post-interview communication

[Miss Alyssa]

Is it common in OB/GYN for programs to contact applicants personally after interviews and before rank lists? I've heard a lot, from SDN and at my med school, about how program directors, interviewers etc with email/call applicants with "love letter" and thinly or not do thinly veiled indicators of their probability of matching there, which may or my not be true.

I wasn't contacted by any programs. (I did get some emails that were fairly generic and I'm sure went out to every body.) I matched.. who know where, but I'm curious about this.

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[Pegsie]

It truly is variable by program...my program would contact people afterwards and liked hearing back. Others on our faculty came from programs where there was no contact at all.

 

[Iowa08]

I got several "love letters" from programs saying that they were going to rank me highly and I didn't match at those places. However, the letter that I thought was the most genuine and nicest of all the ones I got ended up being from the program I matched at (which was below some places that sent me 'rank you highly' letter). But it worked out and I love where I'm at now!

 

[jv24601]

I received a couple spontaneous calls/emails from programs post-interview, but not from my top ranked program. They did respond favorably when I emailed them to let them know they were my top choice but definitely weren't gushing. my advisor told me to be encouraged by positive contact with programs, but to take it with a grain of salt. I guess I'll see on friday how sincere they were...

 

[residencycoord]

Programs are not allowed to tell an applicant where they are going to be ranked even if they are number one, unlike medical students who can tell a program that they are going to rank them first. We get a lot of notes telling us that we will be ranked high on an applicants list.

 

[Squints2001]

That's not accurate. Either the applicant or program is free to share any information they want to - they are not allowed to make their ranking contingent upon any actions by the other party.

 

[residencycoord]

6.0 Restrictions on Persuasion

One of the purposes of the Main Residency Match is to allow both applicants and programs to make selection decisions on a uniform schedule and without coercion or undue or unwarranted pressure. Both applicants and programs may express their interest in each other; however, they shall not solicit verbal or written statements implying a commitment. Applicants shall at all times be free to keep confidential the names or identities of programs to which they have or may apply. In addition, it is a breach of this Agreement for:

(a) a program to request applicants to reveal ranking preferences; or

(b) an applicant to suggest or inform a program that placement on a rank order list or acceptance of an offer during SOAP is contingent upon submission of a verbal or written statement indicating the program's preference; or

(c) a program to suggest or inform an applicant that placement on a rank order list or a SOAP preference list is contingent upon submission of a verbal or written statement indicating the applicant's preference; or

(d) a program to require applicants to reveal the names or identities of programs to which they have or may apply; or

(e) a program and an applicant in the Main Residency Match to make any verbal or written contract for appointment to a concurrent year residency or fellowship position prior to the release of the List of Unfilled Programs

 

[Squints2001]

6.0 Restrictions on Persuasion

One of the purposes of the Main Residency Match is to allow both applicants and programs to make selection decisions on a uniform schedule and without coercion or undue or unwarranted pressure. Both applicants and programs may express their interest in each other; however, they shall not solicit verbal or written statements implying a commitment. Applicants shall at all times be free to keep confidential the names or identities of programs to which they have or may apply. In addition, it is a breach of this Agreement for:

(a) a program to request applicants to reveal ranking preferences; or

(b) an applicant to suggest or inform a program that placement on a rank order list or acceptance of an offer during SOAP is contingent upon submission of a verbal or written statement indicating the program's preference; or

(c) a program to suggest or inform an applicant that placement on a rank order list or a SOAP preference list is contingent upon submission of a verbal or written statement indicating the applicant's preference; or

(d) a program to require applicants to reveal the names or identities of programs to which they have or may apply; or

(e) a program and an applicant in the Main Residency Match to make any verbal or written contract for appointment to a concurrent year residency or fellowship position prior to the release of the List of Unfilled Programs

Right - all of that is about extorting the other party for a commitment. Where does it say you can't unilaterally inform the applicant of your ranking of them?

 

[anonperson]

Right - all of that is about extorting the other party for a commitment. Where does it say you can't unilaterally inform the applicant of your ranking of them?

It doesn't. You're free to tell a program where you will rank them as are they. Whether it helps or not is another question.