How To Update The Resume

How To Update The Resume
There is a common perception that updating the CV means to add in your professional experiences (name, designation and time period), if you have any. In reality, when we talk about maintaining or updating the resume, it means that one should update every single detail about one’s professional profile. Following are some important things that should be kept in mind while updating your resume:
Accomplishments and Achievements
Your professional and academic accomplishments and achievements distinguish you from the rest of the pod of applicants and add value to your profile. Include your accomplishments in your CV as soon as you achieve any. Do remember that an accomplishment does not always have to be monumental in order to be effective. Many of the things that you do on regular basis can be regarded as accomplishments, particularly if you phrase them the right way.
Examples of accomplishments might include increasing your company’s bottom line, promotions, special projects, decreasing costs or company-sponsored awards. Quantifiable representations are best way to explain your achievements. Prove what you have done through the use of dollar/rupee amounts, numbers, quotas, percentages, etc.
There are also some less quantifiable accomplishments that may also be mentioned. For example, major accounts you landed, customer service satisfaction ratings, mergers and acquisitions, positive publicity, promotions and anything else you can think of that is appropriate to list under one’s accomplishments.
Awards and Certifications
Either you are a working professional or looking for a job, the licenses, degrees, awards and certificates are very important to be maintained in your resume. List only those which are most relevant to your career field. Include titles, dates, locations, and the sponsors of any training you completed to receive certificates or licensure. An employee only wants to see what is relevant to the position you are applying for.
Technical Skills
Technical skills should be included in the list of things which are to be regularly updated in the resume. Tech skills can range from the knowledge of MS Word to being a whiz of certain software that you used at a specific job. If you are a well-experienced professional and applying for a managerial position, only in that case technical skills do not have much significance in your CV.
Resume Format
Resume formats and CV writing styles are changing rapidly. What seemed apropos format-wise in 2003 might look antiquated today. If you do not have much idea as how to put your resume in the right format, peruse the Internet for samples of CVs from fields similar to your own.
Medhelp Team also provides professional CV Writing service specialized in dynamic, persuasive and interview-winning CV building for its valued users. Medhelp Team CV Writing service provides different formats of CV to cater to the needs of a variety of users.
Conferences and Additional Education
Conferences and seminars can be important to enhance your professional profile; particularly if they helped you earn continuing education credits or are substantial enough to have given you a unique skill. Any in-services training you may have conducted with others as a result of attending conferences should also be mentioned, as these are notable accomplishments that highlight certain skill sets, such as leadership and public speaking abilities.
When To Update The Resume
It is a question asked by many professionals that when should I update my resume and how often do I need to update it? There are some definite considerations to decide when it is best to dust off your Curriculum Vitae.
Whenever You Change Your Personal Information
Update your resume as soon as you make any changes in your personal information. Any change in address, contact number or email addresses should be immediately modified in your CV. The sooner you note such items on your resume, the better. If you fail do so, you may wind up sending out a CV with the wrong contact information and that could be potentially disastrous for you.
New And Improved Skills Set
Whenever a professional goes through an employment for sometime he tends to learn some particular skills which was not known to him before entering that profession. Document those skills set in your resume as soon as you learn any. This will add alot to your professional profile and leaves an impressive effect on the one who reads it.
Update Your CV Even If You Do Not Plan Job Switch
Even if you are perfectly happy at your current position, do try to look at your CV every four to six months, just in case. Your resume should be ready and properly maintained beforehand. Then, if you need to send it to prospective employers, you will be able to do it without any fuss.
With Each New Award/Honour
You received a special award or honour from an organization, you earned a promotion based on your abilities or you have been given special responsibilities from your manager based on your past performance and acumen. Each time you are given such an award or honour, make sure you add it to your CV as soon as possible. Many people assume that they will remember when it’s needed, but often they forget to do so and a marvelous addition to any CV is forgotten.
An Annual Review
It is prudent to look over your CV about once a year, just to see if the resume looks updated enough. Jot down any updated regarding your professional profile of the past year and see if your resume contains all that information too. This way, you can ensure that your CV remains modern and relevant to the current marketplace.
After Any Formal Training And/Or Courses
If you have attended a formal training or course conducted either by your own company or any other organization or institution, do add it in your resume. Even the most mundane conference can increase the value of your CV and can help you catch the eye of the employer.
Your CV is probably the most important tool in your professional life as well as during your job hunt, so getting it right is absolutely essential. It also dictates whether or not you will be invited to interview or a promotion in the current job. Your CV should not only summarize your qualifications, skills and experience but should also reflect key aspects of your personality that will help you to stand out from all other applicants. If your resume is more than six months old, update it today. Who knows, you may come across an unexpected layoff or a surprising opportunity sooner than you can imagine!

Tips on Traveling Cheap For The Interview

Traveling by Air

Don’t just look at website of an airline and jump on to buy ticket rather search your itinerary on a airline search engine the best being

Kayak.com ( They have not paid us…. Try them and you would agree to us on that)

Other search engine worth mentioning are

Hotwire.com

Orbitz.com


2. Don’t just look at the closest airport both for departure and arrival but also compare prices for the a relatively distant but a bigger airport that can save you quite a handsome amount.

You can definitely do this for the departure airport as you have been living in the place for sometime and know very well how to travel cheap from one place to another relatively cheaply.

GreyHound

This is highly recommended for those who want to save every penny. You can purchase the discovery pass of Grey hound for 7 days for 199$

15 days for 299$

30 days for 399$

And 60 Days for 499$

You can have unlimited travel in United States in the time specified by the use of these passes

But a word of caution here …… Traveling 48 or sometimes 60 hours wont be a pleasant one ……… But You can definitely have all may be 20-30 interviews travel for the cost of a single airline travel.

If you are ready to compromise your comfort to save some bucks ……….this one is for you.

http://www.discoverypass.com/discoverypass.usa/step1.aspx


The good thing about greyhound is that it covers almost ALL destinations that you may have to visit.


AMTRAK



AMTRAK is a very pleasant and convenient way to travel and literally enjoy your Travel……. Little bit expensive than Greyhound but far more comfortable

The only disadvantage is that it does not cover all the destinations

Like greyhound you can have the USA pass

http://www.amtrak.com/servlet/ContentServer?pagename=Amtrak/am2Copy/Simple_Copy_Page&c=am2Copy&cid=1081442673945&ssid=296

But it AMTRAK will not go to every destination that you wish to go specially the small cities.



The best bet would be a combination of Greyhound and AMTRAK with little bit of air travel wherever it is inevitable.

Best Wishes

Medhelp Team

For Interview Coaching

Medhelp@live.com

Pre Interview Dinner attire

The dinner before the interview may be a semi-formal or formal function.. For the semi-formal dinner, men's wear is typically a nice, dark colored suit with a white shirt; women may wear a knee-length business suit or a cocktail length dress. For a formal dinner or a black-tie event, men should wear a tuxedo with no tails, and women, a long dress with matching shoes. Low-cut, sexy dresses or colorful, far-out ties are not appropriate for either of these functions.


If you show up for your interview dressed in business attire and your potential employer is not, don't worry. It is far better to be dressed professionally than to be dressed too casually. Program want people who are broad based in their abilities to learn, grow, and contribute, residents who are flexible. Being dressed in a suit won't hurt your ability to be seen as someone employable.

Remember, your competence is not based on what you wear but rather on your personal knowledge and skills. Clothing simply allows you to state who you are and helps you to reach your professional goals. Appearance can be a powerful and useful tool in controlling the kind of message you send to others. With a little common sense and attention to details, you can easily make sure that first impression is your best.

A message to all applicants

We have been helping IMGs over the years now and we can Say WITH FULL RESPONSIBILITY that You would get Interview Calls till End of january............yes END Of january...........its first round of interviews Some people will get prematches .......so they would cancel their interviews and those who are on hold would get interviews In military term, they say NO NEWS is a GOOD NEWS........So keep the hope alive ........about the programs who have not sent either interview or rejection ........most probably have put you on hold or havent reviewed your application. some of them wont call or email you at all. some of them will send you rejections while there would still be some who would tell you that you are rejected when you would call them BUT THERE WOULD BE SOME WHO WILL INVITE YOU for an INTERVIEW!!!! Take our words, you Just Need ONE, Only ONE good interview Performance to match. So at this time , Do observerships, externships, research, dont sit back and wait for miracles to happen........!!!! in free time , practice , practice and practice for interviews At the very end of the season in december and january you would get interviews on just a single or 2 days notice.......you wont have time to get prepared at that time So make the best use of this time........stop cursing your fate and start acting NOW. Best Wishes Medhelp Team medhelp@live.com

Interview Preparation

Please review our interview package as well


The interview Package would include services including but not limited to

• 3 Interview Sessions 1 hours each. In first sessions , Your basic communication and interviewing technique would be tested and your responses to common interview questions would be recorded. You would then given detailed feedbcak after 3 experts review your recording.
• Second Session would asses how much you have improved as compared to the previous session based on our feedback in terms of fixed criterion like communication skills, interpersonal skills, presentation style and so on.
• Third session Would be the Wrap up session in which your overall progress would be assessed and you will be given useful tips on dress code, How to interact with the residents, faculty and the program directors, Do's and Dont's of communication with the Residency Program, Tips on traveling cheap in US, How to find cheap accommodation, flights etc., Tips on writing Thank you letters in a beautiful way(we would provide support for personalized thank you letters latter in the match as well which is included in this package), tips on performing well on dinner before the interview, Techniques on answering tricky questions, Tips on explaining gaps in career, any flaws in your resume
  
• We will also help you prepare impressive answers to all possible Interview questions.
  
• The last but not the least your queries , concerns and doubts about the process would be dealt with in an efficient manner through email throughout the match.
• 
  

The price for whole package is 200$ and 75$ for a single mock interview

Looking Forward to hear from you


maill at

medhelp@live.com

Know The Program Very Well

Review all the information they send you.

Visit the program's web site.

Ask for an interview schedule ahead of time if it was not included (fax or e-mail).

Ask the program what to expect and what materials to bring for the interview day.

Find out about the faculty, particularly any interviewers (Medline search, web search).

Speak with any Rush graduates in the program or others you might know.

Speak with residents and M4s on interview day for the real story.

Know a great deal about the specialty's culture:

What do practitioners in the field really do?

What types of procedures do they perform?

How are they perceived by other specialists?

Do they have opportunities for subspecialty training?

Specialty board exam requirements?

What do they value or view as important as a specialty?

Questions to ask from Faculty and PD

What is the success of graduates: board scores, help finding jobs/fellowships?

What are the clinical, non-clinical, and administrative responsibilities of the residents?

Are there research opportunities?

Status of the program and hospital: Have any house staff left the program? Accreditation?

Quality of current residents? Have any left the program recently?

How are residents evaluated? How often? By whom? How may they give feedback?

Teaching opportunities?

Do you foresee any changes in the next three years?

What makes this program so unique?

Common Interview Questions!!!!

Tell me about yourself.

What are your strengths and weaknesses?

Why are you interested in this specialty? (#1 question asked)

What other specialties did you consider?

Why are you interested in our program?

What are you looking for in a program? Where else have you interviewed?

Why should we choose you? What can you contribute to our program?

How well do you feel you were trained to start as an intern?

Describe your learning style.

Tell me about... item(s) on your CV or transcript, past experience, time off, etc.?

Can you tell me about this deficiency on your record? (do not discuss if you are not asked)

What do you see yourself doing in five (ten) years?

What do you think about...the current and future state of healthcare, this specialty, etc.?

What do you do in your spare time?

Present an interesting case that you had... as if you were in clinic.

Tell me about a patient encounter that taught you something.

What would you do if you knew one of your more senior residents was doing something wrong? (filling out H&P's without doing the evaluations, tying someone's tubes without consent...and other ethical questions.)

Which types of patients do you work with most effectively? (least effectively?)

How do you make important decisions?

If you could no longer be a physician, what career would you choose?

How do you normally handle conflict? Pressure?

What to do think about what is happening in...? (non-medical current event questions)

Teach me something non-medical in five minutes.

Interview attire

The first impression you make on a potential employer is the most important one. The first judgment an interviewer makes is going to be based on how you look and what you are wearing. That's why it's always important to dress professionally for a job interview, even if the work environment is casual.

What's the appropriate dress code for an interview? You'll want that first impression to be not just a good one, but, a great one. The candidate dressed in a suit and tie is going to make a much better impression than the candidate dressed in scruffy jeans and a t-shirt.

How to Dress for an Interview:

Men's Interview Attire

* Suit (solid color - navy or dark grey)
* Long sleeve shirt (white or coordinated with the suit)
* Belt
* Tie
* Dark socks, conservative leather shoes
* Little or no jewelry
* Neat, professional hairstyle
* Limit the aftershave
* Neatly trimmed nails
* Portfolio or briefcase

Women's Interview Attire

* Suit (navy, black or dark grey)
* The suit skirt should be long enough so you can sit down comfortably
* Coordinated blouse
* Conservative shoes
* Limited jewelry (no dangling earrings or arms full of bracelets)
* No jewelry is better than cheap jewelry
* Professional hairstyle
* Neutral pantyhose
* Light make up
* Neatly manicured clean nails
* Portfolio or briefcase

What Not to Bring to the Interview

* Gum
* Ipod
* Coffee or soda
* If you have lots of piercings, leave some of your rings at home (earrings only, is a good rule)
* Cover tattoos

Interview Attire Tips

* Before you even think about going on an interview, make sure you have appropriate interview attire and everything fits correctly.
* Get your clothes ready the night before, so you don't have to spend time getting them ready on the day of the interview.
* If your clothes are dry clean only, take them to the cleaners after an interview, so they are ready for next time.
* Polish your shoes.
* Bring a breath mint and use it before you enter the building.

Dinner Before the Interview Tips!!!!

Interview Dining Tips:

• Are you really nervous? Check out the restaurant ahead of time. That way you'll know exactly what's on the menu, what you might want to order and where the rest rooms are located.
• Be polite. Remember to say "please" and "thank you" to your server as well as to your host.
• Is the table full of utensils? My British grandmother taught me an easy way to remember what to use when. Start at the outside and work your way in. Your salad fork will be on the far left, your entree fork will be next to it. Your dessert spoon and fork will be above your plate.
• Liquids are on the right, solids on the left. For example, your water glass will be on the right and your bread plate will be on the left.
• Put your napkin on your lap once everyone is seated.
• Remember what your mother spent years telling you - keep your elbows off the table, sit up straight, and don't talk with your mouth full!

During the Meal:

• Don't order messy food - pasta with lots of sauce, chicken with bones, ribs, big sandwiches, and whole lobsters are all dangerous.
• Don't order the most expensive entree on the menu.
• Do order food that is easy to cut into bite-size pieces.
• The polite way to eat soup is to spoon it away from you. There's less chance of spilling in your lap that way too!
• Break your dinner roll into small pieces and eat it a piece at a time.
• If you need to leave the table, put your napkin on the seat or the arm of your chair.
• When you've finished eating, move your knife and fork to the "four o'clock" position so the server knows you're done.
• Remember to try and relax, listen, and participate in the conversation.

To Drink or Not to Drink:

• It's wise not to drink alcohol during an interview. Interviewing is tough enough without adding alcohol to the mix.

After the Meal:

• Put your napkin on the table next to your plate.
• Let the prospective employer pick up the tab. The person who invited you will expect to pay both the bill and the tip.
• Remember to say "thank you." Consider also following-up with a thank you note which reiterates your interest in the job.

How to Choose a specialty

need to declare a medical specialty before long, but I have so many conflicting feelings and thoughts about various clinical areas. How can I make the right choice?

Response from Anne Vinsel, MS, MFA Project Administrator, Graduate Medical Education, University of Utah Medical Center, Salt Lake City, Utah

It's time for fourth year students to get serious about choosing their specialty area. Some of you are lucky, and everything lines up: you know which clinical area interests you most, your board scores and grades/letters are all in the correct range, and you have helpful professors on your side. For you, it's just a matter of doing the paperwork on time. You can stop reading here.

But I know there are many others of you out there who aren't sure what specialty to choose. Or, you're torn between 2 or 3 specialties. Or you know what you don't want but aren't sure what you do want. Or you know what you want, but aren't sure if your qualifications are strong enough. Read on!

If you're stuck, here's a decision tree to follow:

1. Find or make a list of all the specialties available directly after medical school (ie, skip fellowships).
2. Cross off the ones you definitely don't want. You don't need a string of reasons beyond the fact that you simply can't see yourself doing it long term.
3. Perform a Google™ search with the phrase "choosing a medical specialty." When I tried it, I got about 89,800,000 entries. Set a timer for no more than 1 hour and browse through the first several pages. Take some of the "what specialty are you?" quizzes. If nothing else, they will give you some ideas and possibly make you think about specialties you haven't explored. You can safely avoid making an exact ranking of specialties at this point. Just see which specialties you seem to be most suited to and which you should rule out.
4. Now, list several specialties you can see yourself doing long term, no more than 6.
5. Research those specialties in your institution. Go to the departments and make friends with the residency program coordinators. If you haven't already done so and haven't rotated in the program, arrange to shadow a faculty member for a day. Talk with 1 or 2 residents and check out the pros and cons of the specialty. Finally, ask the program coordinator if your board scores would be in a competitive range. Most program coordinators won't share their board score cut-off, but they likely would tell you if your scores are within range.
6. Narrow your list to 2 or 3 specialties. Now, and only now, talk with family and friends. Tell them you're thinking of these specialties, and get their opinions. Listen hard, and get them to articulate the basis for their opinions.
7. Delete any reasons related to job shortages or oversupply of physicians in a specialty. You don't need 200 jobs, you only need 1, and you should be prepared to relocate somewhere less attractive if you choose a specialty that's overcrowded or not in much demand. Plus, demand can change by the time you finish training.
8. Delete any reasons related to lifestyle or money, unless those concerns come from your significant other.
9. Delete heritage reasons ("Your father is a surgeon; you should be one, too").
10. Now, write down your own pros and cons, independent of all the advice and aptitude testing and board scores. Be honest here. If your priorities are lifestyle, having children during residency, income, opportunities for foreign travel, or avoiding rough circumstances, then rank them appropriately. What fascinates you, what could you be passionate about? Don't be at all logical here.
11. But do be logical in this next step. And brutally honest with yourself: Did you barely pass the boards? Internal medicine might not be for you, even if you really enjoy outpatient medicine. Do you tend to avoid or dislike patient contact? Don't consider family medicine or pediatrics. Do you have high board scores, want a benign lifestyle, but aren't very visual? Don't pick radiology.
12. If you follow all these steps, combining thoughtful reflection on what makes you happy with an objective look at your strengths and weaknesses, one option should start singing out louder than the others. And that's your specialty.

Note that you should take other people's views of your strengths and weaknesses into account, but not necessarily follow their advice. Spouses are a special case because you are making a joint life together. Still, the final decision should be yours, informed by some actual data that help you determine "the best fit" between you and your specialty-to-be.

You can do this in a week; don't procrastinate and don't make the problem bigger than it is. If you choose a specialty that turns out to be a bad fit, you can still change after the first year.

Be practical, but don't limit yourself. I know a physician who started medical school at age 38, one who had to take the boards several times, one who barely passed one of her steps by 1 point, and another who doesn't like patient care. The first one is now practicing radiology in a large private clinic, the second is a fellow in a high-risk obstetric anesthesia program at a very prestigious academic medical center after switching from surgery because of physical limitations, the third is a fellow in a neonatal intensive care unit after completing a successful pediatrics residency, and the last is working for a large drug company doing information technology, his real love.

Even if you are "nonstandard," you can find a specialty you will love and which will value you. Good luck!

How to increase Chances to get Interviews and residency

1. Do away electives
   These “audition electives” can really help your chances of matching at a program. Some applicants with whom I speak are often fearful of doing away electives because they believe a less than perfect performance may actually hurt their chances of matching at the program where they rotate. Indeed, this is often not the case. As the associate director of a program, I often found that applicants who demonstrated a solid (or even mediocre) performance when rotating with us were ranked higher than other applicants with slightly better stats. Most program directors would rather take a student whom they know will be a solid, “no-problem” resident than take a risk on someone with whom they have not worked.
2. 
   
2. 
   
2. 
   
2. 
   
2. Get letters of reference from attendings in the specialty to which you are applying
   It is essential that you ask for letters from faculty within the specialty to which you are applying. I recommend getting at least two letters from faculty within that specialty. In general, the best letters are written by people with whom you worked and, ideally, they should be clerkship directors, program or associate program directors, chairs or other academic faculty. When I reviewed applications for an emergency medicine residency program, while I read all of the letters carefully, I paid special attention to those letters from emergency medicine faculty.
3. Demonstrate interest in your desired specialty
   Your interest in your specialty goes beyond doing well on your rotations. For most residencies, doing research is not essential, but, in general, the more involved you are in your specialty, the more committed to it you appear. Consider joining your specialty’s national organization or becoming a student member on a national committee.
4. Communicate your interest in your specialty through your residency personal statement
   It is most likely that the last personal statement you wrote was for medical school. The approach you should take for your residency personal statement is different; you must convince the reader of your commitment to the chosen specialty. Some creativity will help engage your reader, but, in general, this statement should be a less creative piece than was your medical school personal statement. A well-written personal statement that piques the reader’s interest will increase the odds that you will be granted an interview. The Electronic Residency Application Service (ERAS) allows you to write more than one personal statement so consider writing different statements for different types of programs. For example, a community based program does not necessarily want an applicant who hopes to make research a major part of his or her residency training. You can also write a statement targeted to a specific geographic area.
5. Do not skimp when writing about your work/volunteer/research/ experience in your ERAS application
   The written descriptions of your activities in your application are also key. Make these entries interesting. Be sure your application entries and personal statement complement each other.
6. Practice for your residency interviews
   I find that many students are not comfortable talking about themselves so it is essential to practice interviewing. The interviewer is trying to assess your interest in, understanding of and commitment to the specialty. They want to discover if you have good interpersonal skills and if you will be a good fit for their program; they also want to make sure you do not have any major psychopathology. Most residency interviews are conversational and are conducted by a wide spectrum of people from senior residents to chairs. As a result, the experience and skill of your interviewers may vary tremendously.
7. Plan a strong fourth year curriculum
   Your candidacy does not have to end when you send in your application. I was always impressed when applicants still had some “real” rotations scheduled for the remainder of the fourth year and weren’t wasting a valuable part of their medical education by taking rotations or electives that were obviously fluff. This told me they were serious, really interested in becoming great doctors and took advantage of their time and opportunities. When I asked interviewees what they had planned for the rest of the fourth year, the least impressive answers went something like this: “Well, I have only one requirement left, so I am going to travel around Europe and take it easy before I start internship.”
8. Be energetic, attentive, and personable and smile on your interview days
   All of your interactions on your interview day are important. Be kind and respectful to everyone you meet, including residents, nurses and staff. If, during an interview day, my residency coordinator had concerns about an applicant, I listened since I knew and trusted her judgment. Remember that everyone has influence in this process. One negative impression can cause your ranking to suffer– or worse, it may bump you off a list.
9. Be courteous throughout this process
   A recent survey of program directors by the National Residency Matching Program indicated that following up with programs and “second looks” were not important factors when ranking applicants. That said, I believe that thanking those who took time out of their day to meet you demonstrates that you are gracious and courteous, which are important qualities for a medical professional.
10. Do not be swayed by letters from programs
    I am amazed by some of the letters applicants receive from program directors to express the program’s interest in the applicant. While some of these letters may be sincere, I have found that many of them are not. While it surely isn’t a bad sign to receive these letters from programs, do not become too confident since often, it seems, these letters are sent to people who are not “sure to match.”
11. Seek out an advocate
    Before you even start interviewing, identify a faculty member whom you think would be a good advocate. Once you decide how you will rank programs, ask this person to call your top choice programs to put in a good word. You should also consider asking for additional letters of reference that can be sent individually to all of the programs where you interview or will rank.
    
12. Do not rank programs in which you are not interested
    It is Murphy’s Law. If you rank a program where you really don’t want to go, you will match there. If you know, without a doubt, that you do not want to go to a program, then don’t rank it.

Think of all your written materials, such as letters of reference, application and personal statement, as your “ticket” to your interview. If the person reviewing your application is intrigued, they will invite you for an interview. Then, your interview day becomes the key to your success. I know that all of this may be overwhelming as you embark on the path to your residency match, but as you start interviewing, you will become less anxious and more comfortable. Good luck to everyone and match well.

http://www.studentdoctor.net/2009/08/residency-match-success-lessons-learned/

Couple's Match

What is the Couples Match?

The National Resident Matching Program (NRMP) allows any two people in the match to link their rank list. You create your rank list together, and the system guarantees that you will be placed in a combination that you have chosen. Both applicants will match at the highest rank combination in which both have been accepted. In order to sign up for the Couples Match, you must designate it on your NRMP match list. You do not have to decide to Couples Match until you submit your match list. The Electronic Residency Application Service (ERAS) application does not require any information about Couples Matching.

Who can participate in a Couples Match?

Anyone two people can agree to Couples Match! Married couples, engaged couples, dating couples, best friends or enemies. You can Couples Match with a person from another school, i.e., a Dartmouth-Brown person. You do not need to be married or have any formal documentation of a relationship. In the case of best friends or couples that want to be in the same program/area, you coordinate your match list so that you can be near each other. As for enemies, they may chose to coordinate their lists so that, if one person is on the east coast, the other person will be on the west coast to insure a good 3000 miles between the two. As a couple, the NRMP will find your highest ranked choice combination that you both match.

How many applicants Couples Match?

What is the matching success rate of couples?

(from the NRMP Results and Data 2000 Match booklet)

When do we need to decide we are Couples matching?

You don’t officially need to decide until you enter your Rank Order List (ROL) in mid-February. It’s best, however, to make the decision to Couples Match earlier rather than later. It is to your advantage most of the time (see the “Informing Programs of Couples match Status” section below). Programs want to know this information. It helps with setting up interview dates (see the “Interviews” section below).

What are the fees to enter the Couples match?

1. $40 per person to enter match. This fee is paid in the summer. Everyone pays it regardless of being a couple or not.
2. $15 per person when entering rank list. This is paid by couples only.
3. $30 per person per program when you rank greater than 15 programs. You do not have to pay extra if you have over 15 combinations, it just means programs.

Should I take a year off or go ahead?

If one partner is a year ahead of the other, it is often a good idea for the partner ahead to take a year off in order to be able to Couples Match. If the partner goes ahead, then they need to apply to places that have a variety of programs. And they may need to be willing to transfer. It is seems to be MUCH easier to go through the process together. There are plenty of things to do during an extra year. Some examples of what students have done while waiting for their partners include: Student Fellowship, longterm international electives, Masters of Public Health (MPH), split fourth year and do extra electives (need to be somewhat spaced out over the two years – ask the registrar about details), split fourth year and take Spanish, split fourth year and have a baby. There are endless possibilities and residency programs seem to understand and even support partners taking an extra year for the purpose of Couples Matching. It is easier for the program if you couples match than if you get to their program and then need that institution, or an institution nearby, to accept your partner the following year.

What about matching with someone in the military?

This cannot be done through the couples match. The military has their own match system and the applicants find out where they are going in December.

What about matching with someone who is applying in an early match specialty?

The early match specialties include Neurology, Neurosurgery, Ophthalmology, Otolaryngology, Plastic Surgery and Urology. These applicants apply through SFMATCH (www.SFMATCH.org), except Urology which applies through AUANET (auanet.org/students/match). Most of these specialties find out where they have matched in late January. Although it is not possible to Couples Match for the advanced specialty, many of these early match specialties require a preliminary or transitional year, which CAN be linked through the couples match (see “What happens if we are applying for preliminary/transitional years and advanced residencies?” in the “Making the Rank List” section below).

The Application Process

When should we apply?

APPLY EARLY!!!! The ERAS application is available on the web starting in August/September. Try to get your application certified in the first week or so that it is available. Applying early allows you the maximum flexibility in scheduling interviews. Since you are Couples Matching, you will be applying to many programs. The earlier you get interview invitations, the easier it is to coordinate your interview dates with your partner. Most specialties send out invitations (usually via email) starting in late September/October (they do not necessarily wait for the Dean’s Letter to invite you).

To how many programs should we apply?

Aim to rank 15 programs each. This means that you should apply to at least 25-30 each (the number depends on how many programs actually exist in your specialty). It seems like a lot, but consider that, in order to rank a place, both of you must get an interview at your respective programs and both must like the programs and the city or area of the programs. Then in order to match at the programs, both of the programs must like both of you. Cluster them in geographical areas as we discuss in the “How do we choose programs?” section. You don’t have to interview at all of them, but you do want to interview at as many as you can tolerate so as to maximize possible combinations.

How do we choose programs?

1. Reputation

2. Geography

a. proximity to family

b. willingness to commute

If you plan to live together, try to aim for a maximum of 50 miles or so between programs. That way you can live in between and each partner will have about a 25-mile commute. The Boston, Providence, Worcester (U Mass) triangle is an example of this, and has been done by many couples. If Boston is included, most couples live closer to Boston, because it takes longer to commute into Boston than into Providence or Worcester. The Providence and Worcester combination is reputed to be easiest, because there is not as much traffic. Be sure that there is a place to live that is half way between the two programs. Consider Albuquerque and Santa Fe, between which there are very few towns, and those that exist are much closer to Albuquerque. Also think of conditions that might lengthen the commuting time, i.e. weather possibilities, traffic and quality of roads.

In addition, consider if you want to live near where you work. If it is important that your social life be connected to your colleagues, you may not want to live 30 minutes from the hospital. It might mean having to drive a distance if you want to meet a fellow resident for dinner or if you want to play in a resident soccer game, for example. Also, if your partner is driving 30 minutes in the opposite direction, it might be hard to meet each other’s fellow residents.

Consider, also, the benefit of working in the same hospital. It would be easier to meet for meals or to trade car keys or whatever else you need to do as a couple. Also, it makes it easier to meet each other’s friends.

On the other hand, if you are applying in the same specialty, you may not want to be at the same hospital, because that means the same program. You might need to make an effort to be scheduled for different rotations, so you don’t find yourself working together. You may prefer to work together, but it would mean being on call on rotating nights, which would lead to less time together outside of the hospital.

Who decides how far apart a couple will be?

You do. Because you coordinate your match list, you set the limits of distance. You don't have to match at the same hospital, same institution, the same city, or even the same side of the country. See “Making the Rank List” section below.

Informing Programs of Couples match Status

Are we required to inform programs of our Couples match status?

No. You are not required to tell programs you are Couples Matching. The programs will not know you are Couples Matching unless you inform them. You could actually wait until the Rank Order List is due in mid-February to decide whether or not you are going to Couples Match, and still the programs will not know unless you personally tell them. Only the NRMP will know.

You can find program-specific recommendations in FREIDA, a website with information about residency programs (www.ama-assn.org/freida). For example, Beth Israel Deaconness Internal Medicine program encourages applicants to indicate if they are Couples Matching by writing it at the bottom of the personal statement.

Is there any benefit to informing a program that we are Couples Matching?

Yes, sometimes. It will make it easier to coordinate interview dates and obtain interviews at the same institutions (see the “Interviews” section below). Programs deal with couples differently. For example, many programs like couples, because they come together and are usually happier residents. A particular program, for instance, may lobby to get a partner an interview. Let’s say that Internal Medicine wants to interview Partner A, but A is Couples Matching with Partner B who is applying in Orthopaedics. The Internal Medicine program may then contact the Orthopaedics program to get person B an interview.

Another scenario is if two applicants are applying in the same specialty, let’s say Pediatrics, at the same institution. The Pediatrics program may treat the couple as individual applicants throughout the process, until the program draws up their own rank list after the interviews. If Partner A is ranked 25 on their list and Partner B is ranked 60, they will either move Partner B up, Partner A down, or put them both somewhere in between.

A program may communicate with another department after it has made its rank list. If a program really likes an applicant (Partner A) and the program knows s/he is Couples Matching, the program may call the other department and find out where the other applicant (Partner B) sits on the rank list. This might help to improve Partner B’s rank on his/her program’s rank list. If the program breaks up its list in quartiles, for example, a call from another department may not move Partner B from the second quartile to the first quartile, but it may bump them up a few numbers within their established quartile. Some students have been told that usually the stronger applicant carries the weaker one; so it is unlikely that an applicant will be bumped down on the rank list because of a weaker applicant. Remember, the movement happen only if the programs communicate with each other (some do and some don’t) and they know to communicate only if you have told them that you are Couples matching and with whom.

Is there any harm in informing programs that we are Couples matching?

Not likely. We can think of a couple of scenarios. One is if a program is small and would prefer not to take more than one student from a particular school. If both applicants are strong, this might not be an issue, but it is a consideration. We have also heard of a real life scenario where a same gender couple was concerned about discrimination if they mentioned they were Couples Matching. In the end, the couple decided to tell the programs, because they realized if they felt discriminated against at a certain program, they probably would not be happy at that program. Overall, we think there is more benefit than harm that comes from informing programs that you are Couples Matching.

When can we inform programs that we are Couples Matching?

1. Personal statement

We have heard some advisors recommend writing that you are Couples Matching, with the name and specialty of your partner, in your personal statement. We do not know of anyone who has done this, because it seems hard to fit it in, but it’s an option.

2. Dean’s letter

A good opportunity to tell the programs officially that you’re Couples matching is in the Dean’s Letter, which has a biographical section. It is safest for the Dean to write your partner’s name, and not the specialty, because people have changed specialties after the Dean’s Letter goes out.

3. When scheduling interview

When you call to schedule your interview, it may help to mention you are couples matching if you are trying to coordinate interview dates. Also, the Residency Coordinators often appreciate knowing the information. See Interviews section below for more information on coordinating interviews.

4. At the interview
1. Tell the residency coordinator and the residency director – give name and specialty of partner. Coordinators often will ask the applicant group if anyone is Couples Matching. We found that there was often at least one other person Couples Matching in the applicant group at each program we visited.
2. Consider asking the residency director if departments/institutions contact each other. It’s okay if you don’t ask this (sometimes you might not feel comfortable asking). Some residency directors will explain how the Couples Match works at their program/institution without your having to ask.
3. Ask the coordinator or residents if there are couples in the program and which specialty the partner is in. Think about getting in touch with those residents.
4. Ask residents about the possibility of coordinating vacations and call schedules. The chief resident is usually responsible for coordinating vacation schedules, so you can ask him/her if you don’t get in contact with a resident who has Couples Matched.
5. In thank you/follow-up notes
1. Consider mentioning your partner in your thank you note. At the end of the note, after you have written why you liked the program, write something like: My (partner/husband/fiancé/whomever) John Doe who is applying in (whatever specialty), also enjoyed his interview day at the University of SuchandSuch.
2. When you finish up your interviews and have made a rank list, you might decide to write a second note to the programs you have decided to rank in your top three or so. In this type of note, you could write a bit about why you have chosen to rank the program highly. For example, after completing our interview trips, my (partner) Janet Doe, who is applying in (whatever specialty) and I have had a chance to discuss the programs and we have found that your program fits our needs, both academically and personally.

Interviews

When should we interview?

Most programs seem to offer interviews in November through mid-late January, depending on the specialty. You will have applied to around 25-30 programs, maybe more depending on your specialty. Try to aim to go to at least 15 interviews, if you have been offered that many. If you are applying to particularly competitive specialties, i.e. Dermatology or Orthopaedics, you might not have that many offers (which is why you might want to start off by applying to more than 30 programs).

Some couples matchers recommend that couples plan on taking all of December and all of January off to interview. Otherwise, you might not have enough time and it may get really hectic and stressful. One approach is to plan to do all the programs in driving distance in December, and then do one big trip to the Midwest and/or west coast in January, or vice versa. If you are planning to interview only in one geographic area, you might not need quite as much time. We recommend interviewing at 2-3 programs per week. If you need to fly or drive a long distance from one city to another, try to give yourself a day in between interviews. It will be winter, in most of the US, so consider the hassles of winter travel when you plan. Also, think about staying in a place for a couple days so you can get to know the city and enjoy the activities it has to offer. Try contacting alum who lives in the city who would host you for a couple of nights. It is fun to stay with someone who knows the city, and if they are in the hospital/program you are applying to, they can give you the inside scoop.

Should we try to coordinate our interviews?

It makes sense to try to schedule your interviews so you can travel together. This will save you money on hotels and car rentals. It’s also more fun and gives you a chance to see if the location offers what you want as a couple. It’s good to have someone to bounce ideas off of as you go. Often we found that our partner could get a sense of how we felt about a program from our excitement or lack there of at the end of an interview day. This reaction is something that is often hard to put into words on an evaluation form (see Residency Program Evaluation Form attached at end).

Some programs, many in Pediatrics and Family Practice, offer to pay for hotel accommodations, so you can interview on consecutive days, if necessary, and each program will cover the hotel room the night before the respective interview.

How do we coordinate our interviews?

As soon as you receive an interview invitation, go ahead and schedule your interview. You can always change it if your partner is unable to schedule an interview around the same time.

If one partner gets an interview and other has not heard for a week or so, call to check on status of application. Tell them you are Couples Matching and wanted to try to coordinate your interview dates.

If one partner is offered an interview at a program and the other is not, you can call your respective program and request an interview. There is nothing wrong with being assertive as long as you are polite and friendly. Explain the situation and, most likely, they’ll be happy to accommodate you. If you are applying in the same specialty and a program wants to interview Partner A but not Partner B, then the program knows it will likely lose person A to another program that has chosen to interview person B also; or if the program ultimately matches person A and but not person B, then person A may not be as happy because s/he's not with person B. Basically, programs want you to be happy and, if being together means being happy, they do what they can to help that happen.

One challenging situation we have seen is when one specialty starts offering interviews later than another. This has happened with Orthopaedics, for example, in which many programs wait to see the Dean’s Letter before offering interviews. This means that if the other person (Partner B) is applying in Pediatrics, for example, s/he might already have 20 interview offers and will likely need to start going to the interviews before Partner A has even heard from programs. This can lead to a lot of wasted time and cost, if Partner A does not end up getting offers at certain programs where Partner B has already interviewed. If you find yourself in this situation, try calling the programs of Partner A to see if s/he can find out early and call Partner A’s programs to see if they can talk to Partner B’s programs and get them to offer an interview. In the end, this might not help, but it could be worth a try.

Making the Rank List

How do we begin to make our Rank Order List (ROL)?

During your interview trip, write notes to remember what you liked and disliked about programs (see Residency Program Evaluation Form attached at the end). One idea is to keep a running ROL, fitting programs in as you visit them.

After you have finished interviewing, it might be helpful for each partner to make a list by ranking programs individually, without considering the other person's favorite programs. This way you figure out where you want to go, for you. After you have a rough list down, you'll need make a combined list, which requires communication and compromise.

Suggestions for making the list

1. Fold paper in half lengthwise. One partner writes list on left. Other partner writes list on right. Open paper and compare. Write combined list in the middle.
2. Put all of your combinations on index cards (with Partner A's programs in red and Partner B's in blue). Group the cards by geographical areas, and then rearrange the order of the cards to end up with a final ROL.

Determine your priorities

1. Living together

If you want to live together, each partner will need to correspond your program with one within commuting distance.

2. Going for certain programs that are not near each other

If you are willing to live apart, that is your prerogative. You can also rank top choice programs that are not close together first, and then rank the programs that are close together. This way, if you are not “accepted” at your first choice program, then you would want to be together.

3. One partner is set on a particular program

If Partner A has his/her heart set one a particular program, you can organize your list to maximize the chance of him/her matching at that program. An example is if Partner A wants to go to Baylor more than anything, s/he can write Baylor for numbers 1-30. Partner B can then write Baylor for number 1 (so they can be in the same city) and UCLA for number 2 (because that is his/her favorite program) and then other 28 programs to which s/he applied to increase the possibility that Partner A will get his/her first choice. If Baylor does not "accept" Partner A, then the computer will automatically skip down to Partner A's number 31 (which is actually program choice 2), which let's say is UCLA. UCLA "accepts" both of them and that's where they match. This case might happen if Partner B does not want to be responsible for Partner A getting his/her first choice. The couple is willing to live apart so that Partner A has the best shot at going to Baylor.

The above scenario is also an example of why the Couples Match is said to skew the statistics of how well a school does in the match. This couple would technically get their 31st choice, but it would actually be Partner A's second choice and Partner B's first choice.

What happens if we are applying for preliminary/transitional years and advanced residencies?

This is complicated and may require guidance from administrators who have handled this before. The rules are very similar to making a normal ROL, but there are just many more combinations for every preliminary/transitional year. The couple can chose to link only the preliminary/transitional year, only the advanced programs, or both. Once again, as a couple you must decide what your priorities are and whether the location or the program is more important as discussed in the previous sections.

What program you go to for your preliminary/transitional year may not be as important as the advanced program, so it may not be a dramatic compromise to link just the preliminary years, even though linking advanced programs may be out of the question. In a particular specialty, there may be a few advanced programs that are much stronger and may require the couple to be apart. Linking ONLY the preliminary year may also be an option if you are a couple who does not know if you want to be together for the entire residency. You may want another year together to figure out where your relationship is going.

Sample ROL from the NRMP website (http://nrmp.aamc.org/nrmp/senior/couples.htm)
Special procedures are necessary to match couples to positions. The Match allows couples to form pairs of choices that are then considered in rank order in the Match. Each partner's side of the list must have an equal number of ranks. Both members of the couple must be active applicants in the Match.

Step 1 Each partner should first arrange an individual preference list on separate sheets of paper. In the following example, the letters refer to a specific program in a particular hospital in that city. Partner I 1) New York City-A 2) Chicago-A 3) Evanston-B 4) Los Angeles-A 5) New York City-B Partner II 1) Chicago-X 2) Chicago-Y 3) Boston-X 4) Chicago-Z 5) New York City-X 6) New York City-Y

Step 2 Next, both partners must decide together how to prepare their lists as pairs of programs. For example, they could consider all the possible pairings where the hospital programs are in the same general location, as indicated in the list below. In some cases one rank in the pair may be designated "No Match" to indicate that one partner is willing to go unmatched if the other can get a position. Note that the list below is not necessarily in the order that will eventually be submitted. Partner I New York City-A New York City-A Chicago-A Chicago-A Chicago-A Evanston-B Evanston-B Evanston-B New York City-B New York City-B New York City-A Chicago-A Evanston-B Los Angeles-A New York City-B No Match No Match No Match No Match No Match Partner II New York City-X New York City-Y Chicago-X Chicago-Y Chicago-Z Chicago-X Chicago-Y Chicago-Z New York City-X New York City-Y No Match No Match No Match No Match No Match Chicago-X Chicago-Y Boston-X Chicago-Z New York City-X

Step 3 Now both partners decide the order in which these pairs are preferred. They might have a final Couples Rank Order List of Paired Programs that looks like this: Partner I 1) Chicago-A* 2) Chicago-A* 3) Chicago-A* 4) Evanston-B 5) Evanston-B 6) Evanston-B 7) New York City-A* 8) New York City-A* 9) New York City-B* 10) New York City-B* 11) New York City-A* 12) No Match 13) No Match 14) Chicago-A 15) No Match 16) Evanston-B 17) No Match 18) Los Angeles-A 19) No Match 20)New York City-B* Partner II Chicago-X Chicago-Y* Match Chicago-Z Chicago-X Chicago-Y* Chicago-Z New York City-X* New York City-Y New York City-X* New York City-Y No Match Chicago-X Chicago-Y* No Match Boston-X No Match Chicago-Z No Match New York City-X* No Match

The couple will match to the most preferred pair on their list where each partner has been offered a position (the highest common denominator) [Note: choices 11 through 20 indicate that one partner is willing to go unmatched if the other can get a position. Enter 999999 for the program code in these cases.]

If Partner I has offers from Chicago-A, New York City-A, and New York City-B, and Partner II has offers from Chicago-Y and New York City-X, then this couple will match to the pair of programs that were ranked second. If the Chicago programs had not accepted both partners, their match would have been their seventh pair in New York City.

A Summary of Guidelines for the Preparation of Applicant Rank Order Lists from the NRMP website

Applicants are advised to include on their Rank Order List only those programs that represent their true preferences.

• Programs should be ranked in sequence, according to the applicant’s true preferences.
• Factors to consider in determining the number of programs to rank include the competitiveness of the specialty, the competition for the specific programs being ranked, and the applicant’s qualifications. In most instances, the issue is not the actual number of programs being ranked on the Rank Order List, but the dilemma of whether to add one or more additional programs to the list in order to reduce the likelihood of being unmatched.
• Applicants are advised to rank all of the programs deemed acceptable to the applicant, i.e., a program where they would be happy to undertake residency training. Conversely, if an applicant finds certain programs unacceptable and is not interested in accepting offers from these programs, said program(s) should not be included on the applicant’s Rank Order List.
• It is highly unlikely that either applicants or programs will be able to influence the outcome of the match in their favor submitting a list that differs from their true preferences.

Submitting Rank Order Lists

All applicants will enter their Rank Order Lists via WebROLIC after signing on from the Main Match Registrants area. Access to the NRMP Rank Order List and Input System (ROLIC) requires your NRMP code and PIN, assigned during enrollment to the Match by the NRMP and printed on your confirmation.

On the first screen, you can indicate your desire to participate as a couple by clicking on the Modify button next to the statement "You are participating in the match as a single applicant." To participate as a member of a couple, you must enter your partner's NRMP code in the space provided. Your partner must also identify you as his or her partner when providing his or her rank information. You may then continue to enter your actual ranks into the system.

Technical hints for inputting your ROL

Get NRMP codes for each program. You can get them from the NRMP Rank Order List (ROL) when you sign on to write in your list, or material given to you by the program probably has the code.

Thank You, from the University of Rochester Residency Programs

Thank you for your interest in our program. We hope this guide has been helpful, and we would like to reiterate our comfort with the Couples match. We have a long history of couples match residents, and we understand the stresses such arrangements can bring. With open communication between the many residency programs here in Rochester, we avoid many of the potential problems that can arise. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact us.

Wendy Malorzo
Residency Program Administrator
Department of Radiation Oncology
University of Rochester
Tel: (585) 275-5575
e-mail: RadOncResidency@rochester.edu

Addendum I

Length of Residency Programs

The length of each bar represents the years of training required for certification. These are unofficial assignments and are offered for informational purposes only. Consult the most recent Graduate Medical Education Directory for current official requirements. Many specialties indicated as starting at the PGY-2 level now offer categorical tracks that include the first year.

Chart found at http://nrmp.aamc.org/nrmp/aboutres/index.htm

1	2	3	4	5	6-7
FAMILY PRACTICE
EMERGENCY MEDICINE
PEDIATRICS			SUBSPECIALTIES
INTERNAL MEDICINE			SUBSPECIALTIES
OBSTETRICS/GYNECOLOGY
PATHOLOGY
GENERAL SURGERY				SUBSPECIALTIES
	NEUROLOGICAL SURGERY
	ORTHOPAEDIC SURGERY
	OTOLARYNGOLOGY
	UROLOGY
TRANSI- TIONAL or PRELIM MEDICINE or PRELIM SURGERY	ANESTHESIOLOGY
	DERMATOLOGY
	NEUROLOGY
	NUCLEAR MEDICINE
	OPHTHALMOLOGY
	PHYSICAL MEDICINE
	PSYCHIATRY
	RADIOLOGY - DIAGNOSTIC
	RADIATION