How to trust the scramble offer?

[prematch]

What garantee do we get from the PD after accepting a position through scramble?
Are we suppose to get anything in writing, fax, email?
Appreciate experience from people who have gone through it or any PD out there.

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[neuroticchica]

I hate to be Negative Nancy, but you unfortunately can't push them to do anything. Having said that, I would favor a program that is willing to send you a contract immediately. When I went through the scramble a few years ago, I had one place offer me a position that they admitted they had already offered someone else. They told me they preferred me and since a contract had not been signed yet, they would give it to me and retract their offer from the other applicant. However, I wouldn't push them because they are in control. Tnere are more scramblers than positions. There are places that may only give the offer verbally and you have to hope they are trustworthy.

 

[Thaitanium]

What about if you take >1 offer (considering all offers are verbally agreed upon and no contract is signed) from different programs...could that be a violation of some sort? Let's say you get an offer from one program early on and then as you continue to scramble in hopes of getting into a better program, you find a position you're more interested in.