gonna get ranked if u were a courtesy interview?

[paqdaddy]

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Wats up people? I've had a couple of interview invites from programs I dont think I would've gotten interviews from if it weren't for the fact that I had rotated there or knew someone in the dept. My question to all of you is that, are these people that may have not chosen me for an interview based soley on my application, going to even rank me. Is it even worth me going to an interview if I only received it b/c of someone i knew at the program? Also, it seems to me everyones interviews go pretty smoothly, how do get a feeling of where certain programs are goign to rank you on their list...any method to the madness? thnx for your help

peace
Paqdaddy

 

[paqdaddy]

Can I Get Some Love?!

 

[cowbydoc]

I have the same exact thoughts. I got a couple of interviews at places that aren't traditionally DO friendly probably because I had already rotated there. I am still going to interview there and then rank my choices based on my gut. I don't know if these places will be persuaded by me rotating there but I don't care anymore and I will just rank according to how I feel and then deal with where I go at the end, knowing I stuck with what I wanted. I know if I do that I will have an easier time sleeping for the next three years.
As far as the interviews go, I have the same problem as you, paq. Based on the nature of the people in the business, it's not like ER interviews are the most intense things to go to and it ends up like everyone has a good time and I like everywhere I have been. The main thing I am doing is staying active. I will contact PD's and residents of places I like and make sure I stay fresh in their minds and know that I like their program. My feeling is that I have worked too hard for the first three years of med school to just sit by and feel like a leaf in the wind during this whole process (good analogy, huh?). Spend time with the program, go to their ER, email the residents and figure out what your gut says about a program. They all have to pass the RRC requirements and in the end it winds up being whether or not you can work with a group for three to four years.

 

[rndmguy]

Without getting too into it, it absolutely doesn't matter if or where you think a program might rank you. Go to scutwork.com and read the algorhythm. I understand being curious, and stressed about it, but DO NOT LET IT INFLUENCE YOUR RANKLIST.
I can't stress it enough. Dont' concern yourself with what they thought of you or any of that. If you liked the program, and want to go there, then rank them highly. End of story. Where they rank you, whether or not they sent you a thank you note, whether or not they called you, none of that matters. RANK YOU'RE FAVORITE PROGRAM FIRST!!!!!!!! Don't play games.

Read the algorhythm if you're wondering how this makes sense. I dont' have time to go into it.

 

[anonymousEM]

You can only match there if you interview. If you rotated there and made a good impression it may have gotten you the interview that you may not have earned based on numbers alone. But now they know you better than the guy who got a 299 on steps one & two that they only got to talk to for an hour...If it's where you want to be, go to the interview. If you didn't like your rotation, stay home. Good luck.

 

[joaquin13]

I will contact PD's and residents of places I like and make sure I stay fresh in their minds and know that I like their program. My feeling is that I have worked too hard for the first three years of med school to just sit by and feel like a leaf in the wind during this whole process (good analogy, huh?). Spend time with the program, go to their ER, email the residents and figure out what your gut says about a program. They all have to pass the RRC requirements and in the end it winds up being whether or not you can work with a group for three to four years.

Cowboy, what exactly do you write to all the PDs? I wrote them all thank you notes after the interview, but am still unsure what exactly to send them an email about. Do you ever hear anything back or do they go unanswered? I have a couple of programs that I really really liked that I rotated at back in August/September....and would love to match there. I wrote this in the thank you note, do you think its a good idea to send more emails, etc? Thanks for advice.

 

[cowbydoc]

I sent thank you's to all the PD's and the other faculty that interviewed me as well, and am waiting a little bit before I send some emails to them. In my mind it is a fine line between letting a program know you are very interested and becoming a pest. I will probably just be honest with what I write and maybe ask a question or two but will just let them know that I am very interested in them without breaking any of the rules (or telling them that I will rank them number one if I don't plan on it). I just figure they are in about the same position we are, and a little communication can never hurt. You could also email some of the residents there and ask them what they would do or just to shoot the sh@$, they were in the same position we are now and they usually can influence a PD on a decision.
This would be a good thread to start- what to say to programs you are interested in even if you don't have any real questions.