Thanking your interviewers

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AnnaMags

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I just had my first interview today. I'm ready to send out thank yous to them. What are the thoughts on handwritten thank you card vs. a typed letter? I know it sounds silly, but sometimes these little things (which I know are usually placed in your file) are important.

Thanks
 
Hand written for sure..and write something personal so it doesnt look like a standardized letter.
 
Either way is o.k. If it is typed, don't sound too formal. I got one last year that read like a court summons. (wait a minute... 😱 )

Seriously, the people getting them understand you are just playing the game for the most part. They all played it too. You still get points for playing it however.

If you honestly had a good time and honestly see yourself ranking them highly, tell them so. Interviewers are human too. They tend to want people who want them.

I've recieved a few at least a month afterwards. Many will tell you that is too late. For a gift I guess it might be. But a little later does help refresh the memory of the inteviewer. On that note, it doesn't hurt to send a note promptly and then call the program a month or even more into the interview season to touch base and gently remind them of your existence and/or your desire to match there. There is nothing against the rules or unethical about telling a program you intend to rank them highly or even number one. It is just wrong for either party (programs really) to ask this information.

Try to have all of your follow up contacts completed by February 1st. Many programs begin finalizing rank lists by then.
 
edinOH said:
Either way is o.k. If it is typed, don't sound too formal. I got one last year that read like a court summons. (wait a minute... 😱 )

Seriously, the people getting them understand you are just playing the game for the most part. They all played it too. You still get points for playing it however.

If you honestly had a good time and honestly see yourself ranking them highly, tell them so. Interviewers are human too. They tend to want people who want them.

I've recieved a few at least a month afterwards. Many will tell you that is too late. For a gift I guess it might be. But a little later does help refresh the memory of the inteviewer. On that note, it doesn't hurt to send a note promptly and then call the program a month or even more into the interview season to touch base and gently remind them of your existence and/or your desire to match there. There is nothing against the rules or unethical about telling a program you intend to rank them highly or even number one. It is just wrong for either party (programs really) to ask this information.

Try to have all of your follow up contacts completed by February 1st. Many programs begin finalizing rank lists by then.
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so when you say "follow up contacts" -- could that be something like an e-mail to the program director or one of your other interviewers....

i tend to be kind of shy... when i'm done with my interviews, i want to be able to properly express myself to the two or three places that i am most interested in, and i don't want them to have forgotten about me if they so happen to be the places that i interviewed at in late november or early december. so i think this whole follow-up "remember me, i like you" thing is really important, i just want to do it the right way....

any advice would be appreciated.
 
Agreed seeking advice on the above.
 
EctopicFetus said:
Agreed seeking advice on the above.
Click to expand...

You could reserve a particular question, and near the end of interview season say something like: Dear PD, as I prepare my rol, i came across one other question regarding your program, blah blah.. .then you could go on saying how wonderful they are and how you fit well!

or you could say: Dear PD, as ROL day approaches, I wanted you to be aware that I will be ranking you very highly blah blah


just some thoughts, i havent written one yet so i dont know, but maybe it can stimulate some creativity to get some ideas going 🙂
 
Something as simple as "Dear Dr. SoandSo, Thanks again for the interview on such and such of a date. I was really impressed with your program and feel confident that I would be a good fit for your program. As you conclude your interview season, please keep me in mind. I am very interested in your program and plan to place your program at (or near) the top of my list.

Sincerely,

Ass-kissing residency applicant"

The above is an example. It actually reads alittle more formally that I might suggest. Revise and edit as you see fit.

THE KEY IS THAT IF YOU REALLY FEEL STRONGLY ABOUT A PROGRAM, SOMEHOW LET THEM KNOW!!!! EITHER IN WRITING OR IN PERSON.

Ultimately, just as with women (or men 😉 ) you need to not play games and just let them know how you feel.
 
edinOH said:
Sincerely,

Ass-kissing residency applicant"
.
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:laugh: :laugh: :laugh: :laugh:

you guys crack me up!

K
 
our dean and my adviser both said that email is fine. also our dean suggested putting in something specific about the program that you like.
 
I'm all over the handwritten thank yous. I have a stationery fetish, and this gave me an excuse to buy some sweet hand-bordered correspondence cards with matching printed envelopes. 🙂 If only I could afford the letterpress...

One question though: Do you send TYs to the program secretaries too? It seems like the polite thing to do, but is it overkill?

Emily Post should write a residency interview etiquette book!
 
Hurricane said:
One question though: Do you send TYs to the program secretaries too?
Click to expand...
I won't be sending any notes to the secretaries, but you're probably a nicer person than I am.
 
How do people feel about emailing thank you notes?
 
asdfaa said:
How do people feel about emailing thank you notes?
Click to expand...

Believe it or not, there are attendings out there who don't check their email, or they have their secretary do it, and don't see half of it. Safer to go with a paper letter, whether handwritten or typed.
 
Any note is better than no note. Personally, I like the handwritten ones (assuming I can read them), but typing is certainly fine. In this day and age, most people have come up with some way of dealing with their e-mail (even if it is the secretary printing them out to read hard copy), but I'd personally be worried about the spam filter.

As to content, it doesn't have to be a novel, a short note will suffice (which is where notecards come in handy, less space to fill!) My typical note is something like:

Dear Dr. X,

Thank you for taking the time to interview me on December 1st. I enjoyed our discussion about Y. The program left me very impressed with its strengths in Z and the excellent training your residents are receiving. As I progress through my interviews, I am sure I will be considering your program strongly. Please feel free to contact me if you there is any further information I can provide you about my application.

Thank you again,

surg

It's simple, to the point, and personalized. Of course, it helps to have had a discussion about something and made a note of it on the interview day. Always take notes on what you talked about and what you liked/disliked about a program as soon as each day is done (or if there are any break periods during the day). Those notes will be invaluable as you assemble your final lists as you will be amazed at how the programs start to run together after a month on the road.

Good luck!
 
Hurricane said:
I'm all over the handwritten thank yous. I have a stationery fetish, and this gave me an excuse to buy some sweet hand-bordered correspondence cards with matching printed envelopes. 🙂 If only I could afford the letterpress...

One question though: Do you send TYs to the program secretaries too? It seems like the polite thing to do, but is it overkill?

Emily Post should write a residency interview etiquette book!
Click to expand...

Hurricane, I recommend thanking the residency coordinators (don't call them secretaries). I listen to mine. She probably has more insight into the interpersonal skills than I do after dealing with you on the phone, setting up the interviews and so on.

So take their names down into your new leather portfolio.

bkn

p.s. love the accessorized (sp?) avatar. 🙂
 
AnnaMags said:
I just had my first interview today. I'm ready to send out thank yous to them. What are the thoughts on handwritten thank you card vs. a typed letter? I know it sounds silly, but sometimes these little things (which I know are usually placed in your file) are important.

Thanks
Click to expand...

Hey Anna!
Hope things are going well!

I typed my thank you letters after interviews. For me it would be too hard to decide what kind of paper, etc to handwrite a letter on, and I didn't want to send a card--too cheesy for me--so I just said what I had to say and laid down the praise for the program on a typewritten letter.

:luck:
 
BKN said:
Hurricane, I recommend thanking the residency coordinators (don't call them secretaries). I listen to mine. She probably has more insight into the interpersonal skills than I do after dealing with you on the phone, setting up the interviews and so on.

So take their names down into your new leather portfolio.

bkn

p.s. love the accessorized (sp?) avatar. 🙂
Click to expand...

Thanks for the advice!

RE the cat... Doesn't he look festive? It's been almost a year since I took that picture, but I think the little guy is still holding a grudge. :laugh:
 
If I really enjoyed an interview and was going to likely rank them highly, I wrote all the interviews a brief hand-written card. I also thanked the program coordinator especially since he/she was the one who put my busy interview schedules together.

For all other programs, I only sent cards to the PD, department chair (if I had met the chair), and the program coordinator.

I did this out of common courtesy...not to brownnose in the attempt to have them rank me higher nor out of the fear of me being ranked lower for not having written them a card.

There were a few places that I did not like. I didn't bother communicating with them. I would rather save the postage and go buy a can of cheap beer.
 
AngryTesticle said:
If I really enjoyed an interview and was going to likely rank them highly, I wrote all the interviews a brief hand-written card. I also thanked the program coordinator especially since he/she was the one who put my busy interview schedules together.

For all other programs, I only sent cards to the PD, department chair (if I had met the chair), and the program coordinator.

I did this out of common courtesy...not to brownnose in the attempt to have them rank me higher nor out of the fear of me being ranked lower for not having written them a card.

There were a few places that I did not like. I didn't bother communicating with them. I would rather save the postage and go buy a can of cheap beer.
Click to expand...

angrytesticle :laugh:
 
There were a few places that I did not like. I didn't bother communicating with them. I would rather save the postage and go buy a can of cheap beer.[/QUOTE]

Dude, you crack me up. :laugh:

BTW, I love the screen name and avatar 👍

I sent hand written thank-yous to everyone who talked to me, including PD's, attendings, interns/residents AND coordinators (NOT secretaries, thanks BKN).
 
Do you think it's necessary to send a thank you to your interviewers at your own school?
 
orientedtoself said:
Do you think it's necessary to send a thank you to your interviewers at your own school?
Click to expand...
Well, it's never "necessary" to send a thank you note. And if you don't for your own school, it should be fine. But if they treat you well, you should at least email your interviewers, program director, and program coordinator just to thank them.

For me, all of my interviewers knew me since we had met during my pathology rotation so the whole process was pretty lax and pressure-free. Two of my interviewers had written LORs for me so it was weird for them to interview me. But we had good conversations and some laughs. In any case, I thanked them at the end when I had my match result and expressed my appreciation to them for helping me out. I also thanked the PD since he had "taken his PD hat off" and provided me honest advice as to which program would be the best fit for me when I went through my ROL with him (he knew I had no desire to stay at my home institution)."
 
it's okay to not send thank you notes if you don't plan to rank a program highly or at all, right?
 
ronin8 said:
it's okay to not send thank you notes if you don't plan to rank a program highly or at all, right?
Click to expand...
You should express thanks if you truly feel thankful about the experience. If you did not like the interview visit and hence you will not rank the program highly or at all, don't waste the money or time to send thank you notes. That is totally acceptable.
 
I recommend taking the time to jot down a few notes about what you discussed, right after you leave the interview room. I'm writing thank you notes now, only a few days after the interview and I can't remember squat about what I talked about with a few of the interviewers.

Next interview, I'm actually gonna use that ol' portfolio I drag around with me and write some notes about the interview conversations.
 
ronin8 said:
it's okay to not send thank you notes if you don't plan to rank a program highly or at all, right?
Click to expand...

if you dont send them thank you cards, they may think you are rude and they wont rank you highly, which will result in you not matching at a program that you did not rank

that would totally suck 😱
 
If you were interviewed by someone other than the program director, do you send notes to the interviewer, the PD, and the interview coordinator?

What kind of stationary should be used?
 
😱 how do you people find the time let alone $$$ to send off so many freakin' thank you notes/cards???? just the 2 interviews i've done thus far have had me talking with 5 different interviewers in addition to the pd's, res coordinators, interns/residents and sometimes chair. ain't no way i can crank out 7+ thank you cards to the 10 or so places i'm interviewing at! i've settled on sending off a single card with the names of the people whom i came in contact with that day. i may send individualized cards to my top 3 or so programs depending on how much time i have, so we'll see. i figure this way it'll save a small rainforest in paper. 😉
 
MDgonnabe said:
😱 how do you people find the time let alone $$$ to send off so many freakin' thank you notes/cards???? just the 2 interviews i've done thus far have had me talking with 5 different interviewers in addition to the pd's, res coordinators, interns/residents and sometimes chair. ain't no way i can crank out 7+ thank you cards to the 10 or so places i'm interviewing at! i've settled on sending off a single card with the names of the people whom i came in contact with that day. i may send individualized cards to my top 3 or so programs depending on how much time i have, so we'll see. i figure this way it'll save a small rainforest in paper. 😉
Click to expand...

Rigorous training. I got married last year. It was like thank-you note boot camp. 😉
 
Hurricane said:
Rigorous training. I got married last year. It was like thank-you note boot camp. 😉
Click to expand...

:laugh:
 
Below is a copy of my message from a previous SDN discussion on thanking interviewers.

Many of the previous postings have it incorrect. A thank you note is a courtesy, not an application/coded reference.

My two cents ...

1. A thank you note is a courtesy to the interviewer. Attendings are busy with clinical, research, and administrative responsibilities. They are also trying to run the high-quality residency programs that you are applying for. Thank them in a polite and straightforward manner.

2. A thank you note should not be a long discussion on your interview. It should not be some sort of coded message about how you are ranking the program. Many people do not heed this advice. You should send a letter to your number one choice after you complete your interviews.

3. Send the thank you note as soon as possible. If not, they will build up. I had classmates with lots of letters to write. Use the return trip to write your letters.

4. Handwritten notes are best. Use proper stationary and a good pen. Few do this nowadays and it stands out. Type-written is next best if you have poor handwriting. Email is adequate, but not as appreciated.
 
Butch said:
Below is a copy of my message from a previous SDN discussion on thanking interviewers.

Many of the previous postings have it incorrect. A thank you note is a courtesy, not an application/coded reference.

My two cents ...

1. A thank you note is a courtesy to the interviewer. Attendings are busy with clinical, research, and administrative responsibilities. They are also trying to run the high-quality residency programs that you are applying for. Thank them in a polite and straightforward manner.

2. A thank you note should not be a long discussion on your interview. It should not be some sort of coded message about how you are ranking the program. Many people do not heed this advice. You should send a letter to your number one choice after you complete your interviews.

3. Send the thank you note as soon as possible. If not, they will build up. I had classmates with lots of letters to write. Use the return trip to write your letters.

4. Handwritten notes are best. Use proper stationary and a good pen. Few do this nowadays and it stands out. Type-written is next best if you have poor handwriting. Email is adequate, but not as appreciated.
Click to expand...


Butch, this is great. But it sounds like you're dangerously close to becoming a "use the search function" nazi. Nobody likes that guy. Amend your ways before it's too late. Remember it's actually possible for you to ignore a post. 😉
 
Is it necessary to send thank yous to every person who interviewed or just the PD? Some of the places I went to had me interview with 5-6 people. Sounds like a lot of work. Plus I'm not really sure that thanks or in order for a 30min conversation. There comes a point where extreme ass-kissing makes you look wormy and lowers your market value.,
 
nortomaso said:
There comes a point where extreme ass-kissing makes you look wormy and lowers your market value.,
Click to expand...

I don't think sending a thank you note is ever "wormy" or will lower your market value. At worst, it will not help you. One exception being if you send the same generic note to every person. I have heard of instances of people within a program comparing thank you notes from an applicant and recognizing that each person received a note with the exact same thing written in each card.
 
So, why is it so bad just to send one card and thank all your interviewers? Also, if the program has 2 people interviewing you at the same time, would it not be appropriate to send one card for 2 interviewers? This whole "Thank-you" card thing has turned me to therapy :laugh: . Like someone has posted before, this whole thing is getting way to out of control. Between the cost of interviewing, thank-you cards, postage, second looks, suits, & everything else, I think I need to start selling my blood :laugh: .
 
Please see my post above. Yes, thank every person you interview with. A general thank you with a specific detail is fine. I interviewed in a field where 10+ interviews are not uncommon. Thank you notes are appropriate, appreciated and not at all "wormy."

Thank everyone. A good set of thank you notes and some stamps is far less expensive than the one or two new suits, cost of ERAS, and USMLE Step2 (especially the silly CS exam).

Regarding any program where the various attendings have time to compare thank you notes and reject candidates if they write similar things, you do NOT want to go to that program or even rank them. It demonstrates a lack of consideration/basic manners and a pettiness that will only increase when you are a resident.
 
nortomaso said:
There comes a point where extreme ass-kissing makes you look wormy and lowers your market value.,
Click to expand...


Wishful thinking. 😉 Haven't you actually been to medical school. :laugh:
 
Do you think it's all right if the letter is types instead of handwritten? If it's handwritten, what kind of paper do you use or do you send a card?

One other question - do you send thank you notes to the program director and the other faculty and residents that interviewed you separately, or do you include them all in one letter?
Should the letter for the residency coordinator also be separate?


Thanks!
 
Peeshee said:
Do you think it's all right if the letter is types instead of handwritten? If it's handwritten, what kind of paper do you use or do you send a card?

One other question - do you send thank you notes to the program director and the other faculty and residents that interviewed you separately, or do you include them all in one letter?
Should the letter for the residency coordinator also be separate?


Thanks!
Click to expand...

All separate. I think typed is fine. First Aid for the Match actually has a typed letter as their example. I started off sending handwritten notes. I have hand-bordered correspondence cards with my name on them, because I have a fetish for nice stationery. However, I ended up switching to email, for some of the reasons mentioned here. Most importantly, it opens a line for further communication. Many interviewers will reply to your email and offer themselves up for further questions and whatnot. Athough a mailed note is more formal, it's not as convenient for two-way communication.
 
I thanked program coordinators in a follow-up email asking for mailing addresses of my interviewers, then on handwritten thank-you cards to PD and interviewers. Did not send anything to the program I won't rank. For my first choice program, I said so in the thank you letters.

Docs get so much crap through email that your thank you letter might be lost in the shuffle. A postcard may get buried under the pile of Playboys on the desk but it's less likely.
 
What if you don't meet with the program director during your interview? Do you still send a thank you note to him/her anyway?
 
robotsonic said:
What if you don't meet with the program director during your interview? Do you still send a thank you note to him/her anyway?
Click to expand...

Hi robotsonic - I've made my decision on that question based on how much I like the program. If it's at the top of my list, I send a letter to the PD thanking him for the opportunity to explore the program. If it's low or not one I'm going to rank, I just thank my individual interviewers.
 
Do you have to send 2 letters to a program: a thank you letter AND a letter of interest near rank time???
 
thank you notes are cheap and so are the stamps, writing each one should only take a minutes or two, maybe 3 minutes a note max......so if you write all your interviewers, tour guide, residency coordinator...etc....figure about 9 ppl......it will take you about 30 minutes......its only 30 minutes and a few dollars,
its pretty cheap and effortless if you keep up with it and do it right away
 
First, did anyone else laugh when reading this thread and realizing that it could only be medical students/type A personalities who would write so much on such a topic as thank you notes? Or perhaps it speaks to the stressfulness/insanity of the match process that causes us worry so much over such a trivial thing?

Second, I am a big fan of handwritten thank you notes on nice cards UNLESS the interviewer and/or PD specifically gave me their email address OR I was explicitly told by the PD NOT to send thank you notes. (This happened at 2 different institutions.) But even then, I emailed a short thank you to the interviewers, not the PD as I did not want to appear like I cannot follow directions.

Third, for medical school interviews, I tried to put something personal in each thank you note to my interviewers, but this time I had a more difficult time thinking of something unique to write in each note, so I just said basically the same thing in each, just in different words. I did make a point, though, of writing what I specifically liked about that particular program, especially if I knew that I was going to be ranking it high. I figured that instead of trying to sound as if I were trying too hard, a simple, straightforward thank-you note would be best.

Last, I only told 1 program that I will be ranking it high. I plan to write another letter to the program I eventually rank as #1 letting them know I have ranked it #1.
 
Bizarre, I wonder what the rationale is behind the "no thankyou notes" policy.
 
Mumpu said:
Bizarre, I wonder what the rationale is behind the "no thankyou notes" policy.
Click to expand...
Well, if they figure everyone is going to write them and say basically the same thing, why not just do away with all the bs? I can appreciate that.
 
A thank you note is a courtesy. It is not BS. It should be acceptable to write the exact same thank you note to each interviewer.

The "rationale" behind not sending thank you notes is a lack of courtesy and appreciation for the time and effort of others.

The addition of coded messages in thank you notes represents the silliness of the medical profession. The same could be said of the entirety of the Step2CS examination, but that is for another thread.

orientedtoself said:
Well, if they figure everyone is going to write them and say basically the same thing, why not just do away with all the bs? I can appreciate that.
Click to expand...
 
Butch said:
The "rationale" behind not sending thank you notes is a lack of courtesy and appreciation for the time and effort of others.
Click to expand...
I think the "no thank you notes policy" was referring to a program that asked its applicants not to send notes. They didn't want them. The question is why not? Don't they like receiving pretty, thoughtful, hand-written notes reminding them how wonderful they are? Especially if they are sincere? My guess is they recognize the time that goes into sending multiple notes to each program, and want to save their applicants that time and effort, at least at their program.
 
orientedtoself said:
I think the "no thank you notes policy" was referring to a program that asked its applicants not to send notes. They didn't want them. The question is why not? Don't they like receiving pretty, thoughtful, hand-written notes reminding them how wonderful they are? Especially if they are sincere? My guess is they recognize the time that goes into sending multiple notes to each program, and want to save their applicants that time and effort, at least at their program.
Click to expand...
While getting a personal thank you note is nice, it must get tiring once every single med student starts sending the same freaking note. How many times would you really want to read, "I really liked X at your program and would love to train with blah blah blah." Do you really think your thank you letter sounds that different from all the others?
 
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