I will second what Dr. Fencer said! If you're looking solely to network, a great way to stand out is to go to a conference and introduce yourself to directors. Otherwise, like other posters stated, I would not advise contacting directors while applying just to get your name out there. I personally believe there is a lot more risk in that than reward, and your application will likely already speak for itself in ways that are more professional and captivating.
🙂
Another great conference that I'd add to Dr. Fencer's list is the
Southeastern Medical Scientist Symposium (SEMSS). It's a conference for those considering physician scientist careers, and it generally has separate events throughout the weekend (and then joint poster sessions) for both current MD or MD/PhD students and then undergraduate students who are thinking about MD/PhD programs. It is
run by the MSTPs at Emory, UAB, and Vanderbilt. I attended for the first time two years ago when I was applying to all three institutions, so it was a great way for me to meet current students, program directors/administrators, etc. I also had the chance to present my work to the director of one of the schools to which I applied, which was cool! It is at Emory this year in November:
Home (website).
Finally, I will also note that Dr. Fencer often posts on here when he will be attending a conference and is willing to meet up with SDN students over dinner, etc. If you are looking to meet a director, Dr. Fencer is very kind and gives wonderful advice, so I suggest taking him up on any offers!
