2009 Match Results

[SunDevilDoc]

Let's kick this thing off. I'm in the 2010 match but just attended the matching party (for this year's match) in the hospital I'm rotating at. Without naming names:

LSU (New Orleans) - Internal Medicine
LSU Shreveport - Pathology
Chabert MC - Internal Medicine
Univ of Florida - Family Pratice (x2)
Indiana Univ - Internal Medicine
Psychiatry in NY
One Surgery match
2-3 canadian matches (I didn't pay attention to what specialities)

[SunDevilDoc]

a correction on above posting

The student who match to Pathology is actually an MUA student, not Saba. Congrats nonetheless.

[wolfvgang22]

I matched in psychiatry in Phoenix, AZ, my first choice. Plan to do a fellowship there, also.

I originally applied to 84 programs, invited to interview at about 35, attended 20 interviews, and ranked 19 programs. Yes, this was overkill, but this years match was very competitive, even in psychiatry. We believe there was only one truly available position a program wished to fill out of the 11 listed in the scramble in psychiatry this year; we have been discussing it on the most popular student forum for psychiatry at another site. Many US MD and DO students actually went unmatched in psychiatry.

For students interested in psychiatry, I will always be happy to share my rank order list so you know where interviews have been successfully obtained in the past, as well as answer any questions about matching successfully in general.
Good luck to current students, and congratulations to everyone who has matched or scrambled!

[SunDevilDoc]

A Saba student matched to Univ of Toronto - OB/Gyn

[rubensmadder]

I know of 5 people who matched into anesthesia, I'm sure there are more. There was also 1 who matched into Urology.

[wolfvgang22]

A Saba student matched to Univ of Toronto - OB/Gyn
Yeah, I am good friends with this student, very proud of him. :)

[Big Baller]

A Saba student matched to Univ of Toronto - OB/Gyn
University of Toronto...
Great match.

[SunDevilDoc]

I know of 5 people who matched into anesthesia, I'm sure there are more. There was also 1 who matched into Urology.

Can you remember which Anesthesiology programs they matched to?

Urology?! Wow, that's great!

[rubensmadder]

ok. let's organize this thread to keep it as informative as possible. Please add your program to matched field, and if there is a field that needs to be added please do so.

So without mentioning any names:

Anesthesiology: University of Florida, Medical College of Wisconsin, UMKC (x2), St Joseph's Regional Medical Center (x2)
Family Medicine: University of Florida (x2), University of Buffalo
Internal Medicine: LSU New Orleans, Indiana University, Chabert MC, UT Houston (x2), Penn State University, Drexel University, SUNY Downstate
Orthopedic Surgery: 1 Canadian match
Pathology: LSU Shreveport
Pediatrics: East Carolina University
PM&R:
Psychiatry: University of Buffalo, Mount Sinai Toronto, Arizona
General Surgery:
Urology: Mount Sinai Toronto
Emergency Medicine:
Neurology:
OBGYN: SUNY Downstate, University of Toronto
Radiology:

[ngoctranly]

have you heard anyone matched in Ophthalmology?THanks

[krust3]

i know one in ER who matched a program in michigan. one surg match @ michigan state university. 2 fam meds at research hospital in KC. 2 OB/gyn matches at UMKC St. Lukes

KEEP EM COMIN'!!!

[rubensmadder]

adding Krust3's mentioned matches....

Anesthesiology: University of Florida, Medical College of Wisconsin, UMKC (x2), St Joseph's Regional Medical Center (x2)
Family Medicine: University of Florida (x2), University of Buffalo, Kansas City (x2)
Internal Medicine: LSU New Orleans, Indiana University, Chabert MC, UT Houston (x2), Penn State University, Drexel University, SUNY Downstate
Orthopedic Surgery: 1 Canadian match
Pathology: LSU Shreveport
Pediatrics: East Carolina University
PM&R:
Psychiatry: University of Buffalo, Mount Sinai Toronto, Arizona
General Surgery: Michican State
Urology: Mount Sinai Toronto
Emergency Medicine: Somewhere in Michigan
Neurology:
OBGYN: SUNY Downstate, University of Toronto, UMKC (x2)
Radiology:

[darkmansaad]

yo i am all for spreading information but this thread has become the EPITOME of the term "Saba Rumor Mill." It really is awesome that we are matching so far but like...."i heard this" and "i heard that" is ludicrous. Either pressure the school to release the match list asap or name names. The names will be on a list eventually so Im not sure why theres so much anonymity, at least put initials up. Sorry to be critical but St Georges has their entire 2009 match list up......if we want to be taken seriously we need to be professional. Btw their highlights are 1 Neurosurg, 2 Ortho, like 20 EM (!!!), buttload of Gen Surg (John Hopkins! Cornell Weill!!) among many other great programs that are apparently open to IMGs that work hard. This is what we should be looking at not hearsay on the internet.

Sorry again to rain on the parade but a good example of this is sitting in the cafeteria in Saba talking about how we "heard" one of our classmates killed the path shelf, or who did this or who did what. But anyway.....


Lets go match 2009!!!

[rubensmadder]

To add to darkman's words, please give us some actual names of places. Not necessarily people's names to respect anonymity especially since this list is unofficial. This thread is all we got for now since Saba has yet to put up the final 2008 match list which is still an interim. Lets keep it organized and make the most of what we have. And to all those that matched, please let fill out the match results form for 2009 so that we put up the final list as soon as possible.

[bigkap87]

Where did you match Rubensmadder? I know someone who matched for Internal Medicine at Norwalk Hospital in Norwalk, CT.:D

[KingMo]

While we're here...Ross has their list up too.

Ross University School of Medicine - Caribbean Medical School (http://www.rossu.edu/medical-school/graduates.cfm)

Some Mayos, USCs, NYU, bunch of rads, one neurosurgery, and so on.

[rubensmadder]

Where did you match Rubensmadder? I know someone who matched for Internal Medicine at Norwalk Hospital in Norwalk, CT.:D

Funny I know someone who matched there too..really awesome guy, he tried to whip me into shape on the island..:cool:. I matched anesthesia at st. joes in joisey.

[bigkap87]

Nice buddy Congrats!! :)

[kauquah]

While we're here...Ross has their list up too.

Ross University School of Medicine - Caribbean Medical School (http://www.rossu.edu/medical-school/graduates.cfm)

Some Mayos, USCs, NYU, bunch of rads, one neurosurgery, and so on.

SGU has there list up too https://baysgu35.sgu.edu/ERD/2009/ResidPost.nsf/BYPGY?OpenView&RestrictToCategory=PGY1&Count=-1 SGU has 6 matches in Ontario, including Orthopaedic Surgery at U of T

Does Saba have their match list up yet? I see 3 Canadian matches for Saba so far, any more?

[SunDevilDoc]

yo i am all for spreading information but this thread has become the EPITOME of the term "Saba Rumor Mill." It really is awesome that we are matching so far but like...."i heard this" and "i heard that" is ludicrous.

Don't know what you are talking about dude. I started this thread and mine were direct from source. I didn't post names because I didn't know if people wanted it disclosed. Just ignore it if you don't like the post. No skin off your nose, right?

[darkmansaad]

haha not talking about your post but if you look at the posts after it theres one that says "i heard" of someone matching in a teaching hospital in michigan...cmon now. Thats all i was talking about, this thread is actually useful as i spoke to admin and the real match isnt coming out for at least 2 more weeks

[smu200]

St. Matthews list is also up...St. Matthew's University | School of Medicine (http://www.stmatthews.edu/med_curriculum_residency-2009_match.shtml)

[Scott1981]

add a saba for IM at orlando health

[rubensmadder]

***. I think it's annoying that people are posting on here other institutions' match lists. Geez....

[drrone]

I have a friend who matched to family in Queen's Ontario.

[sprvs]

A few more - 2 IM at Albany Medical College, 1 FM at UConn, 1 FM at Case Western (not Metro Health), 1 IM in Wilson Medical Center in Binghamton.

[atropine]

I have a friend who matched to family in Queen's Ontario.
For your friend and those who know others matching to Canada, can you give us a bit of insight? Did they have inside connections? Did they arrange to do all their clerkship in Canada? Or did they just work their butts off to excel in their Canadian electives?

[lobotomy_man]

to answer some of your questions.... coming from someone who just matched to anesthesiology in toronto.

can you give us a bit of insight?
yes

Did they have inside connections?
NO

Did they arrange to do all their clerkship in Canada?
NO, though i did complete 18 weeks (4 rotations) at various cdn schools.

Or did they just work their butts off to excel in their Canadian electives.
YES... get good letters. Your references are vouching for you.

Lastly, you MUST do above average on MCCEE. This does not mean the 99th percentile... just above average... I scored exactly one SD above the mean... which is really not that much.

While at the ontario family med program fair, I was told by multiple program directors that they had ~ 1200 IMG applicants for 81 FM spots. They selected 300 for interviews simply by taking the top 300 scores on the MCCEE. Use this as an illustrative example as to why you must score above average on your MCCEE!!

I have friends at other carib schools who told me that they barely passed MCCEE (one of them by 1 point); all of who did not get an FM interview in ontario.

Continuing on the MCCEE train of thought... the questions are identical to USMLE step 2 CK... study for both of them at the same time and write them back to back. I wrote both within 1.5 weeks.

[BTH]

My roommate matched into University of Toronto for psychiatry. He did not do any electives in Canada nor got any letters of recommendation from physicians in Canada. He did however score above average on his MCCEE and got great letters of recommendation from pschychiatry attendings/director.

[rubensmadder]

Guys,

The list is on the Saba website:

http://saba.edu/forms/match2009_byspec.pdf

[KingMo]

Derm!!!!!!

[drrone]

Nice Job! Congrats everyone!

[rokshana]

what does the (2) next to some people's name mean?

oh and there isn't a st. joe's in newark....probably ment the program in paterson...but it is affliated with seton hill so that maybe where the designation is coming from.

nice lookin list

[KingMo]

what does the (2) next to some people's name mean?

I think it means they are listed twice on the match list. ie: once for the pre-lim and once for the specialty they matched into the following year.

[rubensmadder]

what does the (2) next to some people's name mean?

oh and there isn't a st. joe's in newark....probably ment the program in paterson...but it is affliated with seton hill so that maybe where the designation is coming from.

nice lookin list

KingMo is correct. 1 is for the prelim and 2 is for the advanced position matched.

Also St. Joseph's is in Paterson NJ, and it is affiliated with Mount Sinai School of Medicine.

[rokshana]

KingMo is correct. 1 is for the prelim and 2 is for the advanced position matched.

Also St. Joseph's is in Paterson NJ, and it is affiliated with Mount Sinai School of Medicine.

you're right...its medicine that is seton hall...so where is the newark thing coming from?

[rubensmadder]

you're right...its medicine that is seton hall...so where is the newark thing coming from?

must be a mistake from the school's end, since the prelim is in newark

[t-bird]

Is anyone aware of the match rate (%) for Saba students for the 2009 match. NRMP posted data that shows around a 47.8% match rate for US IMG's and 41.6% for non-US IMG's. This trend seems to be getting worse and as discussed in the residency forum will be much worse as more US allopathic schools will open and existing schools will make more seats, while residency positions are not expanding to that level. Also, more osteapathic schools are openening in the states. This is quite sobering as am I scheduled to start in Sept 2009, who knows what the rate will be by then.

If anyone knows of data from Saba or has advice in general??

I must say congrats to those who matched this year, as it is impressive. (derm and ortho at Mac.. nice work)

[darkmansaad]

those stats will probably never be released officially, but you are right lots of schools have expanded their classes and new schools are opening. Not to mention the UK has banned IMG's of any sort from matching in the british system so all that spillover is going to head this way soon. However that makes the standard advice of killing your steps and getting good letters of rec EVEN MORE important than it used to be.....

[MDisME]

Guys,

The list is on the Saba website:

http://saba.edu/forms/match2009_byspec.pdf

Congrats on the Derm match, that's great!!

[hemeonc88]

How come there are no pathology, ER (only 2), radiology matches for saba?

Is it because not a lot are intersted or also because saba has a smaller class size compared to ross or sgu?

[wolfvgang22]

Well, it seems it's purely voluntary to tell Saba where you end up, so we don't know where everyone ended up. Maybe I'm wrong, but I think it should be mandatory to get your diploma to tell the school, but there are two sides to that I guess. And yeah, Saba is smaller, too. Lots of schools say they are family med oriented, but I think Saba really is, and not just because it's a caribbean school. Though you can do anything from Saba if you work hard enough.

I think path and EM are less popular overall than they used to be. The TV shows that glorify each specialty are also less popular, you'll notice. Surgery seems a little more popular last year than this year. Lifestyle and flexibility with job satisfaction are increasingly important to students also, and family medicine is easier to get and can provide all those things. The secret that psych can pay a bit more than IM sans-fellowship or family medicine in the long run and is lifestyle friendly seems to be getting out, also. Psych fellowships are also easy to get and shorter, by comparison. (Did you know there are only some 6,500 child psychiatrists in the U.S.? Money and satisfaction in helping those who need and deserve quality medical care can come from this fact, all with no bulging disks between my cervical vertebrae or varicose veins from standing bent over an operating table day after day. God bless 'em.)

[darkmansaad]

i choose to believe the fact that Ross and SGU have massive classes and many more rotation sites than us to rotate/match at. The large class size means that many more chances of getting those 99/99 graduates, not to mention both schools names have been around for about 30 years now each at least. Most admissions committees have seen their applicants and are probably more willing to throw a bone to their grads. Dont get me wrong I am very happy with saba but almost everywhere i've gone i've had to explain what and where saba is while SGU and Ross need no introduction. Hopefully in 10 years once we start making solid headway and residency slots we'll be in that company as well. IMO saba is a great school but a small one, but if your a winner your gonna be a winner no matter where you go

[axiomofchoice]

There's something like 160+/- people on that list. Is that most of the class?
Are some of these people former graduates who failed to match in previous years?

I randomly met 2 foreign graduates in the past week, one from UAG in mexico and one from SGU. Neither one of the matched this year :shock:. Granted the SGU guy wanted surgery or em, but the UAG guy applied to random FM programs and had plenty of interviews.

He was telling me how the backlog of unmatched students keeps growing and in the next few years there will be what he made sound like 'millions' of prosective FM applicants who just spend their years padding their resumes.

As an incoming student I could have done without these encounters.....

[Gigi25]

There's something like 160+/- people on that list. Is that most of the class?
Are some of these people former graduates who failed to match in previous years?

I randomly met 2 foreign graduates in the past week, one from UAG in mexico and one from SGU. Neither one of the matched this year :shock:. Granted the SGU guy wanted surgery or em, but the UAG guy applied to random FM programs and had plenty of interviews.

He was telling me how the backlog of unmatched students keeps growing and in the next few years there will be what he made sound like 'millions' of prosective FM applicants who just spend their years padding their resumes.

As an incoming student I could have done without these encounters.....

The 2009 match for Saba was definitely not all people from the same class. However, I know for a fact that some people took time off or simply did not want to rush through clinicals and didn't make it for the 2008 match. That was my situation. Some people choose to do research to better their chances of getting the residency they wanted.I have heard of about two people that did not match from my previous class, but this is purely from the rumor mill, so who knows. As has been said, do very well on the steps and try to get strong letters of rec (although the steps matter more) and you should be fine. There are always these scary stories about people going unmatched, but I still believe it constitutes the VAST minority of Saba students. I was smiling at all the familiar names on our match list. COngrats everyone, YAY WE DID IT

[darkmansaad]

in about 5-10 years the us med schools will have increased class size and added a few more schools while keeping residency spots static. At that point it will probably be very hard for IMG's to match without stellar scores. For now we are safe (thank you 2010 match)

[wolfvgang22]

The 2009 match for Saba was definitely not all people from the same class. However, I know for a fact that some people took time off or simply did not want to rush through clinicals and didn't make it for the 2008 match. That was my situation. Some people choose to do research to better their chances of getting the residency they wanted.I have heard of about two people that did not match from my previous class, but this is purely from the rumor mill, so who knows. As has been said, do very well on the steps and try to get strong letters of rec (although the steps matter more) and you should be fine. There are always these scary stories about people going unmatched, but I still believe it constitutes the VAST minority of Saba students. I was smiling at all the familiar names on our match list. COngrats everyone, YAY WE DID IT
Also, to answer your question further in agreement with Gigi25, axiomofchoice, what you are seeing is the combination of at least 3 classes in one match year. So if about 50 people leave the island each "semester" (actually 3 times a year), then 160+ is not suprising.

Once you get into clinicals you are free to take things at your own pace. Some people run straight through with zero breaks - I think some of the people in my class did that and matched LAST year. Being in a May starting class, I had months of wiggle room to graduate in 4 years, so I took time to study for the steps, and took adavantage of lag time between rotations to spend time with family rather than travel for rotations I was less interested in. Some people in the class behind me have caught up with me and are graduating at the same time, but most of them are still doing rotations right up through the spring while I finished back in February (hence my presence here).

[wolfvgang22]

in about 5-10 years the us med schools will have increased class size and added a few more schools while keeping residency spots static. At that point it will probably be very hard for IMG's to match without stellar scores. For now we are safe (thank you 2010 match)
Yep, this is already happening all over. I was suprised to learn Virginia Tech is even starting a med school in Roanoke, VA., and the first class will be Fall 2010. And when I interviewed for residency out that way this past winter I was told it won't be that hard to get in Fall 2010 compared to other US med schools.

So it's a definite option worth looking into for people who are looking for a seat.

[Dr. Jay]

There's something like 160+/- people on that list. Is that most of the class?
Are some of these people former graduates who failed to match in previous years?

I randomly met 2 foreign graduates in the past week, one from UAG in mexico and one from SGU. Neither one of the matched this year :shock:. Granted the SGU guy wanted surgery or em, but the UAG guy applied to random FM programs and had plenty of interviews.

He was telling me how the backlog of unmatched students keeps growing and in the next few years there will be what he made sound like 'millions' of prosective FM applicants who just spend their years padding their resumes.

As an incoming student I could have done without these encounters.....



160 is pretty good considering that each class probably had 60 students x3= 180....minus those 5-10 students that dropped out

[toosp1120]

nice match

[solace]

to answer some of your questions.... coming from someone who just matched to anesthesiology in toronto.

can you give us a bit of insight?
yes

Did they have inside connections?
NO

Did they arrange to do all their clerkship in Canada?
NO, though i did complete 18 weeks (4 rotations) at various cdn schools.

Or did they just work their butts off to excel in their Canadian electives.
YES... get good letters. Your references are vouching for you.

Lastly, you MUST do above average on MCCEE. This does not mean the 99th percentile... just above average... I scored exactly one SD above the mean... which is really not that much.

While at the ontario family med program fair, I was told by multiple program directors that they had ~ 1200 IMG applicants for 81 FM spots. They selected 300 for interviews simply by taking the top 300 scores on the MCCEE. Use this as an illustrative example as to why you must score above average on your MCCEE!!

I have friends at other carib schools who told me that they barely passed MCCEE (one of them by 1 point); all of who did not get an FM interview in ontario.

Continuing on the MCCEE train of thought... the questions are identical to USMLE step 2 CK... study for both of them at the same time and write them back to back. I wrote both within 1.5 weeks.

Congratulations. Matches like these (though being exceptions to the rule, as people put them) are truly inspiring to other canadians who are hoping to attend saba and get a canadian residency.

You said you did 18 weeks in canada, isnt only 12 weeks allowed in , how did that work out for you?Also which province was it.

Also how did you arrange to do your clinicals in canada..did saba help you out? IN other words how did YOU get to do some weeks in canada (vs other student who might want to, is there an application to submit to canadian schools)?

Thanks and Congrats again.

[Mourning Cloak]

Looks like there's exactly 81 FM spots again this year in Ontario, and overall almost as many IMG quota spots as 2009.

https://w1c.e-carms.ca/pdws/jsp/pd.do?d=919&p=p3&m=1

[sgMD]

Looks like there's exactly 81 FM spots again this year in Ontario, and overall almost as many IMG quota spots as 2009.

https://w1c.e-carms.ca/pdws/jsp/pd.do?d=919&p=p3&m=1

Laval university is so cool that they don't have any spots for even local students in FM ... lol ... jk

[oyoy]

My roommate matched into University of Toronto for psychiatry. He did not do any electives in Canada nor got any letters of recommendation from physicians in Canada. He did however score above average on his MCCEE and got great letters of recommendation from pschychiatry attendings/director.

Your roommate achieved what I only dream of. Psychiatry at U of T is just stunning. Did he know all along that he wanted to end in Toronto? My thing is that I am okay with spending 20 months on an island and studying medicine there, but only if I can have some hope of obtaining psychiatry in Toronto. For me, it would all be worth it if I could get that kind of residency.

So, I'm basically wondering how did your roommate achieve that position. If I know what I want to achieve, is Saba really that good of a place that can allow me to realize my vision?

Does your roommate have any regrets? I can't imagine any really, but still wondering.

The reason I'm asking is because I am terribly worried about getting rejected from North American universities. And I am trying to find some hope through a school like Saba.

[sgMD]

Your roommate achieved what I only dream of. Psychiatry at U of T is just stunning. Did he know all along that he wanted to end in Toronto? My thing is that I am okay with spending 20 months on an island and studying medicine there, but only if I can have some hope of obtaining psychiatry in Toronto. For me, it would all be worth it if I could get that kind of residency.

So, I'm basically wondering how did your roommate achieve that position. If I know what I want to achieve, is Saba really that good of a place that can allow me to realize my vision?

Does your roommate have any regrets? I can't imagine any really, but still wondering.

The reason I'm asking is because I am terribly worried about getting rejected from North American universities. And I am trying to find some hope through a school like Saba.

rejection from north american schools = bye bye MD degree = no psychiatry!
going to Saba = MD degree = maybe psychiatry!

It's as simple as that.


"My thing is that I am okay with spending 20 months on an island and studying medicine there, but only if I can have some hope of obtaining psychiatry in Toronto."

rejected from north american schools, and now setting conditions on attending Saba that you'd attend Saba ONLY if it could give you psychiatry at UofT... Dude, Saba gives you an MD! without a school like Saba, you wouldnt become an MD. Plus, keep an open mind, there are tons of programs in the USA that offer better quality of education than UofT... Saba graduates have made it all the way to Mayo clinic! So that really should tell you something....

[oyoy]

rejection from north american schools = bye bye MD degree = no psychiatry!
going to Saba = MD degree = maybe psychiatry!

It's as simple as that.


"My thing is that I am okay with spending 20 months on an island and studying medicine there, but only if I can have some hope of obtaining psychiatry in Toronto."

rejected from north american schools, and now setting conditions on attending Saba that you'd attend Saba ONLY if it could give you psychiatry at UofT... Dude, Saba gives you an MD! without a school like Saba, you wouldnt become an MD. Plus, keep an open mind, there are tons of programs in the USA that offer better quality of education than UofT... Saba graduates have made it all the way to Mayo clinic! So that really should tell you something....

Thanks for being forward. I guess I get overwhelmed by self-doubt to the point that I don't see things for what they really are. I guess it's a matter of giving it all you've got once you get there; e.g. treating it like any other university you could have ended up going to and creating the results you want for yourself. Its just so easy for me to stray away from that line of thought. Thanks.

[mario345]

The reason I'm asking is because I am terribly worried about getting rejected from North American universities. And I am trying to find some hope through a school like Saba.

you should wait till the acceptances come out before you consider applying to a carib school.
if you think that you BARELY missed the acceptance, and you can still make it up, i.e your 4th year, or doing a 5th year, or your MCATs werent high enough, then do all that.

if it still doesnt work out, then try for an american private school.

if not, then a D.O. school.

carib schools should be your LAST resort.

saba gets you an MD, but no one (unless you have been through it) has ANY idea what it takes to get through this program, the coursework, the clinicals, and how your options are limited once you come out. trust me, its NOT a piece of cake.

and the situation for IMGs to land a residency in the U.S. is about to get very nasty in a couple of years. and matching into canada is not really as easy as some of the students make it seem like. you can check the threads - and look at the numbers yourself. some anecdotal incidence of someone mathcing is NOT representative of overall class.

also, you may like psychiatry right now, but once you actually see what its all about in medical school, and you see other specialties, you may like something - lets say orthopedics, or radiology, or anesthesia or even surgery. personally, i wanted to be a liver transplant surgeon, that idea is dropped for various reasons.
im not saying that its impossible to land those spots, but why put yourself at a disadvantage by going to a carib school?

if you applied to N.A. schools this year, then you must have had semi-decent grades and MCAT; otherwise you would not have applied [its a waste of time to apply even if you dont match atleast the mean GPA a school asks for - coz the chances of you getting in are pretty much zilch].

just make sure to contemplate every decision you make. going to saba may be a short cut and seem easy in the short run, but there is a LOT of sacrifice and a lot of compromise you will have to put up with and your options will be limited compared to you going to an american school...either D.O. or MD.

[coolest35]

boy would it help those of us who are writing boards soon if these guy's who matched (no names required) would post what their step scores were.. that would be a HUGE motivation factor, depending on how you look at it.

(I know some of you might say, just work hard and do your own thing, but the desire to know what the other guy got and how he was able to match is always there!!)

[WannabeMedStudent]

mario345,

can i ask what limited options you are talking about? As about the time, I'd think the first two years of medical school are hell anywhere.