Letting programs know where they stand

[darkmansaad]

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Im not sure if anyone even knows the correct answer to this but I figured id try....

So once your interviews are over is there any benefit to letting the program director know of your interest in the program via email, such as saying your program is in my top 3; or if valid, your program is my #1?

I have heard both that this is good and PD's appreciate the interest and also potentially bad in that if a program knows you are ranking them high they can put you relatively lower on their rank list to try and get some more "desirable" candidates knowing if they fail you'll still be there.

And also I am a caribbean IMG with a pretty good app...but a caribbean IMG nonetheless so im not sure if that affects any responses and probably explains my paranoia about the match process. Thanks in advance, hope everyones having a happy and safe holiday season.

 

[Narcotized]

if a program knows you are ranking them high they can put you relatively lower on their rank list to try and get some more "desirable" candidates knowing if they fail you'll still be there.

Like so many, you don't understand how the match works. A program should always rank more desirables ahead of you regardless where you rank them. If they fail to match the more desirables, it changes nothing. Their chances of matching you remain the exact same.

 

[fakin' the funk]

Like so many, you don't understand how the match works. A program should always rank more desirables ahead of you regardless where you rank them. If they fail to match the more desirables, it changes nothing. Their chances of matching you remain the exact same.

It's not Darkmansaad who doesn't understand "how the match works." PD's and most of the applicants, including DMS here, understand how it works, or at least how it should work.

Trouble is, that's not how it seems to work in the majority of programs in REAL LIFE. It seems like many, if not most, programs are likely to bump you up if you tell them they'll be high, and bump you down if you look disinterested, based on the principle that they'd rather have people who really want to be there, and also to have as short a ROL as possible (i.e. not going low on the ROL, which seems to be a point of pride among some PD's.)

For the OP, I would say that voicing your intentions could help, and would take a truly evil PD to hurt you (i.e. bump you down!).

 

[checkov]

I think it's a good idea to let your top-ranked program where they stand. However, I'm not sure it's a such a hot idea to say that a program is in your "top 3" or "top 5", etc., just because it's easy to quickly come to the worst-case assumption that you've ranked the program 3rd and 5th, respectively. Here's what I did:

Top-Ranked Program: Sent a thank-you note stating that they would be at the top of my ROL
Highly-Ranked Programs: Sent a thank-you note stating that I would be coming for a second look
Medium-to-Low-Ranked Programs: Sent a generic thank-you note
Strongly-Disliked Programs: No thank-you note

 

[cchoukal]

I'm not a PD, but I can't imagine changing an applicant's rank based on them expressing an interest. that said, calling/emailing them to ASK A QUESTION ABOUT THEIR PROGRAM is a great way to remind them who you are and, in the course of that dialogue, you could always drop a hint about how much you {heart} them.

 

[Narcotized]

It seems like many, if not most, programs are likely to bump you up if you tell them they'll be high, and bump you down if you look disinterested, based on the principle that they'd rather have people who really want to be there

That's a whole different issue than how the match works, and I agree with the programs in your scenario; of course they will want residents that want to be there.

 

[Narcotized]

Top-Ranked Program: Sent a thank-you note stating that they would be at the top of my ROL
Highly-Ranked Programs: Sent a thank-you note stating that I would be coming for a second look
Medium-to-Low-Ranked Programs: Sent a generic thank-you note
Strongly-Disliked Programs: No thank-you note

That's one approach. Then there's Dream's method:

Top-Ranked Program: Sent a thank-you note stating that they would be at the top of my ROL.
Highly-Ranked Programs: Sent a thank-you note stating that they would be at the top of my ROL.
Medium-to-Low-Ranked Programs: Sent a thank-you note stating that they would be at the top of my ROL.
Strongly-Disliked Programs: Sent a thank-you note stating that they would be at the top of my ROL.

 

[coprolalia]

After the interview, the die has been cast.

Do whatever you want putting progams on notice. It's not gonna matter much. Sorry. Unless you are telling them you're absolutely sure you're not gonna rank them, in which case you don't need to really do or say anything anyway.

-copro

 

[cfdavid]

I'm not a PD, but I can't imagine changing an applicant's rank based on them expressing an interest. that said, calling/emailing them to ASK A QUESTION ABOUT THEIR PROGRAM is a great way to remind them who you are and, in the course of that dialogue, you could always drop a hint about how much you {heart} them.

That's actually a good idea. I've had several PDs and/or Chairmen say that if I have any questions whatsoever, than call them etc etc. One even gave us all his cell phone.

cf