IamNikolas Registered User Posts: 19 (5/20/01 10:17:47 pm) Reply Couples match Does anyone have any info on the couple's match? What's the process like? Does it hurt your chances of matching? I'm obviously interested in Ortho, and my girlfriend wants to do either Pediatrics or anesthesiology -- neither is competitive which is a great thing. It would suck if she wanted Derm or something like that! Any info would be greatly appreciated. NG22 Registered User Posts: 5 (6/15/01 8:14:15 am) Reply couples match I did it and did not match. My wife did match in peds and I scrambled into a prelim spot in the same city. It is hard and very expensive and it is pretty much impossible to get your interviews on the same days. I would recommend interviewing for prelim spots (in addition to your ortho spots) where she wants to go and pairing them with her top few choices (which she can list again) at the bottom of your list (under your ortho programs). That way if you don't match in ortho it doesn't screw her over, and she may still land a spot that she wanted. You could also pair "unmatched" at the bottom of your list with several of her top choices (that is what I did). **Again, remember that this is the advice of another student, one who did not match at that, so see what others (preferably those who did match) have to say. IamNikolas Registered User Posts: 25 (6/15/01 11:10:56 am) Reply couples match Thanks a lot for the reply...really helpful. I'm still not clear on how the process works. Someone told me once that there are 2 columns...and you list programs across from each other that are in the same city. Is this true? If she gets into her number 1 choice in New York for example, and I don't get anything in NY, then she's screwed unless I list some prelim programs and/or "unmatched" at the bottom of my list....is this what you are saying? The whole thing sounds pretty confusing...I guess you have to go through it to really understand. Thanks for the help NG22 Registered User Posts: 6 (6/15/01 2:53:27 pm) Reply couple's match Yes that's right, for example your lists my be: You Her 1. NY 1.NY 2. LA 2.LA 3. unmatch 3.NY 4.unmatch 4.LA Hope that clears thing up a little, Best of luck to you. B0NEHEAD Registered User Posts: 2 (6/24/01 9:57:19 pm) Reply Re: couple's match i did match in ortho (and am about to start tomorrow!). my finance matched in peds. we worked thru the couples match. make sure that *all* your programs know that you are couples matching... ie send them letters telling to this effect. it makes a big difference. you can potentially not get interviews at the same programs if you don't let them know *before* interviews and send out. good luck. bh OrthoStud Registered User Posts: 23 (6/25/01 4:04:21 pm) Reply Re: couple's match Bonehead: thanks a lot for the help. A few questions for you: 1. Did your fiance send her programs letters as well? 2. When exactly did you send the letters?? Is October too early?? What month is the best to do this?? Any other advice you have would be appreciated. B0NEHEAD Registered User Posts: 3 (6/26/01 7:52:38 pm) Reply Re: couple's match both of you should send letters to all of your programs letting them know that you both will be doing the couples match. send them in as soon as your dean's letter goes in (i.e., when your file is complete). follow up with a phone call to the programs that you are most interested in to ensure that somebody on the committee is aware of your situation. when you make your match list. you should make it as long as possible. include all combinations that are acceptable for both you and your wife. consider both doing rotations at the same program... aim for big cities. but don't limit yourself to them. i matched at my top program and my future wife matched into pediatrics at the same medical center. as a bonus they are coordinating our call schedules for us. finally you should consider an "ortho-match : peds-no-match" before "peds-match : ortho-no-match" your wife can scrable into a program better than you can. in the end, however, you will probably be "told" that you will be able to match into a number of programs "if you choose to do so". then all you need to do is rank 'em. again good luck. let me know if you have anymore questions. bh