Interview Stats 2010, how many apps, how many offers, etc.

boo. I'm jealous. I didn't get a PAID research year.

Total Apps: 128
Programs that have sent out interviews: 40ish
Interview Offers: 5
Rejections : 8


Re applicant doing research this year; Step 1: 243, Step 2: 249; middle tier med school; not AOA, I think about top quarter of class; Research: 2 podium presentations, 2 JBJS articles, many more submitted but not accepted yet.

I'm keeping my fingers crossed this year. Last year at this time I had 0 interview offers and only 1 by the end of Nov (7 total). I have good mentors willing to go to bat for me too so thats nice. I wish everyone good luck this year especially the reapplicants.

to the reapplicants: seeing some pretty good #'s. Any clue as to why last year didn't work out?

Total Apps: 50
Programs that have sent out interviews: 11
Interview Offers: 3
Rejections : 2
Wait List: 0

1st-timer; Step 1: 250s, Step 2: Not taken yet; Top 40 med school; not AOA, top quarter of class; Research: 0 papers, posters, or presentations.

You mean besides not enough spots for all the amazing applicants who want to do ortho?

I got the, "bad luck, fell through the crack, you should have matched" speech mostly.

Was basically told there was nothing I could do to improve my application numerically. I needed to work on the politics of it all, ie. getting people who would be advocates to write letters and make phone calls, making connections, showing my commitment and interest, following up with programs after interviews, etc.

I basically got the feeling after getting some feedback that I missed matching at several programs by one or two spots, basically because everyone figured I was going to go some where else.

It really depends who you ask.

You ask the middle tier to bottom tier programs and they say things like what CalinNhobbes said. I spoke with some very top tier programs and some literally told me "You have great scores i wonder why we didnt interview you... ohhhhh you aren't AOA, thats why"

The reality is that 90 percent of ortho applicants are outstanding. Most of us are outstanding in the same ways. The politics and who you know really plays a big part in the process. Think about it, if there's one hundred 240+ step score kids who all have honors and some research, you as a program director will probably lean towards the guy with a sincere great recommendation or even better a phone call that tells you that the attendings he works with really care so much that they match that they would take time out of their day to help them match.

I get the feeling that the feedback after not matching is always pretty vague because most of us dont have a great reason for denial, its just we were edged out by someone who had a little bit extra.