Post-interview communication: violation?

[H Y F R]

Hi everyone,

Hope all is well with you. I am in a bit of a mental bind, and I have no one to blame but myself. I interviewed a couple of months ago at a fantastic IM program, and at the time emailed them telling them they are my #1. Since then, I interviewed at one of my "reach programs," and I told them they are my #1. My conscience is killing me, and I want to do the ethical and appropriate action, whatever that may be. Is it inappropriate to communicate to my previous #1, and let them know I will be ranking another program #1 but I remain confident that if I were to match with them (now my #2 program) that I would be elated to be such a fantastic program that remains a wonderful fit for me. I don't have any reasonable excuse for why this happened, and I understand my own fault in this situation. I just want to do the right thing at this point, and I don't know what it is. If anyone can chime in and give me some advice, as I am a bit of a mental mess over this, I would really really appreciate it.

Thank you to anyone with any advice you may have.

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[CopaceticOne]

Thank you to anyone with any advice you may have.

Just keep your mouth shut and you fingers away from the email send button. No violations have occurred and no good can come from trying to do anything about the situation at this point in time.

 

[jesok]

Better hope you weren't ranked to match at the 2nd one.
It won't look good, but it's not a violation.

 

[rokshana]

Better hope you weren't ranked to match at the 2nd one.
It won't look good, but it's not a violation.

no one is gonna care...don't worry about it because you will probably match at your #3 and it won't matter

 

[ShuperNewbie]

Thank you to anyone with any advice you may have.

I think you're fine bud. Situations like this have happened since the beginning of match and I don't think the program directors are going to take time out of their busy schedules to sit down and memorize verbatim everyone who sent them a #1 email and even if they did, I don't think they'll have the time or effort (i.e. they couldn't possibly care enough) to remember your name for three extra years and three extra match processes to care come fellowship application time. Do you remember your favorite breakfast three years ago? I sure don't. And I only have one breakfast a day while program directors meet up to 40 potential applicants every other day. Don't worry too much and good luck.

 

[IMreshopeful]

I guarantee you neither place is going to care much about an email from a rando applicant saying they're ranking their program number 1 (no offense, I'm sure you're a great applicant) and neither will care to communicate with each other. I sent all manner of "I'm ranking you at/near the top" to all of my desired programs both for residency and fellowship. Didn't close any doors and matched well.

 

[cootieshot]

I feel like this would be more of an issue if this was a smaller specialty and/or if one those places is your home institution and/or you are a unicorn applicant.

 

[H Y F R]

I really appreciate the input from everyone. I am a person of faith, and my conscience was tormenting me. I updated my #2 program, as I felt this was the right thing to do. I hope they view this as a sign of my moral character. I am done toiling over this issue, and my ROL in general. It's time to take a step back.

Thank you to everyone here.

 

[DrElliotReid]

There really is no point in my posting in this thread anymore since you've already done what everyone has told you you probably shouldn't do. Honestly I think this move will either do nothing or actually affect you negatively but at the end of the day if you're ok with that then it's your situation not ours. The smarter thing in the first place would've been not to get so overly eager and tell that initial program they're you're number one. You save that until you finish your interviews when you confidently have a number one program. If this minor of a thing is already getting your conscience all "tormented" I'm curious how you're going to fair out in the real world of medicine.

 

[tantacles]

I received a great piece of advice reasonably recently (that I never follow), and even though this saga is over, here is my thought: 95% of all problems with medical students can be solved by the student taking his bottom lip and attaching it firmly to his top lip.

I think this was likely one of those problems.

 

[smartparts]

I think you did the right thing OP. Hope you get your #1. +1 for honesty and +1 for the username.

 

[SXMMD]

Op, good luck to you. You're going to have an interesting life

 

[smartparts]

Hi everyone,

Hope all is well with you. I am in a bit of a mental bind, and I have no one to blame but myself. I interviewed a couple of months ago at a fantastic IM program, and at the time emailed them telling them they are my #1. Since then, I interviewed at one of my "reach programs," and I told them they are my #1. My conscience is killing me, and I want to do the ethical and appropriate action, whatever that may be. Is it inappropriate to communicate to my previous #1, and let them know I will be ranking another program #1 but I remain confident that if I were to match with them (now my #2 program) that I would be elated to be such a fantastic program that remains a wonderful fit for me. I don't have any reasonable excuse for why this happened, and I understand my own fault in this situation. I just want to do the right thing at this point, and I don't know what it is. If anyone can chime in and give me some advice, as I am a bit of a mental mess over this, I would really really appreciate it.

Thank you to anyone with any advice you may have.

so what happened?