<p>Trauma surgery is a fellowship specialty. This mean that it’s something applied for AFTER completing a general surgery residency. Urology is a PGY2 program which requires a 1 year either categorical or preliminary program in surgery first. (So uro usually requires 2 matches to get into a program–one for the first year and one for uro.)</p>
<p>So the couple will be applying for a gen surg + prelim surg w/ uro.</p>
<p>There are tons of gen surg and tons of prelim surg residencies. Uro matching will be the tough one. </p>
<p>How does the couple decide on programs?
You basically just decide on them the same way other applicants do. You pay more attention to regions/cities/whatever where there are many programs so you can have many programs to mix and match (theoretically). Eg: Chicago has Northwestern, Rush, UIC, Loyola, and a bunch of community programs–so that gives each person a ton of options for mixing and matching. Cleveland also has a bunch, as mentioned previously (the Clinic, Case Western, a variety of community programs, Akron’s not far away, etc). You probably should take into account how strong the program is for your partner’s specialty (“Will he really want to rank a program highly that’s not very good, just so I can go to a really good program?”), but for very competitive fields (urology is among them), you may just apply everywhere and see what sticks. As mentioned previously, urology is particularly a pain because of its “early match,” so they won’t be able to couples match the traditional way. What typically happens is if he matches uro, then she would call that program and say “My s/o matched there for uro and you are my number one choice for gen surg” and hope for the best. As WOWM mentioned, urology requires a prelim year, so even if he matches urology at say Cleveland, and she matches gen surg also in Cleveland, then there’s still a chance he’d do his prelim (first) year somewhere different entirely (also possible to go to, in this example, Cleveland). </p>
<p>Do they interview on the same dates?
Sometimes depending on the schedules. My friends going into highly competitive specialties (eg ortho surg) are only offered one or two choices for interview dates (in other words, the program only hosts 2 interview dates for the entire season). Our specialites (peds and IM) on the other hand offer tons of dates (eg MTWF during Nov, Dec, Jan). So it just depends on the mix whether or not you’ll be able to schedule them together. It never hurts to ask if your s/o’s date is available for your interview! Always more fun to have a travel partner. I’ve met tons of people participating in the couples match and so far I have had the most luck with scheduling interviews together (we’re traveling separately to 2 interviews and have the other dozen or so together).</p>
<p>Do the interviewers consult each other then decide?
It doesn’t seem like it’s the interviewers as much as it might be the program directors. I’ve definitely had PDs mention that they would talk to the IM PD about him. I’ve had other PDs mention that they will wait to schedule my interview until he has been offered an interview spot at the corresponding program. I don’t know how much they talk to each other when deciding rank lists, but I imagine there will be some consultation. Some higher ups at my school believe, if the couple is applying intelligently (to a logical number of programs in suitable specialties), then often the couple is stronger together than they might be individually (eg, the individual programs within a school know they will get both of you, so they might be more likely to rank you higher than someone who would be more of a gamble). </p>
<p>I just have no clue on how that process works.
You’re not the only one–it’s definitely complicated! Happy to help however I can. </p>
<p>Thanks, Ellen!
She is at one of them now.
Good that there is no flying in this set of 6.
She still hopes to get 2 more invites. We hope that she does! She needs them to get to her goal.<br>
Somebody has asked about Cleveland Clinic. It is better at some specialties than others. It is normal though. </p>
<p>D is doing her 5th this weekend. Then 6 more to go. 11 total. She turned down interviews to some heavy hitters and got rejections from two more big dogs. So I guess she is 17/20 with 2 rejects and an abstention. Not bad at all. 6 Midwest, 3 South, 1 West Coast, 1 East Coast. </p>
<p>Just finished my 10th. 4 to go. Only 4 to fly to, the rest were driving distance (although I think a 9hr drive is a little extreme…haha I’m a wimp). 3 south. 1 upper midwest. 1 mid-Atlantic. 9 midwest. Current faves are 3 midwest and 1 south, 3 of which are top programs for my field. And of course, 1 mini vacay thrown into the mix just for fun :)</p>
<p>The interesting pattern for my D. location wise. We already know not to expect anything from the south, but NE? Who would have thought? She has more interviews there than in her state of OH. She cannot afford turning anything downl. Will be done with prelim/ transitionals this Saturday (11 of them). Still hopes to get 1 - 2 more invites for specialty. Some rejections are more devasting than others and some invites are sooo impressive, what a wide range of emotions, going from great upswing to the lowest bottom and then back up. Driving to her #3 in a series of 6 right now. I pray for no snow every day!</p>
<p>"NE? I thought she wanted to drive everywhere? "
-Thank goodness that she did not listen to others and applied to many more than originally planned!
She definitely prefers driving, but flying is inevitable now. Actually after next week, she will have to fly to all of the rest. </p>
<p>It is a good thing to follow your own intuition, ALWAYS!!!</p>
<p>Well my D has a big week. Two of her top 5 original choices. Of course, almost opposite sides of the country. And I forgot a wait list is still out there. 16/20. </p>
<p>D. got additional 2 invites, that may be it. She is done with prelim’s interviews, except that one more that have been suggested by specialty coordinator, it may even be 30 min. on-line.
January will be more logistically challenging than December.
I am hoping for the same weather, please, pretty please.
Would be a shame to loose an interview due to the weather (when every one is so cherished)</p>
<p>mom2–yep, that’s the plan! He apparently has some grand gesture in the works. I’ve just stopped correcting people who refer to him as “my husband” and am patiently awaiting the fancy new jewelry and upgrade in title to fiancee. </p>
<p>Our top 3 favorite programs align perfectly and are the same we thought they would be going into it. Deciding 4-6 will be a challenge as they’re the “unexpected” favorites/great programs. 7-14 (hopefully we don’t get that far!) probably won’t be too difficult and will most likely be ranked based entirely on location.</p>
<p>I’m very excited to finish up interviews and work out the kinks of this match list! Hope you all are having a wonderful holiday :)</p>
<p>D. made friends - interview buddies, there is a group that is going to the same interviews. It is some kind of miracle that different programs in completely different parts of the country select the same group for interview out of over 500 applicants. I have no idea how it works. But at least there is another level of support out there, they go to dinner after interview, invite to stay with them at location where they live, share rides to/from airport…unexpected positive development that does not reflect the fact that they are in competition to each other. </p>