Board Scores In Mid-App Season: Email to Update or Nah?

[Mad Jack]

So I got some board scores in a couple of weeks ago. They have been transmitted and confirmed as being sent to my programs. My question is, do I have to email all of the programs that I've interviewed at, or do most of them automatically check the files before they start building rank lists? I don' like to be that candidate that's cluttering the inboxes of coordinators, but I also don' want to miss out on any opportunities because I failed to follow up. For people involved in the process, what is the best thing to do? My gut instinct is to send an update email, but if it's a waste of time for coordinators I don' want to burden them.

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[OldPsychDoc]

We're routinely checking for applicants with outstanding missing pieces.

 

[MacDonaldTriad]

I can't say that we look regularly for missing step scores, but when all is finished, I look for scores and may slide things up or down a little based on this new data. If you don't have step 2 by rank time, you will slide to the bottom a week before lists are due. I will never risk someone not graduating again. I also don't like seeing people play the "don't risk step 2" game. Getting this in last minute doesn't communicate a serious candidate and we wonder why. If you were going for derm without a step 2 score you would get zero interviews. Psych will never be like derm, but the basic measures are the same if you want to be the best you can be. Not taking care of business isn't a good sign.

We received a few dozen new applications in November, but only two or three didn't have red flags. I think we invited one of them. This has become an ocean of applicants given the fear of not matching. More important than standing out in good ways is not standing out in bad ways. You work very hard for 4 years to get here, don't short change the process. Why would you learn the Krebs cycle for the 5th time and then be slow to take a step? We get relatively little data about your abilities, but don't give us any less than your competition gives us.

Now there will be some people with life circumstance reasons and other arguments insisting that the process should be more understanding, but we invite less than 10% of applications now that the average number of applications per applicant is above 30. So there is always that reality. This is your last comparative hurdle that is involuntary. The subspecialty fellowships are practically free for the asking given last week's data. Good luck everyone, most of you will be fine.

 

[psychiatryhopeful]

on this note, i sent in an updated transcript but it seems as though programs hadn't uploaded the new transcript (even programs where the interview was after me sending in the updated transcript). do programs download your application when they decide to interview you only?

 

[OldPsychDoc]

I can't say that we look regularly for missing step scores, but when all is finished, I look for scores and may slide things up or down a little based on this new data. If you don't have step 2 by rank time, you will slide to the bottom a week before lists are due. I will never risk someone not graduating again. I also don't like seeing people play the "don't risk step 2" game. Getting this in last minute doesn't communicate a serious candidate and we wonder why. If you were going for derm without a step 2 score you would get zero interviews. Psych will never be like derm, but the basic measures are the same if you want to be the best you can be. Not taking care of business isn't a good sign.

We received a few dozen new applications in November, but only two or three didn't have red flags. I think we invited one of them. This has become an ocean of applicants given the fear of not matching. More important than standing out in good ways is not standing out in bad ways. You work very hard for 4 years to get here, don't short change the process. Why would you learn the Krebs cycle for the 5th time and then be slow to take a step? We get relatively little data about your abilities, but don't give us any less than your competition gives us.

Now there will be some people with life circumstance reasons and other arguments insisting that the process should be more understanding, but we invite less than 10% of applications now that the average number of applications per applicant is above 30. So there is always that reality. This is your last comparative hurdle that is involuntary. The subspecialty fellowships are practically free for the asking given last week's data. Good luck everyone, most of you will be fine.

 

[CingulateGyro]

I was also wondering this. I got CS a few weeks ago as well.

I had one program ask our interview group to update via email with new scores but I am going to assume that most will update ERAS during rank time and if not they will reach out and ask.

 

[Mad Jack]

I can't say that we look regularly for missing step scores, but when all is finished, I look for scores and may slide things up or down a little based on this new data. If you don't have step 2 by rank time, you will slide to the bottom a week before lists are due. I will never risk someone not graduating again. I also don't like seeing people play the "don't risk step 2" game. Getting this in last minute doesn't communicate a serious candidate and we wonder why. If you were going for derm without a step 2 score you would get zero interviews. Psych will never be like derm, but the basic measures are the same if you want to be the best you can be. Not taking care of business isn't a good sign.

We received a few dozen new applications in November, but only two or three didn't have red flags. I think we invited one of them. This has become an ocean of applicants given the fear of not matching. More important than standing out in good ways is not standing out in bad ways. You work very hard for 4 years to get here, don't short change the process. Why would you learn the Krebs cycle for the 5th time and then be slow to take a step? We get relatively little data about your abilities, but don't give us any less than your competition gives us.

Now there will be some people with life circumstance reasons and other arguments insisting that the process should be more understanding, but we invite less than 10% of applications now that the average number of applications per applicant is above 30. So there is always that reality. This is your last comparative hurdle that is involuntary. The subspecialty fellowships are practically free for the asking given last week's data. Good luck everyone, most of you will be fine.

All my app as missing was the CS/PE, which I submitted about a week ago. Everything else was in before my initial app was submitted. Zero red flags in my app, scores above average for the specialty on Step 1 and far above average on the COMLEX. I should be good for ranking without a follow-up letter, correct? I just have too much respect for the time of those involved in the selection process to want to send them updates that are unnecessary.

Totally agree with everything you said though, and advising third years I've moved to recommending as you've suggested here and elsewhere for psychiatry moving forward. There's just too much to filter and not having scores early will cost them interviews.

 

[MacDonaldTriad]

At this stage of the game, if you have had eight or twelve interviews, you are probably golden. Just post everything so when programs look for step II it is there in Feb. If you don't match with 10 programs on your list, you probably will not match with 20 on your list because you interview like a serial killer. You will be fine. Best of luck.

 

[Monocles]

you probably will not match with 20 on your list because you interview like a serial killer

omg dying

 

[CingulateGyro]

Totally agree with everything you said though, and advising third years I've moved to recommending as you've suggested here and elsewhere for psychiatry moving forward. There's just too much to filter and not having scores early will cost them interviews.

Absolutely. My school's advice was anytime before rank list. Thank God I wandered on here and moved my test up to Oct

 

[psychattending]

For me (and I would think for most PDs) just having the scores resent is all that is needed (this is something that you have to do in ERAS). Sending an email just means that I need to respond back to the email.

 

[Mad Jack]

For me (and I would think for most PDs) just having the scores resent is all that is needed (this is something that you have to do in ERAS). Sending an email just means that I need to respond back to the email.

That's what I figured, and I respect the time of PDs too much for that. Thank you and everyone else in this thread for your responses!

 

[hallowmann]

So I got some board scores in a couple of weeks ago. They have been transmitted and confirmed as being sent to my programs. My question is, do I have to email all of the programs that I've interviewed at, or do most of them automatically check the files before they start building rank lists? I don' like to be that candidate that's cluttering the inboxes of coordinators, but I also don' want to miss out on any opportunities because I failed to follow up. For people involved in the process, what is the best thing to do? My gut instinct is to send an update email, but if it's a waste of time for coordinators I don' want to burden them.

Most programs will update the ERAS application at the time of ROL or a bit before, so for the most part you should be good. The only reason I could see updating programs that you've already interviewed at would be if they explicitly asked you to.

on this note, i sent in an updated transcript but it seems as though programs hadn't uploaded the new transcript (even programs where the interview was after me sending in the updated transcript). do programs download your application when they decide to interview you only?

It seems to vary. I went on interviews in the middle of the season where programs didn't have scores I submitted more than a month before. They apparently had a saved application from when they first reviewed my app, as opposed to reviewing an updated one.

All my app as missing was the CS/PE, which I submitted about a week ago. Everything else was in before my initial app was submitted. Zero red flags in my app, scores above average for the specialty on Step 1 and far above average on the COMLEX. I should be good for ranking without a follow-up letter, correct? I just have too much respect for the time of those involved in the selection process to want to send them updates that are unnecessary.

Totally agree with everything you said though, and advising third years I've moved to recommending as you've suggested here and elsewhere for psychiatry moving forward. There's just too much to filter and not having scores early will cost them interviews.

The only places I would contact are the following:

1) Additional programs I was hoping against all hope to get interviews at before interviews end.

2) My number 1 to emphasize why they're my number 1 and that I'm very interested in the program

For most programs, #2 won't make any difference, but for the rare one it might make a slight difference. My PD has explicitly said that they prefer people who won't to be here (obviously).

Also, I wouldn't worry so much about people being bothered by your emails. Most will either not notice it or think its fine of you. Now if you emailed them 3 times already throughout the season, and want to once again, that might be annoying. Besides thank you emails, I don't believe I sent more than one email to any individual programs.