Medical Do program directors talk to each other about specific applicants?

[gutonc]

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This is probably a silly question but will program directors call/email each other and discuss an applicant and what was said during an interview?

No. Nobody knows where else you applied unless you tell them.

 

[TheBoneDoctah]

They shouldn’t. In smaller specialties though I HAVE heard of this for sure.

 

[Mr.Smile12]

Not for medical school admissions in general. MD/PhD possibly though because there aren't that many applicants.

 

[gutonc]

Not for medical school admissions in general. MD/PhD possibly though because there aren't that many applicants.

I assumed this question was re: residency.

 

[AlteredScale]

Unknown. My anecdotal experience did that this did occur for a really, bad applicant. But never have heard of PDs communicating otherwise. It’s probably against NRMP rules to do so in some way, shape or form especially if discussing rankings.

 

[GoSpursGo]

Unknown. My anecdotal experience did that this did occur for a really, bad applicant. But never have heard of PDs communicating otherwise. It’s probably against NRMP rules to do so in some way, shape or form especially if discussing rankings.

Agree. I doubt this happens on a wide basis, but I also know of an instance where a specific applicant in a small specialty, despite a very strong application and ample interviews, was blackballed because that applicant did something unprofessional. This wasn't based on an interview interaction, it was in another setting.

Don't ask, I'm not going to give details 🙂 This is not something I would worry about for 99% of applicants, and if you were in the 1% I suspect you would know. Simply being awkward or slipping up and making one off-color comment, or something like that, probably isn't going to move anyone to send a mass email warning other PDs.