Letter of interest (for #1 ranked program) to PD

[applyingstudent121]

I've searched and seen plenty of threads about these letters to a program that will be your #1 choice. Some people say January is the time to do it. Does the date within Jan matter? i.e. Does it matter if it is before or after Jan 15?

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[Doctor Bob]

It needs to be between January 13th and January 16th, unless the 16th falls on a Saturday/Sunday, in which case it should be prior to Jan 18th. The letter should be dated no earlier than 2 weeks prior to the postmark date unless it's mailed from the southern hemisphere in which case the letter should have a stamp on the bottom left corner, dated one third the time between the interview date and the rank order deadline.


But seriously, it doesn't matter because these letters are worthless.

 

[RangerBob]

Most programs keep a running rank list (ie, they rank you after your interview day). So your position on the list is really already already set. I did tell my first choice programs (prelim and advanced) that they were my first choices, and while I got positive responses back, I don't think it changed anything. I did match at one of the two, but I'm 99% sure I would've matched there without those e-mails.

More important is to really convey how interested you are during the interview (without going overboard...).

Keep in mind a lot of people send multiple programs a "you're my number 1" e-mail, so those letters often get disregarded for this reason. If it will help you feel better then go ahead and send it, but really focus on the things that actually make a difference (med school and USMLE performance, interview performance, etc.)

 

[ChessMaster3000]

How about telling the PD or aPD during the interview, if you happen to interview with them, that you plan on ranking them #1 (if that is truly the case?). Is that too much? I have my #1 program's interview coming up in a few weeks and am trying to figure out how to play it to maximize the interest without being too aggressive.

 

[mcl]

How about telling the PD or aPD during the interview, if you happen to interview with them, that you plan on ranking them #1 (if that is truly the case?). Is that too much? I have my #1 program's interview coming up in a few weeks and am trying to figure out how to play it to maximize the interest without being too aggressive.

It's too early/too much and a little awkward. Wait until the interview season is over before sending the "I'm ranking you #1" email--it will be much more likely to be believed at the end of the process rather than in the middle. It will also keep you from having a crisis of conscience in the off chance that a later interview makes you fall in love with another program but you feel like you've already committed to this one. (As an aside, you really haven't. These #1 emails aren't binding in any way, and people change their minds all the time.)

Anyway, tell the PD how much you appreciate the opportunity to interview, how much you enjoyed meeting the residents/other faculty, seeing the community, etc. You can state a strong interest without going all the way to "I plan to rank you first."

Unsolicited advice--it's more than OK to have favorites, but don't get overly invested in one place. Every program has pros and cons, so think of the pros for each place you rank and decide in advance that no matter what program name appears on Match Day, you will be happy there.

 

[gutonc]

And just to piggy back on what @mcl said...the 2 programs I though would be my #1 and 2 going into the season wound up #4 and #8 at the end. Go everywhere with an open mind.

 

[MLT2MT2DO]

It needs to be between January 13th and January 16th, unless the 16th falls on a Saturday/Sunday, in which case it should be prior to Jan 18th. The letter should be dated no earlier than 2 weeks prior to the postmark date unless it's mailed from the southern hemisphere in which case the letter should have a stamp on the bottom left corner, dated one third the time between the interview date and the rank order deadline.


But seriously, it doesn't matter because these letters are worthless.

People say this, but I've been outright told, twice, if I plan on ranking the program my number one come January to let them know as that is taken into consideration.

 

[RangerBob]

People say this, but I've been outright told, twice, if I plan on ranking the program my number one come January to let them know as that is taken into consideration.

I'd imagine it still doesn't make a difference--a program really doesn't have any incentive to bump you up their list just because they're your first choice. But, they do have an incentive to make you think that ranking them first that it would increase your odds of matching there, as it might lead you to rank that program higher than you otherwise would have.

ie., I really want to rank program A first, then B second, but I know both are reaches and I may not match at either, but if I thought ranking B first would actually help increase the odds of matching to one of those "dream programs" then maybe I rank it first so that I can ethically tell program B they're my first choice and get the "#1 bump" they hinted at.

My guess is the programs that say things like that want to get an idea ahead of time whether they're going to fill their positions and where people who rank them #1 fall on their rank list--in theory if they have 4 positions and 4 people say "you're my #1" and actually rank them #1, then they now now they will do at least as good as the lowest of those 4 people. (Granted, programs would be smart enough to realize some of those applicants may not be truthful)

If you absolutely know you're going to rank a program #1, it probably doesn't hurt to tell a program. But I think what really matters to a program is that you genuinely want to go there--they likely won't change your position on the list because you rank them 1 instead of 2, but they most definitely would if they got the opinion you had no real interest in coming to their program (if they're your back-up, etc., then you might be miserable and bring down everyone in the program, or you might leave if a better opportunity comes by, etc.).

The other thing to consider is sometimes you will end up juggling around where to rank your favorite programs--it was pretty clear when I finished interviewing in January what my top three programs were, but I had a hard time ranking those three relative to each other. If I tell a program they're my #1 in mid-January then now I'm either "locked-in" to ranking them first or if I change my mind I risk alienating myself from that program and others (PM&R is a small world--people talk) if that program ranked me high enough to match but I end up somewhere else.