Thank you notes/letters.

[Rubyc]

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What format are you guys using? Some people are sending emails, some hand-writing the letters, while others are typing in word format and mailing.

Has anyone heard of which formats are a no-no or are all acceptable?

 

[michigangirl]

they are all acceptable-- as someone who interviews applicants, I can say that I prefer hand-written thank you notes-- and this is what I did when I interviewed. Make sure you send them as soon as you get back or even the same day because often your evaluation is filled out pretty quickly after the interview.

good luck.

 

[Stitch]

they are all acceptable-- as someone who interviews applicants, I can say that I prefer hand-written thank you notes-- and this is what I did when I interviewed. Make sure you send them as soon as you get back or even the same day because often your evaluation is filled out pretty quickly after the interview.

good luck.

Does a hand written thank you note really affect your evaluation of the candidate? I also interview people, and it really doesn't make much difference to me whether I get anything back at all. An email is a nice reminder that you're interested in the program, but I also think that emailing/writing to everyone in the program you met with is a bit over kill and a waste of time.

My advice is generally to email a thank you to the PD and/or the program coordinator. If you particularly connected with anyone get them too. But this isn't mandatory to land a spot.

 

[oldbearprofessor]

The issue of thank you notes - whether, timing, style, etc is an unending one from med school admissions through faculty promotions. As the recipient of a huge number of these thank you notes (I interview at every level), I will just say that the letters USUALLY (almost always) have nothing to do with acceptance. What they do is further the connection between me and the interviewee and that is a good thing to do at all levels.

They are also evidence of politeness and respect for the time the interviewer spent. I don't get a dime (not part of my funding at all) for any of these interviews. It's not part of my faculty status/promotion (I am a full prof, can't get promoted). I do them because I like meeting trainees at all levels and interacting with them. It's among the most fun things I do - beats the heck out of hospital committees. Nice thank you notes are appreciated, but not mandatory.

I could care less how they are sent - email vs hand-written. Others might feel differently.

 

[michigangirl]

Ditto what OBP said. I didn't say it makes a big difference in how i evaluate an applicant. If you're applying to 30 programs and interviewing at 10 and don't have a specific geographic preference or are not wedded to 1-2 programs, then by all means send an e-mail, note, card, doesn't matter. I do think that the more personal notes show that you have a special interest in a program and simly took the time out to express that and your appreciation for the meeting. But the take home point it is-- none of the forms of thank you are "no-no's' i only applied, interviewed and ranked 4 programs because of geographical/family purposes and sent handwritten notes to my top two because i really didn't want to go to the last two-- they were my 'safeties'.
I do agree with sending a note (email or otherwise) to the program director of the programs you are most interested in stating as such and why.

 

[pediarix]

Regarding emails to the program directors, what kinds of responses should we anticipate and can we read anything from them to determine the program's interest in us?

 

[JMMH]

Throughout the med school and residency application process, I wrote handwritten thank you letters. I thought it was a nice touch but boy it does take a lot of work/effort, especially when you have poor handwriting like me 😀.

During my recent application process, I was finally convinced by the other fellows to save the effort and simply email thank you's, which were much more convenient.

In addition, the nice thing about sending emails is that it gives the interviewer a chance to send a quick email back thanking you for visiting their program, etc.

 

[Rubyc]

All really good input's. Thank you guys.

 

[michigangirl]

You can't read into the actual content or presence of a reply email from a program director-- they get hundreds of these emails, and often are replying before they have received any evals-- the only time you can take anything away from it is if there is a personal reference in it from your interview, you actually know the program director from doing a sub-I or being a student at that institution, etc.