PD won't make call for me: am I screwed?

[doctosaurus]

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Should I desperately try to find another faculty advocate to call for me, or is an advocacy call really just "icing on the cake" (as I've heard from some residents)? Is it necessary in Psychiatry?

 

[Armadillos]

Im not a PD, but I dont think its standard at all to have PDs calling advocating for you at this time in the season. Maybe early on someone may call to say "Hey I have this good student I think may be a good fit for you all, think you can work in an interview?". But I dont see why PDs would be calling other institutions to attempt to influence their rank lists at this point.

 

[step2cs01]

ditto. lol bro. being strong and at an elite place, sounds like such a call won't change outcome for you

 

[ExcaliburPrime1]

Perhaps PDs can speak more to this, but I have yet to hear of anyone in my school having a PD call on their behalf before the match, and we've had people accepted into the top places.

Bottom line, if you're super competitive, I'd suggest you relax and let the chips fall where they may. You don't need that extra push, and if your PD is that sensitive, you're probably better off letting the whole thing drop.

 

[Bartelby]

I didn't know any PDs from an applicant's med school typically made "advocacy calls." Is that only for the applicant's #1, or does this person somehow have time for even more? In any case I don't foresee this being a problem for you.

 

[J ROD]

I would not bother your PD anymore. He may decide to do the opposite and sandbag you.

I would chill out and send a "you are my #1" email to your favorite program if you really need to do something to make yourself feel better.

 

[HarryMTieboutMD]

Huh? The original post has no context. Are you a med student applying for residency? Are you a resident in trouble for substance/unprofessional behavior/etc?

 

[notdeadyet]

I was wondering the same as Harry.

If you are a medical student applying for residency, a PD does not typically call programs on your behalf. If youve asked and he said no, I'd definitely let it go immediately.

If you are a resident trying to escape your program and your PD is unwilling to help, yes, this will likely put a damper on your opportunities.

Hard to give better advice without more context.

 

[OldPsychDoc]

I agree--PDs are not in the habit of calling one another to influence other PD's rank lists, pro or con.
I did get a nice email this week from a medical student advisor, though--but it only confirmed what I already knew about an excellent applicant, and changed nothing (except to lift my spirits on Groundhog Day!)

[BTW, do you want to know what things most influenced applicants' movement up or down the rank list at our meeting?
Up: great work ethic and attitude, especially when directly observed on one of our services.
Down: inappropriate statements made to residents in informal settings.]

 

[hamstergang]

Huh? The original post has no context. Are you a med student applying for residency? Are you a resident in trouble for substance/unprofessional behavior/etc?

The post was edited. When I read the full version earlier, it was clear to me that he was a student, though I could be remembering incorrectly.

 

[Bartelby]

The post was edited. When I read the full version earlier, it was clear to me that he was a student, though I could be remembering incorrectly.

You are correct, the original suggested that he is a medical student applying for residency.

 

[splik]

this is bizarre - why would a PD from one program you have applied to call another program on your behalf? this is not normal, it's just weird. stop being so desperate and let the match play out. it can only hurt to have this PD call on your behalf, especially if he's as ethically shady as you make out.

 

[psychattending]

Agree with the position that PDs don't call other PDs at this point in the process. If anything I would take it as a negative unless there was some specific red flag in the application that the student's PD was trying to address and that I wanted addressed.

 

[deleted314290]

He likely means his psychiatry clerkship director.

 

[psychattending]

I would take a phone call from anybody advocating for an applicant as a negative at this point in time.

 

[FlowRate]

I would take a phone call from anybody advocating for an applicant as a negative at this point in time.

Why is that? I feel like I used to hear people talk about "x important person calling y program on my behalf" pretty often around this time.

 

[TexasPhysician]

Why is that? I feel like I used to hear people talk about "x important person calling y program on my behalf" pretty often around this time.

It does not happen often at all, and generally it means something went wrong. Damage control.

What I have seen (very rare) is non-medical famous people showing up to discuss the need for someone to be in a program. This was at the director and higher administrator level. I can't disclose specifics.

 

[Wyvernrider]

Should I desperately try to find another faculty advocate to call for me, or is an advocacy call really just "icing on the cake" (as I've heard from some residents)? Is it necessary in Psychiatry?

Sigh...