Thank You Cards

[173291]

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I was just wondering how many of you were sending thank you cards to programs after you interviewed? Do they care? Should we?

 

[Surfer]

I was just wondering how many of you were sending thank you cards to programs after you interviewed? Do they care? Should we?

Do you only do something because it might benefit you? Maybe if you are thankful that they extended an invitation to you, spent countless hours interviewing you, helping you get an idea of what they are about you should send a card. If you think you deserve all that help then be a jackass and don't say thanks.

It's really up to you.

 

[carrie198]

Do you only do something because it might benefit you? Maybe if you are thankful that they extended an invitation to you, spent countless hours interviewing you, helping you get an idea of what they are about you should send a card. If you think you deserve all that help then be a jackass and don't say thanks.

It's really up to you.

That's a little harsh, don't you think? A simple "yes" probably would have sufficed.

 

[lane]

Do you only do something because it might benefit you? Maybe if you are thankful that they extended an invitation to you, spent countless hours interviewing you, helping you get an idea of what they are about you should send a card. If you think you deserve all that help then be a jackass and don't say thanks.

It's really up to you.

or maybe it would mean more if people only sent cards to the programs in which they're really interested, thereby removing a layer of BS in the whole process. very few programs pay for travel and hotel expenses, so applicants are still shelling out up to $500 for the opportunity to interview at a hospital. last time i checked the residency programs look to get something out of this too, so they're not the ever-benevolent benefactors your little rant describes. yes, we appreciate the hard work that goes into the interview process, and it's appropriate to express that.

but come on, lose the attitude.

 

[173291]

or maybe it would mean more if people only sent cards to the programs in which they're really interested, thereby removing a layer of BS in the whole process. very few programs pay for travel and hotel expenses, so applicants are still shelling out up to $500 for the opportunity to interview at a hospital. last time i checked the residency programs look to get something out of this too, so they're not the ever-benevolent benefactors your little rant describes. yes, we appreciate the hard work that goes into the interview process, and it's appropriate to express that.

but come on, lose the attitude.

Thank you for your response. It was very helpful. I will send thank you cards to the programs I am most interested in. I will probably also send thank you cards to the programs that extended a lot on their own behalfs. Luckily, most of these will overlap.

 

[173291]

Do you only do something because it might benefit you? Maybe if you are thankful that they extended an invitation to you, spent countless hours interviewing you, helping you get an idea of what they are about you should send a card. If you think you deserve all that help then be a jackass and don't say thanks.

It's really up to you.

This was seriously not necessary. Perhaps you just need a little bit more sleep and an attitude re-adjustment. I won't hold it against you.

Thanks for your efforts in replying, I suppose.

 

[coprolalia]

Thank you for your response. It was very helpful. I will send thank you cards to the programs I am most interested in. I will probably also send thank you cards to the programs that extended a lot on their own behalfs. Luckily, most of these will overlap.

This is a very sensible approach. But, remember: this is all mostly an employment game. Don't worry about being genuine. Your goal is to get on the rank list at every program at which you interviewed, just as their goal is not to have any open spots post-match. The order on your rank list is how you will determine who you liked the best. Think and act accordingly.

If I were in your shoes (still), I'd send thank you notes (or emails) to every program at which you would consider doing training. I interviewed at 13 programs '04-'05, and I followed-up at all the ones I was going to rank (I opted not to rank two, and for one of those I almost walked out of the interview). While reviewing my file sometime ago at the program I ended-up matching at and am now doing my training (my #2 choice), I saw a print-out of the email I'd sent the program director, chair, and coordinator.

-copro

 

[coprolalia]

or maybe it would mean more if people only sent cards to the programs in which they're really interested, thereby removing a layer of BS in the whole process.

You'd think, but you'd be wrong. 🙂

I can't speak for all programs, but I know our interview process is run very efficiently. We pretty much rank everyone right after they walk out the door. The "big pile" of past interviewees is then re-shuffled to fit the latest batch in. The top 20-25 are really well-known and usually everyone can remember specifics about them and wants them at our program. Below that... well... not so much. The difference between a 45 and a 55 on our rank list is miniscule, and I don't know of a particular instance where a thank you card (or lack thereof) caused a reshuffling of the deck, so to speak. Still nice to acknowledge their efforts, though, and show you are equally interested (if you are).

It's all a big game, folks. Just remember that.

So, use the "thank you" note as a way to express your kindness and interest in a program, and nothing more (at least at our program). What will be more important is when the program director or coordinator emails you right before Match time, which usually shows that they are interested in you and will rank you highly. Still, they are unlikely to change their rank list with or without a reply, unless you reply "I will not be ranking you" or the like.

-copro

 

[Surfer]

This was seriously not necessary. Perhaps you just need a little bit more sleep and an attitude re-adjustment. I won't hold it against you.

Thanks for your efforts in replying, I suppose.

you think i need an attitude adjustment? You just asked a bunch of complete strangers if you should send thank you cards to people who extended an opportunity to you.

I was brought up to believe that anybody who opens a door for you should be told "thank you" even if you feel you could have opened your own door. Just common manners that I would have hoped any physician would already understand.

My "attitude" was a reaction to your mentality (at least perceived) that a thank you should only be extended if it would better your chances at a school you were interested in.

 

[173291]

you think i need an attitude adjustment? You just asked a bunch of complete strangers if you should send thank you cards to people who extended an opportunity to you.

I was brought up to believe that anybody who opens a door for you should be told "thank you" even if you feel you could have opened your own door. Just common manners that I would have hoped any physician would already understand.

My "attitude" was a reaction to your mentality (at least perceived) that a thank you should only be extended if it would better your chances at a school you were interested in.

So much for trying to be understanding. You are clearly the "jackass." Do us all a favor and keep your snide comments to yourself.

If you don't like something that someone posts, the professional thing to do (what any respectable physician would do) would be to simply ignore the comment. Not to lash out with obscenities, disrespecting the entire gasforum community in the process. I am sure that is not how you were raised either. Anyway, I am tired of your ignorance and will not respond further. Hopefully I don't end up in a program that accepts such close-minded losers such as yourself. Good day.

My apologies to everyone else.

 

[cchoukal]

I mostly agree with Copro. Your job is to get a slot, not to try to make the system more wholesome. Let the next guy do that. I looked at thank you cards as a way to get my name in their heads again. Maybe it doesn't really matter, but my approach was to send the cards soon after the interview and try to reference something unique to our conversation so they'd remember who I was. Brand management, I suppose. It's a little bit of an effort (come on; who has more time than an MS4?), but it shouldn't cost more than $20 to send notes to everyone you interviewed with.

 

[Surfer]

Hopefully I don't end up in a program that accepts such close-minded losers such as yourself.

What's a "close-minded loser?" (Must be the opposite of a "far-minded loser.")

Is it kind of like an "attitude re-adjustment?"

I find it funny when people insult others on an anonymous message board using poor grammar and worse logic. Your original post still shows what you were thinking, "I don't want to send thank you cards if it isn't going to help my chances." I find that attitude offensive, and your defensiveness and attacks reflect very poorly upon the type of colleague you might become some day. And please, get off your high horse about the "integrity of this forum."

Take a couple minutes and send a thank you if you feel somebody did something nice for you. Why is this so hard for you to understand? Sending a thank you does not mean you will rank them #1. It just means you appreciate their attention.

 

[Precedex]

I would not think about this too hard. Send notes to everyone you interviewed with, PD, and chair. Make them as personal and original as you can.

 

[amyl]

aside from being the right thing to do it can't hurt...can only help... i am sending them to everyone i interview with. it is especially necessary, imho, for programs putting you up, etc.

 

[anestheticman]

I wasn't going to send a letter to the PD/Chair if I just met them briefly, I was only going to send them to faculty that interviewed me. In one interview day so far, I didn't even meet the PD or the chair... so far. So wouldn't it be a little weird to send them a letter too?

About making them personal, I find it extremely hard to say anything different among the letters for a particular program. Does it look bad if they are exactly the same for 2-3 given interviewers at the same program?

I would not think about this too hard. Send notes to everyone you interviewed with, PD, and chair. Make them as personal and original as you can.

 

[cchoukal]

I agree; I wouldn't send them to PD/chair if you merely met them in the hallway or something. It IS tough to make them personal. When I interviewed, I would jot down something memorable from the interview among my notes about the program, so I could go back to it when it came time to write the cards. Probably overkill and maybe even OCD or axis II or whatever... but that's what I did.

 

[anestheticman]

LOL I'm one of the most OCD people I know and I haven't done that yet. That's thoughtful and all and maybe I should start doing that, but I just mean its hard to make them personal unless you really hit it off with the person and had something specific to talk about such as a similar hobby.

Yeah I don't want to sound insincere... but I don't want to sound generic. But no one probably cares anyway 🙂

I agree; I wouldn't send them to PD/chair if you merely met them in the hallway or something. It IS tough to make them personal. When I interviewed, I would jot down something memorable from the interview among my notes about the program, so I could go back to it when it came time to write the cards. Probably overkill and maybe even OCD or axis II or whatever... but that's what I did.

 

[carrie198]

This may be a dumb question, but are you guys sending out a hand-written thank you card or typing up a letter? I just wanted to write something short, but according to Iserson's Getting Into A Residency, we are supposed to send a formal letter. What do you guys think?

 

[TortuousVein]

I just interviewed somewhere this morning where one of the people in charge of program specifically said she did not want a thank you note. What am I supposed to do? Send emails to everyone instead? Or not even that?

 

[El Dooderino]

I just interviewed somewhere this morning where one of the people in charge of program specifically said she did not want a thank you note. What am I supposed to do? Send emails to everyone instead? Or not even that?

Just dont do anything, no one cares

 

[proman]

I interviewed a couple of applicants this week. I told them not to send me anything, and if they really wanted to send a thank you note, to email the program director. It doesn't change what I think of the applicant because my evaluation is done within 2 hours of the interview. Email has gotten to the point where it's perfectly acceptable to use for professional correspondence.

 

[ATeam2012]

Just dont do anything, no one cares

Pretty much. I was at an interview and the chairman and PD stated tht there's no need for anyone to send thank you notes but do so if you can't sleep at night. I dnt send cards, they get thrown away. I send thank you emails. It allows for a two- way communication. Cost effective and time efficient.

 

[pjl]

At my former program it was considered rude not to have received a thank you from an applicant. Email was fine, and a single email to any of the people one came across during the day (provided they made it to the coordinator for the file) was acceptable. However this never came up during our ranking meeting. It may have gotten people out of the "I wish we hadn't invited these people pile" if they were close, the division to get rid of that third was prior to anything I saw.