Is this a bad sign?

[cjw0918]

So I sent my number one program a typed one-page letter telling them why I wanted to go there and that I was ranking them number one. This was 2 weeks ago. I've heard nothing. I e-mailed the secretary and asked her if she could just see if the PD received my letter. Still nothing. From them I received a mass "You've made a positive impression..." e-mail after the interview, but this was before I sent the letter. What do you think? Have I ruined something or are they just bad responders?

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[b&ierstiefel]

Well, I'm in your shoes.

A few weeks ago, the PD at my #1 program sent me an email which was strongly worded (i.e., my boss looked at it and said, "that means you're in!" who knows? ). That same day, I replied to that email with an email text that I had prepared the night before (what a coincidence, right?). Basically I told them that their program was where I wanted to be and that my rank list would reflect that. No response from them. Now, since I directly responded to that email, it should have reached the PD's inbox so I'm pretty sure the PD received it. Who knows that the lack of response means? I try not to think about it but I agree that it is difficult to block out these thoughts.

So you sent them a letter. Are you sure the letter got there? Perhaps your letter got lost in the mail. Maybe what you can do is email the PD the text of your letter and say that the letter is in the mail or something. I'll let some others chime in with info here.

 

[E.A. Poe]

That's interesting. When are match results released?

 

[b&ierstiefel]

That's interesting. When are match results released?

March 17th. 1 PM EST I believe.

 

[yaah]

I don't think it's necessarily a bad sign. Many program directors, I think, don't really respond to emails like this out of fear of being seen as violating the rules of the match. It is good that they know your intentions and ranking you highly will not be a waste for them.

p.s. should have gotten a certified letter, signature on delivery.

 

[b&ierstiefel]

p.s. should have gotten a certified letter, signature on delivery.

absolutely!

 

[stormjen]

So I sent my number one program a typed one-page letter telling them why I wanted to go there and that I was ranking them number one. This was 2 weeks ago. I've heard nothing. I e-mailed the secretary and asked her if she could just see if the PD received my letter. Still nothing. From them I received a mass "You've made a positive impression..." e-mail after the interview, but this was before I sent the letter. What do you think? Have I ruined something or are they just bad responders?

I did the very same thing a couple days ago, except I both faxed it to the PD and mailed a copy. So between those two, one should arrive.

It could be that your program hasn't sat down as a committee yet to formulate their ROL, so they have nothing to say to you right now. Maybe a week before ROLs are due, you could call the coordinator in person if you still haven't heard anything. I wouldn't call the PD directly, because it might be seen as obnoxious and too forward. But it would really suck to have your letter get lost in the mail and your email lost in space.

I'm anxiously awaiting acknowledgement from my #1. I happen to know that another person on this forum did in fact get a letter from them already. Maybe you could quietly ask around and see what sort of activities your program is up to?

 

[b&ierstiefel]

I'm anxiously awaiting acknowledgement from my #1. I happen to know that another person on this forum did in fact get a letter from them already. Maybe you could quietly ask around and see what sort of activities your program is up to?

this process is truly anxiety provoking. if you don't happen to hear any acknowledgment from your #1 by feb. 23rd, i certainly hope that you will find out the happy news on march 17th. *fingers crossed*

 

[cytoborg]

So I sent my number one program a typed one-page letter telling them why I wanted to go there and that I was ranking them number one. This was 2 weeks ago. I've heard nothing. I e-mailed the secretary and asked her if she could just see if the PD received my letter. Still nothing. From them I received a mass "You've made a positive impression..." e-mail after the interview, but this was before I sent the letter. What do you think? Have I ruined something or are they just bad responders?

I'm in a similar situation and am pretty sure (based on intel from peeps in my dept who sent out feelers to their peeps) that it does mean something and that something is not so good. I also know for a fact that they have been heavily recruiting friends of mine and that I have not received anything of the sort. I'm still ranking them #1 even though it's pretty clear they feel neutral about me...if for some reason the gods smile upon me and the program has to stoop low enough to take me, then they are just going to have to suck it up and like it!! Likewise I hope programs don't read too much into our correspondence. They say they would rather take people who really want to be there, so that's why they take the correspondence into consideration, but some people are just not as aggressive and/or expressive with showing their interest and some people are just plain BSing their interest to get the program to rank them high. I wish programs would just rank us on merit and not on all this other wishy washy BS.

 

[cjw0918]

Got an e-mail from the PD. Says they had their rank meeting last week and he NOW has my letter. Sounds like my letter sat on the secretary's desk for two weeks. Great. The only positive is that I am ranked in the upper group of the rank list. I'm annoyed, to say the least, that I took all that time with the letter and it didn't appear to do any good. Guess I should have e-mailed him instead of snail mailing him. We'll just have to see on Match Day...

 

[yaah]

Got an e-mail from the PD. Says they had their rank meeting last week and he NOW has my letter. Sounds like my letter sat on the secretary's desk for two weeks. Great. The only positive is that I am ranked in the upper group of the rank list. I'm annoyed, to say the least, that I took all that time with the letter and it didn't appear to do any good. Guess I should have e-mailed him instead of snail mailing him. We'll just have to see on Match Day...

I guess the lesson for people next year is to send a gift to the secretary at the same time!

 

[stormjen]

Got an e-mail from the PD. Says they had their rank meeting last week and he NOW has my letter. Sounds like my letter sat on the secretary's desk for two weeks. Great. The only positive is that I am ranked in the upper group of the rank list. I'm annoyed, to say the least, that I took all that time with the letter and it didn't appear to do any good. Guess I should have e-mailed him instead of snail mailing him. We'll just have to see on Match Day...

That is SO wrong! I'd be really mad if the coordinator disregarded my letter like that. So you sent it to the PD via the coordinator? Or does all the PD's mail first go to the coordinator? Just wondering if I should worry about the same thing happening to me. I'm definitely wondering if I sent my letter in too late--after the committee had already met.

It is, however, great that the PD contacted you. I take it s/he didn't say how far down their list they generally go?

 

[stormjen]

I guess the lesson for people next year is to send a gift to the secretary at the same time!

Or maybe, like maitre d's and valet's, we should tip them whenever they do something for us. Walk us downstairs to the PD's office for an interview? Sounds like a $2 tip. Call and make a reservation for a hotel room at a second look? $1 tip per night reserved. Tell the PD how well-mannered and congenial we are? $5 tip. I should write a book.

 

[yaah]

Or maybe, like maitre d's and valet's, we should tip them whenever they do something for us. Walk us downstairs to the PD's office for an interview? Sounds like a $2 tip. Call and make a reservation for a hotel room at a second look? $1 tip per night reserved. Tell the PD how well-mannered and congenial we are? $5 tip. I should write a book.

The rumor is that at some programs, the program coordinators can have a veto over any applicant, or perhaps influence the rank list for the better as well.

 

[cjw0918]

No, PD did not say how far down the list I'm ranked. I sent the letter with the PD's name on it, but I think the secretary gets all the mail first. I think this program had their rank meeting early because the PD is out of town these next two weeks. No worries for your letter, Storm. I'm sure it got there ok. Good luck in the Match!

That is SO wrong! I'd be really mad if the coordinator disregarded my letter like that. So you sent it to the PD via the coordinator? Or does all the PD's mail first go to the coordinator? Just wondering if I should worry about the same thing happening to me. I'm definitely wondering if I sent my letter in too late--after the committee had already met.

It is, however, great that the PD contacted you. I take it s/he didn't say how far down their list they generally go?

 

[Pingu]

The rumor is that at some programs, the program coordinators can have a veto over any applicant, or perhaps influence the rank list for the better as well.

I know that at my top choice, this is very much the case. To me it seemed like this particular coordinator knew more about the applicants and was more organized than any I have ever seen. But I was told by the PD on my second look that she is there for the rank meeting and definitely has her say.

 

[stormjen]

The rumor is that at some programs, the program coordinators can have a veto over any applicant, or perhaps influence the rank list for the better as well.

Thank you for reminding me to express my appreciation for that special person on Valentine's Day!

Btw, that attending you were asking about is still at Moose C.

 

[stormjen]

No, PD did not say how far down the list I'm ranked. I sent the letter with the PD's name on it, but I think the secretary gets all the mail first. I think this program had their rank meeting early because the PD is out of town these next two weeks. No worries for your letter, Storm. I'm sure it got there ok. Good luck in the Match!

Thank you ~ same to you!!

 

[yaah]

Thank you for reminding me to express my appreciation for that special person on Valentine's Day!

Btw, that attending you were asking about is still at Moose C.

Yes, I figured she was. The new attendings there that I met were very happy to be there and not interested in being there as a stepping stone.

 

[stormjen]

Yes, I figured she was. The new attendings there that I met were very happy to be there and not interested in being there as a stepping stone.

I found a picture of her; she's perty.

 

[yaah]

I found a picture of her; she's perty.

Yup. Unfortunately for me I didn't decide to go there.

 

[b&ierstiefel]

Yup. Unfortunately for me I didn't decide to go there.

i'm starting to pick up on a theme here.

first there was penn, then there was moose...

 

[yaah]

i'm starting to pick up on a theme here.

first there was penn, then there was moose...

Naw. I wasn't going to go there because I had a crush on an attending. I was going to go there because I loved the town and I love the state.

 

[b&ierstiefel]

Naw. I wasn't going to go there because I had a crush on an attending. I was going to go there because I loved the town and I love the state.

Denial clearly isn't just a river in Egypt.

 

[deschutes]

Now that was deep.

 

[b&ierstiefel]

Now that was deep.

indeed it was. deep is my middle name.