Some of their newer enhanced search features will allow students to compare their own United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE) scores to that of current residents in that program, which is a helpful when determining your competitiveness for the specialty or specific program.
In order to avoid SOAP or worse – not matching – it is critical to understand the competitive nature of the specialty you choose and to position yourself best with a program list that includes attainable programs based on what your application will look like.
Following this advice gives you the best idea of the strength of the faculty member’s recommendation. Generally, faculty will presume that you want a letter if you are completing a fourth-year elective.