attendings making phone calls to other programs

[tennisballs]

Let's say I ranked my home program #2 and another program #1. If I asked a home attending to make a phone call to my #1 program, do you guys think that would negatively affect my rank list position at my home program?

Also, if you tell a program that you ranked them #1, does that really affect their decision at all?

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[N-Surge]

If you tell a program you have ranked them (will be ranking them) #1 then you should rank them #1. This should be irregardless of if you think it will help or not. I don't really see harm in letting a program know that you want to go there (unless there are rules in place...). After all, this is a job interview trail you are on. The process should be treated as such. Although, it isn't considering all the smoke and mirrors of the ROL.

Conversely, I had a program call me and tell me that they were ranking me to match. I hesitated in saying that I was ranking them #1 because at that time I was still on the fence between them and the program I ending up matching at. It was a hard decision, as you know yourself.

Bottom line, rank how you want to be matched.

 

[asmallchild]

Let's say I ranked my home program #2 and another program #1. If I asked a home attending to make a phone call to my #1 program, do you guys think that would negatively affect my rank list position at my home program?

That's a tricky situation. If you wanted to have an attending "go to bat" for you, you could always ask for a helpful phone call without specifically using the words, "they are my #1 program". I'm not sure if it would actually negatively affect your rank position at your home program but it can certainly create some awkward feelings.

Please note, there are some outstanding mentors out there who can and will make that phone call for you without causing any tension. If you are lucky enough to have cultivated a good relationship with such an attending, then you could be a little bolder and let them know that another program is your #1 and you'd like a phone call to help boost your status.

 

[username456789]

Let's say I ranked my home program #2 and another program #1. If I asked a home attending to make a phone call to my #1 program, do you guys think that would negatively affect my rank list position at my home program?

I was going to make a new thread asking this very question when I came across this one.

What are everyone's thoughts? It seems like in a field as tumultuous as Derm (where just matching anywhere can be many people's goals, and often matching at your home program is statistically your best shot), asking your PD to make a call to your number one program could potentially result in you shooting yourself in the foot. What do you think?

 

[sensitive skin]

You're married. Your spouse has been supporting you, loving you, steering you in the right direction in life for years. Your relationship is solid, and you've made many memorable milestones together.

One day you go to another city on a job assignment - sometimes for four weeks, sometimes just a two-day meeting. Suddenly, you meet someone new who reminds you of your spouse, but is at the same time new, exciting, fresh, and seems to offer many more possibilities of an interesting life...together. You've fallen madly in love with this new person.

You go home to your spouse. You want to be with this new person that you've just met, but you still love your spouse. Do you ask your spouse to call up the new person? And tell this new person that you consider him/her your new #1? After four weeks? After ONE NIGHT?

Think about it.

 

[username456789]

You're married. Your spouse has been supporting you, loving you, steering you in the right direction in life for years. Your relationship is solid, and you've made many memorable milestones together.

One day you go to another city on a job assignment - sometimes for four weeks, sometimes just a two-day meeting. Suddenly, you meet someone new who reminds you of your spouse, but is at the same time new, exciting, fresh, and seems to offer many more possibilities of an interesting life...together. You've fallen madly in love with this new person.

You go home to your spouse. You want to be with this new person that you've just met, but you still love your spouse. Do you ask your spouse to call up the new person? And tell this new person that you consider him/her your new #1? After four weeks? After ONE NIGHT?

Think about it.

I agree, it sounds ridiculous, which is why I asked since it's not uncommon at all to hear about applicants having their PD "make a call" for them (in many different specialties, not just derm).

 

[tten]

You're married. Your spouse has been supporting you, loving you, steering you in the right direction in life for years. Your relationship is solid, and you've made many memorable milestones together.

One day you go to another city on a job assignment - sometimes for four weeks, sometimes just a two-day meeting. Suddenly, you meet someone new who reminds you of your spouse, but is at the same time new, exciting, fresh, and seems to offer many more possibilities of an interesting life...together. You've fallen madly in love with this new person.

You go home to your spouse. You want to be with this new person that you've just met, but you still love your spouse. Do you ask your spouse to call up the new person? And tell this new person that you consider him/her your new #1? After four weeks? After ONE NIGHT?

Think about it.

You're not married yet. Your significant other has been supporting you, loving you, steering you in the right direction in life for years. Your relationship is solid, and you've made many memorable milestones together. You decide to pop the question. She tells you maybe. She won't let you know for sure yes or no until about 4 months from now because she has all these other guys in her life, and she has to be sure before committing to one person.

You decide that maybe you need to see other people too. One day you go to another city on a job assignment - sometimes for four weeks, sometimes just a two-day meeting. Suddenly, you meet someone new who reminds you of your spouse, but is at the same time new, exciting, fresh, and seems to offer many more possibilities of an interesting life...together. You've fallen madly in love with this new person.

They like you too, but they're not willing to commit just yet. Maybe if your current girlfriend was to say a few nice things about you...

 

[Dral]

You're married. Your spouse has been supporting you, loving you, steering you in the right direction in life for years. Your relationship is solid, and you've made many memorable milestones together.

One day you go to another city on a job assignment - sometimes for four weeks, sometimes just a two-day meeting. Suddenly, you meet someone new who reminds you of your spouse, but is at the same time new, exciting, fresh, and seems to offer many more possibilities of an interesting life...together. You've fallen madly in love with this new person.

You go home to your spouse. You want to be with this new person that you've just met, but you still love your spouse. Do you ask your spouse to call up the new person? And tell this new person that you consider him/her your new #1? After four weeks? After ONE NIGHT?

Think about it.

Unless your 'spouse' can tell you up front that they love you and will have you forever...or at least for three years...then not sure how much you owe them.

 

[Skinceutical]

It can be a double edged sword. I had my med school department chair call the PD at my first choice, and ranked my home department second.

I ended up matching at my third choice. My home department ended up matching someone from my class who lower grades and board scores. Granted I have no proof, but I'm convinced my stunt cost me a spot at my home department.

 

[dermathalon]

Please note, there are some outstanding mentors out there who can and will make that phone call for you without causing any tension. If you are lucky enough to have cultivated a good relationship with such an attending, then you could be a little bolder and let them know that another program is your #1 and you'd like a phone call to help boost your status.

I'm buying the girlfriend metaphor than the spouse one...still not sure if a girlfriend would put in a good word for you so that you could get with another woman though...haha.

I couldn't agree more with asmallchild. A mentor that KNOWS YOU WELL will want what is best for you and will be willing to make that call without sinking your chances at the home program. That said, you'll want to listen to Skinceutical's experience too...my opinion is that you never want to turn off your home program. You want to be sure that you have a good relationship and not just ask a faculty that you recently met or did one small review or case report. More than a few times have I heard certain faculty that make admissions decisions say that they should pass on such and such home students because they are not "going to come here anyway."

Also, food for thought, you never know what is said between the phone conversants when they make the call because the obvious question that will come back from the other side is "why don't you want your own student?"