Pins and Needles Signing Out of the Match

[Who'sYourDaddy]

---

Members do not see this ad.

I'm on pins and needles because the chairman/program director at a top tier program said would sign me early out of the match and that I could beep him anytime this week if I was dying to know what was happening. This is my #1 program after interviewing at 25 programs. I want to call so badly to ask for the contract/something in writing so that I can stop with all of the other bull**** of interviewing (I have interviews left), having people call programs for me, and writing follow up letters showing false interest. I'm afraid, however, that by calling I'll look pushy and possibly disturb this fragile work in progress. What should I do now? Pros/cons to signing out of the match? Stories similar to this one?

 

[njbmd]

Originally posted by Who'sYourDaddy
I'm on pins and needles because the chairman/program director at a top tier program said would sign me early out of the match and that I could beep him anytime this week if I was dying to know what was happening. This is my #1 program after interviewing at 25 programs. I want to call so badly to ask for the contract/something in writing so that I can stop with all of the other bull**** of interviewing (I have interviews left), having people call programs for me, and writing follow up letters showing false interest. I'm afraid, however, that by calling I'll look pushy and possibly disturb this fragile work in progress. What should I do now? Pros/cons to signing out of the match? Stories similar to this one?

Hi there,
Don't opt out of the match unless you have a signed contract in your hands for a categorical position. If you have anything short of a signed contract, you are asking to scramble in a year where applications to General Surgery programs have greatly increased and the risk of having no job is going to be pretty high.

njbmd😀

 

[tRmedic21]

You said this is your number one choice.... so what are you waiting on???

Why not call the guy and ask him for a contract. I mean if he offered prematch, then why would you feel pushy taking him up on the matter? It isn't like they aren't benefitting, too. I assume this is a legal prematch offer, meaning you are an IMG or have been out a year or more from a US school (if I understand the rules correctly). If it isn't a legal offer, then I wouldn't take it, but if it is, then, well....

I am not trying to tell you how to feel, I am just wondering why one would feel guilty or apprehensive getting a pre-match offer from your #1 choice. Both parties get to throw away the uncertainty involved with the Match, and move on. I think it's great, and I'd like to offer my congrats!

Whatever you decide, good luck!

 

[Winged Scapula]

I agree with the others - if you are eligible to sign outside of the match and this is your first choice, I see nothing "pushy" about calling the PD, after all hr told you to.

BUT as others noted, do not drop out of the match (a contingency of signing outside of the match) until you have a legit, signed contract in your hand. The cons would be largely that the offer is hollow, or that you find another program you'd prefer after signing (as you still have other interviews). You haven't much time - the PD is NOT allowed to contact you, you must call him to see if the offer is still good.

 

[Who'sYourDaddy]

the PD and I have spoken on the phone 3 times in the past week and he said they had their rank meeting, and i was unanimously picked by the full time faculty to be in the program. i'm so psyched, this is a dream come true! i called to cancel my last interview for today.

the PD said that one of the current interns last year ranked only their program on the rank list, i guess implying that he wants me to rank them #1 and not list other programs on my rank list. he said they have more spots than they thought they would.

still on pins and needles...but this time going through the match...

i'm thinking that the benefit to only ranking my #1 program is that if i don't rank any other programs there will be no possible chance of matching at a less desirable program, and if for some weird reason the matching system messes up, i will still be able to scramble into one of their open spots.

does anyone agree/disagree with me on ranking only your #1 when you have committed to the program and they have committed to you?

 

[Tenesma]

dude this is the oldest trick in the book as far as how programs can screw you over..... you should rank all the programs you would like to go to in descending order... if you like this program so much then you should rank it first, by all means, but don't put yourself into a situation where you have to scramble (cause that sucks)

also don't get too flattered with your interaction with the PD - do you really think that you are the only medical student that he/she is talking to about a "promised" spot...

don't go out of the match - unless that program sends you a signed contract before your ERAS list is due!!!

not trying to be mean, but this will turn into the same sob story i hear every year when the program screws over the applicant, and i am sure there are others on this board who would agree with me

 

[Idiopathic]

The take home message is get it in writing. Otherwise, assume nothing.

 

[shag]

Originally posted by Idiopathic
The take home message is get it in writing. Otherwise, assume nothing.

Get it in writing, signed with 2 witnesses, videotaped, with the USMLE style thumb print of the PD, Chair, and 2 witnesses affixed. Store the original and video tape in a safe deposit box with instructions on how to find it should anything untoward happen to you prior to the match. 🙂

 

[Who'sYourDaddy]

the PD and i spoke again and he said that he is working on deciding how to do this, if we should do it out of the match or if i should only rank his program.

agreed to ask for something in writing, but it sucks that i feel like asking for something in writing conveys a small amount of insecurity about what's happening and lack of trust towards the program/PD.

i'm not an IMG, my dean confirmed that it is illegal to sign out of the match, so what do you think about me asking the PD to allow me to sign a contract before the match (aka getting something in writing), then go through the match and rank only eachother, thus giving the appearance we have not communicated prior to the match and are not signing out of the match?

 

[neilc]

if you dont have something in writing do not only rank this program. rank them number 1, but rank the rest of your list accordingly. you do not want to be screwed, and there is no downside if you rank others below them. if you rank each other number 1, you are going there. so, play it safe and rank other programs as well.

 

[Tenesma]

here is how you deal with the situation:

you call your program director (don't write him - everything you write can end up hurting you) and tell him that you have decided to go through the match because of pressure from your medical school - but that you will only be ranking ONE program - which of course is a flat out lie, because you will of course rank a bunch of other programs as back-up.... If you match at your favorite program the PD will never know you had back-ups... If you don't match at your favorite program you will know that the PD was full of crap, but at least you will be matching somewhere without having to scramble...

everybody wins - and you stay safe

 

[Astroman]

I agree with neilc. Why in the world would the PD ask you to sign out of the match or ONLY rank his program. That's *****ic. If you and the PD want each other so badly, then it's really really simple, and legal... RANK EACH OTHER #1!!!!!

Ranking only one program is a recipe for disaster.

 

[fourthyear]

There is absolutely NO advantage to ranking only one program when you have interviewed at 25!! Make a long rank list of programs you could see yourself happy at, and if they want you so bad, you'll end up there. There is no chance at all that "the match system messes up" - if you rank each other #1 you'll match there. Even if it did mess up, someone else further down the rank list will fill your spot (they're certainly protecting themselves and ranking lesser candidates below you to ensure they fill if you change your mind) and you won't have a spot to scramble into there. You will only mess yourself up if you don't protect yourself by ranking enough programs in case this one falls through.

I don't trust this PD one bit. He says "they have more spots than they though they would this year"???? No way in hell this could be true - programs have to apply to get approved for expanding to more spots and this process takes at least a year - there's no possible way he suddenly found out they can hire more residents next year. Also I don't trust him b/c you say it's a "top teir" program...well, any top teir program knows out of the match deals or even discussions like this to try to harrass you into ranking them and only them are illegal. He can't possibly offer you anything in writing b/c to do so would mean he's breaking the match rules and that would look pretty bad if he got caught.

I really don't trust any PD who makes such promises. I've said this a million times here before - programs want to fill with their favorite people just as much as you want to match at the top of your list and they'll do anything to make sure it happens. I know too many people who were dissappointed with similar (although much less overt) promises last year.
Good luck - I really hope you match there and love it there, but the only way to make sure that you have a job you're happy with next year if it doesn't happen is to rank several other decent programs below it.

 

[Winged Scapula]

I haven't much to add to the great advice given by others here except to state that the pressure and comments made by this PD are in violation of match rules. Programs are not supposed to promise spots (although it happens all the time). OLDEST TRICK in the book ( to try and convince you to rank only them). Do not do anything different than you would otherwise - rank the programs in the order in which you desire - do NOT SUICIDE (ie, rank only 1 program) - you can be screwed. There is no guarantee that you will find any spot in the scramble let alone a spot desirable to you. Surely at least one of the other programs you've interviewed at would be acceptable.

Anyway, I'm ranting...the others have given you good advice. If you really desire this program, let them know, rank them first and go through the match.

 

[maxheadroom]

A guy in my class suicide-ranked last year . . . and scrambled. He had great assurances that "hey, you're our guy." And he wasn't.