thank you notes

[snowman8]

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What is the best method to send thank you notes?

email
hand written thank you card
typed letter

 

[Winged Scapula]

Emily Post would say hand written note is best, but probably type written would be acceptable. Email would be my last choice.

 

[ekydrd]

Emily Post would say hand written note is best, but probably type written would be acceptable. Email would be my last choice.

I agree, especially since physicians aren't known for their legible handwriting

 

[kas23]

I think it depends on what you are applying for and who you are sending the note to. For all of the attendings that have interviewed me, they get a typed letter in the mail. For the Chief residents, who are all more skilled at accessing a computer and checking e-mail, they get an e-mail. I think this a little more personal, because they are all in "our generation" and will be close colleagues/friends/advocates in the future.

 

[Amy]

Is it true that every thank you note/ letter you send is added to your file? I don't want several copies of the same (or very similar) note in my file... it'll look like I'm just mass producing them. That's why I was thinking of just sending a TY letter to the PD... is that a bad idea?

 

[kas23]

It is not accurate to say that every program's interviewers will place your TY letter in your file. One interviewer e-mailed me to tell me that he really enjoyed my TY letter and was going to turn it over to the selection committee to be placed in my file. I assume he didn't have to do this, but could have just read it and smiled, while not putting it in my file.

 

[scootad.]

Do you send TY notes to residents who have interviewed you or taken you out to dinner, or just to attendings and the PD?

 

[debvz]

Do you send TY notes to residents who have interviewed you or taken you out to dinner, or just to attendings and the PD?

What to do when you interview with 14 different people in 9 separate interviews? Is it ok to just send one big group thank you to the program coordinator to include in my file? I can't imagine thanking all those individually.

 

[friendlyfriend]

in that case i would just send one thank you letter to the PD

 

[Amy]

Iserson says you should send a TY letter to the PD and hand written notes to everyone else that interviewed you. I think I'm gonna go with this strategy.

 

[Hercules]

So far I have been sending hand written thank you notes, but I wanted some feedback on a new situation (for me at least). The PD e-mailed me after an interview to follow up on some things we discussed during the interview. Can I just reply with the info included in a thank you e-mail, or would you guys still send a separate thank you note?

 

[kas23]

I have a family friend who is an attending in peds and who is also a "program director" for a fellowship program. We were sitting around during TG and I mentioned that I was writing TY notes and he looked at me and laughed and said "do you really think those matter? They're just letters." I sheepishly replied that I was doing it out of respect.

Moral of the story; be sure to send out the letters (no matter what anyone tells you), but don't sweat the small stuff. After all, they are just letters, not miracles within envelopes.

 

[Doctor B.]

Right on. Send typed letters to each attending you interviewed with and maybe the chief resident. I was lazy and only sent them to the programs I ranked.

 

[kinetic]

After all, they are just letters, not miracles within envelopes.

But if you include a fifty dollar bill .......

 

[Echelon]

What about program coordinators? A couple of people I met yesterday during an interview told me that they send thank you notes to them also, what do you guys think?

 

[Amy]

What about program coordinators? A couple of people I met yesterday during an interview told me that they send thank you notes to them also, what do you guys think?

It's a good idea to thank them in person, but I wouldn't bother with a TY note. They're just doing their job, and it's not like they're involved in ranking you. I'd only send one if she really went out of her way to help you out with something.

 

[Blade28]

They're just doing their job, and it's not like they're involved in ranking you.

Ah, I like this (surgery) attitude - blunt, direct, and to-the-point. 🙂
👍

 

[normalforce]

So far I have sent my thank you notes via an email attachment to the residency program coordinators and have asked them to print the letters and give them to the faculty. This prevents things from getting lost in the mail (especially during the holiday season). All of the program coordinators that I have done this with have been more than receptive.

Also, I plan on calling the program directors at my top choices when it comes closer to ranking time.

NF

 

[deleted57552]

I have been emailing program coordinators thanking them for their hard work and efforts.

I plan to send thank you letters to the program directors that took the time to interview me. Some of the other interviewers get thank you notes as well. I think this can be brief at this stage of the game. Near ROL entry time, after you have interviewed at all your programs, then you can hone in on the places you liked best and engage in more detailed followup correspondences. Phone calls are good too (i.e., have your adviser or the PD at your program make calls on your behalf).

 

[kas23]

I seriously doubt a PD at your own school's program is going to waste their time making calls so you can go elsewhere, unless they are close friends.

 

[axm397]

I thought we had already beat this subject to death in a prior thread...

 

[deleted57552]

I seriously doubt a PD at your own school's program is going to waste their time making calls so you can go elsewhere, unless they are close friends.

Well, in my case, the PD happens to be my adviser. He would very much like for me to stay; however, he is looking out for my best interests at the same time.

I hate to break it to you but this kind of stuff happens more often than you think. Two of my letter writers and the PD have all offered to make phone calls at my behalf. These tactics tend to work in fields where the community is much smaller and people tend to know each other (i.e., close friends like you mention). Fields where this may be more of the case include opthalmology and pathology.