Was there an open spot?

If not matching into ortho is the worst thing that happened to you, then you really have a lot to be grateful for. There are well (over) qualified applicants each year that don't match. That is a risk that all of us take when we apply. There are only so many spots for the scores of applicants and from what I hear the application rates are going up every year. But many that don't match the first time around, continue to work hard (research year, prelim year, etc), reapply, and then match. It's a touch pill to swallow, but life goes on. Accept the reality and keep your eyes on the gold. Stop moping around, feeling sorry for yourselves. Use the year to your advantage...travel a bit, spend time with family, get married, whatever else you want to do. In retrospect, after you DO match, it may very well be the BEST thing that happened to you.

I think it's important that every steps back and chills out for a few days at this point. I've been following this site for a few years now and every year the people who are not fortunate enough to match post their frustrations and the people who match tell them not to blame it on them and so on and so forth, and everyone ends up more stressed out than when we started. After a few days everyone finally starts to chill out and refocus. Most importantly, I think we all need to be respectful through this time of year.

Matched applicants, be happy for your result and don't shy away from sharing your experiences, statistics, and thoughts with this site for fear that someone will think you're tooting your horn...it's very helpful for future applicants to hear. Unmatched applicants, your stories are equally as important for future applicants to hear, so thanks for being unselfish during a time when I'm sure you'd like to flip Orthopaedics the proverbial bird.

Bottom line, I think it's important to remember that just because someone didn't match doesn't mean they were a bad applicant, had "red flags", or were a dick in interview days. At the same time, those that matched didn't all get there by a wink and a handshake, and a mentor who made a phone call, or just because their numbers were good. Everyone played their cards and they fell as they did. Soon, this initial stuff will pass and we'll all be able to refocus on the same future goal that we all share, which is becoming an orthopaedic surgeon.

rwbrhp29

he's not a DO. he's actually an MD/MBA.

and not to be snotty, but if you are thinking the place is a real sh!thole but somewhere to be used to get back to LA ... maybe that came across when you rotated there? the residents (with whom sub-Is spend a great amount of time) have a pretty big say in the process.

I feel for all of you folks out there that didn't match. I can only speak from my own experience, but in the program I am in, the residents have a heckuva lot of say in the rankings. That's because our chairman, program director, and most attendings trust we know the rotators the best. We see them not only at 3 pm but at 3 am, and it's the folks who are cool, calm, collected, and helpful then whom we vocally support. Research and academic record will get you the interview, but the rotation performance will make or break your chances of matching here. My advice for the future is to work your butts off in whatever path you decide to take, while always being a gentleman/woman about it. And never let'em see you sweat.

FYI

i'm hoping next year I'll know what that feels like
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the problem with the fluffing or what have you is.. that's all we have to go by. I wish there was a test that was accurate that you could take that would be "no ortho or ortho" and nothing but. But there is no such device.

Truth be told, some places probably rank purely on some arbitrary formula... and that's how it works. Like:
step 1 score 240+ = 100, 230-239 = 90.. 220-230 = 80. or whatever.. and then they have a multiplier.. and then they add up your point totals. Rank accordingly.. offer interviews.. and then if they're evil during the interviews.. take them out of the rank.

You never know.. and those multipliers? Who knows? who is to say that step 1 score is worth 100x what the number of publications, or time in research or whatever... it's soooo subjective.

But that's just how it is. I learned this during the interview process, realizing why I didn't get certain interviews... some places I met the cut off, some places I didn't.. some places are loyal to rotators some are loyal to home students... you never know.

It's a matter of playing your cards and being lucky. Yes. some of us have better cards.. but that doesn't mean the dealer doesn't have 21..

I double'd down, and I lost.. Maybe next year I'll win, maybe win big.. or just break even.

Or maybe I'll lose. In which case.. I'll probably try again.. but that's how badly I want to do ortho.

I find it interesting that there are those among us who match who feel the need to get defensive and “fluff” themselves on certain “immeasurable” qualities as if they have some intangibles that make them better applicants than those who didn’t match. Get over yourselves. We’re the ones who matched, and most of you fortunately will never know what it feels like not to match. Maybe it is inappropriate to insinuate that those who matched may have been in some way less qualified than those who did not, but let it go. You’re the ones who have a spot. Maybe you could allow those who didn’t match to be a little angry and ask why they didn’t match despite strong applications whatever the definition of a strong application is. You cannot imagine what it’s like to not match, and I’m frankly impressed with the reserve some who haven’t matched have shown considering how they feel right now. There are a lot of reasons why people match or don’t match, but to think that it’s always the “best” applicants who match (best, including those “intangibles”) is naive at best. You should meet some of the folks who don’t match the first time around (I’ve met several). I think you’d be as surprised as they are that they didn’t match. That in no way detracts from you as an applicant or future orthopaedic surgeon, and if you cannot see that it’s your problem. Just try to have a little understanding for those going through something you’ll never have to understand.

miami hss

Out of curiosity where did you do your away rotations at? Keep you head up man!

all of the above are all valid points.

I keep being told that I had a strong application, etc. etc. and that I fell through the cracks, or this just happens. who knows.

I keep getting told "you are someone who will do well in orthopaedics.. you will be an orthopod.. just not this year." I can't tell you how terrible that sounds to me
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Beyond my application, I would like to think that there was something else that I can fix. Not enough research? Could have had a few more pre-clinical honors? Maybe I was a jerk, maybe I wasn't.. who knows. I tried my very best not to be anything of the like on my interviews, but you never know. I ranked 19 places still to no avail. did I slip on my interviews that many times???

All I know is that I'm broken hearted just like the other folks. This is something I have wanted to do since I was a child.. and now I can't have it. I worked hard.. and I had all of the numbers, the pieces of the puzzle.. and I still didn't match.

Now..

I'm sitting here in my bed, unshaven, feeling *worthless* a complete loser.... reading a book with nothing to do.. my friends are all out celebrating. I had to cancel my trip to vegas.. it sucks. and it's true, it is probably one of the worst feelings you can ever have.

But I have hope. I've got a new mentor. My home program was useless in this respect, and now I think I have someone to goto bat for me. Maybe I'll wind up in their program, maybe I won't.. I don't know.

I'm buckling down, trying to hammer out the research projects I will do, etc. etc. But this takes time.. and in the shuffle, I still feel like a piece of junk rotting on a log.

*sigh* who knows.. maybe next year i'll wind up at a better place than I would have (but really didn't) this year.

good luck to all, and i hope you all matched and are happy. for those that didn't, or those that are reading this hoping to match next year.. go all out.. do everything you can, pull as many strings.. do what you must.. because everyone else is!

Don't get left behind. Don't fall through the cracks like I did.

Very well said KneeMD and ArthroscopicSpine above. The measurable qualifiers get way too much credit. I doubt by the end of the an individuals residency people look back to Scores, AOA status etc and say 'I knew he would be great.' HSS is doing awesome and the 'less qualified' individuals they select possess intangibles that they are good at picking up. I'm sure there are kick ass residents around the country that did not have these things, and in the end their actual performance is all that matters. It sucks not to match, but congratulate those that may be your future colleagues if things work well for you the second time around.

You're not going to find an answer to this question, because there is none. In highly sought after specialties, sometimes highly qualified people get left out. It's just the way it is.

Been wanted to ask this since monday but waited a few days. The people who are not matching on the seem to have numbers, research etc well that would place them at the top of the application pool for the most part. What is the reason(s) they truly dont match. Is it they interview poorly, maybe coming across cocky and arrogant which i understand(a little bit) with the paper applications some have presented on this site. Do they simply not apply to enough programs and just have hopes for places like HSS, NYU, Mayo, Pitt etc.

Not meaning to take a shot at anyone who didnt match because i cant imagine how you feel right now. Just curious to know what some people think. thanks

THANK YOU!! I totally understand everyone's emotions getting the best of them upon receiving bad news at this most critical juncture of our careers. However I don't think the anger should be misplaced at people who matched. Its not fair to them nor to the programs that took them. If you have to be angry at someone, be angry at the ACGME and the ortho RRC specifically for not allowing more spots at programs. Most programs that I know have more than enough volume and would LOVE to have more help in the form of residents, but for some reason (most likely to keep the demand of attending surgeons high and therefore pushing salaries higher) they do not grow the number of residency spots. In the last 5 years there have been only 2 new programs, one of which already had a residency that the ACGME shut down and they re-opened it, the other was Marshall University. I believe the Banner program is a 3rd, however I'm not sure about the details surrounding that program. From last year to this year the number of spots only increased by 5. So interpret those facts as you will.

But if you need to put down those that matched in order to feel good about yourself, well, that shows a lot about your character...

I don't know...maybe they picked up on your ambivalence towards their place? If they knew what they had in their redshirt DO intern and they liked him better than all but 15 people they interviewed, not matching a spot probably wasn't a big deal to them. Scouting applicants is an inexact science, so I wouldn't blame them for going with a proven commodity over a bunch of guys who see their program as a fallback option/consolation prize.

I don't necessarily disagree, but who's to say that the people who matched aren't as qualified...based on what? A lower Step 1 score? Less interview offers? No AOA? No offense to anybody in particular but from following some threads on this board, it seems like some people fluff themselves based on "measurables" which are not meant to measure potential as an orthopaedic resident at all. I've never been to HSS, but they seem to be doing something right...

Well hearing the fact that Harbor was left with an open space absolutly enrages me. I rotated there this past fall and I didn't even get an interview. The place is a true shit hole, but a great way to get back to Los Angeles. I know the prelim they took. He is a great guy, and a DO

harbor had an open spot and from what i've heard from people in their program, they talked it over with the current residents and took one of the g-surg prelims.

well, what wiggs me out especially is that I sat down with my program director, and he told me the following in response to the question "why wasn't I ranked in the 100% going to match spots"

"We ranked you to match, within our normal match pool, but we didn't go that far down on our list."

me: Who was in those spots, and what can I do to get there?

PD: "Well, it was very highly qualified applicants with research CV's pages long, etc. etc."

Which basically meant they showed no preference to someone who was a student there and rotated, etc. which is bogus, considering the fact that many other places I know do! Like I remember FFu saying how "2 spots goto Pitt students, 2 spots to rotators, and the rest is whatever it is"... which is fair or whatever, but at the same time, not fair for those of us that have programs that don't do that
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My program is a middle of the road program...

Was it just that rediculous of a year.. was I unlucky?.. is ortho getting even more competitive.. or are they just not screening apps as well because there is so many?

Will it be like this next year?? Who knows.. but clearly, be wise to choose a place that is loyal to rotators or whatever you can do.. because clearly, in my case.. they weren't.

UGH! yeay! to start a research year. At least I'll get some pubs out of it, etc.
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i'm sorry to hear that. they probably went down the list of people they interviewed and found the highest ranked person who didn't match (i recall that they interviewed a lot of people). they probably figured that they at least got to meet that person instead of someone they never met. the whole thing is a bit of a gamble on their part... i didn't actually believe what i heard on interview day until today seeing what's happened.

it looks like a surprisingly large number of the top applicants this year didn't match for some reason. i really feel for you guys, because i heard that some places picked people based on factors that don't necessarily seem fair. for example, i heard through the grape vine that HSS took a couple of people that were basically connected but well below average applicants. i'm sure other places probably do this as well, which hurts the qualified folks that don't match. but best of luck to you guys. you've gotten this far, so you will definitely find whatever makes you happy in the end if you stick to what you've done so far.