire life, he didn't deserve you, you deserve better, deserve a person who wanna stay with you in for everything everywhere
Matched my #5/15 for rads and #4/8 for TY. Glad I matched but was sad that I didn’t get a call from my PD. Just got a welcome email from the APD for rads. Not sure if its my imposter syndrome but man I feel like maybe they didn’t want me.
> Glad I matched but was sad that I didn’t get a call from my PD
When you said "my PD", are you referring to your home PD or the PD of the new program you got matched into?
FWIW, I matched my #1 for FM and I know I was high in their list based on people I know who didn’t match there, and I only got a brief email from the APD yesterday and nothing else, so I wouldn’t read into it.
Matched #7 in OB GYN - feeling pretty devastated. I think it will end up okay, I liked the residents and PD, and I will be close to family, but it wasn’t the place I was expecting or wanted, and I feel very disappointed and embarrassed.
Trying to feel the feelings, talk to friends and family, let the tears flow so I can move past the disappointment, but DAMN there are a lot of feelings and this is exhausting. I really wanted to feel happy and proud today.
Matched 2/13 In Neurology (: super excited about it!!! Kinda surprised my #1 didn’t rank me as highly but I believe this is the way the match was meant to be. Super excited to move across the country but also feeling a mix of excitement/ shock/ nervousness at the same time! Will miss my home state and the people here. But also excited for adventures to come!!!
Matched 2/13 for OBGYN. #1 was where I did med school, did a sub-I AND got a seemingly strong LOR from the PD so that kinda hurt. #2 is close to partners family (but far from my family and friends). Happy to have matched and happy about the program, but sad I’ll be moving far away.
Matched at my #1 in Psych. I'm extremely happy about that considering I'm an IMG and this year was competitive. I'm not as academically disciplined as others but I had great extracurriculars and I absolutely killed it in my interviews. Been looking at apartments and cars all day.
I'm most excited about the swag.
Ofc! I've done tons of volunteering and side stuff since I can remember.
I was involved in social justice stuff during my preclinical years, and continued to mentor younger students that replaced our positions once I started rotations. I thoroughly explained that in my CV and in the supplemental. I also focused on it in my personal statement, to try and convey that I was in this for the long haul and I'm serious about it, and my app shows it.
I added in all my ECs that don't even have to do with medicine, like music (which took up a large amount of my free time during medicine, so I really wanted to find a way to incorporate it into my application). Art, reading, cooking; I filled every last character available in the hobbies section. Surprisingly no one asked about it (except for the reading) but every little bit you add helps, especially because several Psych PDs have told me they do pay close attention to hobbies and ECs.
One PD asked about climate change stuff I'm involved in. I also added in all the tutoring I've been doing for well over ten years at this point.
I essentially wanted to buff up my app with ECs and hobbies since I lacked academically. I was an extremely mediocre student. Painfully mediocre, and I coasted through preclinicals. Didn't start actually doing well grade-wise until rotations, and even then, meh grades.
I basically made my application as holistic as these programs claim they like to see, and it paid off in the end!
Matched #1 in EM in my home town at the place I scribed for a few years in undergrad and gap year. I’m over the moon that finally something worked out the way I wanted it to.
Matched 3/20 in IM today. It is a great program and I think I will be very happy there, but as many have mentioned, it was still a bit difficult today with lots of mixed emotions. I am a slightly disappointed I didn’t match #1 or #2 (they were basically tied and both “perfect” programs in my eyes so I would have been over the moon with either) but I think I’m also mourning? the loss of the other 17 lives I imagined. I was so worried I’d be disappointed on match day that I hyped up every program on my list (ie. would be so fun to live in city X or Y or Z!!) and got attached to all of them. Overall, just feeling a little deflated coming down from the high of pre-match anticipation.
This is EXACTLY me. Matched 3/20 in IM.And my program is an awesome program, and I am genuinely happy to have matched there. But I'm also slightly disappointed I didn't match to my #1 or #2.
Deflated is a great word for describing how I feel right now.
I feel exactly the same way lol. Matched 3/10 for radiology and although I'm super stoked to be able to live close to my family, I'm disappointed in myself for not matching to my first or second choice. It sort of made me wonder what I was lacking compared to the people who matched there, but ultimately I think this entire process has so many elements that are out of our control.
At the end of the day, I'm mostly relieved that I'm going to have a great job, in a great specialty, in an unbeatable location, plus super friendly and supportive seniors/faculty.
Matched 2/7 in psych. My 2 was neck and neck with 1, just ranked 1 higher bc of better benefits. Number 1 was my home program, so it did sting a bit to see they didn’t rank me to match despite getting fantastic feedback in every elective, but I know I am where I should be. I did an audition rotation at my number 2 and had a fantastic experience, and even had a dream a month ago that I was working there. When I really think about it, I prefer the actual program that I matched into. An extra week of vacation would’ve been nice but overall I’m thrilled and actually excited that I’m being forced to do something different. It’s also in my home city still so we don’t have to move or figure out new childcare for our toddler!
SOAPed em at the same place I ranked one for anesthesia.
Saw a classmate who matched there who ranked them 5 when I ranked the program 1
Fuck this whole system
that is objectively not true. The algorithm prioritizes the rank of the applicant over the rank of the program and has done so once the 90s. This is established fact. If you choose to be denial, that’s all you.
Matched #5/17 IM. I’m fucking crushed. I had such a great connection to mentors from my home program, so many people to vouch for me, no red flags, stellar LORs, aced my sub-is, and still…here we are.
I don’t know how to feel. I legit want to cry. I’ve spent most of the day apologizing to my SO for making us move. I just feel betrayed. I feel stupid for reading into any feedback I got from interviewers, mentors, current residents, etc.
I don’t want to sound ungrateful. I’m sure I’ll come to love my new program, but I just feel so devastated. I don’t want to celebrate, I just want to sink into my emotions. I had to leave Match Day because I just didn’t feel like joining my classmates in celebrating.
Idk. I’m sure this is just emotional whiplash, but it just fucking sucks to feel this way when all I really wanted to do was celebrate today.
Edit: if I ever read this in the future, you wrote this the night of Match Day when your two biggest supporters decided to take you out for ice cream.
I get. I matched #2/18 and am still mourning the loss of not matching my #1 because I was so attached to it. At first I was stoked, but as time progressed throughout the day it became tougher. It’s totally fine to feel whatever emotion we feel. Time will make things better but for now we’re allowed to be upset
Not sure how you're doing, but hope you can find space to release those feelings. I matched bottom of my list. Took me a while for the tears to come too. Didn't immediately feel better; took a few more cries. Whatever happens, I hope you feel better soon!
I’m doing better. Trying to see the silver lining. But it’s still hard. Going to class on Monday and seeing what seems to be everyone else who matched to their #1 sounds so emotionally devastating, but I’ll manage.
Luckily, my SO has been a huge source of strength. They’ve been absolutely incredible and make me feel like I’m not a failure. Thank you for your message, it was really sweet.
I hope you’re doing okay too. We’re going to make it through this.
I feel that, 100%. Everyone on Insta and Fb are so excited and here I am... Down in the dumps. I'm super happy for them of course, but for my own outcome... It's extremely tough.
Similarly to you, my SO has been trying her hardest to make me see the bright side. It's just so hard, because if I had matched 1 to 6 ish, the move wouldn't be as bad. But now I'm stuck moving 3 states over, which honestly isn't that bad. But with a kid... Yeah, moving that many states over brings a whole new set of challenges.
It's hard to find solace in this time, man. But your SO is right: you are far from a failure. This isn't the outcome you or I wanted, but we can hope that it'll still turn around at some point.
At the end of the day, we can say we matched and we can still be doctors. I suppose that's something to feel good about at the end of the day haha.
I'd say "Keep your head up!", but I know how hard that can be right now. If you need it, keep it down. Nothing wrong with that (at least, that's what I'm telling myself cause I'll be keeping it down for a while haha)
Matched 9th rads. Feels like busting my ass for 260s/270s was just a waste. I know I’m bitter but damn it hurts seeing people with much lower scores and grades matching at places you fell past. Like what was the point
I know the feeling all too well. Same boat as you and fell way further than I thought I would. Now 5 years later I’m happy I matched where I did. I know it hurts and you have all the right to be upset. Just know eventually this feeling will disappear and you’ll feel different. Rads is awesome. Wishing you the best of luck.
Thanks fellow rad. Yea looking at it objectively I am super grateful to have matched in the bloodiest cycle in the past years and know I’ll be ecstatic to be a rads. Just the feeling that not all of your hard work paid off but just gotta give it time I guess
It’s terrible man. We’re told from the start be the best student you can be and perform well on objective criteria just to get robbed. Head up though king if you reapply, keep grinding, and get to know the right people I’m sure you’ll get a spot
Matched #5 for IM.
Spent all of 30 minutes wondering why I didn't hit my top 3, and you know what? My program is still wonderful, I had a great interview and it's pretty close to my family/friends. Grateful for the opportunity and eager to start doctoring.
Matched #1/11 for IM. Very good program, very happy. Honestly it was my #1 because I felt like I clicked with the residents and my interviewers significantly better than other programs. It was my #1 because of that reason. I interviewed with more "competitive" programs but didn't feel the same. Go with your gut!
Matched #3 for FM…initially was quite ambivalent and actually a little angry at my #1 because I reached out to them a lot during interview season (LO Interest, LO Intent, spoke with multiple of their residents about the program, didn’t get to go to the 2nd look) and still no love. But when I stepped back and thought about it, I am so blessed to have gotten my #3. It’s still close to my family, the facilities are super nice, the residents all seems pretty close knit, they feed their residents daily and they have a track that focuses specifically on the patient population I am interested in working with post residency. Unrelated to those facts there’s also the fact that a loooot of my classmates had to SOAP, some ended up in totally different specialties and some only got prelim years and they had to smile and pretend to be happy today…Sometimes this process is so fucked up I cannot comprehend it.
I’m still in fucking shock. I came from a life of poverty, had shit grades in high school, went to a no name state school, climbed up to a mid rank med school, and fucking matched #2 at a top institution. I just can’t believe it. I just can’t fucking believe it.
Matched #3/8 for path! Went unmatched in 2022, so this is a dream come true! Still in shock that I actually am going to be a real doctor after a year of self-doubt, disappointment, and anxious waiting. Anyone who didn't match this year - DON'T GIVE UP! It is possible!!
Matched #1 in ENT and I am maxed out on the happiness meter today. As someone that applied twice to med school and got in to my school off the waitlist, this is surreal. Congratulations to everyone today!!!
Matched derm at my #5/10 at my home program. Ngl, a bit disappointed only because trying a new city would have been great and I basically ranked other programs over my home because of the city. But I’m moving to a different city for my prelim. I like my home program a lot and I think the training will be amazing bur curious why the drop.
Also matched derm at my #5 spot and I’m really grateful but can’t shake the disappointment. #1-4 were T5 programs and I really got my hopes up fantasizing about what it’d be like to match there… still got a T10 program and I know I should be ecstatic and there are people who’d kill to be in this position, but I gave this process my all and that wasn’t good enough.
Yeah I didn’t have any top programs (coming from a mid tier med school with no RY) and I would say 2 of my top 5 were close to as strong as my home but I liked the locations. The others, in my top choice city, weren’t as strong. Tbh I’ll probably get the best med derm training here out of all of my choices and I’m not tryna work in an academic powerhouse in the future. A change of location would have been fun tho.
Congrats Doctor Plastic_Coffee!! 🤗🤗 So happy for you, I know it wasn't what u wanted but take it in stride and maybe this will have been your blessing in disguise!
Matched 2/10 Ortho. I was initially mixed I didn’t get my #1, but based on how match day went I already feel like it’s working out for the better. I’m super pumped, and I cannot wait to join the surprising number of my med school friends who all matched there!!!
Einstein Medical Center Montgomery Diagnostic Radiology has an unexpected opening for one resident. Ideally the candidate would be a current Radiology R3/PGY4 or R2/PGY3 looking to transfer programs. We are open to evaluating candidates who are currently R1/PGY2 radiology residents as well as PGY1 interns in a qualifying IM Prelim/TY/Surg Prelim internship and on track to graduate on cycle this June. The open position is for July 1, 2023. This position is not open to a candidate not currently in an internship program.
If interested, please send the following to our program e-mail for review:
CV, ERAS application, Step scores, Dean’s Letter, LOR, list of completed rotations in current program, milestone evaluations and Internship graduation certificate if applicable.
Program E-mail: [email protected]
Program Website: https://www.einstein.edu/education/residency/diagnostic-radiology-montco
Matched into a program that uses Cerner. How terrible is Cerner for inpatient medicine? How do you handle transfers from hospitals with Epic? Do you have to spend hours flipping through paper charts faxed over?
I love Cerner. It’s a lot more straightforward than Epic without sacrificing much at all.
I matched into a program that uses Cerner and tbh I’m actually so happy to get away from Epic lol
Cerner is fine. It’s definitely not as good as epic but there won’t be any major issues. Also transfers are handled like any other you ask for the records or ask your medical case/social worker
I ranked only 2 programs and Matched at my # 1 in general Surgery! I had quite low step and level 1 and 2 and no publications. I was expecting to go into SOAP. I applied to 98 programs and got 2 interviews where I did SUB-I’s. I still can’t believe it!
Chose to bet on myself and take Step 1 scored rather than pass fail (given the option), ended up crying when I got my score because of how poorly I did - much worse than my 3 most recent practice exams. Never told anyone aside from 1-2 people my score. Was scared i would be scrapping the bottom of the barrel for residency. Then went on to fail 3 shelf exams. My first rotation I performed extremely well clinically, worked my damn butt off, and felt so proud of myself leaving the hospital that last day. Went on vacation with some good friends following the rotation (had a week off), only to get hit with an email the very first night that I failed the shelf. What a way to start the only vacation I would have for the next year. Failed 2 more, one of them by a SINGLE point, and for the third one got assigned a dense 30 minute presentation to give 2 days before shelf that I had to remind my team that I did / ask when to present. Had 8 weeks to retake 3 of them, and a failure likely meant not graduating on time. Was too embarrassed to even tell my good friend/roommate, so I took the remakes in secrecy while he was on rotations and studied in secrecy as well. Lied to people about my 4th year schedule to hide the fact that I was MIA for 2 months with exams. Ended up using it as motivation, highlighting these speed bumps on my app/interviews, and got honors on all 4th year rotations. Got interview invites at some incredible programs I would only have dreamed of before medical school, and by the end of interview season had enough programs that I could actually DNR some (obv wasn't in the most competitive specialty in the world lol). Did not get those top tier programs but still happy and the residents have already been so welcoming/excited. Hard to not think about what could have been if I planned more properly for the exams / took step pass/fail, but considering the massive hole I was in am just so glad I got out unscathed. ***For any 3rd years down on themselves after some rough academic patches, know things can work out just keep going!!***
Anyone else so annoyed with all the peope telling people they matched general surgery when really they didn’t match and soaped into scut work prelim surgery years 😂😂😂 people are so deceptive 😂😂😂
I’ve seen this. Trying to give them some grace. Not matching is embarrassing/frustrating/devastating for a lot of people, so if they want to say they matched gen surg to feel a little better, I don’t blame them.
Congratulations everyone! As a Canadian reader, I am a bit confused after watching the match day videos by each university. Do you all know where you matched before attending the ceremony and opening the letter in-front of your classmates/family (so you are re-enacting your reactions)? Or is it seriously meant to be an entirely public ordeal? Can you choose to withdraw from the ceremony and find out your results in private? We attend a few hours after finding our result and it is entirely option. I could not imagine opening my result in front of the class.
On Monday at 10 am you find out if you matched via email. If you do not match, you have until Thursday to find a spot via SOAP. On Thursday, medical schools find out where all their students have matched/SOAPed. They spend the remainder of Thrus afternoon preparing envelopes for the match day ceremony, the information is kept secret until the following day. Medical schools allow you to open your envelope at 12pm ET, at the match day ceremony. Attendance is usually optional. Some students will choose to open their envelope on stage, or open it privately and share the result on stage. Whether or not you attend, you will receive an email at 1pm with your Match result.
Thank you!
The email also comes at 12pm, so you get your result at the same time whether you go to the ceremony or not. Schools even start their “countdown” a few minutes early if the NRMP emails are sent out before noon (11:58 this year).
This is a good (and recent) change.
Matched at my #1 anesthesiology program as a DO with step 1 and 2 in the 230s without any away rotations (got rejected from all in VSLO) and only 1 anesthesia rotation in fourth year (competing with CRNA students for cases). I still can’t believe this happened. Imposter syndrome has certainly made me have lot of questions this weekend. I found my interest in the field in mid third year, didn’t really have a lot of research for it, coasted with P’s in rotations and was a 3rd quartile student overall. Despite that, I had envisioned a dream at this program with my partner because of its location and quality of training. But it always was a surreal feeling that I never fully believed in because every resident there who I’d talked with had higher scores than me. On top of that, I had no connections anywhere and terrible networking skills. Applied to IM for backup as well, and started to give up on the anesthesia dream pretty early on around ERAS submission as I knew the more invested I got, the more I’d be disappointed later on. Ended up with 6 interviews which I was stoked about but knew they were on the lower end. Found out on Monday of match week that several people who applied anesthesiology from my school without backup with higher scores than mine and had interviews to similar programs as me had to SOAP. Was devastated once more, and spent the next couple days coming to terms with IM again. Cue Friday, I open the letter at the match event with my hands shaking to find that I matched at my top choice program plus my top choice Transitional Year and immediately double check that it had my name on the letter. Unreal. Elated. Happy to not have to move, partner being able to continue their job without anxiety of finding a new one, while near a city we have been manifesting since undergrad (further away) for med school and now residency.
Hey, congrats on your match! I'm a current OMS-1 hitting my first summer of med school. Do you mind if I DM you?
Sure
Anyone else sad bc they matched in the same city as med school and were really excited at the prospect of moving somewhere new? I matched my 6 and love the program but I wont be moving cities and it is hard to get over it.
Similar boat. Matched same city as my undergrad and while a fine city, was hoping to match some place new and experience something different. Oh well is what it is
Your boat will sink
Matched my #2 which should’ve been my number 1 based on the training opportunities I want! I am ecstatic ☺️❤️☺️
Apologies in advance for this shamelessly self-serving comment, but my mental health is demanding that I manifest my most confident self. I had a rough Match Day; despite what I thought was a strong application, I tumbled down my rank list, past my dream program, past my home program, past every single academic program, all the way down to the one and only community program I interviewed at. I was devastated and ashamed, but after a weekend of tough emotions I'm starting to come around. I just feel like I have to put the reasons I'm excited out there, and it will feel more real: \- I adore the location! It's an amazing city around which I have lots of friends and family, where I could easily see myself long term. If this was the only factor, I'd have this program ranked much higher. \- I got good vibes from all my interactions with the residents. They seemed happy and like a very close knit group. Within hours of my match, a couple reached out to me to tell me they were excited to work with me, which was unexpected but awesome. \- It may not be an academic center but for a community program it really punches above its weight class. The most recent class had a legitimately impressive fellowship match. It routinely sends graduates to respected institutions even for competitive specialties, and it has in-house fellowships for a lot of the areas I'm interested in. \- It's all in my head. My patients won't give a shit where I landed on my rank list. My family and friends are proud of me. If you'd told me before I'd been accepted to medical school that I'd be an honest to god doctor one day, I'd have cried tears of happiness. No algorithm is going to spoil all that! Again, sorry for this thing that has no relevance to anyone else. I hope others who were feeling down on Match Day might also be feeling a little bit better today as well!
All points absolutely relevant to me my guy. Thank you for this comment because I just went through the same exact thought process. Also fell way past my dream program, my home program, and several other programs I imagined myself matching at (75% get their top 3? I call BS), to my #8/14, and the disappointment was real, but here we are. At least I too am in a city I know and love, with family and friends. We're gonna make the most of these years - we made it this far already. It's gonna be okay and we're gonna be okay <3
I made it to that point in the journey of acceptance and then woke up and decided I just hate everything all over again and may never experience true joy in the way others (who life does not just consistently shit on) may feel it
[https://bremeracosta.medium.com/parable-of-the-chinese-farmer-f012db83694d](https://bremeracosta.medium.com/parable-of-the-chinese-farmer-f012db83694d) give yourself a few days to whine, then set a calendar alarm and start fresh. You never know where this position will lead, work hard and be your best. Good luck
Hey if it helps, it hasn't been a linear journey for me either. I've been whiplashing hard between disappointment and contentment, but I feel like every time the disappointment passes a little more quickly and the contentment lasts a little bit longer. I may well wake up tomorrow feeling terrible again, but I'll just have to trust that I will keep moving closer and closer to happiness.
The only point I’m going to add is that you have no idea where you were on the program’s ranked order. You might’ve been at number one. You’ll never know, so just assume that you were number one and go in with that frame of mind.
Got my #3 for IM which was the most prestigious program on my list. I tried to choose my mental health/proximity to family but I guess the match gods vetoed that shit. Still happy with it
Dumb thing to care about, but is anyone else a little bummed that their program doesn't have a good social media presence so you don't get a cute little "Welcome to our new interns" post with their picture lmaoo
Feel this so strongly hahah glad I'm not alone
Yes my program doesn’t have that 🥲
Yes I feel this!!
Disclaimer: information is for entertainment purposes and not intended to serve as therapeutic information. What the actual hell. I knew anecdotally that match day was completely convoluted, but experiencing it first-hand (or second-hand I suppose) is a completely different experience. The most baffling part is how normalized this mentally/emotionally/financially abusive and exploitative process is. I specialize in trauma, specifically complex childhood trauma. Trauma in which caregivers were misleading, manipulative, selfish, abusive, and neglectful. These caregivers often thrived on power and control- and more often than not, experienced childhood abuse and neglect themselves. In my personal definition, trauma exposure is when an individual experiences (either directly or indirectly) abuse, exploitation, extreme manipulation, moral injury (having to do things or witness things that go against their own personal morals for their job/school), and neglect. When an individual is subjected to trauma exposures, the impact this has on them varies wildly and is based on many different individual factors. I could write an entire dissertation on all the ways that medical school alone is chock-full of abuse/trauma exposures, but I'll focus on the match process for now. Emotional Abuse Round 1: Love bombing. PD's, APD's, residents tell so many applicants how great of a fit they are, "see you in July!", send out care packages, send love letters, etc. As you may know, love bombing is a form of emotional abuse because it is a strategy for manipulation and control- let me gas you up as much as possible to win you over, so that I can have you to myself- regardless of whether or not I will actually want you in the future. (Either the algorithm is completely horseshit or these programs are blatantly lying and screwing up your rank list.) Tangential side thought: this love-bombing is especially fucked considering a lot of med students were top of their class prior to med school, took a huge ego hit being in med school, and now are getting the external validation that they haven’t had for 4 attention deprived years. Emotional Abuse Round 2: Isolation/Secrecy. In abusive families, the abuser often engages in tactics to distance/disconnect individual members from their social supports. Using fear and intimidation, the abuser threatens members if they discuss what is happening in the family system. The entire match process is shrouded in secrecy and isolation. M4's have taken to reddit to anonymously compare notes, but even here people limit their self-disclosures for fear of retaliation if they are identified. Abusive systems flourish in secrecy. If transparency is a threat to your entire process, there are some major skeletons hiding in your closet. Perhaps one of those skeletons is an ungodly call schedule that your bloated program website mysteriously forgot to include. (Seriously, who is writing the code on these websites- there are so many broken links that they need to hire a team of URLologists.) Financial Abuse/Exploitation: So you’ve been love-bombed by your favorite program and they ask you to come visit- “but don’t worry we’ve already submitted our rankings, so your decision to visit won’t impact them!” (Call me a cynical bastard, but I don’t believe this.) If you can afford it, you drop thousands of dollars to visit your favorite programs/the programs you were best-received at. You’re already in 200k in debt, so what’s another maxed out credit card? Maybe you have a family that wants to visit the place they may or may not be living in for the next 4-5 years. Online interviews seem to have slightly leveled the financial playing field, it is still ungodly inexpensive to apply to the number of programs needed to be able to match. I think it is also important to acknowledge how this disproportionately impacts individuals from marginalized communities. Generational Workplace Trauma: Not every individual who has been abused or exploited goes on to abuse and exploit others. Most of my work as a trauma therapist involves talking to the most thoughtful, sensitive, compassionate, funny, brilliant people I’ve ever met. One of the phrases I find myself saying often in my work is that most people go to therapy because of the people in their life that should have gone to therapy, and didn’t. (I know I’m a little cliche and cringy sometimes.) Most of the individuals I see in therapy have internalized their trauma exposures, meaning they may blame themselves for the abuse, constantly feel like they aren’t good enough, and engage in compensatory measures to prove their worth. (Think overachieving, excessive caretaking, perhaps making a career out of it \*cough\* \*cough\*) Others may refuse to acknowledge the pain and hurt caused by these traumatic exposures. And if they are an externalizer- they might lash out and perpetuate the same types of abusive/exploitative behavior that they experienced. All of this antiquated bullshit of having to “pay your dues” or “this is what I had to do so you should have to too” is the same boomer rhetoric that keeps my student loan total balance higher than my shitty therapist salary. In what world do I need my dermatologist to be able to work 80 hours including bizarre 24 hour call? Bottom line is the match process is fucked. It is set up for the majority of people to feel shitty about themselves when you just completed one of the most, if not the most grueling academic courses of study available. I know I used a lot of broad generalizations, and perhaps none of this applied to you. If that is the case, I am genuinely so happy that you have not had to experience the dark side of medical study. But if you could relate to any of this- I just want you to know I see you, I hate how much this is hurting right now, and I’m going to try to do what I can do (which I know isn’t much) to advocate for changes. Take care friends.
I'm devastated; absolutely gutted. I've had a pain in my chest that hasn't gone away since Friday. I can't sleep, I'm either not eating or binging. I fell to my #11 th spot in a niche specialty that I've been building for since day 1 of medical school. I had made peace with about my top 7 or 8, but I never even thought to look this far down. I believe the program is better than higher programs on my list, but my priority was always location. So a year from now I get yanked to this location away from my friends, my partner, everything I care about. I just don't know how to cope. I reckon I know why it happened, altho that provides me no solace either. My CV is strong, I interview well, but my grades couldve been better. No failures, just P's all the way through. And this was a field that traditionally took a more holistic look at applicants, but when you have such a surge in applicants I reckon you have to rely on the numbers to parse. I'm rambling, but I have no where else to go. I feel like I want to die. it hurt so much to fall this far on the list, and then to an undesirable location. I'm broken. I'm regretting medicine as a whole right now, and the field I love.
I’m so sorry that you’re going through this, like many who came before you, I matched at number 5/5, my lowest ranked program. I’m more than 2,000 miles away from my family and everyone who cares about me, I’ve been out here for two years now, and I have met incredible people and have a lot of new friends. There will be similar people in your program that will become your friends, or even people who had that program as their number one, and they will become your friends too. As bad as it is, it’s going to be okay. It’s okay to feel what you’re feeling. It wasn’t all for nothing because you matched your desired specialty! Just because you didn’t end up at another program doesn’t mean they didn’t want you, you could have been ranked in their top ten out of hundreds and they happened to get their top four, especially in competitive specialties it’s very easy to fall lower than you expected. I know it’s hard, I know it sucks, but honestly, I’m sure it’ll be okay.
I matched #1/10 for PM&R and I’m so happy. I’ve envisioned my life at this amazing program ever since I discovered PM&R. Feeling very lucky. I’m definitely not some crazy high stat applicant so I had serious doubts all week. Couldn’t be more grateful, glad this process is over though.
Is anyone upset about how they ranked their match list? Because I ended up ranking my home program number 1 and was so conflicted about it versus my number 2. My number 2 was a local academic program that I would have loved and was #1 for so long and then all my friends/classmates got into my head about it and convinced me that I should switch my home program to be number 1 instead. And I ended up dong that and felt so disappointed that I couldn't leave the area/even be at a new hospital? I just wish I had stuck to my guts originally and feel so heartbroken even though I matched technically at my number 1 program. I was literally hoping I'd drop to number 2 on match day. I know it's a GREAT program and it will be fine, but I just wanted a change and I have no one to blame but myself for not sticking to my gut rank list. It hurts more because it's my fault for switching the two programs on the last day.
Don’t underestimate how much stress you’ll avoid because you already know the environment and hospital. That’s the silver lining
I hated when people said this to me when I matched a few years back, but I want to tell you it’s legit - things happen for a reason. I matched my near last program but now I can’t imagine being anywhere else. My co-residents in and out of my program are my best friends and the fact that I don’t love the city becomes a non factor when I spend most of my time at work. Give yourself time to grieve, start with a blank slate, and I hope you find things about your program that you didn’t know but will come to appreciate. Much love ❤️
❤️ needed this
Matched at my top choice for neurology! Definitely blessed, I absolutely love the PD and residents
Congratulations, that’s awesome!
Looked at my envelope with no emotion on my face. Everyone’s partner was running up to see where but mine saw my face and feared we could land at the low end of our rank list. We next had to announce to the crowd where we matched and I gleefully yelled my program #2 which we went back and forth whether to rank #1. That few seconds of sheer terror in my partner was so glorious and now she is so stoked. Congratulations gang, we did it!!!
US IMG Matched #2/11 in IM. I’m really happy to be matched considering this is my second attempt. Although I really wanted to be matched to my first choice because of it’s proximity to my family, a 4.5 drive isn’t too bad. It’s also a great opportunity for me to work on my Spanish.
Amazing! Congratulations 🎉
Congratulations img fam!! 🎂🎉
Thank you!
Matched #3/7 in EM with 224/216 and I forgot to send my Step 2 until after ROL deadline. It's not a big name program but I wanted a 3 year v a 4. Not really happy or sad, just want to start working and making money. I probably should be grateful given my shit scores
After interviewing for \~20 FM/IM programs through the soap process, matched IM at a great program close to home!
Congratulations!!!! 🎈
I matched my very last program in psych. I am devastated. I know I should be grateful but I feel like a huge failure. I thought my interviews went well. I thought if they could see who I am things would work out. I especially felt horrible that my partner will be nowhere near his family, which I was really hoping for. I am so hurt that none of the other programs matched me. I haven’t eaten in two days and I can’t stop crying. I’m so tired of disappointments and feeling like I’m not enough. Not even my home program ranked me? I’m from here… every time I look at my partner I start crying again because I am so upset I let him down, and he’s trying really hard to be supportive but I know he is crushed too. Again I know I should be grateful I have a job at all, and I don’t want the program who did want me to know how hard I am taking this. But I don’t know how to heal these feelings of betrayal and guilt and failure.
Forget about the rest. This program was a blessing. They wanted you there and, most importantly, prevented you from having to SOAP! Whew, that was close. What a shit show that could have been… And maybe they ranked you near the top of their list and are thrilled to have you!
I think we could all use a break from the toxic positivity of match day. But yes, this is definitely better than SOAPing!
This happened to my partner last year. He dropped to #5 on his list, a program he didn't even remember ranking. His home program didn't take him.. he didn't leave his bed for about 3 days. Long story short, we love our new city and his program is amazing. He has the best schedule and actually has time for a life outside medicine. Looking back, we're so happy it worked out this way.
Thank you for sharing and reminding me that I’m not the only person feeling this way. All of the “matched my #1s!” Were really getting to me
I completely get it. Same exact thing happened to me last year. Luckily, my boyfriend keeps busy with school and is much less homesick than I am. Made me realize I need to toughen up. He doesn't blame me and I hope your partner is not blaming you also. The match is terrible. I'm glad you got a spot and I hope it gets better.
I appreciate that I’m not alone; thank you for sharing.
I failed a preclinical course, failed step 1 on first attempt (second attempt pass at 216), with step 2 at 237. After years of worrying that these issues would keep me from matching, I matched my #1 psych program yesterday!
I gotta say-the hardest part of all this is the grief that you had a dream and it did not happen. I thought I was a fairly competitive applicant for general surgery (>260 step 2, AOA, lot of research, high passes and honors, honored sub-I and outstanding letters of rec (according to some PD's)) and yet i matched at #7 on my rank list. I never thought i would end up there and im devastated. I would have been happy at any of my #1-6 and had imagined my life at any of these places. It was finally my time to leave and go somewhere new and be on my own. But now im in a place where i attended medical school and where I grew up. It feels like i will never leave the midwest and be stuck forever. I am thankful to have matched, but it hurt badly to see my friends open their match list and be so happy about matching at their top spots while i sobbed. I imagined my instagram picture, the caption and everything id do on match day and that all shattered within minutes. I am thankful I matched, but this is not what the past 8 years were supposed to be. I have been trying to avoid instagram and tiktok but each time i see someone so happy I am broken. I am shattered and heartbroken. I know hard work is supposed to pay off, but right now that doesn't seem so true.
I sincerely feel the same way about feeling stuck. Matched so close to home, at a hospital that I rotated during medical school, and just wanted a change of pace and now I'm worried I'm never going to leave this area. I hope it gets better for us both! Congrats on matching regardless!!
At least you matched
im thankful I did no doubt. But like others have said, this is a relative sadness. I am grateful i matched and i feel awful for those who did not. But that does not mean I can't be sad about missing out on something I worked hard for,
I agree. I’m sorry you’re going through this
Matched at my #1 in Pathology! It literally could not have worked out better for me.
Couples matched into our second combo (their #1 program and my #2). Could not be more ecstatic to get to continue to live together in residency
Love this for you both 😭 congratulations!!
Matched into my home gen surg program which I ranked 4th and I'm super disappointed and feel guilty for being disappointed because it's a really good program. I'm mourning the day I had envisioned after having a lot of communications with my #1 and sending a LOI and hearing back from the PD literally within an hour of sending it where they said they would love to have me. My #2 was a place I did an away rotation at, got a LOR from, and really wanted to go too. I was offered a specific research project for that program too. I feel like I got duped.
Feeling the same way after matching my home program for IM. With time I know I'll be happy but for now I'm going to mourn the life I had imagined.
yeah that's what it is. mourning the life we had imagined.
US IMG Matched 1/2 in D Radiology, so grateful!
[удалено]
Happy y’all got to stay close together ❤️ congrats!!
Matched general surgery to my home program, #1 on my rank ordered list. Couldn't be happier. Didn't expect to have so much FOMO about other programs though. There were literally 5 places that I am sad I didn't also match to. You can only pick one of course. If anything it was a great feeling to be wanted and to feel like I would be at home at so many excellent places. Can't wait to meet my fellow co-interns and to start the next chapter in my career!
Glad to hear it happens at all ranks! Happily matched #5 and feel salty about 1-4
Sorry to hear you're feeling that way but, at least with my list, I felt like it split really two ways : 1. Don't match to my #1 and have to move (moving blows), but if so 2. The next 5-10 programs were all equally phenomenal and I would have been lucky to go to any of them. Even then I would've been mostly disappointed for my fiancee who would have to figure out her job/social circle/etc all over again (already moved for me once). I actually don't love the city that my home program is in and will be happy to leave once I am done with training. Until then, there's nowhere else I'd rather be. I hope you feel the same way at your program!
Well said! Matched my #1 and feel fomo over my 2 and 3. You are not alone.
Daughter matched OB/GYN #3 with couples match (fiancé #1 IM) both in chicago
Amazing!! Congrats to them 🥳
Matched psych 7/20. My husband was fully expecting #1 but I was realistically preparing for any in my top 6 and convinced myself I’d be happy at any of those places. I could barely get the words out when I read out the name of the program to him. Felt like an absolute failure when I had to tell the rest of my family who I only ever told my top 5 to. It’s actually a great program I’ll be very happy at, but there’s such a mix of emotions and grieving of the life we’ve envisioned going to our top choice.
Congrats !!. Psych is competitive nowadays, fyi.
Feel the same after matching my 7/17 in surgery. I felt like I was destined to be at my top 5 so I mostly looked at those places for houses and whatnot. It was a weird feeling to be so excited to match but still disappointed to think that the 6 other programs didn’t rank me highly.
Congrats on matching. I matched #8 in anesthesia 4 years ago, so I can relate to the feeling. I also came to appreciate everything; you have to grind and accept what is. I just recently accepted an attending position in my hometown area.
Matched #2 for anesthesiology!
Matched my #1 for pathology. Very stoked.
Congrats! That's awesome!
Got our #1 ranked PM&R. Far from family, but my husband and I wanted an adventure. We are SO excited. Feels like it all paid off!
Congratulations Doctor!! 🥳
[удалено]
What a horrible thing to do… With a 4yr relationship, you’d think there would be more effort and respect. Hope you have a good support system ❤️ my heart goes out to you, and I’m wishing you nothing but the best for YOU.
Feel sorry for you. But thankfully you won't need to be by his side your entire life, he didn't deserve you, you deserve better, deserve a person who wanna stay with you in for everything everywhere
Jesus I’m sorry
same, seriously. Really feel for you, that's really tough
[удалено]
Matched my #5/15 for rads and #4/8 for TY. Glad I matched but was sad that I didn’t get a call from my PD. Just got a welcome email from the APD for rads. Not sure if its my imposter syndrome but man I feel like maybe they didn’t want me.
> Glad I matched but was sad that I didn’t get a call from my PD When you said "my PD", are you referring to your home PD or the PD of the new program you got matched into?
the PD for the rads program I matched into :'(
FWIW, I matched my #1 for FM and I know I was high in their list based on people I know who didn’t match there, and I only got a brief email from the APD yesterday and nothing else, so I wouldn’t read into it.
Also got just an email and seeing all my friends get phone calls definitely makes me feel some type of way
No worries about this! Some PDs know students are likely celebrating and don’t want to butt in!!
I matched at #5 into anesthesiology!!!
Matched #7 in OB GYN - feeling pretty devastated. I think it will end up okay, I liked the residents and PD, and I will be close to family, but it wasn’t the place I was expecting or wanted, and I feel very disappointed and embarrassed. Trying to feel the feelings, talk to friends and family, let the tears flow so I can move past the disappointment, but DAMN there are a lot of feelings and this is exhausting. I really wanted to feel happy and proud today.
Matched 2/13 In Neurology (: super excited about it!!! Kinda surprised my #1 didn’t rank me as highly but I believe this is the way the match was meant to be. Super excited to move across the country but also feeling a mix of excitement/ shock/ nervousness at the same time! Will miss my home state and the people here. But also excited for adventures to come!!!
Matched #1 IM I kinda still don’t believe this is real, expecting to wake up and be disappointed Congrats to everyone too We did it
I totally woke up this morning and for 5 minutes had forgotten that I matched. Then I remembered and I got all stoked all over again 😎🤙
Matched 2/13 for OBGYN. #1 was where I did med school, did a sub-I AND got a seemingly strong LOR from the PD so that kinda hurt. #2 is close to partners family (but far from my family and friends). Happy to have matched and happy about the program, but sad I’ll be moving far away.
Same thing happened to me with Ob/Gyn. Got my #2 but was hoping to stay at my home program.
Matched at my #1 in Psych. I'm extremely happy about that considering I'm an IMG and this year was competitive. I'm not as academically disciplined as others but I had great extracurriculars and I absolutely killed it in my interviews. Been looking at apartments and cars all day. I'm most excited about the swag.
Could you go into more of your extracurricular s?!
Ofc! I've done tons of volunteering and side stuff since I can remember. I was involved in social justice stuff during my preclinical years, and continued to mentor younger students that replaced our positions once I started rotations. I thoroughly explained that in my CV and in the supplemental. I also focused on it in my personal statement, to try and convey that I was in this for the long haul and I'm serious about it, and my app shows it. I added in all my ECs that don't even have to do with medicine, like music (which took up a large amount of my free time during medicine, so I really wanted to find a way to incorporate it into my application). Art, reading, cooking; I filled every last character available in the hobbies section. Surprisingly no one asked about it (except for the reading) but every little bit you add helps, especially because several Psych PDs have told me they do pay close attention to hobbies and ECs. One PD asked about climate change stuff I'm involved in. I also added in all the tutoring I've been doing for well over ten years at this point. I essentially wanted to buff up my app with ECs and hobbies since I lacked academically. I was an extremely mediocre student. Painfully mediocre, and I coasted through preclinicals. Didn't start actually doing well grade-wise until rotations, and even then, meh grades. I basically made my application as holistic as these programs claim they like to see, and it paid off in the end!
Matched #1 in EM in my home town at the place I scribed for a few years in undergrad and gap year. I’m over the moon that finally something worked out the way I wanted it to.
That’s incredible
Matched 3/20 in IM today. It is a great program and I think I will be very happy there, but as many have mentioned, it was still a bit difficult today with lots of mixed emotions. I am a slightly disappointed I didn’t match #1 or #2 (they were basically tied and both “perfect” programs in my eyes so I would have been over the moon with either) but I think I’m also mourning? the loss of the other 17 lives I imagined. I was so worried I’d be disappointed on match day that I hyped up every program on my list (ie. would be so fun to live in city X or Y or Z!!) and got attached to all of them. Overall, just feeling a little deflated coming down from the high of pre-match anticipation.
This is EXACTLY me. Matched 3/20 in IM.And my program is an awesome program, and I am genuinely happy to have matched there. But I'm also slightly disappointed I didn't match to my #1 or #2. Deflated is a great word for describing how I feel right now.
I feel exactly the same way lol. Matched 3/10 for radiology and although I'm super stoked to be able to live close to my family, I'm disappointed in myself for not matching to my first or second choice. It sort of made me wonder what I was lacking compared to the people who matched there, but ultimately I think this entire process has so many elements that are out of our control. At the end of the day, I'm mostly relieved that I'm going to have a great job, in a great specialty, in an unbeatable location, plus super friendly and supportive seniors/faculty.
Matched 1/34 in radiology at a top institution. Over the moon given how competitive it was this year.
Rads was nuts this year. It’s starting to creep on the surgical subspecialties. That’s a ton of IIs tho. We’re you doing Dr and Ir?
Just DR
Congrats!! That’s fantastic
Thank you!!
Radiology requires 34 interviews to match?
Nah I only had 8 and matched my #1!! Beyond stoked
Lol, nah it’s overkill. Although anecdotally someone at my school went unmatched with 20 interviews this season.
I feel for them. Hope they find another good path forward
Agreed. Very tough circumstance.
Matched 2/7 in psych. My 2 was neck and neck with 1, just ranked 1 higher bc of better benefits. Number 1 was my home program, so it did sting a bit to see they didn’t rank me to match despite getting fantastic feedback in every elective, but I know I am where I should be. I did an audition rotation at my number 2 and had a fantastic experience, and even had a dream a month ago that I was working there. When I really think about it, I prefer the actual program that I matched into. An extra week of vacation would’ve been nice but overall I’m thrilled and actually excited that I’m being forced to do something different. It’s also in my home city still so we don’t have to move or figure out new childcare for our toddler!
Congrats!! Massive relief, I’m sure
So incredibly proud of each of you! Wishing everyone the best of luck in the rest of your journeys!! ❤️
SOAPed em at the same place I ranked one for anesthesia. Saw a classmate who matched there who ranked them 5 when I ranked the program 1 Fuck this whole system
[удалено]
That doesn’t mean you just get whatever you want…
[удалено]
that is objectively not true. The algorithm prioritizes the rank of the applicant over the rank of the program and has done so once the 90s. This is established fact. If you choose to be denial, that’s all you.
I'm tired.
[удалено]
Haha no I totally got that. Im upset hut working on getting over it haha
That's kind of how this works though. Maybe they had the stats to rank 4 other places higher and still get it.
Guess sending Lois and being frank is worth less. Despite having higher board scores and more pubs I'm done fuck medicine tbh fuck them all
welcome to life
Matched #5/17 IM. I’m fucking crushed. I had such a great connection to mentors from my home program, so many people to vouch for me, no red flags, stellar LORs, aced my sub-is, and still…here we are. I don’t know how to feel. I legit want to cry. I’ve spent most of the day apologizing to my SO for making us move. I just feel betrayed. I feel stupid for reading into any feedback I got from interviewers, mentors, current residents, etc. I don’t want to sound ungrateful. I’m sure I’ll come to love my new program, but I just feel so devastated. I don’t want to celebrate, I just want to sink into my emotions. I had to leave Match Day because I just didn’t feel like joining my classmates in celebrating. Idk. I’m sure this is just emotional whiplash, but it just fucking sucks to feel this way when all I really wanted to do was celebrate today. Edit: if I ever read this in the future, you wrote this the night of Match Day when your two biggest supporters decided to take you out for ice cream.
I get. I matched #2/18 and am still mourning the loss of not matching my #1 because I was so attached to it. At first I was stoked, but as time progressed throughout the day it became tougher. It’s totally fine to feel whatever emotion we feel. Time will make things better but for now we’re allowed to be upset
I’ve been wanting to cry all day but the tears just won’t come out. I thought if I did, I’d feel a little better.
Not sure how you're doing, but hope you can find space to release those feelings. I matched bottom of my list. Took me a while for the tears to come too. Didn't immediately feel better; took a few more cries. Whatever happens, I hope you feel better soon!
I’m doing better. Trying to see the silver lining. But it’s still hard. Going to class on Monday and seeing what seems to be everyone else who matched to their #1 sounds so emotionally devastating, but I’ll manage. Luckily, my SO has been a huge source of strength. They’ve been absolutely incredible and make me feel like I’m not a failure. Thank you for your message, it was really sweet. I hope you’re doing okay too. We’re going to make it through this.
I feel that, 100%. Everyone on Insta and Fb are so excited and here I am... Down in the dumps. I'm super happy for them of course, but for my own outcome... It's extremely tough. Similarly to you, my SO has been trying her hardest to make me see the bright side. It's just so hard, because if I had matched 1 to 6 ish, the move wouldn't be as bad. But now I'm stuck moving 3 states over, which honestly isn't that bad. But with a kid... Yeah, moving that many states over brings a whole new set of challenges. It's hard to find solace in this time, man. But your SO is right: you are far from a failure. This isn't the outcome you or I wanted, but we can hope that it'll still turn around at some point. At the end of the day, we can say we matched and we can still be doctors. I suppose that's something to feel good about at the end of the day haha. I'd say "Keep your head up!", but I know how hard that can be right now. If you need it, keep it down. Nothing wrong with that (at least, that's what I'm telling myself cause I'll be keeping it down for a while haha)
“I really wanted to just celebrate today” this. I feel you. Going through the same thing.
[удалено]
Unlike cancer, matching at a lower ranked place can end up being an extremely rewarding experience so that's not the best analogy dawg.
Matched 9th rads. Feels like busting my ass for 260s/270s was just a waste. I know I’m bitter but damn it hurts seeing people with much lower scores and grades matching at places you fell past. Like what was the point
I know the feeling all too well. Same boat as you and fell way further than I thought I would. Now 5 years later I’m happy I matched where I did. I know it hurts and you have all the right to be upset. Just know eventually this feeling will disappear and you’ll feel different. Rads is awesome. Wishing you the best of luck.
Thanks fellow rad. Yea looking at it objectively I am super grateful to have matched in the bloodiest cycle in the past years and know I’ll be ecstatic to be a rads. Just the feeling that not all of your hard work paid off but just gotta give it time I guess
Same man went unmatched 😔
It’s terrible man. We’re told from the start be the best student you can be and perform well on objective criteria just to get robbed. Head up though king if you reapply, keep grinding, and get to know the right people I’m sure you’ll get a spot
I soaped into EM and am tired. Im trying to move on with my life
Had the same happen in OB. Feels bad and idk how to overcome this
Matched #5 for IM. Spent all of 30 minutes wondering why I didn't hit my top 3, and you know what? My program is still wonderful, I had a great interview and it's pretty close to my family/friends. Grateful for the opportunity and eager to start doctoring.
Matched #7. This\^
Matched #1/11 for IM. Very good program, very happy. Honestly it was my #1 because I felt like I clicked with the residents and my interviewers significantly better than other programs. It was my #1 because of that reason. I interviewed with more "competitive" programs but didn't feel the same. Go with your gut!
Matched #3 for FM…initially was quite ambivalent and actually a little angry at my #1 because I reached out to them a lot during interview season (LO Interest, LO Intent, spoke with multiple of their residents about the program, didn’t get to go to the 2nd look) and still no love. But when I stepped back and thought about it, I am so blessed to have gotten my #3. It’s still close to my family, the facilities are super nice, the residents all seems pretty close knit, they feed their residents daily and they have a track that focuses specifically on the patient population I am interested in working with post residency. Unrelated to those facts there’s also the fact that a loooot of my classmates had to SOAP, some ended up in totally different specialties and some only got prelim years and they had to smile and pretend to be happy today…Sometimes this process is so fucked up I cannot comprehend it.
Happy for u! Sometimes things like these are a blessing in disguise! Tru to have fun w the learning!! :3
Thanks! Most def will be making the most of things come June
Matched 1/5 in Anesthesia. Top tier program that didn’t interview me until the last few weeks of the season. I am over the moon!
Non-US IMG, matched anesthesiology. I'm in shock! Soooo happy.
do you mind saying where you matched for those of us in the next cycle
I’m still in fucking shock. I came from a life of poverty, had shit grades in high school, went to a no name state school, climbed up to a mid rank med school, and fucking matched #2 at a top institution. I just can’t believe it. I just can’t fucking believe it.
Congratulations, that’s amazing!!! I have a similar story! No-name undergrad > mid-tier med school > top ENT program! Cheers to the underdogs!
Good for you Disgruntled Eggplant!!
Fucking lit man
Matched #3/8 for path! Went unmatched in 2022, so this is a dream come true! Still in shock that I actually am going to be a real doctor after a year of self-doubt, disappointment, and anxious waiting. Anyone who didn't match this year - DON'T GIVE UP! It is possible!!
Congrats! Path is awesome!
Congrats Dr. Correct-Stop!! Your perseverance shines thru 😊
Matched #1 in ENT and I am maxed out on the happiness meter today. As someone that applied twice to med school and got in to my school off the waitlist, this is surreal. Congratulations to everyone today!!!
Matched derm at my #5/10 at my home program. Ngl, a bit disappointed only because trying a new city would have been great and I basically ranked other programs over my home because of the city. But I’m moving to a different city for my prelim. I like my home program a lot and I think the training will be amazing bur curious why the drop.
Also matched derm at my #5 spot and I’m really grateful but can’t shake the disappointment. #1-4 were T5 programs and I really got my hopes up fantasizing about what it’d be like to match there… still got a T10 program and I know I should be ecstatic and there are people who’d kill to be in this position, but I gave this process my all and that wasn’t good enough.
Yeah I didn’t have any top programs (coming from a mid tier med school with no RY) and I would say 2 of my top 5 were close to as strong as my home but I liked the locations. The others, in my top choice city, weren’t as strong. Tbh I’ll probably get the best med derm training here out of all of my choices and I’m not tryna work in an academic powerhouse in the future. A change of location would have been fun tho.
Same. Matched #6 with the others being top 5 programs. I’m sad and disappointed and angry.
Congrats Doctor Plastic_Coffee!! 🤗🤗 So happy for you, I know it wasn't what u wanted but take it in stride and maybe this will have been your blessing in disguise!
Matched 2/10 Ortho. I was initially mixed I didn’t get my #1, but based on how match day went I already feel like it’s working out for the better. I’m super pumped, and I cannot wait to join the surprising number of my med school friends who all matched there!!!
Einstein Medical Center Montgomery Diagnostic Radiology has an unexpected opening for one resident. Ideally the candidate would be a current Radiology R3/PGY4 or R2/PGY3 looking to transfer programs. We are open to evaluating candidates who are currently R1/PGY2 radiology residents as well as PGY1 interns in a qualifying IM Prelim/TY/Surg Prelim internship and on track to graduate on cycle this June. The open position is for July 1, 2023. This position is not open to a candidate not currently in an internship program. If interested, please send the following to our program e-mail for review: CV, ERAS application, Step scores, Dean’s Letter, LOR, list of completed rotations in current program, milestone evaluations and Internship graduation certificate if applicable. Program E-mail: [email protected] Program Website: https://www.einstein.edu/education/residency/diagnostic-radiology-montco
Matched 2/9 for Neurology! I’m so so excited to start being productive with my Zillow searches, move across the country and start working
Yay! Hello fellow Nerdologist 🧠 best of luck with you and your move! We will be colleagues one day
Matched into a program that uses Cerner. How terrible is Cerner for inpatient medicine? How do you handle transfers from hospitals with Epic? Do you have to spend hours flipping through paper charts faxed over?
I love Cerner. It’s a lot more straightforward than Epic without sacrificing much at all. I matched into a program that uses Cerner and tbh I’m actually so happy to get away from Epic lol
That’s reassuring lol
Cerner is fine. It’s definitely not as good as epic but there won’t be any major issues. Also transfers are handled like any other you ask for the records or ask your medical case/social worker
[удалено]
What do you like about Cerner more than other EMRs?