Match List analysis - Part 2 of 3
Same for Pediatrics, we did have 2 students match into top-tier Peds residencies, in which we have had a prior track record of matching students there, but not in the very top Peds programs overall, which are more located in the NE – like Boston Children’s and CHOP, although this may have been more candidate preference in terms of geography. The best our students were able to match into for someone going for Peds were middle-tier Peds programs, if not strong middle-tiers. In Peds, the rate of subspecializing after residency is different, as the income factor discrepancy isn’t as pronounced in the Peds world from generalist to specialist, as it can sometimes be in the IM world.
We had a few more people apply to Psychiatry than usual, but that’s probably more indicative of the particular class, than a trend. OB-Gyn, was lower this year at 1 match, compared to other years, again probably more indicative of the particular class. Our OB-Gyn home residency program doesn’t have too many home subspecialty fellowships, compared to other places, similar to our General Surgery program. We only had 2 people going into Family Medicine this particular year, which is a little lower than usual, although we do have a good, vibrant Family Medicine program.
We definitely had more students than usual match into categorical General Surgery residencies - 6 this year. However, part of this total could also be people who applied for General Surgery as a backup specialty, in case they did not match into the more competitive surgical subspecialties – i.e. ENT, Urology, Ortho, Plastics, Neurosurgery, etc. UMKC does have a General Surgery residency (although not really many subspecialty fellowships) and Ortho residency, but we don’t have a home Urology, ENT, Plastics, or Neurosurgery residency program to spring off from, which can make it much harder, though obviously not impossible, to match in those fields. I think that is reflected in our match list this year and in prior years in terms of total numbers. Plastic Surgery and Vascular Surgery are different in that they are “integrated” subspecialty programs, in which you already know your subspecialty and don’t have to apply again for fellowship after completing a General Surgery residency. It’s “integrated” into the curriculum.
In terms of the more ancillary specialties: Rads, Ophtho, Anesthesia, Derm, PM&R, etc., with 2 specialties being very competitive, one of which we have a home residency in, you can see we tend to have a much lower total number of people entering these fields, and in proportion to the entire class, for a variety of reasons. Those in the 2 more competitive specialties in this category coming from UMKC tended to be those who were more academically competitive. Radiology, has gotten MUCH less competitive over the years in terms of matching (it used to be almost on par with Derm), although this could change later, so accordingly, our match lists have opened up to people being able to get it coming from UMKC.
We’ve also gotten more faculty recruitment in certain specialties at UMKC – Ortho, Rads, and specific student specialty interest groups – PM&R, etc. that has helped guide our students going for those fields that weren’t available before.
There were 4 who matched only into the first year of internship, although one is a military match, to where often they are given military orders to only match into internship at least initially. They tend to go thru the Military Match which is a separate match from the NRMP match. The others will apply again for the match later on this fall, to complete a residency, whether it’s an advanced specialty or a categorical specialty.