Second Look?

[R Sterling]

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There is a program that I am very interested in and would like to match or prematch there. (I'm an independant candidate) The interview went well and I expressed my interest in this place. They did mention that some candidates do come back for a second look. Will that show them I'm serious about coming there or just trying to kiss a**? Also, what does one wear when they are on a second look? I'm guessing it's not a suit again. What else can I do to let them know I wanna be there?

 

[animas]

Based on personal experience, second looks don't make much of a difference. They already interviewed you and have an opinion. I matched at a program where I didn't think I even left much of an impression but they ranked me and I ranked them.

Programs are busy, you are busy, everyone gets tired, especially at this point in the game. I'd suggest just writing thank you notes promptly and expressing a strong desire in xyz program.

But, to answer your question, I did not wear a suit on the 2nd look I went to. Business-casual infused with a little bit of style is how I went. 🙂

 

[atsai3]

There is a program that I am very interested in and would like to match or prematch there. (I'm an independant candidate) The interview went well and I expressed my interest in this place. They did mention that some candidates do come back for a second look. Will that show them I'm serious about coming there or just trying to kiss a**? Also, what does one wear when they are on a second look? I'm guessing it's not a suit again. What else can I do to let them know I wanna be there?

The perception kind of depends on the strength of your application. If you're a marginal candidate, there might be a higher probability that you are viewed as 'trying to kiss a**', but really the second look won't really change things one way or another. If you're a strong candidate that the program would like to recruit, there is a higher probability that you will be viewed as just trying to kick the tires.

Business casual should be fine.

-AT.

 

[whopper]

If a place asks you for a second look, they are likely interested in you.

Be careful in trying to not look too over-eager. I can tell you several times someone being over-eager ticked off the program coordinator. Remember, the program coordinator is someone who just like you is a human being. Getting 10 phone calls a day from someone, appearing needy, and bothering the coordinator is not going to help your chances on getting in. In most programs, the coordinator is the program director's right hand man or woman. A simple comment such as "That guy just keeps calling me and he's frustrating me" is often enough for a program director to tell the coordinator to knock the guy off the list.

I mention this because I've noticed several medstudents have started to adopt the paradigm of doctor-narcissism and cop an attitude that the "secretary" is of no importance. I've seen some programs where the coordinator (secretary) is actually doing almost the entire operation of admitting medstudents into residency and the program director had no clue what was going on, and was simply just signing the forms and doing interviews--coordinator did everything else. If you pissed off the coordinator, you actually did far more harm to yourself than pissing off the program director.

If you want to imprint the message that you want to get in, I'd mention it during the interview, show enthusiasm, highlight why you want to get in, and write a thank you note, but don't appear needy or call the coordinator several times a day.

 

[R Sterling]

Thanks for the advice everyone. Since the second look doesn't help much, I think I'll lay low for now. I do realize they all are busy and don't want to get in anyone's way. I did write a thank you note sent via email to the PD. I did it the day after the interview. I did mention my strong desire to join. Also, what's the general opinion on sending hand written thank you notes? I personally am not in favor of sending one because I am afraid it gets lost in the shuffle and it may take a while to reach the PD and other interviewers. Is that seen as desperate?

 

[newpsych]

maybe it's because I'm from the south where handwritten thank you notes are not an extreme gesture, but more a genuine 'thank you' or because I haven't been thinking too much about this whole process and am relying on being myself and "believing in the match," but I really don't understand the importance of this issue. Send a card if you're thankful. If a program really doesn't rank someone appropriately based on the presence or absence of a thank you card, do you really want to go there? I don't. I would much rather go to a program that ranks based on the quality of applicants, not their perceived interest in the program and ability to kiss ass for a few months.