The Successful Match: 200 Rules to Succeed in the Residency Match
What is inside?* Who are the decision-makers and what do they care about? Chapter 2 summarizes the data, specific to each field, on the relative importance of USMLE scores, AOA status, number of honors grades, research experience, and other criteria.
* One study of recommendation letters found that key information, such as interpersonal communication skills and cognitive knowledge, was often lacking. What can you do to help your letter writers write the best possible letter?
* A survey of program directors was performed to determine the most important aspects of a personal statement.
* In one study, 1/3 of applicants were actually ranked lower following the interview. Another study found that 14% of interviews resulted in unranked applicants. What can you do to avoid common interview pitfalls?
* Do you know your competition? NRMP data from 2007 indicate that in competitive fields such as dermatology, orthopedic surgery, ENT, and radiation oncology, over 90% of applicants had participated in research.
* Should you do an audition elective? How important is it? How can you excel during the elective?
* What are the three most important criteria used to select IMG applicants? What are the least important? In one study, 93% of decision-makers felt that letters of recommendation from non-U.S. faculty were worthless.
Reviews:
- "One of the biggest challenges that residency applicants face is the confusing array of contradictory information from different sources. In this book, the authors do a wonderful job of addressing many myths and rumors that exist out there. They don't merely provide their opinions, but instead provide hard data -- the results of surveys and studies, as well as direct quotes from important decision makers such as residency program directors."
- "I especially liked the information provided for writing the personal statement, CV, and ERAS. Learning how program directors view the details provided to them in these documents challenged me to present my professional background effectively."
- "This book is very useful but probably not worth the price. Also, the book is written by an internal medicine attending at Baylor who has been deeply involved in interviewing and the selection committee. The problem is that much of the information is geared towards the ideal candidate i.e. those who probably don't need to read this book."
From Medical School to Residency: How to Compete Successfully in the Residency Match Program
What is inside?
This book gives the student all he/she needs to know to successfully match in a residency program in 2000 and beyond.
It is the only guide that fully covers the electronic application and match process, complete with lots of screen shots.
This manual will also address questions students should ask and strategies for successful matching.
Reviews:- "It has a chapter on special situations, but be aware that coverage for international graduates is very brief"
- "It also doesn't cover a lot about choosing a specialty (I thought Anita Taylor's book on how to choose a medical specialty was best for that)."
- "Although coverage of some topics (such as for international graduates) was brief, its conciseness was a strong point when I didn't have a lot of time to read"
. Here are the links to some offerings: