Is it necessary to tell your top choice program that they are your top choice?

[longlost.s]

Hi all,

How important is it to tell your favorite program that it is your top choice?

Should I tell them bluntly that i am going to rank you number 1, or should I just write "hoping to work with you"? If i do not write any of those, would that matter?

Also, if I have 3 favorites, should I tell the same thing to all of them, or just say you're in my top 3?

Thanks!

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[rokshana]

no, there is no reason other than you want your number 1 to know you are their number 1 to make you feel better...it most likely has little sway in how they rank you.

and please don't tell 3 places they are all your number 1...its tacky and ultimately they will know after the match if they want to know.

 

[hallowmann]

Hi all,

How important is it to tell your favorite program that it is your top choice?

Should I tell them bluntly that i am going to rank you number 1, or should I just write "hoping to work with you"? If i do not write any of those, would that matter?

Also, if I have 3 favorites, should I tell the same thing to all of them, or just say you're in my top 3?

Thanks!

I mean, I'd let my number one know. It doesn't hurt, but it will likely not change their ROL in any way.

I wouldn't say anything to the other two programs, except maybe I would love to be at your program. Again, likely won't change anything.

 

[IMPD]

Hi all,

How important is it to tell your favorite program that it is your top choice?

Should I tell them bluntly that i am going to rank you number 1, or should I just write "hoping to work with you"? If i do not write any of those, would that matter?

Also, if I have 3 favorites, should I tell the same thing to all of them, or just say you're in my top 3?

Thanks!

I've come to the conclusion that this is why the Match is problematic. No one has an experience with anything like it when they first encounter it, so they rely on previous experience, naturally.

Our previous experience is either - dating. So, telling people you like them is important in dating. Crucial, you could say. Not so in the Match.

Or, going to a job interview. Where you must tell them you like them and basically accept the job offer on-the-spot or soon after. Not so in the Match.

You don't need to do anything after interviewing. It may be that telling every program you interviewed at "you're my #1" will help you. It will definitely make you look like a douche for 15 minutes on Match Day, but you probably won't care. Since there is a non-zero chance that doing this total-frat-move may help you, it will continue to happen. But no one would seriously advise you that you *must* do so.

 

[IM2GI]

I disagree, I think it is very important to tell your number 1. Just don't lie and tell multiple programs.

A lot of big egos in academic medicine, and they get off on irrelevant things like how far down their list they went. So while it shouldn't matter, it can, and other people will, so you should.

 

[anonperson]

Hi all,

How important is it to tell your favorite program that it is your top choice?

Should I tell them bluntly that i am going to rank you number 1, or should I just write "hoping to work with you"? If i do not write any of those, would that matter?

Also, if I have 3 favorites, should I tell the same thing to all of them, or just say you're in my top 3?

Thanks!

If you have 3 favorite programs, don't tell each of them you are ranking them 1. If you tell them you are ranking them highly, they will deduce they are not number 1.

I'm sure some programs want these love letters which violates the spirit of the match. Some programs are more explicit about this "tell us you're interested."

For my n=1 story. For residency, i told my to program that I was ranking them 1. I don't even think they ranked me and i nearly didn't match.

For fellowship I didn't send anyone a number 1 email and matched at my number 3 choice (i was generally fine with choices 1 through 3).

Summary: it may or may not help

 

[GoSpursGo]

It probably won't make any difference, but since most people like to feel they "did everything possible" and it shouldn't hurt you, go ahead and tell your number one program that they are at the top of your list if it'll make you feel better to do so.

Don't lie and send it to multiple programs. You would probably get away with it, but again it probably makes no difference in the final rank list, and if you DID get find out, being found out as a liar isn't a great look.

 

[operaman]

Our program ranks applicants immediately after our interviews and that’s it. Any communication after that doesn’t really matter. Make sure to show interest in and get to know people when you interview. Programs definitely want people who want to be there, so if you feel like a place is a great fit you should let them know, but probably best to do it before they rank you.

Definitely don’t lie. Minimal upside and lots of potential downside if people find out.

 

[PDTY]

Echo operaman. More than an email is getting to know the program and people while you are there. We can read you better than you can read us. Since we interview tons of people just like you (you aren’t that unique), we can spot the ones who are interested and the ones who only say so because they have to.

After a while, a charcoal gray suit and an interest in our “strong didactics and clinical experience” means nothing to us. We are looking at personality and can tease out who is actually interested

 

[Atlas Shrugged]

Caveat: military programs. You should absolutely tell a program they are your first choice (and you should have done an interview rotation with them).


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[Reveler]

Applicant ROL advice usually goes something like this: rank programs based on where YOU want to go, not based on where you think you're likely to have the best shot. I'm sure most programs follow similar advice when creating their ROL. Assuming that's correct, a letter of intent should hold little weight.

 

[longlost.s]

Thank you all so much for your input. I am really interested in a program that have a very few positions (and I am a low scorer and old grad, love the specialty I am going for and my resume reflects my interest in the specialty pretty well). I sent an email of interest to the PD even BEFORE sept 15 ( BEFORE THE MATCH BEGAN), then I sent an e-mail again, 2 weeks after applying (annoying? I know, but I want to match there), I got the interview the same week. On the interview day they really liked me, I liked them (I never rotated there, but the location and faculty are super awesome, for me) and I got along with the chair, the associate PD and the PD. They said to me that I really fit in to their program and PD said he likes my personality and was happy that I have ties with the west coast (I want to move out of east coast, where I live and research, to the west coast for my training). After my thank you e-mail 2 weeks later, the PD and chair both replied that they are hoping to work with me. I know all of the post interview communication is meaningless, but I want to know.... Did I show my interest enough? In all this communication, I never said "I'm ranking you number 1", because I thought I already showed a lot of interest and saying this would be too desperate...

 

[NotAProgDirector]

You';re really overthinking this. You've already made it abundantly clear to this program that you're interested. If you'll sleep better for the next 2.5 months if you send them an email saying you're ranking them #1, go ahead. But it's unlikely to have any effect on your match.

 

[J ROD]

My feelings after treating it like a failed dating disaster..........don't say anything. Will serve you better in the longrun. Plus, it makes you seem less needy. Nobody wants someone that wants them. They want the ones they can't have.
"You are my #1.....on my God I love your program....please take me! I love you"......etc.....does not help.

 

[kabooya]

Does it matter who the email goes to? I was planning on sending it the person who interviewed me. I didn't get a chance to talk much with the actual PD.

 

[IM2GI]

Does it matter who the email goes to? I was planning on sending it the person who interviewed me. I didn't get a chance to talk much with the actual PD.

PD

 

[J ROD]

Can send thank you emails to PD and those that interviewed you.

 

[jrlob91]

Thoughts on multiple PDs calling you and sending you emails, when both programs are pretty much equal in terms of my ranking them number one? Both PDs seem like they want commitment, is it appropriate to give vague commitment to each? Should I not answer the emails? Stuck in a bind here. I don’t want them to talk and then make me a scapegoat of sorts by neither of them ranking me at all.

 

[rokshana]

Thoughts on multiple PDs calling you and sending you emails, when both programs are pretty much equal in terms of my ranking them number one? Both PDs seem like they want commitment, is it appropriate to give vague commitment to each? Should I not answer the emails? Stuck in a bind here. I don’t want them to talk and then make me a scapegoat of sorts by neither of them ranking me at all.

say thank you, mention something you liked about the program and look forward to working with them (or being a part of the program, blah, blah, blah).

rank programs by where you want to be or will benefit you the most... the PD is not going to change the way they rank you based on how you rank them...and if they would, well then that is not a place you want to be...

 

[NotAProgDirector]

Thoughts on multiple PDs calling you and sending you emails, when both programs are pretty much equal in terms of my ranking them number one? Both PDs seem like they want commitment, is it appropriate to give vague commitment to each? Should I not answer the emails? Stuck in a bind here. I don’t want them to talk and then make me a scapegoat of sorts by neither of them ranking me at all.

Arrgg. Programs shouldn't do this. The NRMP will likely have a survey afterwards asking if this type of behavior happened - please answer it honestly.

 

[DrElliotReid]

If it's your number one, it doesn't hurt and could only help or do nothing but like others have said, no point in sending anything to any programs below #1 because you don't want to lie and if you don't lie, they'll know they aren't your first choice. FWIW I sent my first choice PD an email saying they're my first choice and I matched there, but it probably would've turned out the same if I didn't send one though we'll never know.