How to make sure a program knows you're interested

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Pox in a box

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Give some ideas...

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First, you dress like a ninja!
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Second, you ambush the program director!
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You challange him/her to a light saber duel!
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Winner gets to decide who is first on the rank list! Regardless of outcome, you have shown that you are willing to KILL or DIE for a position in the program.

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I was wondering the same thing... Should we be emailing programs we are interested in every week? If so, should we be emailing busy PDs or the residents we met? Or should we just sit back and wait until rank time to make contact?
i.e. my current #1 interview was back in early november...what should I be doing to keep in touch so they don't forget me? Or is the ranking pretty much solidified right when you interview? I guess what I'm saying is, does keeping in contact (or not keeping in contact) really help move you up (or down) a rank list?
Thanks and best of luck everyone!
 
Should we be emailing programs we are interested in every week?

If I was a PD and you emailed me every week, I would seriously remove you from my rank list. Why not a simple email towards the rank list deadline stating your interest (ie you are my #1 or I will be ranking your program very highly, etc)? I don't think being in constant contact with a program (unless you have legit post-interview questions) will in any way impact your application, with the exception that it might hurt you. Remember PDs aren't keeping tracking of how many times you called them to tell them you "liked" their tie on your interview day-- they are busy with other things. G' luck.
 
I concur with the previous poster. Too many emails is just that.

Most programs will start their rank list process the last few days of January to first few days of February - we always have ours in at least 7 days before the deadline.

Send a thoughtful note/email [for me, it really doesn't matter which] that details why you like the program so much and how you hope to be there. You don't need to say a number - if you tell us you really hope to work with us, we'll get the idea.

Timing = probably best to shoot for the 3rd-4th week of January or so, most of us are interviewing until the 2nd-3rd week of January.
 
While I wasn't planning on calling/emailing the PDs everyday, I do appreciate your input...haha! Thanks gang...
Did send an email last week to a PD asking a question and accidently sent two blank emails along with it! OOPS!!! Hope that doesnt weigh poorly on my rank!...hhaahhaha But i still haven't heard back from them either!!! :scared:
Thanks again
 
I still think that you should ambush the PD and challange him/her to a light saber duel.
 
Put it in writing -- send an email or letter (I chose a letter) to each person you interview with that says thank you, tells them you're interested in coming to the program, and states your reasons for why the program is compelling to you. Say it in no uncertain terms that you very much want to come. The letter actually does get kept.

You can also tell them directly at the end of the interview, or whenever you see them again (if you have that opportunity).
 
I still think that you should ambush the PD and challange him/her to a light saber duel.

That's poor advice.

It's generally accepted that the vast majority of PDs are either Jedi Masters or in training to be cage fighters.
 
That's poor advice.

It's generally accepted that the vast majority of PDs are either Jedi Masters or in training to be cage fighters.

Actually, program directors are Sith Lords and not Jedi Masters...
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Our school offers to make a call to our #1 on our behalf (I can't remember if it's one of the deans, or the local program director for your field). Based on threads last year, I thought that was pretty common.
 
Our school offers to make a call to our #1 on our behalf (I can't remember if it's one of the deans, or the local program director for your field). Based on threads last year, I thought that was pretty common.

Really? That would definitely hurt your match options at your home program, right?
 
I think you should bring them breakfast every day for the month of January. It doesn't matter if you don't live there, this is your future you're talking about.

And then grab them by their ankles when they try to leave. Groveling works, seriously.
 
When I email a program telling them how interested I am and why, if they're not my #1 choice, should I tell them they're in my top two or my top three? I feel like that kind of gives it away that they're my second or third choice but I still would really like to go to those programs too and I want them to rank me highly!
 
3 categories:

1. Top Choice (this applies to your top 3 as, who knows, that list may change from day-to-day)

2. One of my Top Choices ("I will definitely rank you and will probably put you in my top 5 but don't be surprised if you're in the bottom of the top 10.")

3. I Really Enjoyed Your Program ("If I match at your program I will violate the Match agreement, go to law school and become the most voracious med mal lawyer you have ever seen.")
 
i was wondering if it would really help to have the dean of my med school call/email the PD of my top choice program... he knows me pretty well from working with him in committees and organizations, so i think he would help me if he could. i just wonder if it would help or be overkill....
 
If he is friends/colleagues w/ the PD of your top choice program and it could be done in a friendly manner, I say go for it.

If not, it might come off sounding like one of those recorded messages you get on your answering machine before an election..."Hi, this is Dean Wormer of Bob's Big House of Medicine and I'm calling to urge you to rank Miss Senioritis at the top of your list this Match season. Thank you for your support and God Bless America."
 
I sent a singing Telegram to my #1.
 
I found out by personal experience that washing the PD car everyday wasnt a very good idea, by the second week other applicants starting doing the same and it was complete caos!!!

Also mowing the lawn of the PD house was a mistake, those landscapers can get pretty physical if you start borrowing their instruments without permission.

Walking the dog idea is difficult, especially if they have a doberman.

And housesitting the PD house is awkward if they are still living in it!!

After trying to do all this little things, i thought an email was a good idea but they have already block me!!

life tough!!!
 
I sent a letter telling a program they were my #1 and meant it, then reconsidered my second choice program and told them they were my #1. I know I should have just told both I was ranking them highly since I obviously wasn't 100% sure at the time. Has anyone had problems with program directors talking to eachother about stuff like this? i'm afraid this might come back to haunt me since i obviously can't rank both #1.
 
I found out by personal experience that washing the PD car everyday wasnt a very good idea, by the second week other applicants starting doing the same and it was complete caos!!!

Also mowing the lawn of the PD house was a mistake, those landscapers can get pretty physical if you start borrowing their instruments without permission.

Walking the dog idea is difficult, especially if they have a doberman.

And housesitting the PD house is awkward if they are still living in it!!

After trying to do all this little things, i thought an email was a good idea but they have already block me!!

life tough!!!

ha ha:laugh:
 
I simply sent an email, last week ( I interviewed 2 weeks ago)-stating thanking the PD for the interview and telling him some of the reasons why I loved the program. I then told the PD that they are number 1 on my rank list and reiterated that I was excited for the opportunity to attend. Also wished him luck in the match either way and I hoped he had a great set of residents next year.

That was roughly what I said-make it simple and honest-you usually cannot go wrong unless you are inept
 
I also sent an email to my #1. I sent it to the residency director instead of the program director though. I thanked them for the interview and simply told them was very interested in their program. The email was literally three lines in length. Short, simple and to the point.

JJ
 
I also sent an email to my #1. I sent it to the residency director instead of the program director though. I thanked them for the interview and simply told them was very interested in their program. The email was literally three lines in length. Short, simple and to the point.

JJ

Lucky for you that you did not send it to the PD-that would be a disaster considering they are the same people-a residency director and a program director are the same thing-program refers to their residency program. Then there is a chair/head of the department of psych which oversees the entire department but is not directly involved in choosing residents.
 
Just a bit confused here. To the people sending emails, these are in addition to thank you cards that were sent after your visit? Sort of an update -- that program X is in fact, your #1??

Or are these in place of thank you cards that were never sent in the first place?
 
Just a bit confused here. To the people sending emails, these are in addition to thank you cards that were sent after your visit? Sort of an update -- that program X is in fact, your #1??

Or are these in place of thank you cards that were never sent in the first place?

Probably most are-however if you interviewed in the final month or something I am sure you can include it with the thank you as I did. I interviewed 1.5 weeks ago and a few days later sent an email thanking both the PD and Chair who both interviewed me for the interviews and told them both why I loved the program-and told the PD specifically that I had finished my rank list and they were number 1 and that is where I wanted to be.

But if you interviewed months ago probably a good idea to send one in the next week or so.
 
My situation was a little different. I had rotated at my #1 and had a few conversations with the residency director prior to leaving for other rotations. I interviewed in late November and she told me to keep in touch. We never discussed rankings. My email was simply to inform them that even after other interviews, I was still interested in their program.
 
Did you guys receive any replies from these PDs?
 
I did, but it was very non-specific, like "I'm glad you like us. Good luck with the match."

That kind of takes the wind outa your sails huh? I got a similar response from a school I did the same thing to and I was totally bummed
 
Part of the problem here is that the NRMP really frowns on saying any more than that. Every year, some PD writes to a candidate that "We really love you. You're the best student we've ever seen. Boy do I hope you'll come train with us". The student gets really excited, submits a ROL with only that program on it because it's a "sure thing". Then, the student doesn't match. Then, the student is really angry and complains to the NRMP.

Of course, the student did the wrong thing. You should always rank all the programs that you would be happy training in. But given the number of students in the match, someone screws it up every year. Hence, programs are encouraged not to be overly optomistic with their applicants. Bottom line: don't read too much into it!
 
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