Applying to programs you didn't speak with at Midyear

[indecisiveresident]

Hi!

I was wondering the programs' stances on applicants who didn't speak with them at any of their showcases. I'm currently a resident and I was definitely at Midyear, but I didn't get the chance to speak to a lot of booths due to other obligations. Is it worth applying for PGY-2s at their programs, since there are people who went through PPS and spoke to RPDs at the showcase who are more likely to have left an impact?

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[njac]

Yes.


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[87asu]

Having the same thoughts on applying to PGY1 programs that I missed during the showcase.

 

[Lebanesepharmacist]

Having the same thoughts on applying to PGY1 programs that I missed during the showcase.

Midyear’s role isn’t to increase your chances to be accepted, rather to know what YOU want. They definitely do not base their acceptances on whether they met you or not. They don’t remember everyone, if any.


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[KidPharmD]

Hi!

I was wondering the programs' stances on applicants who didn't speak with them at any of their showcases. I'm currently a resident and I was definitely at Midyear, but I didn't get the chance to speak to a lot of booths due to other obligations. Is it worth applying for PGY-2s at their programs, since there are people who went through PPS and spoke to RPDs at the showcase who are more likely to have left an impact?

Definitely apply anyway. PPS and the showcase is only part of it. Some programs don't consider that interaction at all, while others do. No one will tell you which they are. A good application can definitely get you an interview at our highly competitive residency even if it comes to us cold. However, a great interaction at PPS or showcase can get you an interview you wouldn't have otherwise gotten.

Midyear’s role isn’t to increase your chances to be accepted, rather to know what YOU want. They definitely do not base their acceptances on whether they met you or not. They don’t remember everyone, if any.

Be careful giving advice you aren't sure of. We have definitely given applicants we have experience with interviews when their application didn't technically warrant it. These experiences have been everything from showcase on up to rotations at our institution. Because we have a limited number of interview spots this by necessity means that there were applicants that didn't get an interview because there was no interaction to bump them up.

 

[Lebanesepharmacist]

Definitely apply anyway. PPS and the showcase is only part of it. Some programs don't consider that interaction at all, while others do. No one will tell you which they are. A good application can definitely get you an interview at our highly competitive residency even if it comes to us cold. However, a great interaction at PPS or showcase can get you an interview you wouldn't have otherwise gotten.



Be careful giving advice you aren't sure of. We have definitely given applicants we have experience with interviews when their application didn't technically warrant it. These experiences have been everything from showcase on up to rotations at our institution. Because we have a limited number of interview spots this by necessity means that there were applicants that didn't get an interview because there was no interaction to bump them up.

My advice is not to stop applying to a program just because you didn’t attend midyear. In some cases it helps but in others it does not, and i’m sure of this advice. You do not choose applicants based on if you saw them, there’s alot of criteria you base yourself on before contacting them for an interview, which include their letter of references, their gpa, their cv and their letter of intent, which are the requirements as an applicant. Midyear is not a requirement.

I understand it can increase your chances, but don’t discourage people from applying somewhere just because they didnt have the chance to talk to a program at midyear!


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[Rockinacoustic]

I always get a laugh from the programs who take CVs during midyear and fold them a certain way or write a code word on them that denotes whether or not to give them an interview.

 

[KidPharmD]

My advice is not to stop applying to a program just because you didn’t attend midyear....

That is good advice, but you said the following...

They definitely do not base their acceptances on whether they met you or not. They don’t remember everyone, if any.

That is a statement of absolutes, and a false one at that. People should apply to programs anyway, because just like you might be borderline candidate, you might also be a top candidate. However, students should not say "I'm not going to Midyear because it doesn't make any difference." If you can't get to Midyear it will be okay, but it might also get you a spot that you would have gotten otherwise. Not all programs care. Many will toss your CV or card before breaking down that day. Others use Showcase for a different purpose.

Programs do what they feel works for them. Much of it depends on the applications to open spots ratio or the applications to interview dates ratio for that particular place.