Now that we know where we matched...

[IFNgamma]

should we call the program director to express thanks? What is expected?

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[TUCOMSam]

Good question... was wondering the same thing... gotta do it before I go get to the drinkin!

 

[DarksideAllstar]

I sent an email (in response to the PDs email). If they called, well, I guess I would call.

 

[mikeyb01]

In Iserson's long, drawn-out book it says:

As soon as you find out where you've matched, make a phone call to your new PD. It should be brief and enthusiastic, even if the program was not your 1st choice. Tell him/her how glad you are to have matched with the program and how much you're looking forward to starting. This is also a good time to ask if they need any additional info. It says to keep it short and to establish a positive image of yourself in the PD's mind.

Then, and this seems like overkill to me, he says to write a letter to the guy/gal repeating your enthusiastic response and again asking them if they need more information. Give sufficient addresses and telephone numbers so that they can send you everthing they need to.

Take that for what it's worth.

 

[IFNgamma]

what about the other places where you interviewed at? Do we need to thank them for the interview and express regret we did not match?

 

[mikeyb01]

I am a fourth year student going through all of this for the first time so, by all means, weigh my replies accordingly.

My gut response would be to say that sending thank yous to programs you didn't match with are not necessary. I sent notes after each of my interviews and feel like that's enough.

Besides, I have no regrets at all about where I matched!!

 

[jjbmsiv]

I think expressing false (or real, even) regrets to places you didn't match at is a silly waste of your time, which would be better spent finding a new place to live!

Of course, I didn't send out fifty-thousand (wasteful) thank you letters to the folks I interviewed with, either, and I got my first choice. So perhaps it's just relative, hm?

 

[Winged Scapula]

Call or email your new PD just to say "thanks and I'm really excited about coming there" (even if its a lie). It doens't have to be today, but soon would be nice.

As for contacting the places you didn't match, no reply is expected. If there is someplace you really liked and want to keep contact, a nice note would be ok, as long as you weren't deriding where you matched, etc.

 

[werewethere]

Perhaps writing to programs you regret not matching to, wherever they were on your list, should be contingent upon whether you expect to interact with people part of the program in the future (i.e. at professional meetings), whether they offered any particular kindness that you felt worthwhile or unique, and whether the letter might provide some food for thought for the PD on how they might improve for match 2008

 

[Critical Mass]

What if you were actually their 40th choice and they thought you were somebody else?

 

[Obedeli]

what about the other places where you interviewed at? Do we need to thank them for the interview and express regret we did not match?

Um.... yeah!


Sorry dude, this really cracked me up. Congrats though!

 

[mlw03]

In Iserson's long, drawn-out book it says:

As soon as you find out where you've matched, make a phone call to your new PD. It should be brief and enthusiastic, even if the program was not your 1st choice. Tell him/her how glad you are to have matched with the program and how much you're looking forward to starting. This is also a good time to ask if they need any additional info. It says to keep it short and to establish a positive image of yourself in the PD's mind.

Then, and this seems like overkill to me, he says to write a letter to the guy/gal repeating your enthusiastic response and again asking them if they need more information. Give sufficient addresses and telephone numbers so that they can send you everthing they need to.

Take that for what it's worth.

iserson's book is crap - from reading his book you'd think that without a 260+ on steps 1 and 2, AOA, and 5 publications you have no shot at getting into any residency whatsoever. if a program needs info from you, they know your email and phone number - they will find you. if you want to drop a short email or phone call to say, "glad to have matched with you guys, see you in a few months" then do it because you want to, not because some over-rated book says you're "supposed to." remember you're going to be working with these people for at least 3 years - you really want to give the impression that you're a total dork 5 minutes after you matched?

 

[IFNgamma]

Perhaps writing to programs you regret not matching to, wherever they were on your list, should be contingent upon whether you expect to interact with people part of the program in the future (i.e. at professional meetings), whether they offered any particular kindness that you felt worthwhile or unique, and whether the letter might provide some food for thought for the PD on how they might improve for match 2008

yes, you're right, obviously, I will only consider writing a note of regret to the places where I really liked and ranked highly, not to the ones that I ranked lowly and have no regrets (but relief) that I did not match there.

 

[jocg27]

remember you're going to be working with these people for at least 3 years - you really want to give the impression that you're a total dork 5 minutes after you matched?

Yeah there will be plenty of time for them to find out you're a total dork!

 

[Bertelman]

I wrote a quick email to the PD where I matched. He replied, basically reiterating everything I said in mine, from his point of view.

I think it is a nice gesture, but I also think this is a two-way street. We've been told from the day we turn in our app that programs are as anxious about this process as we are, and it is an equal venture. I think the programs should equally be contacting us to let us know how happy they are.

As for thanking the places you didn't match at, I'm not sure I see any value in that. If you care that much about thank-yous, you should have already sent them one for interviewing. I have a feeling in about 5 months they will be destroying your file, with all your cute thank-you letters. The only benefit I can see from prolonging contact is if you intend to go there for a fellowship or to work as an attending. By then, the PD has probably left. Your thank yous have been forgotten.

Don't mean to sound cynical, but I don't see programs calling us, thanking us for traveling half-way accross the country, despite us not choosing them.

 

[sam1]

Match is a game, those who play the game well, win...be it either the programs or applicants. and believe me...programs are better than you at the game....they have done this for years without regret. then, why should a firsttimer in the residency Match process regret anything?

 

[veo1]

Match is a game, those who play the game well, win...be it either the programs or applicants. and believe me...programs are better than you at the game....they have done this for years without regret. then, why should a firsttimer in the residency Match process regret anything?

....Rrrrright

 

[goooooober]

About 1-2 weeks post match I got emails from my 2nd and 3rd choice programs stating that they had ranked me to match at their program and wanted to know why I chose my first choice over them. That was when I sent them a nice email expressing gratitude for the opportunity and let them know it was a tough choice.

 

[VincentAdultman]

It's a well known fact that if you don't contact your new PD on match day they inform you on the first day of orientation that you are no longer welcome there and are offering your spot to the next person on their list.

Sorry.

 

[Bertelman]

About 1-2 weeks post match I got emails from my 2nd and 3rd choice programs stating that they had ranked me to match at their program and wanted to know why I chose my first choice over them. That was when I sent them a nice email expressing gratitude for the opportunity and let them know it was a tough choice.

About 1-2 seconds after I opened up my match envelope, I realized my #1 and #2 didn't want me.