Careers In Medicine@VCU: Find Your Fit
Match 101: Summer Experiences SessionChris Woleben, MDAssociate Dean of Student AffairsDecember 17, 2013
Match 101: Basics of The National Residency Matching Program
• Prior to 1951, appalling hiring practices were often used to attract students to residency programs.
• The Match is a national system (NRMP) by which students are paired with residency training programs using a standard algorithm.
• There are three types of residency positions offered:-Categorical-Advanced-Preliminary or Transitional
Categorical PositionsDesigned for broad specialty trainingDo not require a year of preliminary trainingIncludes both your internship and residency training at the
same facility: Family Medicine Internal Medicine Pediatrics Emergency Medicine Obstetrics and Gynecology General Surgery Pathology
Advanced Programs• Programs available to senior medical students starting at the
second year of training (residency)
• Students must also match into a preliminary year (internship)
• Examples of programs that may require a preliminary year include:• Anesthesiology, Diagnostic Radiology, Neurology• Dermatology, Ophthalmology, Radiation Oncology• Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation
Preliminary Programs• Designed for students needing a year of clinical experience
prior to completing a residency program
• Available in two program types:• Internal Medicine• General Surgery
• If you apply to an advanced program, you must also apply separately for a preliminary position
Transitional Positions• Generally designed for students who cannot decide upon a
medical specialty
• Year closely resembles the M3 Clerkship requirements
• May serve as substitute for a preliminary year for some advanced programs
Match 101: The NRMP Algorithm
• The algorithm favors students.
• All applicants are treated equally• U.S. allopathic and osteopathic students• Physicians• International medical graduates
• Both students and residency programs enter their lists of choices = Rank Order Lists.
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How Competitive is the Match?
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Extremely and Highly Competitive Specialties
• Extremely Competitive• Plastic Surgery• Ophthalmology• Urology• Radiation Oncology• Dermatology
• Highly Competitive• Neurosurgery• Otolaryngology• Orthopedic Surgery• Radiology• Emergency Medicine
Very Competitive andCompetitive Specialties
• Very Competitive• General Surgery• Anesthesiology• OB/Gyn• Internal Medicine • Pathology
• Competitive• Psychiatry• PM&R• Family Medicine• Neurology• Pediatrics
Resources for Specialty Information • AAMC Careers in Medicine Website
• Use your AAMC username and password in order to access the content reserved for medical students
• Comprehensive website to help you better understand your specialty preferences, research various specialties
• https://www.aamc.org/cim/
• National Residency Match Program (nrmp.org)• Good source for data and statistics on residency programs• Charting Outcomes in the Match published every other year
• Detailed analysis of that year’s match• Board scores, importance of research, number of programs needed
on rank list for successful match
• Yearly Match Statistics
Planning Your M1 Summer
• Use your M1 summer wisely!• If you are considering an extremely or highly
competitive specialty:• Seriously consider research experiences.
• If you are not considering a competitive specialty:• Seek informal shadowing of physicians and/or
volunteer opportunities.
Summer Experiences Website• As the Student Affairs Office receives notifications about
external summer opportunities for students, they will be posted in the following places:• Student Affairs Announcements section of eBoard on
eCurriculum• Link for Summer Opportunities on Dr. Woleben’s Blog:
• http://wp.vcu.edu/cimvcu
• Variety of experiences include:• Clinical / basic science / translational research experiences• Cultural immersion experiences• Clinical shadowing / observation programs• Volunteer / service opportunities• Essay / poetry contests
VCU Summer Research Fellowships• Students in the School of Medicine may do research with
any faculty member in the School.• Students can receive a stipend ($2,500) funded by the
Dean’s office.• Fellowships are for a period of two months and are
offered between the M1 and M2 years.• Application process is competitive.• Must apply to the Senior Associate Dean for Research
and Research Training by March 31, 2014 by using the application found on the following website:• http://www.medschool.vcu.edu/research/summer/index.html
Ideal Research Project
• Clinically related to the field in which you have an interest
• Research preceptor has experience working with medical students
• You are actually interested in the project• The project could potentially yield a publication
and/or presentation
Shadowing Experiences• Student Affairs Office annually surveys VCUHS physicians to
determine who would be interested in having students shadow them
• Comprehensive list of specialties compiled and posted on the Student Affairs website and is updated periodically
• Contact schools / residency programs / offices in your hometown
• Best recommendation is to spend time in a variety of settings to help you better decide which specialty may be your best fit• Inpatient versus outpatient• Procedural based specialties / exposure to OR setting• Patient populations (pediatric to geriatrics)
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Careers in Medicine@VCU: How we help you “Find Your Fit”
• M1 and M2 Project H.E.A.R.T. sessions• Individual Career Advising• M2 CiM Course & Elective• Career Development Sessions
• Myers Briggs• Match 101/Summer Experience• Effective Decision-Making• ERAS/NRMP workshops• Debriefing the Match
• Alumni Career Fair & Residency Information Sessions• Friday, April 11 in MMEC (11:45am – 1:15pm)
• Curriculum Vitae & Personal Statement Review• Residency Interviewing Practice
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CiM@VCU Resources• Christopher Woleben, M.D
Associate Dean of Student Affairs828-9791 ([email protected])
• Janet MundieStudent Services Specialist828-9791 ([email protected])
• Sara M. LoritschAssistant Director, Career Center828-1645 ([email protected])