USMLE Step 2, The Successful Match: 200 Rules to Succeed in the Residency Match, Rajani, M.D. Katta and Samir P. Desai, 2009

USMLE Step 2, The Successful Match: 200 Rules to Succeed in the Residency Match, Rajani, M.D. Katta and Samir P. Desai, 2009

Paperback: 405 pages
Publisher: Md2b; 1 edition (January 15, 2009)
Language: English

"The Successful Match: 200 Rules to Succeed in the Residency Match" - the title of the book describes it very well. This is a results-oriented, thorough, and complete guide. Remarkably, it is also engaging, step by step and easy to follow. The authors have made a great effort to organize the book with the time-pressured, busy residency applicant in mind.

One of the biggest challenges that residency applicants face is the confusing array of contradictory information from different sources. In this book, the authors do a wonderful job of addressing many myths and rumors that exist out there. They don't merely provide their opinions, but instead provide hard data -- the results of surveys and studies, as well as direct quotes from important decision makers such as residency program directors. Their painstaking research equips the applicant with the knowledge and insight to navigate this challenging process by helping them understand what programs are really looking for. The authors recognize that `one size fits all' often does not work for residency applications - e.g. something that makes sense for one specialty may be inappropriate for another.

I found the layout of The Successful Match more friendly and effective than other reference books. After reading the relevant section of "The Successful Match", I was equipped to deal with that aspect of the residency application process, since the authors provide very useful checklists, tips, and clear guidelines. The section on International Medical Graduates (IMGs) is the best guide out there, and meets a very important need. This book is a must-read, especially for all IMG applicants!