offered a position outside the match

[HamSandwich]

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DO student here....my first choice FM program offered me a position yesterday. they are supposed to fax over something for me to sign. then, they tell the NRMP that they have one less spot for the match. after that, I am supposed to withdrawl. this is what they told me.

it seem as tho they are going to fax me something to sign then i fax it back. doesnt seem like any of their signatures are on anything.

What is the documentation I will need to get from them to assure a spot in their program? they really are on the up and up but i have seen all the SDN horror stories and just in case, dont want to do something wrong and get screwed.

thanks

 

[Finally M3]

Yikes. Sounds sketchy, even if it is your first choice.

I would tread carefully. The way to guarantee your spot, of course, would be to tell them on the down low that they are your first choice....etc. etc.

Good luck

 

[Idiopathic]

they will not know if you have withdrawn from the match. if you sign with them in good faith and stay in the match until you have confirmation in the form of an official contract, I dont see where there is a problem. The onus is on them. You can even go to your backup interviews, just in case, to hegde against them screwing you (which I dont think they would go to the trouble to do). I can only hope to be in a similar situation...i do not want to wait for mid-march.

 

[edfig99]

sounds like they're asking you to sign an agreement to the]program [letter of appointment] which is as good as a contract (most hospitals actually don't generate contracts for residents until sometime midway through the academic year).

continuing to remain in the match after signing an agreement is a serious breach of the match agreement and highly unethical.

your best bet is make sure you get things clarified in advance on the phone before they send you anything in writing and then there are no questions. technically, if you stay in the match after signing something, they can report you to NRMP for a potential match violation, and the penalties are pretty severe (see the match agreement, section 7.0)

just talk to someone there, and if it's in writing when you sign, then you have your assurance. also make sure they fax you back a copy with their signatures.

 

[coldsteel]

Another issue aside from the issues mentioned above: you would be in big trouble if their offer is legit, you sign their forms, stay in the match, and end up matching at another program as well. You would probably end up losing both positions, and the NRMP will bar you from participating in the match for 3 years.
I think that the program has the right to offer you the position outside the match, so you wouldn't get them in trouble if you call the NRMP to find out how to do this the right way. Don't quote me on that, but that is what I would consider.

 

[vtach]

If you read the rules, the programs have to pull spot by Jan 30. More DO candidates might be heaing about signing outside the match in the coming days.