Getting a hang of the Unfilled Positions BEFORE Scramble

The unfilled programs lists are no longer available in the public domain. Yet, Having information about the unfilled programs of the previous year (and maybe even a year before the previous) does offer a key advantage to those who have it before the scramble officially starts - Why ? Because, that unfilled program of the last year is very likely to have an unfilled position this year and when the scramble time starts, you may have a lead over the others in calling the programs.


1. Getting the official NRMP Unfilled position list from the last-years candidate friends / residents who might just happen to have that list stored on their computers

2. Some online USMLE forums have program match trends

3. An indirect method - which may have a low Return on Investment (ROI) - is to write / call programs - no, not to ask about - "Hey did you guys go unfilled the last year ?" Rather than being so obtuse, we can put it indirectly, like - "Hello, was wondering what would your eligibility criteria be, just in case you have unfilled positions after the match". You may even include a synopsis of your credentials in the email. If you get a reply about that - Bingo ! Coz' the programs which reply are more likely to have been unfilled the previous year. Like, I wonder how many of you agree with this one - "Successful people ask better questions, and as a result, they get better answers". Well, I know that Anthony Robbins does, coz' he said it ;-) he he.

4. And of course, the professional post match scramble firms or agencies will obviously have the previous years unfilled positions with them.

5. And they you may find the "illegals" who may the post the unfilled list PDF on public forums via file sharing sites like rapidshare ! ;-)