How to make connections for residency

[freedo]

I know that it is often who you know, not what. How are people connecting and building a network with professionals in the speciality you are interested in? Is there something you could recommend to someone who really wants to get into the residency program at a facility but is unable to do an audition rotation there? Resident email addresses arent listed anywhere public. I find it incredibly awkward and borderline creepy to follow resident instas. Is it common practice to reach out to PDs asking for info and expressing interest? Many thanks in advance!

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[dial1010usa]

bump

 

[GoSpursGo]

As you said, it's often a matter of who you know... realistically speaking, this is where a mentor at your home medical school could introduce you via their own connections. If that isn't possible, then going to a national conference like the AAP national convention might be one avenue to get facetime through a residency fair. A cold email to the PD is unlikely to be helpful, though if you're geographically close and could plausibly ask to get involved in research within the department it's theoretically possible. Again, having a mentor connect the two of you over an email "introduction" would likely be helpful.

Please don't cold email a resident, let alone stalk them on Insta. That's the sort of behavior that will get you noticed in a very bad way.

 

[Robotfishbrain]

For some practical advise, follow the instagrams/snapchats/fb accounts of the programs you are interested in. They often have info sessions before the residency starts where you can meet faculty, staff, and residents. This was how I connected with folks at programs I was interested in. They were forthcoming with their emails and I just asked to connect with them that way. This was very helpful for my interview season as a lot of PDs took note that I showed interested early on.

 

[AlteredScale]

I know that it is often who you know, not what. How are people connecting and building a network with professionals in the speciality you are interested in? Is there something you could recommend to someone who really wants to get into the residency program at a facility but is unable to do an audition rotation there? Resident email addresses arent listed anywhere public. I find it incredibly awkward and borderline creepy to follow resident instas. Is it common practice to reach out to PDs asking for info and expressing interest? Many thanks in advance!

Social media is a way to get connected but yeah I wouldn't try and following every resident just follow the program. Can you do research at the facility you are talking about? That was a way I got connected to my current program.

 

[kelminak]

As you said, it's often a matter of who you know... realistically speaking, this is where a mentor at your home medical school could introduce you via their own connections. If that isn't possible, then going to a national conference like the AAP national convention might be one avenue to get facetime through a residency fair. A cold email to the PD is unlikely to be helpful, though if you're geographically close and could plausibly ask to get involved in research within the department it's theoretically possible. Again, having a mentor connect the two of you over an email "introduction" would likely be helpful.

Please don't cold email a resident, let alone stalk them on Insta. That's the sort of behavior that will get you noticed in a very bad way.

I cold emailed a resident at the program I wanted to go because she graduated from my school and she responded positively and even met with me to coach me a little before my away rotation there. I don't think it's a bad idea if you aren't weird about it.

The instagram thing? I would literally to go my PD and tell them to blacklist you, that is weird as ****.

 

[hfiso]

I cold emailed a resident at the program I wanted to go because she graduated from my school and she responded positively and even met with me to coach me a little before my away rotation there. I don't think it's a bad idea if you aren't weird about it.

The instagram thing? I would literally to go my PD and tell them to blacklist you, that is weird as ****.

Since their info is public, I don’t think it’s outlandish to send an email to a resident. People should be happy to help. Shooters shoot.

social media is another story. I think it’s in appropriate, but that’s just my opinion.

 

[GoSpursGo]

I cold emailed a resident at the program I wanted to go because she graduated from my school and she responded positively and even met with me to coach me a little before my away rotation there. I don't think it's a bad idea if you aren't weird about it.

The instagram thing? I would literally to go my PD and tell them to blacklist you, that is weird as ****.

If she graduated from your school then it’s not a cold email. You have a connection 🙂

 

[kelminak]

If she graduated from your school then it’s not a cold email. You have a connection 🙂

Fair point, I did use that to springboard into a conversation. I guess it felt cold in my head because I had never met this person before and they knew nothing about me, but even going to the same school is *something*. If that's not an option, I still think I'd cold blast an email to one of the residents that has the friendliest profile picture. 😛

 

[GoSpursGo]

Fair point, I did use that to springboard into a conversation. I guess it felt cold in my head because I had never met this person before and they knew nothing about me, but even going to the same school is *something*. If that's not an option, I still think I'd cold blast an email to one of the residents that has the friendliest profile picture. 😛

Yeah it feels like a cold call, but this is the whole point of an "alumni network." Not uncommon for an alumnus to go out of their way to help a current student, especially because someone likely did something similar for them at some point.

 

[BobbyKoch]

Upper classmen (classpeople?) and alums from my school have proven to be some of my best and most valuable advisors. Far and away better than anything my school’s admin has provided.

 

[AlteredScale]

Fair point, I did use that to springboard into a conversation. I guess it felt cold in my head because I had never met this person before and they knew nothing about me, but even going to the same school is *something*. If that's not an option, I still think I'd cold blast an email to one of the residents that has the friendliest profile picture. 😛

I emailed residents and fellows who were alumni that were pursuing the focus I was interested in MANY times to just pick their brain. It helped a lot.

 

[RadDOdoc]

One word: Twitter