From the other side of the interviewing fence...
What are your reactions to getting contacted by programs after you've interviewed? Would getting more than a generic contact affect your rank list? Do 2nd looks help make up your mind? Would getting no contact indicate a program's disinterest? Are you turned off if you get 5 calls? Do you get contacted but decide that you're not going to return the call or email.
Do you return calls/emails and/or send thank you notes to all programs or just your top few? Do you tell your top ranked program that they are your first choice?
here are my answers, starting with your last set of questions first:
-i've returned every phone call and email i've received. i think it's just common courtesy, even with programs i'm not super interested in. i also sent thank you notes to every person at every program that interviewed me, for the same reason. i did tell my #1 choice that they're, in fact, #1 and also sent notes to a couple of the other programs that are high on my rank list indicating that. i sent those types of notes to fewer than half the programs i plan to rank.
-in terms of communication from programs, there are pros and cons. it's flattering to hear from them and also, knowing that many programs do, in fact, contact applicants, i would be concerned if i didn't hear anything, especially from the places i'm most interested in. communication from programs certainly carries much more weight if it's tailored to me/my application as opposed to something that's just generic. all that said, i have to say that it hasn't affected my rank list at all. this is in part due to the fact that i've been contacted by all the programs i'm ranking highest as well as the fact that i have nothing to lose by ranking my "dream program" #1 even if they have no interest in me. i suppose it might make me feel unwanted had i not heard anything from my top choice, especially if i knew that they had contacted other applicants (see the thread i started on this topic), and that
could affect how i'd rank them--as much as programs don't want applicants that aren't really excited to be there, i don't think i'd be as enthusiastic about going to a place that didn't seem excited about me. if i wound up going there, i'd constantly wonder if they thought less of me a resident, if i had less of a margin of error to screw up, and if i had fewer opportunities to do things i wanted.
-the caveat to the whole communication thing is, it can definitely be awkward, especially from places that contact me multiple times. again, from an ego perspective, it's gratifying, but generally i don't have much else to say/other questions to ask from the last time we talked. if i did, i'd certainly email or call. basically, i get the vibe that they'd like me to disclose how i plan to rank them, even though no one has explicitly asked that.