Appeal interview rejection?

[chemta2006]

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I'm sure volumes have been written about appealing rejections during the med school app process, but I didn't see anything about writing an appeal letter for residency applications. Sorry if this has been discussed before. (If so, please link.)

I just received a rejection letter from my #1 choice (pre-interview; things may change afterwards of course). I'd let it go if I weren't so set on visiting, since I know I'm already doing well this interview season. My clerkship director suggested that I write an appeal letter to the PD.

Has anyone ever done this with any interview/match success? Does it work during the peds residency (or any other residency) application process? Thoughts/comments/stories? 😕

 

[Slade]

There's a few stories floating around SDN of people having appealed a rejection and consequently receiving interviews (even matching after initially being rejected). I don't know if this has happened in peds. I recently got a rejection to which I wrote an e-mail saying that I was really interested, top choice yadda yadda. I haven't heard back yet but I'll let you know. In any case, you have absolutely nothing to lose by writing a nice e-mail telling them how much you love the program, etc. Do it soon though before their interview spots fill.
Good luck!

 

[chemta2006]

There's a few stories floating around SDN of people having appealed a rejection and consequently receiving interviews (even matching after initially being rejected). I don't know if this has happened in peds. I recently got a rejection to which I wrote an e-mail saying that I was really interested, top choice yadda yadda. I haven't heard back yet but I'll let you know. In any case, you have absolutely nothing to lose by writing a nice e-mail telling them how much you love the program, etc. Do it soon though before their interview spots fill.
Good luck!

Thanks for the info, Slade! Good luck on your letter. Do you think the letter would help at all if you do not have new information (step 2 scores...not released till mid-Dec, publications, etc) to offer? I suppose it's a pointless exercise to say 'what if' but I think having new information would help more than just a 'here's why i would benefit your program' type appeal letter.

Sounds like the program i'm writing to still has lots of interview spots left; fingers crossed.

 

[michigangirl]

Thanks for the info, Slade! Good luck on your letter. Do you think the letter would help at all if you do not have new information (step 2 scores...not released till mid-Dec, publications, etc) to offer? I suppose it's a pointless exercise to say 'what if' but I think having new information would help more than just a 'here's why i would benefit your program' type appeal letter.

Sounds like the program i'm writing to still has lots of interview spots left; fingers crossed.

It can't hurt, as long as you know it probably won't help-- I agree with you that no new information would probably not be of any benefit. I had never heard of folks appealing rejections pre-interview, I'll be honest.

 

[twilightdoc]

...I just received a rejection letter from my #1 choice (pre-interview; things may change afterwards of course). I'd let it go if I weren't so set on visiting, since I know I'm already doing well this interview season. My clerkship director suggested that I write an appeal letter to the PD. Has anyone ever done this with any interview/match success? Does it work during the peds residency (or any other residency) application process? Thoughts/comments/stories? 😕

Some programs have arbitrary cut-offs for USMLE scores or grades, and it may be that you were rejected based on that. And many programs use several different reviewers to screen the applicants before offering an invitation to interview, and you may have run into one who rejected you without a great reason. My advice is to talk to your faculty advisor and have him/her contact the program in which you are interested on your behalf to see if they might interview you. There may be a faculty member at your med school who has connections to that program and could make the contact for you. I have done this in the past for a few students- sometimes it was successful, sometimes not. If this program is really your top choice, it is probably worth the effort.

 

[GoSpursGo]

I have a friend who recently appealed a rejection in IM and got an interview invite. She's couples matching and her significant other had an invite already, though, and she had a very specific professional interest that the school happened to have a particular research strength in. IMO it'll take a compelling reason (beyond "I love you and really think I'd be a good match," etc) to succeed.

 

[chemta2006]

Thanks everyone for the input.

Just wanted to give you an update, for the record. I asked my clerkship director for help in contacting the program on my behalf, and was told to write a detailed appeal letter to the PD and associate PDs. I'm not sure if he was unwilling to advocate for me or if it's not the standard for him.

After my appeal letter, I was told that interview slots and waitlist slots are full, but I could be on the "waitlist of the waitlist" in case a last-minute cancellation occurred. That's where I am now. I know it was very unlikely since the moment I got the rejection that I'd ever get an interview, but at least I tried. If a miracle happens, I'll let you know.


For reference, my grades are decent (3 honors, including peds) and my USMLE scores are pretty good (step 1: 245, step 2 CK: 258); 2 research projects, 1 abstract + poster presentation, various school activities. Awesome LoRs from my PI, AIs, and a peds subspecialty doc. Good dean's letter. Perhaps my grades were lacking or my application simply failed to differentiate me from the rest of the crowd.

 

[ronweasley]

Wow, what program wouldn't give this application an interview?! Mind us asking which program you were referring to?

Thanks everyone for the input.



For reference, my grades are decent (3 honors, including peds) and my USMLE scores are pretty good (step 1: 245, step 2 CK: 258); 2 research projects, 1 abstract + poster presentation, various school activities. Awesome LoRs from my PI, AIs, and a peds subspecialty doc. Good dean's letter. Perhaps my grades were lacking or my application simply failed to differentiate me from the rest of the crowd.

 

[deleted311769]

I have a friend who applied in medicine and was rejected before an interview. The medicine program director at our home program contacted their medical director, she got an interview, and ended up matching there. It happens.