Was this a Match violation by a program?

[145289]

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i never thought about back in the spring, but I shared this story with a couple of my co-interns today and they called it "shady at best". i was wondering what all of you thought about it.

the following email was sent to me by my top choice in early February.....after I had finished all of my interviews, including the interview at their program several months prior. All three "tracks" are within the same medical specialty; they have different ERAS numbers, but they're all under the same program director and are done on the same interview day.

Dear ______,

Currently you have applied to all three tracks at our program (_____, _____, and _____). In general, we encourage our applicants to select two of the tracks based on what they perceive to be the best fit for their training needs. If you would like to change this to two tracks that are your highest preference at this point, please let me know.

Thanks!

 

[Raryn]

i never thought about back in the spring, but I shared this story with a couple of my co-interns today and they called it "shady at best". i was wondering what all of you thought about it.

the following email was sent to me by my top choice in early February.....after I had finished all of my interviews, including the interview at their program several months prior. All three "tracks" are within the same medical specialty; they have different ERAS numbers, but they're all under the same program director and are done on the same interview day.

Dear ______,

Currently you have applied to all three tracks at our program (_____, _____, and _____). In general, we encourage our applicants to select two of the tracks based on what they perceive to be the best fit for their training needs. If you would like to change this to two tracks that are your highest preference at this point, please let me know.

Thanks!

Exactly what policy do you believe they were violating?

 

[145289]

the one about programs soliciting an applicant's ranking preferences.

 

[Winged Scapula]

I don't see this as a violation.

They are asking you (or recommending that you) eliminate 1 track, not asking you if you're ranking them, how you're ranking them or their tracks.

 

[MDtoUSMLE]

No violation.

 

[145289]

I don't see this as a violation.

They are asking you (or recommending that you) eliminate 1 track, not asking you if you're ranking them, how you're ranking them or their tracks.

i mean, it's really just that last sentence of the email. they even used the word 'preference'. it basically says "if you'd like to tell me which track you're ranking lowest, you can tell me".

i appreciate the answers here, though. communication like that email might be fairly common, but i just havent encountered any other applicants who were asked that type of information during the final weeks before ROLs were due.

 

[Winged Scapula]

i mean, it's really just that last sentence of the email. they even used the word 'preference'. it basically says "if you'd like to tell me which track you're ranking lowest, you can tell me".

i appreciate the answers here, though. communication like that email might be fairly common, but i just havent encountered any other applicants who were asked that type of information during the final weeks before ROLs were due.

I think you're making wild assumptions here.

Perhaps the reason you've met no one else that has gotten such an email is because it's very unusual for programs to have three separate tracks and to have people applying for all three.

I guess I just fail to see the utility in assuming the worst of people and programs.

 

[oldbearprofessor]

They are NOT telling you that you must change in order to be ranked highly, which would be a match violation. They are giving you constructive and helpful feedback as to how they view applicants who apply to multiple tracks. Go pick another battle of injustice to fight, they were trying to help you.