Thank You Cards

[SmittyDoc]

So I understand the importance of sending thank you cards (showing your interest and appreciation, etc.) but I am unsure on some details:

1. Who should I send them to at the programs? At one interview I met with seven different people. Should I send them each one or just the department head and hope/ask that it gets passed around? I do not mind writing a bunch, but if I go on six interviews and meet six people at each, that's 36 notes, which just seems ridiculous.

2. Should I send them to every program? In all honesty, I am not going to waste time and money interviewing at a program I am not interested in. I suppose I could write with a certain level of enthusiasm depending on how much I want to go there, but even then, programs will read into what I am saying and possible rank me lower. I don't want to end up burning bridges.

3. Should I hand write it? The general consensus I hear is yes, and even though my handwriting is legible (if I sweat and curse out loud while writing), I feel more comfortable with a typed document.

Of course, I might ultimately just be unconsciously minimizing the amount of work I have to do (i.e. being lazy).

Thanks in advance and good luck everyone!

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[ResDame]

1. Who should I send them to at the programs? At one interview I met with seven different people. Should I send them each one or just the department head and hope/ask that it gets passed around? I do not mind writing a bunch, but if I go on six interviews and meet six people at each, that's 36 notes, which just seems ridiculous.

YES, you send thank you cards to each faculty with whom you interviewed. You do not need to send thank you cards to the residents. They will not get passed around.

2. Should I send them to every program? In all honesty, I am not going to waste time and money interviewing at a program I am not interested in. I suppose I could write with a certain level of enthusiasm depending on how much I want to go there, but even then, programs will read into what I am saying and possible rank me lower. I don't want to end up burning bridges.

Again, YES, you send thank you cards to all the faculty with whom you interviewed at EVERY program.

3. Should I hand write it? The general consensus I hear is yes, and even though my handwriting is legible (if I sweat and curse out loud while writing), I feel more comfortable with a typed document.

Yes, you should hand write it. It shows you have given some thought, even though they know you are writing the same thing to everyone. You have to play the game. A typed thank you is just laziness. Anyone can hit PRINT 10 copies.

 

[simplesuture]

writing a thank-you letter to each and every attending will not hurt you, but it will likely not make a difference. if you like a program, you can write a thank you card to the pd, and then send another letter of interest or call later on in the season.

the whole point is to show consistent and long-term interest in the program by the time they rank.

 

[Pianoboe01]

I think writing letters to every person you interviewed with is going overboard. Send a thank you letter to the program director and remain in communication with him/her throughout interview season if you are strongly interested in matching at his/her program. I did not handwrite any thank you notes.

 

[mlw03]

am in general agreement with the two posts above mine. i just don't see thank you cards making a difference either way. i do agree that letting a program director know of your strong interest in a program can make a difference, as programs wants happy residents.

 

[MirkoCrocop]

mann ty cards are completely ******ed and make minimal difference.

having said that, you kinda have to write them because everyone else does.

i didnt and made my first choice though.

 

[Sulfinator]

I've just been sending a simple hand-written 'thank you' note to the program director, and will continue doing so with my future interviews. I suppose it's possible I might send one to another non-PD person who interviews me (if I just have a great, great time chatting with him/her during the interview).

 

[HbyHA]

mann ty cards are completely ******ed and make minimal difference.
having said that, you kinda have to write them because everyone else does.
i didnt and made my first choice though.

ditto.

as a former chief, i interviewed lots of candidates last interview season. i'm sure many sent thank you notes to the program. a few people sent me some personally. they made NO difference in how we ranked people. what did make a difference was how you were on the interview day and your strength as an applicant. strong applicants who were weirdos in person were NOT ranked.

if you are particularly interested, i would stay in contact with the program director and let them know about your interest. PDs want candidates who want to be at their program.


and don't be a weirdo😀

 

[Sulfinator]

. . . and don't be a weirdo😀

Such sage advice! So simple, and yet . . . 😉

 

[SmittyDoc]

Thanks everyone for the great advice! I'm glad you mentioned showing the long term interest. I'll definitely do that. That made more sense to me then sending out dozens of thank you cards. If everyone does that it doesn't seem to mean as much; more like just following a norm, which in this case wastes a lot of time and paper. And I couldn't imagine a note making a difference in my ranking. I am going to send thank you cards to the PD's.

Should I also send a thank you card to the Department Head?

Hopefully I don't come across as too much of a weirdo 🙂 I asked one program director how they can choose someone to spend four years with based on paperwork and meeting for one day. He said that the main goal was to weed out all the "psychotics" and gave me a few good examples. Scary. I think I'll bring in a positive psych eval from my shrink for my next interview. "No major mental issues or social deficiencies that can't be cured by meds and a good lobotomy."

 

[Daddydoc]

Thanks everyone for the great advice! I'm glad you mentioned showing the long term interest. I'll definitely do that. That made more sense to me then sending out dozens of thank you cards. If everyone does that it doesn't seem to mean as much; more like just following a norm, which in this case wastes a lot of time and paper. And I couldn't imagine a note making a difference in my ranking. I am going to send thank you cards to the PD's.

Should I also send a thank you card to the Department Head?

Hopefully I don't come across as too much of a weirdo 🙂 I asked one program director how they can choose someone to spend four years with based on paperwork and meeting for one day. He said that the main goal was to weed out all the "psychotics" and gave me a few good examples. Scary. I think I'll bring in a positive psych eval from my shrink for my next interview. "No major mental issues or social deficiencies that can't be cured by meds and a good lobotomy."

Yes, but then they have to question the validity of your psychiatrist!

 

[Napoleon1801]

So I understand the importance of sending thank you cards (showing your interest and appreciation, etc.) but I am unsure on some details:

1. Who should I send them to at the programs? At one interview I met with seven different people. Should I send them each one or just the department head and hope/ask that it gets passed around? I do not mind writing a bunch, but if I go on six interviews and meet six people at each, that's 36 notes, which just seems ridiculous.

No, not all programs. I only sent them to the ones I ranked highly in order to hedge my bets a bit. Don't bother sending one if you can't write something that is unique or relates to your interview conversation. I would be judicious about who you send them to and not send out generic letters.

2. Should I send them to every program? In all honesty, I am not going to waste time and money interviewing at a program I am not interested in. I suppose I could write with a certain level of enthusiasm depending on how much I want to go there, but even then, programs will read into what I am saying and possible rank me lower. I don't want to end up burning bridges.

No... Only send them to the ones you rank the highest....top 3-5

3. Should I hand write it? The general consensus I hear is yes, and even though my handwriting is legible (if I sweat and curse out loud while writing), I feel more comfortable with a typed document.

Yes....or get someone who has nice handwriting to do it for you.

Of course, I might ultimately just be unconsciously minimizing the amount of work I have to do (i.e. being lazy).

Thanks in advance and good luck everyone!