When to let them know...

[CNphair]

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So, I am about to finish interviews (praise God!). I am just wondering when is the right time to let a program know it is your number one choice...is it too early now? Is there a magic time frame?

Thanks!

 

[Gfunk6]

Scuttlebut says: "If you know the program's last interview date, then call/email them soon after that."

If you don't know, then the sooner you declare your intentions the better. I've already done so (finished interviewing on 1/12) and was pleasantly surprised by their response. Programs are really big on "all the people who matched last year ranked us #1."

 

[mrwagner]

Programs are really big on "all the people who matched last year ranked us #1."

Yeah... I've heard this, too. Makes one wonder how they would know... . My understanding is the ranking lists are supposed to be completely confidential with only the match results released. If so, the programs would only have the newly matched applicants say-so as their source. For completely understandable reasons, those new residents-to-be may not wish to disclose that the program in which they will soon spend four years was further down the rank list, and if asked, they may give a less than candid reply. On the other hand, one can see how it would be in a program's interest to have applicants believe that in order to match there, the applicant should rank them number one.

Am I being too cynical?

 

[Gfunk6]

You are definitely not being too cynical. The Match is a wierd process and different PDs have varying opinions on how "pure" it should be. Most of the residents I spoke to assure me that declaring that a program your #1 is in your interests and can't hurt you.

However, the most important thing to realize is this: DON"T LIE TO PROGRAMS. Don't mislead them either. Words like "rank you highly" and "very impressed with you" and "would love to match with you" are definitely not the same thing as saying "you are my #1." In a small field like RadOnc you will potentially burn bridges and anger your future colleagues with any false assurances.

 

[clintpark]

My understanding of the Match rule was that you were not supposed to contact the program about the specific details of the rank list. Is this a common practice that I was too naive about?

 

[radiaterMike]

I beleive that programs are not allowed to ask you where you plan to rank them and you are not allowed to ask programs where they will rank you. You can volunteer where you will rank a program and a program can volunteer what rank they will be assigning you- however, these are not binding (but in a small field like radiation oncology it is obviously not wise to mislead)

- Mike

My understanding of the Match rule was that you were not supposed to contact the program about the specific details of the rank list. Is this a common practice that I was too naive about?