thank yous for getting an interview?

[ppfizenm]

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Is it good form to thank a school for giving you an interview? Not saying afterwards. That's a no brainer. But before?

 

[aSagacious]

I think that would be a bit weird.

 

[CodeBlu]

I think that would be a bit weird.

So do I...

 

[NickNaylor]

Hell no.

 

[Forca Barca]

You want to give them a good first face to face impression not an email impression.

 

[goldenwest]

Some of my interviewers said that even sending one afterwards was unnecessary. It's become so commonplace that it doesn't mean much anymore. It used to be an understood common courtesy between people, but in 2011 it's a little irrelevant (an e-mail would suffice). I'm not saying you shouldn't though, and I'm sure it's different for different schools.

 

[ppfizenm]

Thanks. I just couldn't remember if it was common place or not.

 

[vc7777]

Commonplace? Not at all. Never even heard of this. Do not send. Just save your energy for the interview. Unleash your enthusiasm on them when you get there.

 

[ucsfstudents]

Not necessary. A thank you card or email after the interview is appropriate.

 

[isoquin]

Good thought, but not needed. Most interviewer thank you notes are more a courtesy than a help to get in, as they arrive after comments have been submitted (which means you should send a thank you the day of your interview if you want it to have any effect whatsoever). However thank you note for the interview itself would just be thrown in your application folder and most likely have no effect on your outcome.

Nice thought though. You can't blame someone for trying to be courteous. 🙂

 

[GetSexyRightNow]

SMH. Only on SDN would someone ask a question like this.

 

[SeminoleVesicle]

 

[ejw5075]

👍

 

[jab8220]

...

 

[vc7777]

I am having trouble understanding how people believe this application process works. Imagine you finished med school and residency, and were applying to work at hospitals in your area. If one of the hospitals offered you an interview, would you even consider sending a note thanking them for extending this offer. I don't think you would. In fact I bet you would walk into that interview with the idea that the hospital would be lucky to have you as a physician.

Now why is this not the same mind set for medical school applications? I mean you have worked hard for years and prepared yourself for this process, why do you still believe that the schools are somehow doing you a favor by considering you as a potential student. They need you just as much as you need them. You can help their school grow and prosper while you reach your goal of becoming an MD. I see it as a mutual benefit, and I imagine the schools view it the same.

PS: This does not apply to those with below average stats. But I imagine that is not the OP.

Hmmm...so much to say. Where to start? Oh yeah: Nope. Wrong attitude, my friend. Adjust it sooner rather than later. Wrong for med school, wrong for residency, and wrong for any interview for any job anywhere ever in time or space. I suspect if the idea of "interview" was even able to exist in another parallel universe, it is wrong there too.

 

[aSagacious]

I mean you have worked hard for years and prepared yourself for this process, why do you still believe that the schools are somehow doing you a favor by considering you as a potential student. They need you just as much as you need them.

Yeah... right.

 

[ppfizenm]

SMH. Only on SDN would someone ask a question like this.

And only on sdn would someone answer back like a dbag for no reason. Perhaps change the tampon?

 

[NickNaylor]

And only on sdn would someone answer back like a dbag for no reason. Perhaps change the tampon?

Or perhaps OP needs to get some common sense or grow a pair and do something without asking other people whether it's acceptable or not.

 

[ppfizenm]

SMH. Only on SDN would someone ask a question like this.

And only on sdn would someone answer back like a dbag for no reason. Perhaps change the tampon?

 

[theseeker4]

I am having trouble understanding how people believe this application process works. Imagine you finished med school and residency, and were applying to work at hospitals in your area. If one of the hospitals offered you an interview, would you even consider sending a note thanking them for extending this offer. I don't think you would. In fact I bet you would walk into that interview with the idea that the hospital would be lucky to have you as a physician.

Now why is this not the same mind set for medical school applications? I mean you have worked hard for years and prepared yourself for this process, why do you still believe that the schools are somehow doing you a favor by considering you as a potential student. They need you just as much as you need them. You can help their school grow and prosper while you reach your goal of becoming an MD. I see it as a mutual benefit, and I imagine the schools view it the same.

PS: This does not apply to those with below average stats. But I imagine that is not the OP.

The fact that you have more than twice as many students applying for admission as you have open spots in any given year proves your mindset wrong. The schools have an infinitely stronger position than you, even if you have excellent stats, since there are always other people as qualified as, or better qualified than, you.

Applying for your first attending job is probably the only place you begin to negotiate from a position of strength, and that is dependent on your specialty, residency and area you are trying to obtain employment.

 

[ppfizenm]

I am having trouble understanding how people believe this application process works. Imagine you finished med school and residency, and were applying to work at hospitals in your area. If one of the hospitals offered you an interview, would you even consider sending a note thanking them for extending this offer. I don't think you would. In fact I bet you would walk into that interview with the idea that the hospital would be lucky to have you as a physician.

Now why is this not the same mind set for medical school applications? I mean you have worked hard for years and prepared yourself for this process, why do you still believe that the schools are somehow doing you a favor by considering you as a potential student. They need you just as much as you need them. You can help their school grow and prosper while you reach your goal of becoming an MD. I see it as a mutual benefit, and I imagine the schools view it the same.

PS: This does not apply to those with below average stats. But I imagine that is not the OP.

The op has schools calling him saying that when his secondary is complete they will interview him. The op also only asked bc the invitation was personalized with things from his application and not a stock invite. The op understands if the person who posted the above hasn't experienced this though and holds no malice against him for being an ignorant and incorrect poster.

 

[TheMightySmiter]

Well, I certainly don't believe that an applicant should walk into a med school interview thinking, "This school would be lucky to have me." That kind of arrogance is painfully obvious to an interviewer. Don't forget that there are probably ten qualified people for every available spot in med school. That said, there's no reason to kiss so much butt that your lips are chapped. Thank the interviewer for the chance to speak with them at the end of the interview, and send an email/thank-you note afterwards to the individual interviewer for their time.

 

[Morsetlis]

Or perhaps OP needs to get some common sense or grow a pair and do something without asking other people whether it's acceptable or not.

Not everybody is a trailblazer.

To answer your question: It is acceptable. It is also... inconsequential.

 

[tory]

Kinda related to this thread, do people usually send thank you notes through email nowadays? Or is it better to send an actual card through snail mail? There needs to be a Dear Abby for med school interviews...

 

[aSagacious]

Kinda related to this thread, do people usually send thank you notes through email nowadays? Or is it better to send an actual card through snail mail?

Snail mail, if anything (not really required)

There needs to be a Dear Abby for med school interviews...

Her name is LizzyM or Catalystik 🙂

 

[CodeBlu]

Kinda related to this thread, do people usually send thank you notes through email nowadays? Or is it better to send an actual card through snail mail? There needs to be a Dear Abby for med school interviews...

Dear LizzyM or Catalystik... hmmmm Saggy got this in the bag.

 

[LizzyM]

With regard to thank you notes: last year I received thank yous from about 40-50% of the applicants who interviewed with me. About half were snailmail and the other half were email. They don't overtly influence decisions but they may influence our subconscious at a later stage of the admission process.

 

[Catalystik]

Most interviewer thank you notes are more a courtesy than a help to get in, as they arrive after comments have been submitted

I would agree with this.

I get personal thank you notes from 30-40% of those I've interviewed. I save them, knowing that I might possibly run across these people later in the med school education process. They do leave one with a positive impression.