LOVE LETTERS (post-interview communication from programs)

[PM&Raspirant]

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Members don't see this ad.

This is a place to expose the love letters (as most of them are false hopes).
Please post the love letter you got (kindly hide email addresses, name of program, name of all persons, etc that identify person/s or programs)
Please write following:
1. Specialty
2. Year
3. The content of the love letter (kindly hide email addresses, name of program, name of all persons, etc that identify person/s or programs)
4. If you matched there or not.

THIS IS TO DISCOURAGE PD SENDING LOVE LETTERS (FALSE HOPE IN PARTICULAR)!!!
THIS IS DISCOURAGE APPLICANTS SENDING THAT THEY HAVE RANKED ALL PROGRAMS AT NUMBER 1!

Never believe.
But, since this kind of letter may bring some difference, it wont bring major difference in ranking. But sometimes minor difference can also cause a big problem.

SO LETS BAN it in PM&R!

 

[BrainPains]

This practice is so rampant, from programs to applicants as well as applicants to programs. I think the best thing to do is follow the advice EVERYONE gives EVERY year, and make your rank list based on your favorite programs. Ignore the love letters. They are not promises, and if they really are a match violation then there are channels in place for reporting this. Otherwise, listing nearly every program and specialty is not going to be helpful.

 

[gutonc]

This is a place to expose the love letters (as most of them are false hopes).
Please post the love letter you got (kindly hide email addresses, name of program, name of all persons, etc that identify person/s or programs)
Please write following:
1. Specialty
2. Year
3. The content of the love letter (kindly hide email addresses, name of program, name of all persons, etc that identify person/s or programs)
4. If you matched there or not.

THIS IS TO DISCOURAGE PD SENDING LOVE LETTERS (FALSE HOPE IN PARTICULAR)!!!

I'll show you mine if you show me yours.

 

[PM&Raspirant]

I'll show you mine if you show me yours.

Hi ....., We were impressed with you during the interview. We have ranked you to match. Good luck!


Note: I did not match there. Later when I contacted him/her, he/she told that last year they had filled way beyond the ranking they gave to me this year.

My thought: He did not lie. Nobody should be excited with whatever love letter they receive.

 

[Moko]

Hi ....., We were impressed with you during the interview. We have ranked you to match. Good luck!
Note: I did not match there. Later when I contacted him/her, he/she told that last year they had filled way beyond the ranking they gave to me this year.

Sorry you didn't get your first choice. Hopefully you still matched to a program that you are ecstatic with.

Next year's applicants should all see your post to understand how meaningless post-interview communications are (I'm sure programs have also been similarly burned by applicants). I'm glad some specialties are moving away from this crap.

 

[LUCPM]

Also n=1 but no post-interview email or any thing remotely close to one of those love letters. Still ranked the program #1 and matched.

Sent from my SCH-I545 using Tapatalk

 

[Animalcules]

Also n=1 but no post-interview email or any thing remotely close to one of those love letters. Still ranked the program #1 and matched.

Sent from my SCH-I545 using Tapatalk

Same here. Got the least love from my #1 program based on post-interview communication and matched there.

 

[Xorthos]

My #1 program was a small community hospital in a small town that I grew up 2 minutes from, was born at, and worked there for 10 years prior to going to medical school.

Interviewed there for FM (with 250 step scores), had a ton of post-interview communication with several residents and the program director, told me I was perfect for their program and would fit in great, and that they loved that I was from there and would be bringing another practicing physician to the physician deprived community. Basically was told by everyone that I was a shoe in for it to the point that I was already looking at houses in the area. Everyone knew me before I even went to med school, and knew that my plan was to come back and do residency there, and work for the hospital as a physician in my community afterwards.

Enter match day. Didn't match there, and ended up at my #2 spot which was a very well-named prestigious program. Have been almost in shock for the past two days, and really just kind of felt hurt after being so close to the program, knowing everyone, and giving a decade of my life working for the hospital...to not match there.

The more I think about it though, I'm very thankful that I matched at my #2, It was just a life changing occurrence that I'm adapting to.

Needless to say, I don't believe anything any program director says during the match season. It's all a vicious and stressful game of cat and mouse.

 

[Moko]

My #1 program was a small community hospital in a small town that I grew up 2 minutes from, was born at, and worked there for 10 years prior to going to medical school. Interviewed there for FM (with 250 step scores), ... was told by everyone that I was a shoe in ... Enter match day. Didn't match there, and ended up at my #2 spot which was a very well-named prestigious program.

Any thoughts on why that community program didn't ranked you highly enough? Presumably you were one of their top candidates (if not the top candidate). Doesn't seem to make sense unless the program director thought you deserved 'better' training elsewhere, and was hoping you would bring back that expertise to your community.

 

[ThoracicGuy]

Any thoughts on why that community program didn't ranked you highly enough? Presumably you were one of their top candidates (if not the top candidate). Doesn't seem to make sense unless the program director thought you deserved 'better' training elsewhere, and was hoping you would bring back that expertise to your community.

No, it means that the PD thought other candidates were better than him. People can and will say one thing to your face while doing another thing in private. It isn't personal, it's just business.

 

[Xorthos]

I've been tempted to send a message and ask what went wrong, but honestly it wouldn't change anything at this point, so I haven't bothered. Like I said, it just really hurt my feelings...but now I'm trying to focus on the place that actually did want me, and trying to motivate myself to be the best damn resident I can for them. It's my way of "revenge", by knowing that my #1 missed out on a hell of a resident.

 

[Moko]

No, it means that the PD thought other candidates were better than him. People can and will say one thing to your face while doing another thing in private. It isn't personal, it's just business.

Was wishful thinking on my part I guess

 

[ThoracicGuy]

Was wishful thinking on my part I guess

That's the problem with these love letters. People get caught up in them and then when it doesn't happen, they feel hurt. If people knew not to put much faith into it, perhaps it would make the match process a bit easier for them.

 

[Xorthos]

That's the problem with these love letters. People get caught up in them and then when it doesn't happen, they feel hurt. If people knew not to put much faith into it, perhaps it would make the match process a bit easier for them.

For me it wasn't just the "love letters" that made me feel hurt. I think it was just the fact that I had so many ties to the area, and to the hospital itself. I got over 50 messages from employees and friends who work at the hospital who were just in shock that I didn't match there. But that's life.

But like I said earlier...all I can do is make the best of things, and count this as a blessing in disguise. I'm feeling better about it day by day, after the initial disbelief wore off.

 

[vamd]

For me it wasn't just the "love letters" that made me feel hurt. I think it was just the fact that I had so many ties to the area, and to the hospital itself. I got over 50 messages from employees and friends who work at the hospital who were just in shock that I didn't match there. But that's life.

But like I said earlier...all I can do is make the best of things, and count this as a blessing in disguise. I'm feeling better about it day by day, after the initial disbelief wore off.

I'm in the same exact boat as you, @Xorthos, and I'm sure there are many others as well. Thanks for sharing, and hope everyone experiencing a similar feeling feels better soon!


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