prematch question please help!!

[300benz]

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say you get a prematch offer from hospital A and u verbally accept ( contract in the mail), no contract yet, then program B comes along (better program) and offers u a prematch are u bound to program A through verbal acceptance or can u still sign with B ofcourse severely upsetting A without getting into much trouble.

thanks good luck to everyone.

 

[Winged Scapula]

Verbal contracts are worth the paper they are written on - ie, nothing.

While you may feel a moral obligation to program A, they have not fulfilled their end of the bargain by providing you a contract, so you are free to take any other offers that come along. I might advise you not to notify Program A until you have a signed contract in hand from Program B, otherwise you may be left with nothing.

 

[yaah]

How did you respond to the first prematch offer? Did they say, "we are offering you a prematch position, will send a contract in the mail?" Or did you say, "I'm definitely going to take it can you send me a contract?"

But like WS said, in truth that doesn't really matter except for your personal moral obligation to not get on a program's bad side. Until a contract is signed it is not official and you are not obligated to sign it just because it has been sent to you. The same goes the other way, by the way. Just because they said they would offer you a spot does not mean that it is official and it will always be available.

 

[300benz]

thanks for the advice guys it makes a lot of sense

 

[HCE]

thanks for the advice guys it makes a lot of sense

I agree with all the above. Don't worry about A...they'll survive.

 

[kura]

I heard, even if you received the contract, signed it, but you haven't send it back to them, you can still draw back

 

[Abram Hoffer]

I would tell the program you no longer desire that you have a personal issue now preventing you from signing it and you unfortunately are unable to provide details. A closed door is sometimes difficult to re-open.

 

[howelljolly]

But how does the pre-match actually go down. I assumed that they offer you the prematch at your interview, and you'd have to decide and sign the contract on the same day... and cancel all future interviews.

Ergo, Program B would never have interviewed you if you if you agreed to accept Program A, or Program B interviewed you because you did not accept a Prematch at A.

On a related note. If I feel like a bit of a gamble... Whats the best way to tell a program that offers me a prematch that I would prefer to let the Match take its course? This is assuming that the program is honest, likes me and will rank me, and I really like the program. If the program is sticking its neck out to prematch me, and I dont accept the prematch, but I actually would like to go to that residency... am I opening up a can of worms by appearing to encourage the Forbidden Dance of "I'll rank you #1 if you rank me #1"?

 

[OntheRoof55]

i'm sorry if this is an ignorant question, but what is prematch? who can prematch?

 

[howelljolly]

i'm sorry if this is an ignorant question, but what is prematch? who can prematch?

A prematch is when a residency program that you interview at offers you a residency position directly (as though it were a regular job offer). You sign a contract for the position before The Match, and you withdraw your application from the NRMP.

US seniors must participate in The Match, and can not prematch. All others (US grads, foreign or international grads.... maybe DOs?) can prematch.

 

[BlondeDocteur]

The reason this loophole is allowed, btw, is that non-allopathic seniors are often not US citizens (not always, of course) and they need more than three months to secure visas for themselves and their families to move to the States. Matching in March with everyone else doesn't give them enough time.

Of course, I think the better solution would be for *everyone* to match in January.

 

[wadigga33]

Dont sweat it..Take care of yourself..If the program had a better candidate that came along they would drop you in a heartbeat..everyone can be replaced...I would do what is best for you!