How soon will it be before we move to the normal March match? What are the benefits/advantages of having people match early?????

Not having an early match would definitely add a lot more excitement to today’s festivities. What was the reason that Neurology moved away from the SF match?

my two cents: early match should be reserved for super-competitive fields so if you don’t match, you won’t be hurt going for a regular match later in the year.  someone probably agrees with me because ophtho, nsg, and urology are all early matches.

neurology isn’t that competitive, so no harm done.  also, its a large program.  note how the above three are very small fields.  neurology probably had an easier time giving up and letting nsmatch take over with the rest of the herd.  if i had it my way, i’d keep those three early, and maybe even bring ENT back, but that’s not going to happen

this is all speculation on my part.  id like to keep nsg early match just so those that don’t match have the option to go for ortho, ENT, or gen surg without scrambling.  chances are the failed-ns matches are extremely competitive gen surg candidates.  if they were all the same matches (and only two general surg spots open to scramble for) they get screwed twice over

Thing is the SF Match for one, no longer includes all Urology programs (some use ERAS if not all by now). Plastics, Ophtho, Child Neuro, Neurotology, & Neurosurg are the remaining participants. The traditional competitive fields have been dropping off one by one by one regarding their usage of the SF Match b/c it’s easier administratively. It seems to be more of a social thing still, early match compared to regular. People who don’t match early are NOT really benefitted either b/c if you’re not an absolute fool (i.e. no plan B, no plan B and a half, or plan C) you pretty much need to be applying to your back up within the same time period (1-2 months later) so that you’re not a “scrambler.” Okay, yeah, we’re going to be “the top of the food chain” in another decade, but I think it would be pretty bad ass to share in the Match Day excitement with all your classmates & friends. I also offer the notion that making Neurosurg a regular match might afford the field an even higher degree of competitiveness b/c the shear number of applicants will increase. Again, I feel as if the temporal separation is more of a social issue than anything.

good points

point of information: sfmatch plastics is only fellowship training; integrated plastics is through regular match

So do we all feel as if Neurosurg won’t convert to the regular match?

To all those applying to this great field, I wish you the absolute best of luck b/c we’re nearing that time of year. Be successful and give as many tips and tricks as possible to the class below, again do well ladies and gentlemen.