contacting programs before interview season

[wylie313]

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whats everyones take on this??? basically what i would do, if at all, would be a phone call expressing my interest in their program and say my application is in and that i am looking foward to learning more about it if granted an interview. one of my friends brought this up, im not sold on it at all, but i also dont wanna just totally disreguard it either... so i wanted more feedback. any suggestions?? thanks

 

[Winged Scapula]

Waste of time.

 

[wylie313]

thats what i figured, but my friend said he did it for a big time place in chicago, and the PD told him to contact them again when he submits his app to keep in touch im guessing? i dont know if these are just some of the games that we have to play and it means nothing, but i figured it was worth investigating

 

[Winged Scapula]

thats what i figured, but my friend said he did it for a big time place in chicago, and the PD told him to contact them again when he submits his app to keep in touch im guessing? i dont know if these are just some of the games that we have to play and it means nothing, but i figured it was worth investigating

Here's the way I see it:

- you meet some bigshot PD and tell him you are applying there. He has no idea how competitive you are, so gives some noncommittal, PC response like, "That's great. Let me know when you officially apply and I'll look forward to reviewing your application when it comes in. "

- you call the PD when you apply and he either:

a) looks at your app and decides to interview you
b) looks at your app and decides not to interview you
c) forgets you called

In general, if you make the ERAS filter/cut, you might have been interviewed anyway. If you don't you probably wouldn't.

So I don't see that the above manuever makes any difference to your application. Programs that are interested in applicants beyond their numbers and likely to review interesting applications anyway.

If a program gets a ton of applications and you are otherwise competitive for it, it probably doesn't hurt to have your application highlighted if:

a) you randomly bump into the PD or faculty member somewhere and ask them to take a look at your application
b) you ask a faculty member at your school who is buddies with said PD to call and tell them how great you are.

I am sure you will get people who tried this and say, "hey it worked for me". It never works for the non-competitive applicant.

I think what works more is that if you are competitive enough to be invited to interview, and then you express interest in returning to the program after you have learned something about it. I mean, honestly, what do you know about my program if you've never visited, never been a student there, never done a rotation? It means a lot more if you have and then tell me how interested you are.

<shrugs> I wouldn't necessarily discourage people from doing this but honestly, a lot of these people who go out of their way to call PDs even before the match season starts are pretty much tools. If you can assure me that you would handle the situation coolly and calmly, I can say it *probably* won't hurt you, but it also probably won't help.

 

[wylie313]

Here's the way I see it:

- you meet some bigshot PD and tell him you are applying there. He has no idea how competitive you are, so gives some noncommittal, PC response like, "That's great. Let me know when you officially apply and I'll look forward to reviewing your application when it comes in. "

- you call the PD when you apply and he either:

a) looks at your app and decides to interview you
b) looks at your app and decides not to interview you
c) forgets you called

In general, if you make the ERAS filter/cut, you might have been interviewed anyway. If you don't you probably wouldn't.

So I don't see that the above manuever makes any difference to your application. Programs that are interested in applicants beyond their numbers and likely to review interesting applications anyway.

If a program gets a ton of applications and you are otherwise competitive for it, it probably doesn't hurt to have your application highlighted if:

a) you randomly bump into the PD or faculty member somewhere and ask them to take a look at your application
b) you ask a faculty member at your school who is buddies with said PD to call and tell them how great you are.

I am sure you will get people who tried this and say, "hey it worked for me". It never works for the non-competitive applicant.

I think what works more is that if you are competitive enough to be invited to interview, and then you express interest in returning to the program after you have learned something about it. I mean, honestly, what do you know about my program if you've never visited, never been a student there, never done a rotation? It means a lot more if you have and then tell me how interested you are.

<shrugs> I wouldn't necessarily discourage people from doing this but honestly, a lot of these people who go out of their way to call PDs even before the match season starts are pretty much tools. If you can assure me that you would handle the situation coolly and calmly, I can say it *probably* won't hurt you, but it also probably won't help.

lol, well i def dont consider myself a tool, and thanks for the good insight, i wasnt sure about this whole idea either. i agree with you that if i have some prior experience with the program it might make more sense to go with that approach. i do consider myself competitive and i expect to receive an interview from this program and others that im interested in, its jsut that being an FMG my options are somewhat limited to forge these type of connections with any real quality programs (especially out of state programs) oh well i guess ill just let nature take its course. thanks

 

[NotAProgDirector]

Totally agree with WS. If you're rotating at my hospital, then by all means come and say hi. If you just call, then I assume you're deperate, a "gunner", or have a major personality disorder.

The one exception is spousal issues or other special circumstances. If your spouse is currently training at our hospital and now you want to come, then there is nothing wrong with contacting the PD directly prior to application season. However, in most of those cases you'd have arranged some of your rotations with us (I'd assume), so the former would apply anyway.

 

[wylie313]

K, points taken...def dont wanna appear desperate. thanks guys

 

[Blade28]

Totally agree with what WS said.