Rejection Hall of Fame

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thesauce

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Rejection letters are never fun, but who doesn't appreciate the subtle humor of the less conventional ones? Below are a few from my application cycle.

Email from UPitt
Rejection and then another rejection several days later

Email from Oklahoma
"We would like to inform you that you have been rejected..."

Email from Washington University
Subject Line: Interview at Washington University
Message: "Unfortunately, we are unable to invite you..."

Any new gems in the past couple cycles?

Members don't see this ad.
 
My favorite so far:

"Your application shows great potential for you in the field of radiation
oncology. Unfortunately, after careful review of all submitted applications,
we have decided to go with an applicant whose qualifications more precisely
match our requirements."
 
My favorite so far:

"Your application shows great potential for you in the field of radiation
oncology. Unfortunately, after careful review of all submitted applications,
we have decided to go with an applicant whose qualifications more precisely
match our requirements."

Yeah I got that too. Damn that applicant :p
 
Members don't see this ad :)
My favorite so far:

"Your application shows great potential for you in the field of radiation
oncology. Unfortunately, after careful review of all submitted applications,
we have decided to go with an applicant whose qualifications more precisely
match our requirements."

HaHa... I remember that rejection and unfortunately I had many many rejection letters but I'm sure you all heard this line before... all it takes is one invite and acceptance.

On another note, it is good to see program directors and residency directors you interviewed with who rejected you but remember you. This is such a small field and you will run into the same people over and over again.

Good luck!

-R
 
"Rejected you" is perhaps not the most accurate terminology. If you were invited to interview and were ranked (which unless you were told you were not going to be ranked, or a program you ranked did not fill, you would never have reason to think otherwise) you were not rejected. Being ranked behind someone else is not a rejection, but rather a reflection of that applicant having a stronger application, a better interview day and/or ties to that program (i.e. medical student or rotator in that program).

On another note, it is good to see program directors and residency directors you interviewed with who rejected you but remember you. This is such a small field and you will run into the same people over and over again.

Good luck!

-R
 
You're right, maybe rejected is a strong word... I know I still have a little chip on my shoulder, but don't get me wrong I had more than my fair share of rejection letters.

At first I kept all of them for motivation but as you can imagine that's not exactly the best idea.

-R

"Rejected you" is perhaps not the most accurate terminology. If you were invited to interview and were ranked (which unless you were told you were not going to be ranked, or a program you ranked did not fill, you would never have reason to think otherwise) you were not rejected. Being ranked behind someone else is not a rejection, but rather a reflection of that applicant having a stronger application, a better interview day and/or ties to that program (i.e. medical student or rotator in that program).
 
When applying to grad school I decided to withdraw my application from one school after I was accepted to the one I really wanted to go to. A few weeks after notifying that school (with a few back and forth emails asking why) they sent me a rejection letter! I guess it was a "you can't fire me, cause I quit" kind of thing.
 
My hall of fame entry: I had a great away rotation with a strong app at an institution where I used to live and work, got a fantastic letter and evaluations, and made it very clear they would be my first choice program. Then I got the same rejection as everyone else and nothing but silence afterwards.

My new first choice gave me the nod nod wink wink that I would match there. On match day I didn't match at that program. It sure feels a lot like a rejection.

This is going to be awfully awkward for me having to see these faculty again. I mean for them I'm just another applicant. But, to me it's the sting of rejection for reasons completely unknown and broken promises and dreams.
 
MSKCC last year sent out a mass rejection email with everyone's email address visible. Then they sent out an email stating to disregard the previous email. Then finally sent out a mass rejection email with everyone's email address invisible.
 
I received a rejection letter in the mail in April after I already matched telling me that I hadn't been offered an interview.

I just had to laugh at that one.
 
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