Is it a good idea to contact programs I will apply to?

[goingpsych]

Hey guys,

I'm going to be applying to psychiatry this coming season. I'm from a big 4 caribbean school and have just finished up, currently looking for research while I await application season.
I'm a california resident and i was wondering if its a good idea to contact the psychiatry residency programs I'm especially interested in (I'll be applying to almost every psych program in the US) and if so, what are the correct/non-annoying things to say. The reason I ask this is because I'm wondering if its a good idea to show the programs just how interested I am; maybe they'll remember my name when they see my application. Also, if it is a good idea to contact them, is it appropriate to call the coordinator or the PD.
I'd appreciate other suggestions to improve my application and chances. Thanks in advance for your help!

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[digitlnoize]

Hey guys,

I'm going to be applying to psychiatry this coming season. I'm from a big 4 caribbean school and have just finished up, currently looking for research while I await application season.
I'm a california resident and i was wondering if its a good idea to contact the psychiatry residency programs I'm especially interested in (I'll be applying to almost every psych program in the US) and if so, what are the correct/non-annoying things to say. The reason I ask this is because I'm wondering if its a good idea to show the programs just how interested I am; maybe they'll remember my name when they see my application. Also, if it is a good idea to contact them, is it appropriate to call the coordinator or the PD.
I'd appreciate other suggestions to improve my application and chances. Thanks in advance for your help!

I contacted what I thought would be my #1 program and let them know that I was extremely interested and why. Matched there.

I did contact a handful of other places, but mostly because I was thinking about doing a rotation there.

I interviewed at a couple of very caribbean friendly places I'd like to give a shout-out to. I thought East Carolina and Carilion Clinic in Roanoke were both very good, IMG/Carib. friendly places. Not ultra academic, but nice people, nice facilities, decent temperate locations, and good practical training.

Good luck!

 

[whopper]

No problems with contacting but don't overdo it. What often ends up happening is a program coordinator can get inundated with calls from people with this sort of thing. The last thing she or the program director may want to deal with is someone who wants to show their enthusiasm when they have 10 hours of work to cram into eight hours.

Be curt and respectful.

During the more difficult time of the year, especially during the scramble, often times the program coordinator will like a person less if they call again and again and again. I've seen candidates kill their odds of getting in with behavior like that. When there's several applicants for one spot, you're not exactly a rare item in demand. Be needy and intrusive with the program coordinator, you've just lowered your stock to who is likely the second most important person in getting you in aside from the program director.

 

[goingpsych]

Just to clarify, I originally meant to ask whether its a good idea to contact these programs prior to applying, in the months of June to August. Thanks.

 

[splik]

Just to clarify, I originally meant to ask whether its a good idea to contact these programs prior to applying, in the months of June to August. Thanks.

No unless you have any specific questions you will just be annoyance. This is a very busy time for programs because of the new residents and some programs do get lots of annoying people emailing. I emailed some programs because I wanted to ask questions - many did not even reply, for those that did about half gave a generic email they send to everyone (suggesting they get hundreds of emails), and some gave a more specific one. they wont remember you, and if they do it won't be in a good way.

As I mention in this thread, the time to send a letter of interest is if you don't get an interview and its about end of october/beginning of november. Now my advise is mainly for non-caribbean FMGs, but much of it applies to everyone regardless. As I mention in this thread I was rejected by a top 20 program, then wrote an email selling myself to the PD and was subsequently invited to interview and matched there. Now, i'm sure that's rare, but illustrates a point.

 

[twright]

Just to clarify, I originally meant to ask whether its a good idea to contact these programs prior to applying, in the months of June to August. Thanks.

I don't think there is value in contacting California programs prior to application season. If you want to show that you are interested in the program, you should send them an application when it is time to apply. I really can't think of a situation at our admissions committee where an expression of interest from a marginal candidate was met with increased enthusiasm from the committee. An expression of interest really can't make up for glaring deficiencies in the rest of the application and only ends up burdening the program coordinator with lots of phone calls.

Most of the time the extent of discussion about expressions of interest was quite limited. e.g., "Just to update everyone, here is the correspondence I received this week. X sent in a thank you note. Most of you remember her, right? Yes, we ranked her pretty highly. We also got a nice letter from Y, and it looks like he updated it with a new clerkship grade. A few other thank you notes from P, Q, and R. Okay, B, can you make sure that these go into their files? Okay now who do we have to discuss today?"

 

[splik]

you will have a hard time with california it is by far the most difficult state to break into as an IMG. quite apart from it being popular with applications, the MBC have the most stringent requirements. Without a PTAL you will not be able to apply in cali and for this IIRC you must have graduated from medical school as they require a copy of your diploma and all your rotations etc. It is quite complex.

Aside from that pretty much the only california program that seems to have caribbean grads is UCLA-Kern which is because no one wants to live in Bakersfield, the most depressing place in the country. Cedars-Sinai has now gone. UCLA-SFV is less competitive but I think they tend to go for FMGs from more established medical schools.

 

[Leo Aquarius]

Chances are, it won't make any darn difference. Directors aren't that easily swayed. Think about other ways to boost your application.

...and yep, California is probably the hardest to break into. Still try though...

 

[goingpsych]

Thanks for all the input guys, its much appreciated. I know california is very competitive. I'll have my ecfmg cert and my ptal done by the time i submit my application in sept, so I'm hoping that'll help somewhat.

Other than that, any suggestions on how to boost my app? I'm trying to find research and am hoping to find something but if I dont I'm not too sure what to do. Are there other things I can do to boost my app? Thanks again ya'll.

 

[twright]

Thanks for all the input guys, its much appreciated. I know california is very competitive. I'll have my ecfmg cert and my ptal done by the time i submit my application in sept, so I'm hoping that'll help somewhat.

Other than that, any suggestions on how to boost my app? I'm trying to find research and am hoping to find something but if I dont I'm not too sure what to do. Are there other things I can do to boost my app? Thanks again ya'll.

We focus heavily on core clerkship grades, psychiatry sub-I grade, and letters of recommendation. Publications and leadership stuff help, but only for distinguishing among candidates who otherwise would be considered for our program. I can't think of a case where we took a candidate who was marginal on the core stuff (e.g., barely passed Step 1, few honors in anything) just because of a small boost on other stuff (e.g., published a 2nd author paper in Biological Psychiatry). If the research was a big boost (e.g., 5 first author papers in Nature or Cell) that might be a different story, but I can't recall any cases like that.