Guilt about rank list?

[amdap]

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I'm sure these are just natural feelings, but . . .

Does anyone else feel any guilt over their rank list?
Not ranking #1 your home school, a place where you did an away rotation, or a place where you were heavily recruited?

I know deep down that I am making a decision that will be good for me, but I guess it just makes me feel a little bad. I have kind of wondered what it is like to be on the other side (i.e., program directors) and see that you did not get the residents you were hoping for. I'm sure in the end, after a couple months, no one cares anymore. And, I know it's something you just have to get over and think about yourself a little.

I don't mean to sound like a wimp, but I guess the nerves and anxiety are setting in as I get ready to certify that list, and was just looking for a little reassurance.

 

[leaf]

Originally posted by amdap
I'm sure these are just natural feelings, but . . .

Does anyone else feel any guilt over their rank list?
Not ranking #1 your home school, a place where you did an away rotation, or a place where you were heavily recruited?

Oh, absolutely! I feel like a traitor for not ranking certain places higher. And it doesn't help that we're also trying to persuade programs that we like them, making us worry that we're overstating our interest and leading them on.

But whenever I show signs of being swayed by guilt, my friends remind me that programs have an interest in persuading as many of their top choices as possible to rank them highly, so it's their job to make their applicants feel wanted (and guilt-tripped into ranking them highly, if that's what it takes). These programs all have a lot more experience with this process than we do, so they're probably more hardened to not getting all of their top choices. Anyway, as I've been told repeatedly, everyone who gets ranked by a program is someone the program wants on some level -- it's not quite as if the program didn't "get the residents [it] was hoping for."

So no, don't feel guilty about your rank list. If you don't look out for your interests, who will? Good luck making your list!

 

[Taboz]

I would feel bad but not guilty, I'm sure PDs don't feel guilty about not giving you a spot.

 

[Crimson&Clover]

you know what i feel guilty about? potentially ranking third-rate programs higher than stellar programs just because of location. the overachiever in me can't swallow doing this, but the bohemian in me doesn't want to live out my 20s in the midwestern hinterlands. arrghhhh, what to do???????

 

[notstudying]

Don't feel guilty (unless you told any of the programs you were ranking them first!)- programs realize that you have to make the decisions that are the best for you, just as they make the decisions that are best for them.

 

[thegasman]

I don't feel bad because it's all a game anyway. You have to play it with your best interests in mind because the PD's are doing the same for their interests. Many letters from programs will say you are ranked "highly" but they may tell everyone that. A professor at my school says that applicants should lie to programs because they will do the same to you. I don't necessarily agree but he has a point. You have to do what's best for you and don't worry about the rest.

 

[supahfresh]

Yes, I totally see where you are coming from. Do you go with the top notch training to satisfy your ambitious nature or do you look out for your happiness and social life?

How does one answer this dilemma? Get drunk while certifying your list maybe....thats when the truth will reveal itself.

 

[Galaxian]

you know what i feel guilty about? potentially ranking third-rate programs higher than stellar programs just because of location. the overachiever in me can't swallow doing this, but the bohemian in me doesn't want to live out my 20s in the midwestern hinterlands. arrghhhh, what to do???????

My goodness, and there ain't much of my 20s left! Location is a HUGE consideration...

 

[yaah]

I'm finding it hard not to rank a program #1 who, in my specialty of choice (path) is at the top of the game. Another problem is that this program is heavily recruiting me, and I had a really good interview day.

But location is somewhat of an issue. Good thing there's only one week left to keep waffling and changing my mind.

 

[butts-n-guts]

I have tried to be pretty honest during the interview process (only telling my top programs that they are indeed my top programs). The other programs simply didn't get any further letters, emails, phone calls, etc. from me.

Some of these "less desirable" programs didn't wait for me to get back to them, though. You all know what I'm talking about. The phone rings every evening, right around dinner time, and for those of us with young children, just after the baby has been put to bed. There's the far too enthusiastic voice on the other end of the phone saying "Hi! This is Dr. ____ from the University of ____, and I'm just calling to see if you have any questions!" Sometimes that voice is the program director, but often it's even residents who don't even know who you are, they just know that the director told them to call you. My (former) #4 choice actually had 7 (yes, seven) people call me over a 3 day period, and all of them were calling to see if I had any questions! I finally just told one chief resident to stop and explain to me why I got a call from him less than 2 minutes after I hung up with the last call. I never really got a clear answer. Finally, I told him to let everybody know that I would call them if I needed any more info.


Anyone know how can I get on a residency program "Do Not Call" list?😀

 

[bobdobaleena]

anyone else find the previous post extremely obnoxious?

 

[Global Disrobal]

My Fav was the resident that called me up, butchered the name, told me what a pleasure it was for her to have interviewed me whereas I distinctly remember all my interviews that day being with men. I played along for the hell of it though, thinking that its bad karma...hell I'll probably be the damned intern next year who has to make the same calls.

As for the guilt...****, what guilt? As far as I'm concerned the 30 letters or so they send saying that our committee likes you and we're going to rank you very high should make the other side blush not us. The funny thing was that one of the letters this one program (ahem...in Maryland) still had some of the remnant of the form letter on it (including the year 2002) which made me grin for a minute.

Good Luck everyone!

 

[butts-n-guts]

anyone else find the previous post extremely obnoxious?

Sorry...a last minute call tonight woke up the baby again...I had to vent a bit.




Good luck to everyone next month!