Ask the Program Coordinator!

[anbuitachi]

1) We usually fill within the top third to top half of our list. In my time as PC, we've filled within or just outside of our Ranked to Match group 3 times and didn't fill once (I still have nightmares).

2) Tie breakers. If all things seem equal in the interview, the nod for the higher rank goes to the applicant with stronger academics/Step scores.

Wow I see. It's scary to know that all you've worked for for the first 3 years will be a tie breaker after invite..

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[mcl]

Wow I see. It's scary to know that all you've worked for for the first 3 years will be a tie breaker after invite..

You are more than your stats, and all you've worked for has created the foundation you'll build upon in residency. But programs only have the application materials you submit and about a half-day's worth of scattered experience with you in order to develop a rank order list for NRMP. Say we interview 50 people who all met certain academic criteria in order to receive an invitation to visit our program. I can't have two people at position #15 on the list--one has to be #15 and one has to be #16. These two candidates attended the dinner the night before their interview and met most of our residents. Both seemed comfortable at the dinner and were easy to draw into conversation. During the interview day, both seemed interested, asked good questions and gave insightful answers. We would be happy to have either or both of them in our program, but we have to rank one above the other on the list. It seems natural to refer to the academic record at that point--at least it seems more logical than ranking the two alphabetically or according to interview date. But the likelihood that it will matter which applicant was ranked one degree higher is actually pretty small.

 

[mcl]

Just out of curiosity when you guys are referring to step 2 scores do you mean that you'd like to have the CK score before ROL deadline or both CK/CS?

More information is better.

 

[NotAProgDirector]

Some of the questions you're asking don't really have clear answers. For example, how much does Step 1/2/grades count for as far as the rank list is concerned. As noted above, in some programs those things get you in the door, and then your interview performance becomes the major driver of where you end up on the list. In my program, the opposite is true -- your overall performance (not just step scores!) determines your ROL quartile, and then your interview performance can bump you up or down (or off the list completely). So, there's no right answer. And, it really doesn't matter -- you should interview to the best of your ability, then rank programs in the order you want to go to them. How they process your application and how they rank you is immaterial to how you should rank them. Invariably you will try to gauge how likely you are to match at each program, as we will try to gauge how likely you are to match with us. But that's a guessing game.

 

[EaglesAllDay]

Thank you for this wonderful thread!

I know it's probably a silly question but Is there anyway to know if our interview went well?

 

[Frederica]

Thank you for this wonderful thread!

I know it's probably a silly question but Is there anyway to know if our interview went well?

Hi EaglesAllDay,
This is difficult to answer because I don't know how cocky you may be. I have no doubt there are some candidates who think their interview went well, but the faculty did not like the candidate. Some programs will aggressively pursue a candidate, and some won't even give a hint as to whether or not they are considering you.

AProgDirector makes an excellent point about "interviewing to the best of your ability, then rank the programs in the order you want to go to them. I understand that you want some glimmer of hope you will match with your number one program, unfortunately there is no way to know that until match day.

I firmly believe that things happen for a reason. If you don't match at your number one program, you may realize in a few years that you are glad you didn't. So, enjoy the roller coaster you are on (I know it's easy for me to say that) and go with the flow during this crazy time in your life. In a few years, you will look back on this time and think it was one of the most exciting and thrilling experiences of your life. All of us who have been giving advice on this thread have been in your shoes in one way or another and we came out on top. You will too.

Cheers,
Freddie

 

[EaglesAllDay]

Thanks Freddie!

Also I was wondering what do you think is the best time to send thank you emails to the interviewers and program coordinators?

 

[Frederica]

Thanks Freddie!

Also I was wondering what do you think is the best time to send thank you emails to the interviewers and program coordinators?

Between 5 hours and 3 days after the interview. I did some research and found various answers, but the one thing I did see that was specific was to not send the email right after the interview. Also, personalize the note, whether it is handwritten or via email. By personalize, I mean note something you discussed with the interviewer. And, don't send a bulk email, or send all the thank you notes to the coordinator expecting he or she will pass them out for you. Not all faculty are near my office, some are in two other buildings, and there isn't one mailbox I can send them too which means I have look up addresses. All mail and email addresses are in the brochure we give applicants, so it's not like the applicant could say he/she didn't have time to look them up. Plus, in the world we live in now, you can easily get a campus mailing address or email address from the institutions web site.

 

[Yoz1711]

Hey Freddie

I had a quick question since you are a residency coordinator.

I was invited for an interview back in the beginning of October for a residency program I'm really interested in. I waited until the next day to respond (which is a mistake on my part) but when I got a response all the dates filled up and I was put on the waitlist. There waitlist works by the coordinator sending a mass email to everyone on the waitlist about an opening and whoever contacts the office gets an interview spot. I was initially upset about the waitlist but the coordinator assured me and everybody on the waitlist in the past years that everybody on the waitlist has received an interview.

I'm getting worried though since they stop interviewing the end of December. The waitlist openings have been really slow. There has been only two emails in this cycle. What should I do? Should I wait it out or should I email the coordinator or residency director about my desire to interview? I don't want to be a nuisance but I would really like to interview here

 

[ACoordinator]

Hi, Yoz1711,

As long as you haven't been emailing the program constantly, it's fine to go ahead and send a quick note to the coordinator reiterating your interest and checking to see if there have been any cancellations. If you are flexible about last minute openings, let the coordinator know that, as well.

In your case, it sounds like the coordinator is the one arranging interview dates, so I would contact him/her rather than the PD (my PD generally forwards all interview-related requests and correspondence from applicants to me, anyway). Good luck!

 

[graddoc2013]

@program coordinator

I am currently doing research at a small hospital where there is FM unopposed residency program. I am not involved with the FM resident or the facutly. Is it okay for me to go in person and meet the program coordiantor and ask about my status on application and interest in program or will this upset the PC and lead to an automatic rej.

thanks

 

[j4pac]

Thanks for the awesome thread. I started with about three questions...but after reading, I am down to one.

When programs send out invites, it is typically done in batches...and at the very end I would suspect that a handful of interviews may be sent out to "waitlisted" candidates after cancellations.

In general, are the first batch of interviews sent out to applicants highest on a programs wish list...and the later batches reserved to those lower on the list?

Thanks.

 

[Frederica]

@program coordinator

I am currently doing research at a small hospital where there is FM unopposed residency program. I am not involved with the FM resident or the facutly. Is it okay for me to go in person and meet the program coordiantor and ask about my status on application and interest in program or will this upset the PC and lead to an automatic rej.

thanks

If you know the coordinator, then dropping by will probably be okay. I don't think you will get an automatic rejection, but it is probably easier for the coordinator if you emailed him/her.

 

[graddoc2013]

If you know the coordinator, then dropping by will probably be okay. I don't think you will get an automatic rejection, but it is probably easier for the coordinator if you emailed him/her.

thanks, I dont know the PC and I did email her but did not hear any response back, I will probably just give a call

 

[Frederica]

Thanks for the awesome thread. I started with about three questions...but after reading, I am down to one.

When programs send out invites, it is typically done in batches...and at the very end I would suspect that a handful of interviews may be sent out to "waitlisted" candidates after cancellations.

In general, are the first batch of interviews sent out to applicants highest on a programs wish list...and the later batches reserved to those lower on the list?

Thanks.

I think that is probably true. We don't send send invitations to more people than interview slots we have - and it is a big program. I would imagine that programs that send invitations to more people than they have interview slots, do reach out to their top applicants first.

 

[ACoordinator]

j4pac, it's probably program-specific. In our program, we meet to assess our number of slots, review applications that meet our criteria, do a quick ranking list, and then I send out invitations proportionate to the number of openings that we have. I send them all out within 2 days of our application review meeting.

I generally give applicants a choice of 2 dates and fill as I get responses, offering other dates as necessary/ as preferred by the applicant (ie if someone needs a December date and I've offered either a November or January, I go back and find an opening to fit their schedule). Then I offer interviews to those in the order that they are on our waitlist.

 

[Yoz1711]

Thanks acoordinator

 

[lockjaw]

As the responses above have indicated - it varies.

For my program it is more just that the applications are reviewed in a rolling fashion and interviews sent in batches. So the people getting invited later it simply means they hadn't looked at your application yet, not that you are a lower candidate.

Other programs I know review in batches, but they use filters to do so - so the first batch might be all the people with >XXX board score, or with AOA, etc.

I'm not a program coordinator, but as chief resident I'm heavily involved in the recruitment process, so I can speak as to what we do at my program.

My program goes through all U.S. allopathic students alphabetically, so invites went out in batches based on where an applicant's last name fell in the alphabet.
Then the osteopathic students are reviewed and a handful of those will be offered interviews - those whose stats stand out, or if they have local ties, or those who rotated here and did well.
International applications are typically only reviewed if they reach out to us and have compelling ties to the area or if they rotated here and really stood out (the sheer volume of international applicants makes it impossible to fairly review all of them in detail).

It's very common for excellent applicants to end up on the waitlist if we don't see an obvious reason why they might want to come to this program (a small/mid-sized program in a moderately sized city in the northeast). We don't want to waste an interview slot on someone who appears to be casting a wide net and then going to cancel here once they get offers at bigger-name programs or programs in their home region of the country. But if those solid applicants who don't get an interview the first time around reach out to us and tell us why they are interested in our program (family in the area, couples matching and significant other interviewed at another program here and loved it, etc.), they'll often get an interview in a heartbeat.

So don't be discouraged if you end up on a waitlist - you may be an excellent candidate who doesn't at first glance fit what the program is looking for, so if you have reason to believe that there is something that does make you a strong fit that's not obvious on your application, don't hesitate to let the program know. It shouldn't hurt you, and it just might be what the program needs to hear to get you off the waitlist and onto the invite list.

 

[Yoz1711]

Thanks again acoordinator !

Followed your advice and emailed the residency coordinator. And got off the waitlist !

 

[Lily05]

Greetings

I wish I saw this thread early. Thank you so very much for your advices!
My question is: if I didn't receive a rejection or invitation from a program I am highly interested in in my area. Do you think it would be great idea to email the PC and PD and let them know how I am highly interested in their program? I have emailed one program the PC and PD..but got ZERO response. What to do?

Thanks in advance!

 

[dabeags]

Greetings

I wish I saw this thread early. Thank you so very much for your advices!
My question is: if I didn't receive a rejection or invitation from a program I am highly interested in in my area. Do you think it would be great idea to email the PC and PD and let them know how I am highly interested in their program? I have emailed one program the PC and PD..but got ZERO response. What to do?

Thanks in advance!

If you have faculty at your current school who has connections there or is well known ask if they can put in the good word for you. Faculty advocating on your behalf is probably the most powerful tool you have to get an interview.

 

[Frederica]

I concur with dabeags. Sometimes, it's not what you know, but who you know. My program will extend an invitation to interview a candidate as their mentor sent an email to our PD.

 

[victorias2014]

Thank you so much for this thread, it is so helpful!

I have a question and I was hoping someone could tell me what they think. Since I was not able to meet with the Program Director on my interview day at my top choice program, I set up a phone conversation with him. After discussing the reasons why I was interested in their program, he said that he got very good feedback from the residents and faculty after my interview, and that they would all be honored to train me there because I would bring much to the program. He also then offered me to contact him after interview season or anytime with any remaining questions. Does this mean they really like me and they will be ranking me high on their list? Or do PD's say that to all applicants just to make sure they get ranked?

Thanks for your help!

 

[NotAProgDirector]

Thank you so much for this thread, it is so helpful!

I have a question and I was hoping someone could tell me what they think. Since I was not able to meet with the Program Director on my interview day at my top choice program, I set up a phone conversation with him. After discussing the reasons why I was interested in their program, he said that he got very good feedback from the residents and faculty after my interview, and that they would all be honored to train me there because I would bring much to the program. He also then offered me to contact him after interview season or anytime with any remaining questions. Does this mean they really like me and they will be ranking me high on their list? Or do PD's say that to all applicants just to make sure they get ranked?

Thanks for your help!

There's no way to know what statements like that mean. I think it's fair to say that you will be on the rank list. But the rest of that conversation is standard.

In any case, it doesn't matter. It's your 1st choice, you rank it 1st. If you don't get it, the NRMP will try to place you in your 2nd choice. You can't lose anything by ranking a "reach" program highly. In fact, if you rank 100 programs that you didn't even apply to first, and then start your rank list from 101 onwards, you'll still match at exactly the same place as if you ranked them starting at 1 -- although you'll be out a bunch of $$$ in match fees.

 

[ChessMaster3000]

I think the 101 example is really helpful. I was talking to a current fellow at a program that was matching new fellows this past Wednesday, and he seemed to imply that if his program had rearranged its rank list of applicants, they would have filled all their spots (I think there were like 5 spots, filled 3). As my understand goes, that would't have happened no matter what--unless they ranked more applicants, they wouldn't have been more likely to fill all their spots.

 

[dyeguy21]

I think the 101 example is really helpful. I was talking to a current fellow at a program that was matching new fellows this past Wednesday, and he seemed to imply that if his program had rearranged its rank list of applicants, they would have filled all their spots (I think there were like 5 spots, filled 3). As my understand goes, that would't have happened no matter what--unless they ranked more applicants, they wouldn't have been more likely to fill all their spots.

Yup, a lot of people don't really get how the match process works.

Simple Example:
Ranks
Applicant A: 1. State, 2. County, 3. University
Applicant B: 1. State, 2. County, 3. University
Applicant C: 1. State, 2. County, 3. University
etc.

State - 2 spots: 1. App B, 2. App C, 3. App A
County - 1 spot: 1. App C, 2. App A, 3. App B
etc.

Match:
Round 1: App A goes first, wants state #1 and State ranked him and has a spot open. Applicant is matched.
Round 2: App B goes next, wants state #1 as well, State ranked App B higher than App A, App B is Matched, App A is still matched. All spots filled at program.
(This next step is what most people don't get, being "matched" is fluid until all possible match permutations are made).
Round 3: App C goes next, wants state #1 as well, State ranked C lower than B, B keeps spot, C is ranked higher than A, C takes A spot. A gets bumped to "rematch" list.
Round 4: App A goes again, wants state #1, all spots filled move to next rank, wants County #2, spot is open and applicant is ranked, A takes spot at County.
Repeat until all possible matches are made (no movement to rematch list or impossible match qualifications met)

This is why you rank programs the way YOU like them because the system is biased towards the applicant and their preferences. In the example above you see that County wanted App C as their number 1 pick, but because the applicant ranked them lower, the applicant already had a match for their #1 program. So if Applicant C thought that State was a "reach" but had a "guaranteed" spot at County and if they therefore ranked County higher they would have missed out on their chance to get into State. (i.e. Because County was always a sure thing as they ranked C highest, he would AT LEAST match there as long as he put them on his rank list ). As you can also see County "wasted" a rank (two actually) on someone that preferred another school, hence why the match is skewed towards the applicant as we have no "wasted" ranks.

 

[ChessMaster3000]

Yup, a lot of people don't really get how the match process works.

Simple Example:
Ranks
Applicant A: 1. State, 2. County, 3. University
Applicant B: 1. State, 2. County, 3. University
Applicant C: 1. State, 2. County, 3. University
etc.

State - 2 spots: 1. App B, 2. App C, 3. App A
County - 1 spot: 1. App C, 2. App A, 3. App B
etc.

Match:
Round 1: App A goes first, wants state #1 and State ranked him and has a spot open. Applicant is matched.
Round 2: App B goes next, wants state #1 as well, State ranked App B higher than App A, App B is Matched, App A is still matched. All spots filled at program.
(This next step is what most people don't get, being "matched" is fluid until all possible match permutations are made).
Round 3: App C goes next, wants state #1 as well, State ranked C lower than B, B keeps spot, C is ranked higher than A, C takes A spot. A gets bumped to "rematch" list.
Round 4: App A goes again, wants state #1, all spots filled move to next rank, wants County #2, spot is open and applicant is ranked, A takes spot at County.
Repeat until all possible matches are made (no movement to rematch list or impossible match qualifications met)

This is why you rank programs the way YOU like them because the system is biased towards the applicant and their preferences. In the example above you see that County wanted App C as their number 1 pick, but because the applicant ranked them lower, the applicant already had a match for their #1 program. So if Applicant C thought that State was a "reach" but had a "guaranteed" spot at County and if they therefore ranked County higher they would have missed out on their chance to get into State. (i.e. Because County was always a sure thing as they ranked C highest, he would AT LEAST match there as long as he put them on his rank list as). As you can also see County "wasted" a rank (two actually) on someone that preferred another school, hence why the match is skewed towards the applicant as we have no "wasted" ranks.

Boom

 

[choc_mint]

@Frederica,

Thank you for your suggestion to write the PD and CC the PC. In a week I got notification of being on waitlist. Several days later I got the invite! So thank you!

 

[Frederica]

@Frederica,

Thank you for your suggestion to write the PD and CC the PC. I called PC to get my app status and was told my app was "looked at" but my YOG had prevented me from getting the IV. I explained why I wanted to be there and I wrote the email to PD cc PC.

In a week I got notification of being on waitlist. Several days later I got the invite! So thank you!

Congratulations!!! I'm so glad things worked out. Good luck with the interview.

 

[hurryupnwait]

@Frederica,

Thank you for your suggestion to write the PD and CC the PC. I called PC to get my app status and was told my app was "looked at" but my YOG had prevented me from getting the IV. I explained why I wanted to be there and I wrote the email to PD cc PC.

In a week I got notification of being on waitlist. Several days later I got the invite! So thank you!

What's a "YOG"?

 

[choc_mint]

What's a "YOG"?

YOG = year of graduation

 

[choc_mint]

...

Yikes

Hey choc_mint . I am disappointed how you have exaggerated while describing fellow competitors in this forum. It shows petty jealousy and hatred/intolerance. That in itself is a 'red flag' i might say, going on public forums and dissing unsuspecting fellow applicants. I know who you are and the person you so easily dissed is a dear friend. You are definitely not someone i would want as part of my program.

?

 

['murica]

Hey choc_mint . I am disappointed how you have exaggerated while describing fellow competitors in this forum. It shows petty jealousy and hatred/intolerance. That in itself is a 'red flag' i might say, going on public forums and dissing unsuspecting fellow applicants. I know who you are and the person you so easily dissed is a dear friend. You are definitely not someone i would want as part of my program.

lol I assume you must be trolling. 3 posts ever? choc_mint has been very respectful

 

[Ugen]

For couples in the match, if one person interviews in department A and their spouse gets their application rejected from department B about two months later, does that mean they will be dropping the first person down the rank list for department A?

 

[bambooshoot]

Yup, a lot of people don't really get how the match process works.

Simple Example:
Ranks
Applicant A: 1. State, 2. County, 3. University
Applicant B: 1. State, 2. County, 3. University
Applicant C: 1. State, 2. County, 3. University
etc.

State - 2 spots: 1. App B, 2. App C, 3. App A
County - 1 spot: 1. App C, 2. App A, 3. App B
etc.

Match:
Round 1: App A goes first, wants state #1 and State ranked him and has a spot open. Applicant is matched.
Round 2: App B goes next, wants state #1 as well, State ranked App B higher than App A, App B is Matched, App A is still matched. All spots filled at program.
(This next step is what most people don't get, being "matched" is fluid until all possible match permutations are made).
Round 3: App C goes next, wants state #1 as well, State ranked C lower than B, B keeps spot, C is ranked higher than A, C takes A spot. A gets bumped to "rematch" list.
Round 4: App A goes again, wants state #1, all spots filled move to next rank, wants County #2, spot is open and applicant is ranked, A takes spot at County.
Repeat until all possible matches are made (no movement to rematch list or impossible match qualifications met)

This is why you rank programs the way YOU like them because the system is biased towards the applicant and their preferences. In the example above you see that County wanted App C as their number 1 pick, but because the applicant ranked them lower, the applicant already had a match for their #1 program. So if Applicant C thought that State was a "reach" but had a "guaranteed" spot at County and if they therefore ranked County higher they would have missed out on their chance to get into State. (i.e. Because County was always a sure thing as they ranked C highest, he would AT LEAST match there as long as he put them on his rank list ). As you can also see County "wasted" a rank (two actually) on someone that preferred another school, hence why the match is skewed towards the applicant as we have no "wasted" ranks.

Thanks for this!

My question is somewhat related to this. Do emails/notes/love letters in Jan/Feb stating Program A or whatever is your #1 choice make a difference? Because that's the only other reason I could imagine not ranking based on your true preferences could make a difference, if your ranking changes how a program ranks you. I ask because there seem to be a lot of advisers who have talked about letter your top programs know they're your top programs, and even program directors at places I've interviewed who have essentially said "make sure to keep in contact with us and let us know if you're still interested come rank time." (And yes, I know they probably say that to everyone.)

I get that this is probably a program- specific inquiry and there's no true answer, but I'm curious what various programs' responses to these types of messages are. Thank you!!!!

 

[mvenus929]

Thanks for this!

My question is somewhat related to this. Do emails/notes/love letters in Jan/Feb stating Program A or whatever is your #1 choice make a difference? Because that's the only other reason I could imagine not ranking based on your true preferences could make a difference, if your ranking changes how a program ranks you. I ask because there seem to be a lot of advisers who have talked about letter your top programs know they're your top programs, and even program directors at places I've interviewed who have essentially said "make sure to keep in contact with us and let us know if you're still interested come rank time." (And yes, I know they probably say that to everyone.)

I get that this is probably a program- specific inquiry and there's no true answer, but I'm curious what various programs' responses to these types of messages are. Thank you!!!!

It still doesn't matter how YOU rank the programs... you will either match or not match, and the order of your programs does not affect this, only the number of programs you rank does. Where you match is affected by the order of the programs. The order you rank programs is private--programs don't find out where on your list they rank, they only find out if you match somewhere else and they ranked you high enough to match (they went to #50 on their list and you were ranked #30, but matched somewhere else). And programs know that people lie to them, and programs in turn try to get people to rank them highly--I thought for sure I was going to match at one of my top 3 ranks, because two of them sent me amazing love letters, including a hand-written note from the PD. So you should always, always rank based on your preferences, and not based on your perception of the program ranking you.

Now, as to whether these love letters actually make a difference... too program and individual specific to really matter. I think for most programs, it probably doesn't make a difference.

 

[Frederica]

This has been debated back and forth a number of times if you use the search function.

My takeaway from years of debates on this is:
-most programs it doesn't matter; some programs it might matter a very small amount. Very very few programs does it matter a lot.
-If you're doing this, it really only matters at your #1 (I.e. if you send a generic message saying you'll be ranking the program "highly" they will just know that means that you are not ranking them number 1)
-It is probably best if this message is reinforced by someone like a PD or chair making a call/sending a message on your behalf.

I don't disagree with anything you wrote. I want to write a little about the point I bolded.

If you, an applicant, not southernIM, are going to ask your mentors to contact the PD or chair to talk you up, I hope you are serious about ranking that program. We had many unsolicited conversations with the mentors of applicants who really talked up the applicant, and deservedly so. The applicants were outstanding and we ranked them pretty high, but they did not rank us highly and we matched far below where we expected to. It left us wondering why all our time was wasted talking to the mentors and it made has made us a little suspicious of future conversations with these mentors regarding future applicants. If you want to work in a field where everyone knows everyone, you do not want to burn any bridges before your career has even started.

 

[Yoz1711]

Just curious I'm thinking about asking my chair at my home institution who wrote my lor to contact my number one on my behalf later in the season.

But is this going to have a negative effect at my home institution which I'm also ranking highly but not top. I think I'm overanalyzing this.

 

[dabeags]

Just curious I'm thinking about asking my chair at my home institution who wrote my lor to contact my number one on my behalf later in the season.

But is this going to have a negative effect at my home institution which I'm also ranking highly but not top. I think I'm overanalyzing this.

I'd say it matters a bit on your program size too right?

A smaller program of say 4 or 5 people doesn't want to wind up with 4 of their own med students as residents in the same year. In that case there is a negative risk associated with telling them you aren't ranking them #1. If they have another home candidate they like who has said they are ranking their home program #1 and they only want to take one person, then you would pretty much kill your chances of matching to your home program.

 

[iridocyclitis]

When is the best time to send this love letters?

 

[gutonc]

Exactly one fortnight following the first full moon after the winter solstice

Follow this advice only if you want to guarantee a Match violation.

 

[Apollyon]

Follow this advice only if you want to guarantee a Match violation.

Is this a serious response to a joke post?

 

[Apollyon]

I think it's a joke response to a joke post which by pure blind luck actually secretly contained a real answer to the original serious question.

"I know that you know that I know..."

 

[gutonc]

I think it's a joke response to a joke post which by pure blind luck actually secretly contained a real answer to the original serious question.

Not pure blind luck, I am actually just that f***ing good.

 

[iridocyclitis]

I think it's a joke response to a joke post which by pure blind luck actually secretly contained a real answer to the original serious question.

And I was trying to decipher the code when this post came up..

 

[iridocyclitis]

Jokes aside though.. Would it be better to email on mid January or early Feb?

It may not make a difference, but still gotta try it..

 

[choc_mint]

Probably January; a lot of programs will have finalized their rank lists by February. I think we had our final rank meeting like Jan 31st or something like that last year.

Thank you. I was wondering about that as well.

 

[iridocyclitis]

Probably January; a lot of programs will have finalized their rank lists by February. I think we had our final rank meeting like Jan 31st or something like that last year.

Thanks!

@Frederica thanks for starting this thread. Is it too late to write emails to PDs expressing interest in their program at this time?

 

[dabeags]

Jokes aside though.. Would it be better to email on mid January or early Feb?

It may not make a difference, but still gotta try it..

Couple programs specifically mentioned to let them know in January if you are highly interested in the program, so I would say mid January is a good time.

 

[Frederica]

Thanks!

@Frederica thanks for starting this thread. Is it too late to write emails to PDs expressing interest in their program at this time?

You're welcome!

You would be better off having a faculty member at your institution, or anybody you know who knows the PD, send an email. That will carry more weight than your email expressing interest, regardless of when you send an email.

Heck, we just interviewed an applicant because one of their mentors, who is not even in the same specialty that applicant is applying to, send a glowing email to the PD. A lot of people in our program, faculty and residents, really liked the applicant and are welcoming the applicant back for an additional visit. We do not require a visit (that is a match violation) but if an applicant wants to come back, we will arrange for them to spend time in clinical settings as well as meet with anyone they want to meet with - provided those people are available.