What is the basis of regional bias/how to overcome it?

[lesterfreamon]

If a primary reason is because they don't expect applicants to want to move across the country, would it be inappropriate to contact certain program coordinators with specific interests to be in a new region? If so, should this be done before or after the programs start sending out interviews?

And would this work for TYs/prelims as well?

Thanks.

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[bjb305]

so i uploaded like 5 or 6 different personal statements.. all were identical except i added a few sentences at the very end as to why i was interested in a certain program/area.. ie for hopkins and umd i mentioned that my brother lives in baltimore
so yea.. if you add something like that in the PS or contacting the program directly i think would definitely help

 

[exeunt]

if invites have already gone out for a program i'm interested in, at what point should i contact the program to express interest? and is it better to contact the program director or residency coordinator? thanks!!

 

[DrZzZz]

if invites have already gone out for a program i'm interested in, at what point should i contact the program to express interest? and is it better to contact the program director or residency coordinator? thanks!!

I'd never contact a PD directly. They are busy, especially this time of year, and are more likely to send your email straight to the trash. Not to say that the coordinators aren't also busy, but they are more likely to look at your email. Often times, they are given the "power" to decide what to pass on to the PD for further review. I only contacted coordinators (talking about advanced specialty, not prelims). Of the 8-9 I contacted, I was ignored by just 1. The rest either eventually offered me an interview (majority) or let me know that they were full and my application was no longer being considered. As far as when? If you know they are already sending invites, I guess it's not a terrible idea to send these emails out now/soon. I didn't contact people til the end of October - mid November, but I wasn't keeping tabs on who had sent out invites already (assumed by that point, everyone had).