Statistics from the Match

I got a letter from the SFMATCH today letting me know that I matched at Louisville. They also included statistics from the match. It was the most number of people for the fewest number of spots ever. There were 306 applicants for 101 spots. Most of the people who matched will match having completed 5 years of general surgery. With those kind of numbers I was incredibly fortunate to match.

Plans for this site

I am planning on updating the links to the right of the page when the new application comes out in a few weeks. Hopefully there will be a few new programs to add. I noticed that some of my links were broken and I will get those fixed. I also am happy to answer any questions that arise about the process.

How to use this site

I will have links to all of the programs in the match for the coming year. If you need to do some quick research about a program the links will help a lot. If you are interested, I would suggest looking at the archives and starting from the beginning of the site and reading forward. Best of luck to next year's class.

MATCHED!!!!

I Matched! Louisville I'm on my way!

Match tomorrow

Well here we are. Tomorrow (Friday) is the big day. The programs find out who they got and then they are supposed to call the people. I heard from some fellows that the program didn't call them and they sat biting their nails all weekend until they could call sfmatch on Monday. If I am lucky enough to match I know the program won't call me. It would just be too awesome to match AND have the program call.

Just a few more days

Its just a few more days until the match. I got a hard copy of my rank list in the regular mail on Saturday. Everything was as it should be.

A lot of people have been asking me if I am planning to post match information on the site. I don't really have any problem doing that, but I may be a little busy trying to find a hand spot for a while after the match. What I would recommend would be to post your match in a thread on plastics2002.com. There is already a thread open over there for that purpose. I would be happy to compile a list of the matches that I hear about and post it, but like I said, I am anticipating being otherwise occupied.

Its all over but the shouting.

The rank lists were due today. Its all done now, just have to wait a week.

Rank Lists Due on the 12th!

Get your rank lists in. Don't leave it until the last second. Nothing is going to change between today and tomorrow.

Ten days to go.

Everyone is sure I am going to match but me. Its weird. I would hate to call it a premonition but I am worried based on a number of reasons. This is a totally different feeling than the one I had for the general surgery match. I was absolutely positive I would match exactly where I wanted for general surgery. I just don't know for plastic surgery. I've met so many extraordinary individuals that there simply can't be enough spots for everyone who deserves one. It is really going to be an aweful day for about 75% of us. I hope that I match but I wouldn't wish not matching on anyone else.

One thing is certain. I will keep trying if I don't make it this time. I have devoted my entire adult life to becoming a plastic surgeon and I am never giving up that goal. I may be the guy you see with like 13 fellowships but I am going to get there eventually.

T-11 days

Rank lists are almost due. I hope everyone is getting their lists in. Only 11 days left.

T- 2 weeks

Just 2 weeks until most people will find out where they matched. Oddly I'm not really that nervous. Its not that I am confident that I will match, but I am OK with it if I don't. It just means that I will have to do an extra fellowship before plastic surgery instead of after.

Tulane Fellow's Study

The guys at Tulane have a survey study going on right now of the plastic surgery applicant pool. It only takes a second to fill out. If you didn't get an email from them I am sure they would appreciate your input but just didn't have your address. Here is an email address of one of the fellows. vsabeeh@tulane.edu
I am sure they would appreciate hearing from you. Take a few seconds and help your future colleagues out.

T-17 Days

Nightfloat continues. I think I might be getting a little goofy. Please disregard this post and probably most of the rest of them until the match. It is 4 in the morning after all.

Traffic has picked up quite a bit on the site in the last few days. I am hoping that it is next year's class checking it out. After all the whole point of this site is to make a roadmap for future plastic surgeons.

If any of you still wants a free Ipod the offer is still good. This is the link to the site. You have to go through a little trouble to get one but it is a 20 gigabyte ipod, a 300+ dollar item. I thought it was worth the trouble. I just joined this lame book club. I needed to buy some children's books and it worked out perfectly.

Only 17 more days until the 20th. With my luck I either won't match or if I do match, the place I match at won't call me. Either way I am expecting to sweat it out until the 23rd.

T-19 Days

Happy May Day. I'm back at the hospital for night float. I had a nice day off. I played with the baby and dog. We're getting real close to being able to get her cochlear implant covered (the baby not the dog.) I'm keeping my fingers crossed for 2 things now - the match and the implant. Anyway try not to let the anxiety get too intense.