Statement From A “Questionable Program Director”
Hi, I saw your post and talking to all the programs in the south this year, radiology was less competitive with our program receiving 60-80 fewer applications than last year. I state this because this year was not more competitive. But if you check the NRMP and look at the numbers instead of writing from your gut, you would not spread false information.
I will take a page from Barry and speak from my gut and say it is getting less competitive in the next few cycles with the horrors of taking candidates with no inclination for radiology via the SOAP to only fail the boards will start again. In retrospect, I wish that I had interviewed more students because many have already been to 20-30 places with their prepared responses.
Fellow program director
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Response From A “Real Associate Program Director”
Not quite sure if y0u are a real program director since you did not leave an email or another way to contact you. Most folks that are “real” will put their money where their mouth is. Additionally, the grammar was horrible (so I took the liberty to edit it a bit), and the note was challenging to read. (But that does not disqualify you from being a program director!) Regardless, I thought it would be fun to reply to this email in an ask the residency director format, now that we know our program has matched all four spots. So, here we go!
Less Competitive This Year?
First of all, the NRMP has not released any of the numbers about the 2019 match. They are not yet available. Can’t say that I know what figures you are talking about from the NRMP. (another red flag regarding the credibility of your post!) However, I find it interesting that you reported having 60-80 fewer applications this year. That statistic flies right in the face of what our program has experienced for this year’s match. And, it also differs from what I have heard other programs saying. But, then again, we will find out the actual numbers of the match statistics when the real NRMP releases the stats for this year.
Second, my article called 2018-2019 More Competitive For Radiology? A Midyear Perspective is just a perspective. I based it on the hard and soft facts of what we saw at our program at the time of the article. I use pieces of evidence to support the conclusion that this year was more competitive, not gut reactions. But again, we will see if my prediction bears out when we do get the final word from the NRMP.
Next, I want to put a pitch in for those folks that will be matching in the SOAP. What you are implying about the SOAP candidates could not be further from the truth. Our former residents that matched through this process have been some of the most dedicated and fervent radiology residents that we have ever had. Most residents that match through the SOAP do not fail their boards. To the contrary, these residents perform extraordinarily during their four years and beyond.
And, finally, I am sorry to hear that you wish you should have been interviewing more students. (if you are real!) I think that says more about your program and your region of the country than the state of the radiology match this year.
Too-da-loo,
Barry Julius, MD
