Match Day Mailbag: What if I don’t Match?

“What if I don’t Match?” is one of the most common questions I get as residency applicants wait for their Match results. Here’s my advice.
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NOTES:
1. Introduction (0:11)
-If you missed the first Match Day Mailbag, it’s here:
Match Day Mailbag, Part 1: Can I game the Match algorithm?
• Match Day Mailbag, Par...
2. Take care of yourself (1:19)
-It’s hard to be unmatched. If you need real help: 988lifeline.org
-The graphic on the Match rate by educational background (2:07) is adapted from Table 4 of the NRMP Main Residency Match report:
www.nrmp.org/wp-content/uploa...
-I’ve also written about the discrepancy between the NRMP Match rate and the proportion of applicants who are unable to find residency positions here:
www.nrmp.org/wp-content/uploa...
3. Diagnose the problem (4:32)
-The Match rates I quoted all come from the NRMP’s Charting Outcomes in the Match reports.
For MDs:
www.nrmp.org/wp-content/uploa...
For DO seniors:
www.nrmp.org/wp-content/uploa...
For international medical graduates:
www.nrmp.org/wp-content/uploa...
4. SOAP overview (9:50)
-Statistics on the NRMP’s Supplemental Offer and Acceptance Program (SOAP) come from their 2022 Match report:
www.nrmp.org/wp-content/uploa...
5. SOAP strategy (12:47)
-You can review the SOAP traffic rules (15:29) at the NRMP website:
www.nrmp.org/wp-content/uploa...
5. Research (18:36)
-The screenshot on the NRMP’s non-clinical position policy (19:56) is online here:
www.nrmp.org/help/item/i-did-...
6. Delay graduation (20:21)
-I pointed out how osteopathic medical schools were cooking the books with their match statistics when I spoke to a group of osteopathic medical school deans a couple of years ago. Jump in at the twenty-four minute, 19 second mark if you want to get straight to it.
Addressing Osteopathic Medicine’s Vulnerabilities: The View through an External Lens
• Addressing Osteopathic...
7. Other (24:07)
8. Work your plan (26:08)
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MUSIC CREDIT:
“Clutch,” by Nicolas Major.

[@EndoExcision]

Required watching for residency applicants!

[@knosis]

Watching this makes me realize how lucky I am. I originally applied anesthesiology and underapplied and probably was not super hot with my interviews either. I got interviews from top anesthesiology programs in thr country but not as many "safe" places. But I ended up applying to peds, EM, IM and a few prelim places in the soap. 17 programs contacted me. 8/9 peds program contacted me, which was shocking for me. I wanted to become a pediatric anesthesiologist afterall. I ended up choosing EM because it was closer to anesthesiology and what I wanted to do as a doctor, than peds. And I see peds in EM anyways and I very much enjoy when I'm there, so it's the best of both worlds. I also get to do sedation cases in EM and intubations and all the procedures that made anesthesiology fun.

[@ningthegreat]

Really well said Dr. Carmody, thank you for this and for the dedication you have to medical students.

[@rajrammbbs]

I had to quit applying. 4 attempts on ck.

[@WeirdLittleDreams]

I know for some people this is a sensitive question. If you don't want to answer or engage the subject matter that's fine. But I am curious to know what you moved on to after you decided to stop applying?

[@Mein_KampfyChair]

​@WeirdLittleDreams They probably stayed in their home country to practice medicine. Their username says MBBS, which I believe is the medical degree many countries outside of North America use