# of residency programs

[bullet4444]

Hi,

How many PGY-1 programs have you/did you apply to? What is the recommended # of programs to apply to?

I have 10 programs I’m looking at right now, I heard some people say 8-12, 10-15 and 15-20.

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[Corytrade]

6, and that felt like a lot. By the last interview both you and the site are out of steam. It just seems exhausting to apply to 12-13 programs and then juggle interviews, APPEs, etc. If you are confident in yourself and your chances, 5-6 makes sense, IMO.

 

[Pharm2018OSU]

I applied to 5, but that was because I was severely geographically limited. Most people I know who matched applied to about 15-20. It's an exhausting process, and I was certainly happy that I only had 5 programs to juggle come interview time, but it definitely raises your chances of matching if you apply to more.

 

[Kelp103]

I applied to 10. I was also geographically limited. Idk if I would’ve wanted to do more than that honestly. I guess it does depend on how many interviews you actually end up getting though.

 

[projektreverb]

I applied to 5, interviewed at 4 and matched. I was geographically restricted and did phase 2 only.

Flip side, I know someone who applied to 15 programs, interviewed at all of them and ranked dead last on his match list in phase 1.

I also know someone else who applied to 20 programs between phase 1 and 2, only got 1 interview and didn’t match.

Quantity does matter, but also have a realistic look at yourself and keep that in mind when applying too.

 

[rx25295]

For PGY1 I applied to 14, which was probably too many. I had interview offers at 8, I interviewed at 6. I was truly not allowed to take any more time from my rotation to interview at the other two.

For PGY2 I applied to 8, I interviewed at 6 again.

I don't think it's unreasonable to apply to 8-10 programs. But I do think using midyear is a good chance to cut down your program list, and gives you an opportunity to explore programs you may not have considered before.

 

[AgentAlaska]

I applied to 18 and interviewed at 8

 

[Rx321]

I applied to 5, interviewed at 4 and matched. I was geographically restricted and did phase 2 only.

Flip side, I know someone who applied to 15 programs, interviewed at all of them and ranked dead last on his match list in phase 1.

I also know someone else who applied to 20 programs between phase 1 and 2, only got 1 interview and didn’t match.

Quantity does matter, but also have a realistic look at yourself and keep that in mind when applying too.

How can I get a list of programs with openings for phase 2. I'd be a'nontraditional applicant whose geographically restricted as well. Thanks in advance

 

[phar123]

How can I get a list of programs with openings for phase 2. I'd be a'nontraditional applicant whose geographically restricted as well. Thanks in advance

ASHP Match | Participating Programs

 

[phar123]

Posting to hopefully help next years candidates,

I applied to 11 and by the end I had messed up 2 applications. I was purely exhausted and it showed. I applied to 5 reach programs, 5 reasonable programs and one safety program as I had done all my rotations except 3 there this yr. I received 5 interview invites and 1 waitlist. 1 reach program, 3 reasonable programs and 1 safety program, with waitlist from one other reasonable program. I matched with my reach program!!!!!!!

Overall, I was happy with the amount I applied to and while some may look at it as a waste of $$ im truly glad i applied to as many reach programs as I did, because I got one. I would have been disappointed in myself for not at least trying. However, I wish I started apps sooner (I waited until after Midyear and felt so rushed on all of them.) I made a mistake one 2 apps, 1 reach and 1 reasonable. i feel like that is the ONLY reason i didnt get an invite to the reasonable program. My waitlist was a reasonable, and it was: if the program didnt match phase ii they would reach out to me if I chose to be on the waitlist. i said yes because for added security. I will never know this for sure but I believe they waitlisted me because they do rolling invites and had already invited their max # before getting to my app which i submitted the very last day before deadline. again, should have started earlier.

I agree that 6-10 is probably appropriate and even that feels like a lot, but keep in mind it depends on the places you are applying. Are you applying to competitive large academic medical centers? then do more than that. And definitely do a mix of programs. i chose all teaching institutions, but did 5 AMCs, 2 large teaching hospitals, 3 medium-to-large teaching hospitals and a pediatric hospital. geographically my AMCs were spread among the midwest/NE, since I am going to school in eastern portion of midwest and i am from the northeast. All other hospials were ones I was familiar w because they were either from my hometown city, the city I am currently living, or my SO’s hometown city. All of which are medium to large metropolitan areas within the eastern midwest and western northeast.