Is Combining Medical School a Good Idea?

"When you enter medical school, you put your trust into an unspoken promise: Work hard, pass all your classes, and you'll come out as a doctor after four years. While mostly true, this perception doesn't take into account the residency application process and the possibility of graduating without a position as a physician-in-training. This thought didn't cross my mind until I decided to apply for otolaryngology, one of the most competitive specialties. I went into the application season hoping for the best, knowing that the number of applicants was higher than ever. On the Monday of Match Week, I opened my email from the NRMP to be met with the words, 'We're sorry, you did not match into a residency position.'"

Katherine Yu and Shaan Somani are clinical research fellows.

They share their stories and discuss the KevinMD article, "Unsolicited advice from unmatched residency applicants."