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This forum seems to be asleep this residency application year.
This Forum Not As Active As in Prior Years
- Thread starter medsRus
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That's cuz we're all busy outgunning each other at interviews 😛
J/K...Yea I second that observation. What gives? And how come no one is posting impressions? Surely ppl got more invites after 11-15, I know I did, but I guess it doesn't matter as much as it did earlier in the season. Rejections would be helpful to let us know which places are doing what...
I wish there was no such thing as advanced programs and that more neuro programs had 7+ positions to offer. Also, my other gripe is having to impress IM interviewers at some neuro programs. Just take me, damn it. No one considers those things when they say neuro is not too competitive.
J/K...Yea I second that observation. What gives? And how come no one is posting impressions? Surely ppl got more invites after 11-15, I know I did, but I guess it doesn't matter as much as it did earlier in the season. Rejections would be helpful to let us know which places are doing what...
I wish there was no such thing as advanced programs and that more neuro programs had 7+ positions to offer. Also, my other gripe is having to impress IM interviewers at some neuro programs. Just take me, damn it. No one considers those things when they say neuro is not too competitive.
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Just hang tight, y'all! I'll be happy to provide thoughts on programs... once the match is over. I've already had three PDs reference reading this forum, and I'm only at the halfway point of my interview trail. Kind of puts us in an awkward spot to be able to talk about programs on the off chance someone matches an applicant to a screenname. For now, they're all perfect! Wonderful! Filled with attractive people who you want to be! 😛
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Luckily many programs are about to expand, or already have expanded, in size recently. You can support the move to all categorical neuro programs by not applying or interviewing at programs without attached prelim years. That is what I did, and I highly recommend it. 🙂
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The forum is not active compared to certain other forums because of lack of involvement of students, residents, fellows, and attendings.
It's a shame considering the exceptional subject matter.
It's a shame considering the exceptional subject matter.
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95439
Honestly? Some of you are just greedy. Everyone wants other people's input but are unwilling to give their own.
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I have to say, I agree with bblue. Another applicant from last year (PhakeDoc) also mentioned our group being less generous in the interview invites thread by having obvious hesitations about posting more helpful info beyond just where they got invites (i.e. AMG? IMG? etc)... and that person subsequently got attacked for his/her opinion...Again, we're seeing the same thing in the realm of impressions, seems like people are not going to talk until after March. If you look at other specialty forums, people are sharing now.
I totally respect people's need for privacy and/or worrying about PD's reading these threads, but I have two thoughts...1) It would be helpful for us to read some impressions BEFORE ranking. Not saying we should rely on the opinions of others, but certainly if a group of us have similar opinions on a program (+ or -), or if there was something I didn't notice that stood out to another applicant. Why the hell not share?
2) Our impressions should generally be welcome by PD's as they are helpful in getting them to recognize things that are positive or negative about their programs NOW.
I do think the bottom line here is that there is a great sense of competition with this year's group. As much as people say they are worried about people identifying them etc, they also worry that their positive impressions of a place might influence the next person's ROL...Yeah...If you're so worried about a program figuring out who you are and getting upset, why not limit it to sharing the positive things you noticed about a program? How the hell is that going to hurt your match? Oh yeah, it might inspire others to like that place. I'm sorry, but some ppl on here are full of it. Reinvent yourself if you have to...
So these same people just rely on the generosity of last year's impressions thread and don't give a damn about the rest (uh, don't think I'm appealing to anyone's "spirit of the holidays"). Sorry if that's cynical, but I think it's true. Sad.
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Well, geez, Derm. Tell us how you really feel. While I respect your opinion, I take issue with you jumping all over people who have participated on the forum to begin with. I wish you would have taken a moment to consider that for each of us that has actually taken the time to post our thoughts, there are a few dozen more people who read this forum constantly and never had peep to say- not even listing interview invites!
I guess it doesn't matter to me who says what when. What matters is that a forum exists for an exchange of ideas and opinions from people generous enough to offer them. And sure, plenty of people read this and never post, but does it really matter so long as they learned something or had a question answered? It makes me sad how absolutely everything's turned into a token economy- I give you something and now you are absolutely obligated to provide something in return. 🙁 What happened to advice for advice's sake? SDN's been an invaluable resource for us all, but the beauty of the forum's are lost when people are berated for not posting when others see fit or are made to feel coerced to post. Quite frankly, if this is what this forum is going to turn into, I want no part of it.
I'm sorry if I'm not posting my opinions fast enough for your liking, but the sole reason is worry about PDs reading and wanting to be able to list ALL thoughts of a program, not just the "good things" as you suggested. (How would leaving out the cons be helpful, anyway?). I could give a flying flip if other people like a program I'm applying to- that means nothing but good things as far as I'm concerned. The way I see it, if it's a place other people want to be, that's a darn good sign! And hey, most of y'all seem like reasonable, intelligent people. Come to think of it, the kind of people I'd love to have in my residency class wherever I go! 😀 I think the paranoia over competitiveness is a little misplaced. We're talking about the NEUROLOGY match, folks. Take a chill pill. Odds are, you're going to be headed to your top program, or somewhere extremely high on your rank list.
Phew. Glad to get that one off my chest and don't mean to come across as strident, but, y'all... RELAX!!!! 😎
I guess it doesn't matter to me who says what when. What matters is that a forum exists for an exchange of ideas and opinions from people generous enough to offer them. And sure, plenty of people read this and never post, but does it really matter so long as they learned something or had a question answered? It makes me sad how absolutely everything's turned into a token economy- I give you something and now you are absolutely obligated to provide something in return. 🙁 What happened to advice for advice's sake? SDN's been an invaluable resource for us all, but the beauty of the forum's are lost when people are berated for not posting when others see fit or are made to feel coerced to post. Quite frankly, if this is what this forum is going to turn into, I want no part of it.
I'm sorry if I'm not posting my opinions fast enough for your liking, but the sole reason is worry about PDs reading and wanting to be able to list ALL thoughts of a program, not just the "good things" as you suggested. (How would leaving out the cons be helpful, anyway?). I could give a flying flip if other people like a program I'm applying to- that means nothing but good things as far as I'm concerned. The way I see it, if it's a place other people want to be, that's a darn good sign! And hey, most of y'all seem like reasonable, intelligent people. Come to think of it, the kind of people I'd love to have in my residency class wherever I go! 😀 I think the paranoia over competitiveness is a little misplaced. We're talking about the NEUROLOGY match, folks. Take a chill pill. Odds are, you're going to be headed to your top program, or somewhere extremely high on your rank list.
Phew. Glad to get that one off my chest and don't mean to come across as strident, but, y'all... RELAX!!!! 😎
First of all, I don't really care if people share or not. It's a public forum and people can use it how they wish.
That being said, I know that I don't feel right gathering a ton of information and sharing none. I also think that as future colleagues, we should be encouraging an open, cooperative environment. I don't get the theory that somehow hiding opinions about a program is going to be advantageous to you in the match. While I'm curious to see others' impressions and how consistent a program is with their presentation day to day, it would take a LOT for an anonymous internet post to actually make much of a difference in my rank list.
I also think it's kind of a bs excuse about PDs reading the forums and figuring out who you are. Typhoonegator has offered to post PMed opinions anonymously. No one is going to figure out who you are based on your general assessment of resident happiness and how clean the floors are. Likely, they won't even try. If you don't feel comfortable posting specifics about your interview day, then leave it out.
I find it highly unlikely someone will figure out who I am and I find it very unlikely that my impressions of a random program are really going to affect things if they did. Everywhere has pros and cons....they're all well aware of that. Just be smart about what you post.
Like I said...just my two cents. I plan to post some impressions regardless of what the rest of you do.
Edit: I only skimmed the posts above before writing this but went back and read Dermologue's. I thought it was good. This edit is just to serve as my virtual thumbs up (I'm just a lot more apathetic than he/she is)
That being said, I know that I don't feel right gathering a ton of information and sharing none. I also think that as future colleagues, we should be encouraging an open, cooperative environment. I don't get the theory that somehow hiding opinions about a program is going to be advantageous to you in the match. While I'm curious to see others' impressions and how consistent a program is with their presentation day to day, it would take a LOT for an anonymous internet post to actually make much of a difference in my rank list.
I also think it's kind of a bs excuse about PDs reading the forums and figuring out who you are. Typhoonegator has offered to post PMed opinions anonymously. No one is going to figure out who you are based on your general assessment of resident happiness and how clean the floors are. Likely, they won't even try. If you don't feel comfortable posting specifics about your interview day, then leave it out.
I find it highly unlikely someone will figure out who I am and I find it very unlikely that my impressions of a random program are really going to affect things if they did. Everywhere has pros and cons....they're all well aware of that. Just be smart about what you post.
Like I said...just my two cents. I plan to post some impressions regardless of what the rest of you do.
Edit: I only skimmed the posts above before writing this but went back and read Dermologue's. I thought it was good. This edit is just to serve as my virtual thumbs up (I'm just a lot more apathetic than he/she is)
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Curly, this is precisely where I take issue...
Surely not everyone will post. Fine. But the ratio of reading to sharing on our forum compared to others, is, how shall we say it, not cool. And yeah, the fact that overall neuro is not a competitive field actually makes people's excuses for not sharing even less valid. I'm just saying...
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As I've said in previous years, if you send your interview impressions to me via PM, I will post them anonymously. No one need know what you thought of specific programs, and of course your identity is safe with me. This goes for both interview impressions as well as any other thoughts any of you would consider controversial.
I'm just a poor neuroICU fellow, and I don't have any vested interest in any specific programs, nor do I sit on any admissions committees (at present).
Finally, I'm too darn busy to try to figure out who any of you are "IRL", as the kids say. So send me your thoughts and I will faithfully post them, via cut-and-paste with identifiers removed.
I'm just a poor neuroICU fellow, and I don't have any vested interest in any specific programs, nor do I sit on any admissions committees (at present).
Finally, I'm too darn busy to try to figure out who any of you are "IRL", as the kids say. So send me your thoughts and I will faithfully post them, via cut-and-paste with identifiers removed.
