Second Looks

[Jennifer626]

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Is anyone doing second looks for neuro?

I already know where my top choice is...so I don't feel that it is necessary to do second looks. I was under the impression that a second look is only useful for the applicant if they are unsure of how to rank their top programs.

Does anyone feel that a second look could benefit your ranking or hurt your ranking if you don't do it?

Should we tell our absolute #1 program that they are our #1?

 

[llogg]

Is anyone doing second looks for neuro?

I already know where my top choice is...so I don't feel that it is necessary to do second looks. I was under the impression that a second look is only useful for the applicant if they are unsure of how to rank their top programs.

Does anyone feel that a second look could benefit your ranking or hurt your ranking if you don't do it?

Should we tell our absolute #1 program that they are our #1?

I'm under the impression that it's against the match rules to tell a program how you intend to rank them. I'm doing second looks because my wife wasn't able to go with me on interviews and needs to see the places I'm still considering ranking highly. I doubt that a second look does much to affect your ranking, but I'd be curious if people with more experience know more than I do about this.

 

[typhoonegator]

I told my #1 that I was ranking them first. I don't know if it made any difference, but I did end up there. I think it is helpful in that it lets the program know you are very serious about them, because no program wants to fill up their top spots in the rank list with people who aren't that serious about actually coming to their program (obviously). That being said, I'm sure most PDs have heard a thousand times that "you are my number 1 program" only to see that person end up somewhere else.

Programs aren't allowed to ask you where you are ranking them, but you can volunteer any information you want...

Finally, the second look is for YOU, not for the program. If you are using it to try to communicate the level of your interest in a particular program, your time would likely be better spent by picking up the phone, or sending an email, and telling the PD your honest feelings on the matter.

 

[Jennifer626]

I told my #1 that I was ranking them first. I don't know if it made any difference, but I did end up there. I think it is helpful in that it lets the program know you are very serious about them, because no program wants to fill up their top spots in the rank list with people who aren't that serious about actually coming to their program (obviously). That being said, I'm sure most PDs have heard a thousand times that "you are my number 1 program" only to see that person end up somewhere else.

Programs aren't allowed to ask you where you are ranking them, but you can volunteer any information you want...

Finally, the second look is for YOU, not for the program. If you are using it to try to communicate the level of your interest in a particular program, your time would likely be better spent by picking up the phone, or sending an email, and telling the PD your honest feelings on the matter.

Out of curiosity...are you a neuro resident?

 

[typhoonegator]

Yes, I am a neurology resident. I live and work in Boston.

 

[GopherBrain]

The second look is just for the applicant. I can't imagine a program changing how they rank you based on whether you came back.

I told my #1 program that I intended to rank them first.. Typhoonnegator is correct. They can't ask, but you can tell.

 

[Jennifer626]

Thanks for the advice!

 

[Wheezy]

I went for a second look to one of the programs. I wanted to get a better feel for what it was like to be there. It changed my impression of the program.

So my advise is, that for the applicant a second look might make you rank them higher or lower. But for most of the programs I visited I think a second look wouldn't change the way I would rank them.

I don't know if a second look helps the applicant's chances of matching.