Ranking and letting your #1 know?

[megynelli]

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Has anyone started making their lists yet?

Also, I read somewhere that people are sending e-mails/letters to their #1 place letting them know they are ranking them high. Being from Mich State Osteopathic most of my friends are only doing the DO match and know for the most part where they are going. So I just didn't know if it is necessary to do this? Hope the matching and finishing interviews go well!

Thanks!!

 

[waldenwoods]

I have started to think about how I should arrange the programs on my ROL, but I still have one more interview to go.

A faculty member at my school once said to me that it's okay to send a PD a message about ranking that program #1, and that it could be especially convincing if you have clear and compelling reasons for wanting to be a resident there. She had participated in residency selection back when she was a resident. Depending on the program, it may make a difference, or it may not. And if you match there, you'll probably never know whether it made an impact on your match, or if you would have been ranked highly enough to match without having told the PD you'd rank that program #1. (Unless you get there and later find out the program doesn't pay any mind to such messages!)

Good luck!

 

[drbetty]

http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=593586

http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=580496

 

[swcjack]

This seems shady to me. I would like to think that there are more subtle and discrete ways (away rotations, second looks, keeping in contact, talking with other faculty at the program, etc) of showing a program you are really interested, but I guess I could be wrong. It just seems awkward to me to tell a PD that they are my number 1. Seems like begging and I want the program to want/rank me because of my credentials and interview. Maybe I am just too old fashioned or just dont know how much other people are playing this game.

 

[BigRedBeta]

Based on the NRMP Program Director's survey that just came out, I'm even less inclined to make that big of deal about it. IIRC the responders said that post-interview communication mattered less than a 2.0 on a 5 point scale of importance in rank lists.

I sent thank yous to the programs I liked (several weeks after the interview - better late than never, I guess) but I don't think it'll particularly matter. If it does, that's a chance I'm willing to take.

The numbers I find comfort in: 92% of US seniors match, and that rate is even higher for US Seniors going into peds (>98.5% for those who rank 4 or more programs contiguously on their match list) and about 85% of all US seniors get one of their top 3 choices...greater than 90% get one of their top 4 choices. I'd be willing to bet that the number is higher for peds.

 

[megynelli]

swcjack, I totally agree, I feel really akward about telling people or trying to convince them to rank me higher. I sent everyone thank you notes after interviewing and the programs i really liked i hinted at the fact that i hope to be working with them in the future. I feel pretty confident I will match somewhere and truthfully I liked all the programs I interviewed at just some more than others. I guess we'll see on March 19!! Thanks everyone!