How hard is it to get a medical residency?

Question

I have heard that some residencies are very competitive--is that based on the type of specialty, or just the particular location? Let's say a medical student wants to go into specialty X. What are the odds that he/she will get to specialize in specialty X? What if that student had his/her heart set on specializing in a certain field, but was unable to get a seat in any residencies for that specialty?

Answer 1

In Mexico it's daaaaaaamn competitive, like it's bloodbath competitive. 25,000 doctors fighting with eachother on this insanely difficult test for only 4,000 slots.

Even if you do pass the test (and believe me, it's an insanely difficult 3 day exam), it doesn't guarantee you'll get a slot unless you got insanely high grades on it. For example, there's only about 400 slots for Gynecology & Obstetrics.

Of course, the less competitive a specific field is, the lower your grade on the exam may be and yet you could still get a slot in your desired residency (and maybe even the hospital you want if you're really lucky). Public hospitals (especially concentration hospitals in major cities) are the most coveted programs because the doctors let you do everything and there's always a ton of high risk patients coming in so you gain tons of experience.

If you pass the exam, but don't get a slot, you still have a few weeks to see whether the people above you quit their slots and you subsequently move up the ladder. Another possibility is that you still gain a slot, but it isn't for the hospital you want. I've met a few residents who put up with a hospital they didn't like for their first year, passed to year 2 of their residency and were able to switch to a different hospital.

Since I wish to do a residency in the US, I won't have to put up with that insane exam, but I'll still have to do the USMLE tests and go to job interviews in target hospitals like anyone else looking for a US residency. I've heard that about 70% of residency applicants for a US residency get accepted in 1 program (albeit not always in their first choice hospital).

Answer 2

Residencies CAN be very competitive, depending bot on the location & specialty. For example, a family practice residency would be less competitive, than say a surgical one.  A residency at a place like the Mayo Clinic is more competitive than one a state medical school.

You you don't get a residency in a field you want, you can do a basic internship year, then try again.

Answer 3

In the US, most medical students look at about a half dozen programs, and over 90% match with one of their choices, though that may be sixth rather than first on his list.