What about receiving this type of call from a PD ???

[gap4annie]

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People around here say to not take too much stock in letters received from programs that say you are a good candidate for their program, etc. But what about this type of phone call from the PD?

Say I receive a phone call from the PD of a program that I've already told is my #1 choice (it is) and he says that I'm one of their strongest candidates and that they hope I end up as a resident in the upcoming class. Is that a pretty good indication that I'm ranked to match (even though he didn't use those exact words).

I'm just hoping that he didn't make the same call to half their candidates

Thanks for any input!

 

[J1515]

People around here say to not take too much stock in letters received from programs that say you are a good candidate for their program, etc. But what about this type of phone call from the PD?

Say I receive a phone call from the PD of a program that I've already told is my #1 choice (it is) and he says that I'm one of their strongest candidates and that they hope I end up as a resident in the upcoming class. Is that a pretty good indication that I'm ranked to match (even though he didn't use those exact words).

I'm just hoping that he didn't make the same call to half their candidates

Thanks for any input!

No one here knows what it means. And it isn't going to effect <shouldn't> how you rank the program, so it doesn't matter. You have one month left. Settle down.

 

[drknockboot]

What if the PD calls me and says, "Hey boo, what's up?" and I'm like "Nuthin baby, just chillin'" and then she's like "Boy, I been thinkin' about you" and I'm all like "Girl, you so crazy" but then she's like "I think you should roll over here and bring your white coat" and so I'm like "I love you, boo" but she's like "Uh huh" and I'm like "Say you love me, girl!"

So does she love me or not? I'm so confused.

Waiting for March 18th feels like being in junior high sometimes.

 

[thesauce]

What if the PD calls me and says, "Hey boo, what's up?" and I'm like "Nuthin baby, just chillin'" and then she's like "Boy, I been thinkin' about you" and I'm all like "Girl, you so crazy" but then she's like "I think you should roll over here and bring your white coat" and so I'm like "I love you, boo" but she's like "Uh huh" and I'm like "Say you love me, girl!"

So does she love me or not? I'm so confused.

Waiting for March 18th feels like being in junior high sometimes.

That means she's probably going to rank you.

 

[Mental Gymnast]

What if the PD calls me and says, "Hey boo, what's up?" and I'm like "Nuthin baby, just chillin'" and then she's like "Boy, I been thinkin' about you" and I'm all like "Girl, you so crazy" but then she's like "I think you should roll over here and bring your white coat" and so I'm like "I love you, boo" but she's like "Uh huh" and I'm like "Say you love me, girl!"

So does she love me or not? I'm so confused.

Waiting for March 18th feels like being in junior high sometimes.

wait wtf!! you got that call too?! that lying, cheating homewrecker!!!!

 

[WhatUpDoc!]

What if the PD calls me and says, "Hey boo, what's up?" and I'm like "Nuthin baby, just chillin'" and then she's like "Boy, I been thinkin' about you" and I'm all like "Girl, you so crazy" but then she's like "I think you should roll over here and bring your white coat" and so I'm like "I love you, boo" but she's like "Uh huh" and I'm like "Say you love me, girl!"

Friggin hilarious

 

[gap4annie]

Wow chill people, it was a serious and sincere question. Not bragging, not trolling, just curious if the call more likely than not indicates anything concrete. If you think not, then you simply have to respond like the first response. And if you don't think it warrants a response at all then move on, no need for the smart***** remarks.

And no, I'm not sitting here going crazy dissecting his words. Just thought I'd put it out there and see if there's any consensus on what this call indicated, if anything.

Moving on... 🙄

 

[tarlovcyst]

People around here say to not take too much stock in letters received from programs that say you are a good candidate for their program, etc. But what about this type of phone call from the PD?

Say I receive a phone call from the PD of a program that I've already told is my #1 choice (it is) and he says that I'm one of their strongest candidates and that they hope I end up as a resident in the upcoming class. Is that a pretty good indication that I'm ranked to match (even though he didn't use those exact words).

I'm just hoping that he didn't make the same call to half their candidates

Thanks for any input!

I used to make these same exact phone calls. It varies per program, but likely it means that you are ranked to match.

Programs often go down so many times X down their list. X is the number of spots they have available. So let's just say X is 25. Based on the last few years, if my program (for example) has gone down as far as 4X (or equal to 100 spots) in order to completely fill, then anywhere in the top 100 spots (historically) will be considered "ranked to match."

If you got the call, likely it means that you are in the ranked to match mean. I hope this makes more sense.

You hear every year that people get this type of call, applicant had ranked that program #1, and then applicant didn't match to that program!

This is often because the program filled earlier than in the previous years. Using my previous example, let's just say you were candidate #100 on the list... right on the border of ranked to match. You get a call. But the program only goes down to 80 on the list. See what I mean?

 

[drknockboot]

And if you don't think it warrants a response at all then move on, no need for the smart***** remarks.

And no, I'm not sitting here going crazy dissecting his words. Just thought I'd put it out there and see if there's any consensus on what this call indicated, if anything.

Sorry. Didn't intend to be a smart-azzzz (sp?), but how's this thread different than any other "do you think they like me" thread? And is there going to be any other answer other than aPD coming on here and saying "you should rank them where YOU want to be"? The first response was correct, and all I was attempting to add was the point that none of us know if the other really likes us and it feels, well, a bit like a note with check boxes on it. Good news is we'll find out March 18th. Until then, it's a lesson in futility to try and decipher anything other than a pre-match agreement.

 

[sam1999]

I used to make these same exact phone calls. It varies per program, but likely it means that you are ranked to match.

Programs often go down so many times X down their list. X is the number of spots they have available. So let's just say X is 25. Based on the last few years, if my program (for example) has gone down as far as 4X (or equal to 100 spots) in order to completely fill, then anywhere in the top 100 spots (historically) will be considered "ranked to match."

If you got the call, likely it means that you are in the ranked to match mean. I hope this makes more sense.

You hear every year that people get this type of call, applicant had ranked that program #1, and then applicant didn't match to that program!

This is often because the program filled earlier than in the previous years. Using my previous example, let's just say you were candidate #100 on the list... right on the border of ranked to match. You get a call. But the program only goes down to 80 on the list. See what I mean?

Is it not true if a program ranked you no matter which part (top or bottom) of the list, amd you ranked that program number 1 will mean you will go there?

 

[gutonc]

Is it not true if a program ranked you no matter which part (top or bottom) of the list, amd you ranked that program number 1 will mean you will go there?

No, this is not true.

Here's how it works...a program that you rank #1 has 30 spots and they rank you #75. All it takes is 30 of the people ahead of you on the program's list to rank that place #1 (or 2 or 3 if they don't match at their top choice), and you will not match there.

If things work the way you described, Duke, Michigan, UCSF, Hopkins and BWH would all have 500 medicine interns each year which is clearly not the case.

 

[sam1999]

You don't know how other people will be ranking these top programs as number 1. Not every one rank MGH as their number 1.

Is it not true often you see big name programs in Scramble?

 

[Hassler]

You don't know how other people will be ranking these top programs as number 1. Not every one rank MGH as their number 1.

Is it not true often you see big name programs in Scramble?

Not true.

Once in a while you might see it, but most big name programs know how many applicants they need to interview in order to fill their class based on past data. They are not stupid. It's true that not everyone ranks MGH #1, but keep in mind MGH interviews about 400 candidates.

However, this year might be interesting, as a lot of people applied to more places and interviewed at more places. We'll see what the match result looks like soon.

 

[thesauce]

Is it not true if a program ranked you no matter which part (top or bottom) of the list, amd you ranked that program number 1 will mean you will go there?

You CAN'T be serious

 

[SouthernSurgeon]

Is it not true if a program ranked you no matter which part (top or bottom) of the list, amd you ranked that program number 1 will mean you will go there?

You need to read up on how the match works.

Is it not true often you see big name programs in Scramble?

No, that is not true.

 

[LucidSplash]

What if the PD calls me and says, "Hey boo, what's up?" and I'm like "Nuthin baby, just chillin'" and then she's like "Boy, I been thinkin' about you" and I'm all like "Girl, you so crazy" but then she's like "I think you should roll over here and bring your white coat" and so I'm like "I love you, boo" but she's like "Uh huh" and I'm like "Say you love me, girl!"

So does she love me or not? I'm so confused.

Waiting for March 18th feels like being in junior high sometimes.

Is there a way I can vote this as one of my all-time favorite posts on SDN?

 

[Nicholaus]

is there a way i can vote this as one of my all-time favorite posts on sdn?

^^^+1 🙂

 

[sam1999]

You need to read up on how the match works.

Well, may be I should have been more careful with my choice of words. In general you have your best short at your # 1 spot providing that program has ranked you. Having said that of course you are competing with other people who also ranked that particular program as their number 1. Now thing you don't know whether you are ranked by the program and where that program has put you in their ROL.

 

[NotAProgDirector]

Well, may be I should have been more careful with my choice of words. In general you have your best short at your # 1 spot providing that program has ranked you.

As I'm sure others will point out shortly, this is not true either. You could easily rank a program you didn't even apply to as your #1, or your #1 may have ranked you very low on their list. Won't matter -- if you don't match there, the match will try to place you in your #2 spot. In this case, you would have just as much chance of getting into your #2 spot compared with simply ranking that program #1.

I would suggest going to the NRMP site and carefully reading their description of the match process.

 

[WhoisJohnGalt]

As I'm sure others will point out shortly, this is not true either. You could easily rank a program you didn't even apply to as your #1, or your #1 may have ranked you very low on their list. Won't matter -- if you don't match there, the match will try to place you in your #2 spot. In this case, you would have just as much chance of getting into your #2 spot compared with simply ranking that program #1.

I would suggest going to the NRMP site and carefully reading their description of the match process.

Technically don't like 50% of AMG's match at their #1? So you sort of DO have your best shot at your number 1... but of course that's likely because the place you rank #1 is likely to be a good fit for you and some place you feel liked, etc rather than because they got the warm fuzzies from your intent to rank #1 letter. But I definitely agree that it would benefit anyone who hasn't yet done so to read up on the NRMP algorithm... I think they do a really excellent job of explaining it to anyone who might be muddy on the process.

 

[MrBurns10]

Programs often go down so many times X down their list. X is the number of spots they have available. So let's just say X is 25. Based on the last few years, if my program (for example) has gone down as far as 4X (or equal to 100 spots) in order to completely fill, then anywhere in the top 100 spots (historically) will be considered "ranked to match."

If PDs are using this statement to mean what you describe, then it's false advertising. Being "ranked to match" means if a program has 10 spots, you're ranked in the top 10...it would be impossible to not match there if you rank it #1. What you describe is "ranked highly" or "ranked in a position that historically matches" which convey entirely different meanings to applicants.

 

[ResidentMD]

If PDs are using this statement to mean what you describe, then it's false advertising. Being "ranked to match" means if a program has 10 spots, you're ranked in the top 10...it would be impossible to not match there if you rank it #1. What you describe is "ranked highly" or "ranked in a position that historically matches" which convey entirely different meanings to applicants.

I agree with you; its false advertising. But from the outcomes I have seen on this forum, most programs tell their "ranked in a position that historically matches" that you have been "ranked to match". Thus, a "ranked to match" email means essentially only that you are definitely on their ROL, nowhere else (this is unless you know the PD personally and he/she is known to be extremely fair and ethical - a reputation that has developed over the years).

 

[Frugal Traveler]

Travel Tip # 1: Don't pack your bags until after match day.

Programs can tell you anything they want as applicants can tell programs anything they want. E-mails, calls, or whatever else is not a binding agreement. The NRMP match is a binding agreement.

I would recommend that people rank the programs in the order that they LIKED THE PROGRAMS irregardless of pre-match correspondence.

 

[MSmentor018]

What if the PD calls me and says, "Hey boo, what's up?" and I'm like "Nuthin baby, just chillin'" and then she's like "Boy, I been thinkin' about you" and I'm all like "Girl, you so crazy" but then she's like "I think you should roll over here and bring your white coat" and so I'm like "I love you, boo" but she's like "Uh huh" and I'm like "Say you love me, girl!"

So does she love me or not? I'm so confused.

Waiting for March 18th feels like being in junior high sometimes.

Is there a way I can vote this as one of my all-time favorite posts on SDN?

LOL...you got my vote!
as for all the flattering calls, emails, and other lip service....nothing is set in stone until you match and sign the contract

 

[babel]

What if the PD calls me and says, "Hey boo, what's up?" and I'm like "Nuthin baby, just chillin'" and then she's like "Boy, I been thinkin' about you" and I'm all like "Girl, you so crazy" but then she's like "I think you should roll over here and bring your white coat" and so I'm like "I love you, boo" but she's like "Uh huh" and I'm like "Say you love me, girl!"

So does she love me or not? I'm so confused.

Waiting for March 18th feels like being in junior high sometimes.

Is there a way I can vote this as one of my all-time favorite posts on SDN?

👍

 

[dragonfly99]

Phone call like this from a PD very likely means they are ranking you, and not much else. If I had to guess I'd say it means they are ranking you decently high, perhaps high enough so that you are likely to rank. However, even the PD doesn't know if you are ranked high enough to definitely match there, unless they have 5 spots and you are ranked 1-5...they are likely just making sure that you rank them highly. It's definitely a good sign to be called, but don't let it sway you too much.

 

[twilightdoc]

You need to read up on how the match works.

This website may be helpful:

http://www.nrmp.org/res_match/about_res/algorithms.html