After putting together my rank list in mid January, I emailed the PD of the residency I was planning on ranking #1. Since then, I have learned that of some major family health changes this month and will likely make this program my #4 on the ROL to be closer to family. I've reached out for advice and have been discouraged from updating this PD but can't help but feel like I should. I'm not someone trying to game the system, don't want to start my career off on the wrong note. Any advice would be appreciated.
Sent Letter of Intent, Major life changes several wks after
- Thread starter coyg23
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Say nothing. You could still match there. Or you could match lower.
If you match higher on your match list you can update if you are so inclined
If you match higher on your match list you can update if you are so inclined
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Wouldn’t fret this too much. But couple things:
-is this program in an area you potentially would want to practice eventually?
-are you ranking a bunch of other programs in the area that you might end up at anyway?
-what region is this program?
-is this program in an area you potentially would want to practice eventually?
-are you ranking a bunch of other programs in the area that you might end up at anyway?
-what region is this program?
It is in an area I wouldn't consider beyond residency. The programs I put above it are all on the other side of the country. I guess I'm just worried the PD from this program would call wherever I match to let them know about my dishonesty
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Ain't nobody got time for that. But even if they did, you say exactly what you said here. Anyone should be able to understand that circumstances change.
But there is absolutely no reason to send this message now. If you match there, then you just make things awkward between you and your new program for absolutely no reason. If you match lower, then it just makes you look bad for no reason. I'm dubious that you even really need to give an update even in the scenario where you match higher on your rank list, but at least wait and see if you are in fact in that position before acting.
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There's no 100% right answer here -- you need to pick the answer you can best live with. You can tell this program about your change of heart and they might drop you on their rank list. Or they might not, they might appreciate your honesty. No matter which, you can move forward with your life and not worry about appearing dishonest.
Or you can leave it alone. If you match there, then no one needs to ever know. If you match above them, you still don't know if they ranked you high enough to match. You could inform them afterwards about what happened. It really doesn't hurt them at all -- they just get the next person on their list. But there would be some chance that you would upset them, and if you ever wanted to be hired there in the future it might be an issue - but only if they remember it and remain angry.
Honestly, it's unlikely to matter either way. So you need to pick the option that you can sleep with best.
Or you can leave it alone. If you match there, then no one needs to ever know. If you match above them, you still don't know if they ranked you high enough to match. You could inform them afterwards about what happened. It really doesn't hurt them at all -- they just get the next person on their list. But there would be some chance that you would upset them, and if you ever wanted to be hired there in the future it might be an issue - but only if they remember it and remain angry.
Honestly, it's unlikely to matter either way. So you need to pick the option that you can sleep with best.
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Yeah honestly I wouldn't say anything to the program. I totally get why you're feeling angsty about it and I would too. But I think the worst case scenario is not that you match elsewhere and the program drops below you on their list, but rather that you email the PD and say hey, I am moving you guys down on my rank list, and then you match there and the program knows you really don't want to be there. I agree with NotAPD's approach above post-match.
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