Must I apply to my own school?

[stormjen]

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I don't want to do my residency at my school.

I don't want to even apply to the residency program at my school.

However, I am getting a rec letter from the program director of the residency program at my school.

Would it be really horrible of me to not apply to it? I assure you that the program director will notice, and wonder, and probably be hurt.

But I know I don't want to go, I don't want to waste my interview energy on an interview for a program I don't want to attend, and I don't want to spend the extra money on it.

 

[SLUsagar]

i believe that it's your own life, your own energy, and most importantly, YOUR OWN TIME. If you plan on applying to places other than your own school, i think it's just fine. You don't OWE anyone an interview. Yes, i understand your worries that PD might feel hurt or whatnot. But honestly, you've already got your letters of rec (yes i know that might seem cruel, but hear me out!), and most importantly, interviewing at your school frankly is also a waste of THEIR time. Plus, it takes an interview timeslot from another candidate that legitamately might want to go there.
So all in all, don't fret, i mean i would do as above stated if i were in your shoes as a fellow 4th year in the process of applying etc.

 

[joedogma]

I have a different opinion on this subject...this would be the perfect opportunity for your first interview, a good time to get into the interview groove. Besides, pathology is one of the smallest fields in the medical world so it does not make sense to burn bridges so early in your career. If you think the PD would feel bad if you didn't apply, then your intuition is probably correct. I am guessing that since this is your school, you wouldn't have any travel expenses etc...so the argument of it costs too much doesn't fly. At the very least I would apply but not interview...

 

[yaah]

I have a different opinion on this subject...this would be the perfect opportunity for your first interview, a good time to get into the interview groove. Besides, pathology is one of the smallest fields in the medical world so it does not make sense to burn bridges so early in your career. If you think the PD would feel bad if you didn't apply, then your intuition is probably correct. I am guessing that since this is your school, you wouldn't have any travel expenses etc...so the argument of it costs too much doesn't fly. At the very least I would apply but not interview...

I sort of agree with Joe. A lot of it depends on where you are looking. If you are interested in going somewhere else for residency (away from your home school) you don't have to apply to your school, but I would tell your letter writer this so they don't expect you. I was fairly close to a lot of the people at my school, and I did apply there and interview there. But at the same time I was honest and told them I was interested in going to a different place, probably even a different area of the country.

At the interview at my school's program, during a lot of the interviews we actually talked about different places I was applying and which ones I was most interested in. In most cases they actually gave me advice on which programs to look most closely at. It was a nice experience.

I guess what I wouldn't do is be stealthy about it. If they have asked you previously if you are applying at the program and you said yes, I would apply there unless you talk to them again. But I don't think anyone would be truly offended if they ask if you are applying there and you say no because you want to move on. Obviously you don't have to say you don't like the program. Path is a small field, no doubt. People know each other and you will run into them again. Best to do so on friendly terms and not awkward ones. It's kind of like programs that don't interview applicants from their own school that they know well. It's just not polite.

It also really depends on how confident you are with other programs. Are you positive you don't want to do your training there? Would you prefer to scramble rather than go there? If so, then don't bother. But I would definitely talk to the PD if you think he will be hurt, just to say nothing personal.

 

[stormjen]

One big thing preventing me from wanting to apply is that I'll need to get an extra rec letter just to apply to my program. That's because I can't use my program director's letter. So basically I'll have to grovel and go through the torture of getting yet another letter just to apply to a program I don't want to go to in the first place. Argh.

 

[b&ierstiefel]

I'm in a similar situation. I think the PD at Michigan cought wind of this when I asked him, "So what are some of the top Path programs?" and he responded, "Besides Michigan, I would recommend...."

I guess I f'd myself in the A.

I figure, I spent 7 years at Michigan. It's time for me to move on. Michigan is certainly a stellar path program. But I would certainly appreciate a change in location. I believe that diversifying one's training and getting a sense of how medicine is practiced at a variety of locations is very important for one's personal and professional growth.

 

[Converse]

I agree with SLUsagar. Don't interview in a place you don't want to go. If you feel you don't need the practice, it is a waste of time and an energy drain.

I doubt the PD will feel hurt. Students not applying to their own school happens all the time for many good reasons, such as having a spouse in a different city.

 

[yaah]

I'm in a similar situation. I think the PD at Michigan cought wind of this when I asked him, "So what are some of the top Path programs?" and he responded, "Besides Michigan, I would recommend...."

I guess I f'd myself in the A.
.

Oh, he's a nice guy, he'll understand. Of course he's going to recommend his own program. When I had my interview with him last year we talked about other programs as well. Kind of like my situation last year, you respect the program you are at but are interested in going to a different area of the country (unless you have your eye on Wayne State or Beaumont!)

 

[b&ierstiefel]

Oh, he's a nice guy, he'll understand. Of course he's going to recommend his own program. When I had my interview with him last year we talked about other programs as well. Kind of like my situation last year, you respect the program you are at but are interested in going to a different area of the country (unless you have your eye on Wayne State or Beaumont!)

true true yaah, he's very down to earth and cool to talk to. he gave me tons of advice regarding pathology. in any case, i'll do the path rotation here and maybe i'll find that i really want to stay here (then it's all a matter of them letting me in).

and also, i have no intention of applying to Wayne State or Beaumont. they HAVE path programs?