Strange Ranking Question

[purplerain24]

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Hi,

So, towards the end of interview season I started working on clinical research with an attending at an academic institution that I did not interview at (they didn't offer me one). When I told him last week that I didn't interview at X program, he told me the next day that he sent an email to the Chair of the Dept of Medicine to rank me. He subsequently told me that if I wanted to go there that I should rank them number one. The program has not made any contact regarding a last minute interview. I would love to go here, and would rank them number one, but I don't believe that they will actually rank me. The person I work for is about as high up the food chain as one can be at this institution. Should I thank him and just not rank this program? Should I take a chance and rank it? I feel awkward discussing it with him.

Thanks!

 

[Dr. Death]

What do you have to lose by ranking them #1?

 

[22031 Alum]

It won't hurt you even a little bit to rank them #1. If they are blowing smoke, all that'll happen will be you match to your #2 or lower. If you want to go there, you have zero reason not to rank them.

 

[purplerain24]

Well, I already sent my 'love letter' two weeks ago to another program. I feel divided because I prefer this other program, but professionally, I feel compelled to tell the other program if I change my mind.

 

[purplerain24]

**I prefer the program that I'm supposedly ranked at, over the one I emailed two weeks ago

 

[22031 Alum]

This is why I advise my students not to send messages that explicitly say a program is #1. They don't help, and when changes of heart inevitably happen, you end up with unnecessary stress.

My recommendation stands- rank in the order you want. All you've done is add to the huge pile of evidence programs already have, that love letters don't mean much.

 

[purplerain24]

Great, thanks Alum. I sent it in good faith, so I meant well.

 

[ThoracicGuy]

Well, I already sent my 'love letter' two weeks ago to another program. I feel divided because I prefer this other program, but professionally, I feel compelled to tell the other program if I change my mind.

Doesn't matter. Rank the programs as you wish. They will be doing the same. Now as far as the place you never interviewed at, are you sure you would like it? You've not been there or seen it, so would it be worth a quick trip before match lists are due?

Edit: Just saw you are doing research at said place. So if that's the case and you like it there, go wild and put it number one. You just might end up getting it!

 

[Psai]

Please follow up op

 

[bc65]

1. Rank the research program #1. There's no downside to ranking an extreme reach #1, #2, #3, etc.

2. There's no downside to reneging on your "love letter". Applicants lie to programs all the time. Programs lie to applicants even more. No one at that second program will care. If they care, they won't remember your name. If someone cares, and remembers your name, they are extremely unlikely to ever be in a position to do you harm, and if they are, they will probably have forgotten your name by then. Plus, that second program not only won't care, but they probably won't rank you anyway, so they'll never find out that you didn't rank them.

 

[Cytarabine]

Please follow up op

Dis. Super curious

 

[Tenk]

Welcome to real life where:

Who you know >>>> what you know.

Rank them #1.

You see, you may think he is doing you a favor but this is only slightly true. He's probably mostly doing this for himself. I know I sure as hell would if I had a student who I liked who was doing my own research for me! From a PD standpoint this is also true as it makes their department look better as well. You win, they win.