"Thank you" letter to EVERYONE you interacted with?

[dextroam11]

I was thinking about writing hand-written thank you cards to everyone I had an interaction with... but today I had a 3-part interview(clinical, situational, about me) and each interview panel contains 3 pharmacists each. So total, I had 9 people I interviewed with (with some residents and director), also other residents who toured me and answered my questions during lunch.

In this case... do I really need to write 10+ thank you cards to everyone I interacted with?
or should I just pick and choose whom i should write hand-written cards? (for example, write hand written card to director of pharmacy and RPD, but send a group e-mail to each interview panel or current pgy-1 residents?)

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[Rockinacoustic]

Write a thank you note/email to RPD extending your thanks to the rest of the interview panel.

 

[californiabear_102]

Should you expect RPDs to respond to thank you emails? Most of the RPDs I have contacted have responded to my thank you emails after interviews, but some have not. I am wondering if it relates to interview performance or if they are just super busy?

 

[KidPharmD]

They are super busy. Unless you asked a question, I would not expect a reply from most.

 

[projektreverb]

Short answer: No.

I’m seeing how busy my RPD is right now. Not surprised if she wouldn’t answer an email like that. I have to remind my RPD to respond MY emails right now, and I’m their d**m resident if that says anything about how busy they are LOL. That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t send a thank you note, but still.

 

[Reptar22]

Do programs expect a letter within 24 hours even if you hand-write and mail it?

 

[KidPharmD]

Do programs expect a letter within 24 hours even if you hand-write and mail it?

No one expects a letter within 24hrs. I have it heard it suggested (mostly by schools) that thank you's be sent within 24hrs so that it is easily for them to associate the thank you note/email with you.

Here is my tip: Send a physical thank you before you leave the city the program is in. It will get there faster if it stays in the local mail system. Also physical thank you's are more likely to get put with your application than are e-mails. I imagine there are probably a few RPD's that print e-mails and keep them with applications but I don't imagine it is many. This can especially be important if your interview is early in the process since they will have seen a lot of candidates between you and the day a rank list is made.

 

[BPharmtastic]

I made out handwritten thank yous to everyone (9 people) and then stuck them all in one postal envelope to ensure that everyone got them at the same time. But I have a lot of friends who just sent emails to the RPD or emails to everyone if they had their email.

 

[RxEvileye]

I think that after Midyear, generally far too much time is spent by students trying to impress with or stress about thank-you emails and letters. Could your hour spent typing be better spent researching the program(s) or editing your application materials?

After interview day, it may matter more as others have pointed out just because the pool is now smaller and your thank-you would be remembered. My RPD probably would not end up referencing back to all the interviewee's email interactions though. It is a nice gesture if anything and probably nicer if handwritten.

Personally, I thanked the RPD via email, asked them for contact info of who I interacted with, and sent brief thank-you emails to everyone. I find it a little disturbing sometimes when I hear about programs giving points just for sending a thank-you, stopping by their booth at events, or coming to Open House. Yeah it shows interest and that you might be a nice person, but not necessarily fit. Students also have varying ability to make it to events.

 

[pharmBear]

At my workplace, the candidate's Thankyou emails sent to the RD were then forwarded to the distribution group for those who were involved with the process as FYI.
Efficient i think.