Do medical schools talk to each other?

[Dance5257]

Hi all, I have been wailisted at a couple schools that I would prefer over my current choices. I have already written a letter of intent to my top choice ("if accepted, I will attend"). I was going to write letters of interest to a few other schools (I'm really interested in your school...) but wanted to know if schools talk to each other. I don't want to be seen as a phony, especially by my top choice. If anyone has any input, it would be much appreciated!

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[fhg]

There is nothing phony about writing letters of interest as long as you only write one letter of intent.

 

[alt12345]

It's unlikely but nobody can say for sure if the medical schools talk to each other. Probably a very small amount do. Many schools do not care if you send a letter of intent, because they are aware that students send multiple and preferences change. Updates are a better way to show your interest in the school.

 

[mmmcdowe]

Moving to pre allo

 

[bearded frog]

​

 

[Dance5257]

Good point, but no, it is actually more competitive.

 

[Cackalacky18]

They definitely talk to each other. In what cases this happens is harder to say.

A scenario where I've heard this happens is when sending a letter of intent to non-rolling school A early in the cycle. Non-rolling school A will tell other non-rolling schools to leave you alone. You can end up with only one acceptance from school A in that case. It's in the schools' interest to do this to avoid competing for students with $$. I imagine you have to be a pretty darn strong applicant for this to happen. By non-rolling I mean schools with non-rolling admissions like Duke, Harvard, Yale, Columbia etc.

Also, if you look at the AAMC traffic rules, once a school accepts you off the waitlist after May 15, that school has to immediately notify your current acceptance offering school (if any) . See item #8 in the link below:
https://www.aamc.org/students/applying/recommendations/370670/trafficrules-admissionofficers.html

Probably more scenarios out there that depend on applicant strength, scholarship $$, and ties between schools.

 

[Served]

Also, look at applicants who apply to both UChicago and Northwestern. They get into either one of them, and never both.

 

[NickNaylor]

Medical admissions is a small field. It would not surprise me a bit if admissions directors were at least familiar with each other. There are professional conferences and organizations dedicated solely to medical admissions. It's pretty insane, but they exist. As another example, I know at my school admissions directors from a small number of schools are invited to the campus for a day to do a mock interview day of sorts. As you might expect, the pre-health directors from all the Ivies were there as well as some other individuals.

As far as it relates to this case, letters of interest are appropriate but sending multiple letters of intent is poor form. As you progress through your medical training, the field of people that you can get "lost" in gets steadily smaller and smaller. You should avoid doing potentially shady things like that because word will get around and you never know who might hear it. I don't think that's the sort of thing you should be worried about in this case, but again, it's just poor form.

 

[Kochanie]

Also, look at applicants who apply to both UChicago and Northwestern. They get into either one of them, and never both.

This theory existed for ugrad too haha..

 

[gyngyn]

There is nothing phony about writing letters of interest as long as you only write one letter of intent.

Nobody believes these things anyway.

 

[Goro]

To quote my learned colleague on the same subject:

SDN poster: “How are LOIs worthless? Do they just hold no weight whatsoever/not get read usually?”
gyngyn: How would you interpret a nonbinding promise from a desperate applicant?

Nobody believes these things anyway.

 

[alt12345]

To quote my learned colleague on the same subject:

SDN pposter: “How are LOIs worthless? Do they just hold no weight whatsoever/not get read usually?”
gyngyn: How would you interpret a nonbinding promise from a desperate applicant?

Don't leave out the exceptions though, for people stumbling on this thread: letters of intent may matter in certain scenarios when there is a strong reason the applicant would truly want to attend that school other than its rank (ie it's close to their home/family/children).

 

[gyngyn]

Don't leave out the exceptions though, for people stumbling on this thread: letters of intent may matter in certain scenarios when there is a strong reason the applicant would truly want to attend that school other than its rank (ie it's close to their home/family/children).

This only works if you are holding someplace "better", though. We can already see who is holding nowhere so we know that they will come if accepted without regard to the love letter.

 

[Goro]

In addition, some schools specifically state "Do not send LOI". People who ignore this do so at their peril...it shows that they are incapable of following simple instructions.

This only works if you are holding someplace "better", though. We can already see who is holding nowhere so we know that they will come if accepted without regard to the love letter.

 

[gyngyn]

In addition, some schools specifically state "Do not send LOI". People who ignore this do so at their peril...it shows that they are incapable of following simple instructions.

For sure.

 

[Mr Roboto]

No doesn't mean yes?

It's not just a test to see which of us cares so much about getting into Best Medical School that we'll send LOIs after being asked not to?

=(

In addition, some schools specifically state "Do not send LOI". People who ignore this do so at their peril...it shows that they are incapable of following simple instructions.