No More Prematches starting 2013!

[drarnab]

There will be NO MORE PREMATCHES FROM 2013 MATCH!!!

New>NRMP TO IMPLEMENT "ALL-IN" POLICY

At its May 16, 2011 meeting, the NRMP Board of Directors voted unanimously to require programs participating in the Main Residency Match to place all positions in the Match. The so-called "All-In" Policy will become effective for the 2013 Match that opens for registration on September 1, 2012. The policy will affect all PGY-1 positions and PGY-2 positions in advanced programs.

The NRMP will continue to accept comments on implementation of the policy, especially as it relates to possible exceptions for residents who enter training off-cycle, GME programs in rural and geographically underserved areas, combined clinical-research programs, and accelerated programs. Final implementation rules will be adopted in May 2012. Read how to submit comments to the NRMP.

Reference: The official NRMP Website (read the All-In Policy)

[laithbv]

I think this is good news for the IMGs.

The prematch offers were always unfair for the applicant. It was a flaw in the system and "bad programs" abused it to clinch good applicants.

Good job NRMP

[mary]

I just wonder what will those ugly New York Community programs do?

They thrive on prematches, they offer all of their residency positions through prematches! Am sure they will be in big trouble

[drhma]

Originally Posted by laithbv

I think this is good news for the IMGs.

The prematch offers were always unfair for the applicant. It was a flaw in the system and "bad programs" abused it to clinch good applicants.

Good job NRMP

could u plz clarify how is it good for IMGs ?

[drarnab]

Originally Posted by laithbv

I think this is good news for the IMGs.

The prematch offers were always unfair for the applicant. It was a flaw in the system and "bad programs" abused it to clinch good applicants.

Good job NRMP

agree completely. And also, this will make things easier for people with lower scores - the worst of programs used to get 99s due to the "match scare" - now they will need to interview people who will seriously rank them mutually. makes a level playing field for all.

[laithbv]

Originally Posted by drhma

could u plz clarify how is it good for IMGs ?

Ever asked yourself why do they give prematches?
The answer is this " bad residency programs give prematch offers because they know if they don't give the prematch offer, that candidate (whom they offered the prematch to) will not rank them in NRMP and he/she will go to a better program "
Prematch offer is injustice for the resident who signed it. He will for sure take a better chance if he continues in the main NRMP match.

Ever asked yourself why it's banned for AMGs! The answer is simply because it's unfair and they care about the AMGs that's why it was banned for them long time ago.

Now, thanks God, they started to take care of IMGs

[dr_sherani]

OMG. First they said they are not going to report 2 digit score to the programs(while I went for step 1 with 99 in mind), now they are saying there will be no prematches for 2013 match (same year I will be applying) . Damn, don't know what to say. Sometimes feel like I should quit thinking about residency. Don't know whether its a good news or a bad news for me but I am feeling so low

[drnirajmavani]

i really cant figure it out wether its good or bad for IMGs as people always say, its getting tougher for IMGs to get a residency, and who knows this may be their first move towards it.... first considering only 3 digit score nd now this... i am really getting hard time getting this...would really appreciate a response from steptaker or sabio...

[dr_sherani]

Yup.Me too waiting for experts comments on this change

[dr_sherani]

I found it on another forum.Might help:
However, I'm wondering if this move might also have the consequence of reducing the number of foreign grads that programs in general take, since apparently one of the rationalizations for prematches is that it makes it easier for programs to get the visa paperwork done in time to start residency. That might lead to an even stronger preference for American grads than (most) programs have previously had. Since the number of American applicants is increasing each year and many of us(americans) have concerns about the number of residency spots not being adequate for the number of med school grads, I wonder if that's why this is being brought up now.
__________________

[add1]

Guys this is bad ....however, I do know one thing. As long as we IMGs score above the average American, we are still competitive. So aim for that and all will fall into place.

[dr_sherani]

@add1. Yes I also think so. Lets hope for the best

[StepTaker]

Am here giving my opinion on this since members have specifically asked for it.

I think the banning of prematch offers is appropriate. Prematch (outside the match) offers are not fair and unjustified and they make the whole NRMP process invalid.

The only reason a prematch offer is given is when the program feels that a good candidate will go match in another better program if left for the main NRMP match. So in any prematch scenario the equation is
Bad Program - Good Applicant

So as you can see it's always in favor of the program and not in favor of the applicant. Therefore, banning prematches is in the interest of the applicants by all means and from all points of view.

Why some IMGs feel this is not good?
Bad applicants and applicants with low competitiveness profile (such as those with fewer than 5 interviews) think that the prematch is their only way to get into residency. They think that if they are not offered a prematch they will end up unmatched in the NRMP. But if you think of it, those folks are unlikely to get a prematch offer, they don't fit in the equation above. So banning prematches or allowing prematches, in both situations these applicants are not going to be matched anyway (I mean their chances are low in both situations).

It's unethical?
For the reasons I stated above, many high profile residency programs do not give prematch offers even to super good IMG applicants. This is because they know that it's unfair and a bypass of the whole process of matching. I know many residency programs that take several IMGs every year but they don't offer prematch offers even if the applicant expressed interest. Some of them even think that's illegal and damaging to their reputation.

Good IMG applicants have had a very difficult times in rejecting or accepting a prematch offer. "Should I take it, or should I wait and get a better one?".

Moreover, most of the residency programs that used to give outside the match offers (prematches) were not ranking the applicant if he/she rejected the prematch. This means that you lose the opportunity altogether, and I think this is not professional and unethical! While with the new rule, you will keep all your options alive until the end.

It's bad news for the "Bad" programs
As in the equation above, bad programs who used to get good candidates by trapping them in a prematch offer will no longer be able to do so. With the new rules, they have to take what they deserve to take. If you are a bad program with poor educational curriculum, low fellowship prospective, bad neighborhoods, ..etc you don't deserve to take super 99ers by fooling them with prematches, you have to take lower profile applicants because that's what you deserve.

[dr_sherani]

I do agree with most of the points by steptaker.The only think i pray is that they make the visa clearance procedure a bit faster so that the matched IMGs dont get delayed visa clearance and may all reach in time for starting residency .

[drnirajmavani]

thank you steptaker...that was a big relief ....

[hypermedic]

dunno guys, but i heard many fellas say that the SOAP this year was to make sure those with GC/us citizen get the unfilled positions, rather than the old scramble system
let's hope this modification in pre-match is good for IMGs
but as far as i know this means that either the program take all positions for pre-match or not, which means still there is pre-match offers, right??

i know double 99ers who didn't receive a single call till now, i am talking about over 10 friends of mine....

let's expect the best enshalla ;D

[boka987]

I don't understand how NOT giving pre-matches is going to change anything. The programs have option All in or All out. That is they will either participate in match or give away all the positions as per-match offers. The low ranking programs will definitely go for All out (i.e. continue to offer pre-match). That way nothing is changed.
So the formula Bad Programs = Good Applicants will still hold true.

[Sabio]

Originally Posted by boka987

I don't understand how NOT giving pre-matches is going to change anything. The programs have option All in or All out. That is they will either participate in match or give away all the positions as per-match offers. The low ranking programs will definitely go for All out (i.e. continue to offer pre-match). That way nothing is changed.
So the formula Bad Programs = Good Applicants will still hold true.

I know no program that is willing to go off the NRMP because of the new rules. All the program that I know, are making arrangements to accommodate for the No Prematch next year.
Residency programs can not easily go outside the match, there are many benefits such as the ERAS service and federal funding.
Moreover, most of the programs that do offer a prematch, do not do it completely. In other words they give some positions prematch and some others go to the match, only few of them offer all their seats outside the match.