Second Look - a few Qs

[iceman915]

I am an FMG going for a second look to a program in Louisiana. I inquired about this during the day of my interview and the PD (my last interviewer) said that it could increase my chances of getting matched there and he also told be to come before a specific date. The interview was in late Jan and I am revisiting them this Wednesday. I wrote a letter of thanks to the program coordinator but am waiting till after Wednesday to submit my thank you letters. Perhaps I should have done this a bit earlier. Hopefully the fact that I am flying back in from Michigan has already conveyed my interest in them. Anyways, the program coordinator said that she was glad I called and they would be happy to have me rotate with them on that day. My questions are as follows:

1) If the program did not fill all its positions last year, was it because not enough people ranked them (or vice versa) or they have accreditation problems, etc?

2) One of the current residents is from my school. Does this help me at all?

3) Should I be repeating some of the Qs I used during the first IV with the faculty members I haven't met yet or should I be thinking of new ones?

4) Did I wait to long to send the Thank you letters Or is it still ok to submit them promptly after this second visit?

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[iceman915]

Does anyone have any input? I would greatly appreciate home help. Thanks.

 

[Frijolero]

I am an FMG going for a second look to a program in Louisiana. I inquired about this during the day of my interview and the PD (my last interviewer) said that it could increase my chances of getting matched there and he also told be to come before a specific date. The interview was in late Jan and I am revisiting them this Wednesday. I wrote a letter of thanks to the program coordinator but am waiting till after Wednesday to submit my thank you letters. Perhaps I should have done this a bit earlier. Hopefully the fact that I am flying back in from Michigan has already conveyed my interest in them. Anyways, the program coordinator said that she was glad I called and they would be happy to have me rotate with them on that day. My questions are as follows:

1) If the program did not fill all its positions last year, was it because not enough people ranked them (or vice versa) or they have accreditation problems, etc?

2) One of the current residents is from my school. Does this help me at all?

3) Should I be repeating some of the Qs I used during the first IV with the faculty members I haven't met yet or should I be thinking of new ones?

4) Did I wait to long to send the Thank you letters Or is it still ok to submit them promptly after this second visit?

1) Potentially both, or perhaps one of a million other reasons ranging from malignant faculty to crappy location. Without specifics it's hard to say.

2) Yes, provided the program likes this resident and the resident likes you.

3) I would be asking questions I didn't have answers to, but that's just me.

4) Some argue TY's are a waste regardless of when you send them. You can't go wrong, though, by sending them immediately after your visit.

Good luck...

 

[secretwave101]

We're building our rank list tomorrow night. So, if you want to send in thank you's and go for second looks etc, I'd do in quickly. Lists are forming and people are getting ranked as we speak.

Wouldn't look too much in the open position thing. It happens to some of the best programs in the country. If they're CONSTANTLY not filling, you might want to look a little more closely. In general, it's par for the course in FM. Makes it an applicant's market

Usually a resident from your program is a good thing. Gets you name-recognition esp if you're from a foreign school. If the resident is a punk, then it's the opposite, however. So, if you didn't know that person when you were in school together and don't have any idea if they're sharp or not, don't drop the name until you have a better sense of how they're doing in their residency.

We had a resident graduate from here a few years ago who is currently under indictment for sexual abuse of patients...and an applicant came in this yeard dropping his name all over the place. Noooott a good choice on the applicant's part.