Disappointing match

[ChocolateMouse]

I am very heartbroken I ended up placing at my worst school. I really did not expect to be here. I received tons of positive post-interview communication and decided to follow up on some of it and let it sway my school rankings. I really feel like I am the only one who could have made this stupid of a mistake. I was wondering if someone did something similar and how this strategy played out for you.

Did anyone else let post-interview communication sway them? How did this strategy fair for you?

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[Redpancreas]

We’re all sorry to hear about this. Make the best of your situation. Your income and satisfaction has 0 correlation with the ranking of your program if I were to guess.

I don’t know why anyone is blaming stuff on post-IV communication. You rank places as you want to go to them. Let’s say your #3 says that you’re a lock to match. Why would that make you put them at #1 or 2? That’s literally analogous to getting admitted to your #3 choice and withdrawing from your top #1/2 places before they even had a chance to make a decision post-interview.

 

[Oso]

I'm sorry to hear about your disappointment. I was initially also bummed in my match result, but am now very excited to begin. If you read through the forums you will find numerous residents/fellows/attendings saying that they were initially disappointed but then ended up very happy and couldn't have imagined going anywhere else.

To all the younger med students reading this --- rank according to YOUR own preference .. don't know how many times this needs to be said.

 

[Redpancreas]

I'm sorry to hear about your disappointment. I was initially also bummed in my match result, but am now very excited to begin. If you read through the forums you will find numerous residents/fellows/attendings saying that they were initially disappointed but then ended up very happy and couldn't have imagined going anywhere else.

To all the younger med students reading this --- rank according to YOUR own preference .. don't know how many times this needs to be said.

Exactly, I don’t know why PDs even caution against this and say that they no longer send post IV communication out because of this. Seems like an overreaction.

 

[NeurologyHopeful2018]

Please go to reddit and read the SOAP thread. You will feel like a million bucks.

 

[OrthoTraumaMD]

The match works both ways. You may be surprised and the program can be a great fit for you. That’s what happened to me. I could not be happier, looking back… Thank God I did not match my first choice, or my second, or my third, or my fourth…So on and so forth.


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[flightnurse2MD]

I got my first choice and still pray nightly I fit in when I start this July. Hard to gauge a program fit from a few hours in one day...

 

[NRP]

I got my first choice and still pray nightly I fit in when I start this July. Hard to gauge a program fit from a few hours in one day...

Christ, this is the definition of humble brag. Hope your co-interns are more self aware than that.

 

[treebeardette]

I am very heartbroken I ended up placing at my worst school. I really did not expect to be here. I received tons of positive post-interview communication and decided to follow up on some of it and let it sway my school rankings. I really feel like I am the only one who could have made this stupid of a mistake. I was wondering if someone did something similar and how this strategy played out for you.

Did anyone else let post-interview communication sway them? How did this strategy fair for you?

Although it was dumb to move your list around because of post-interview communication (which was likely generic and sent to everyone), in your case it actually made zero difference in where you ended up. If you matched at your very last spot, then it really doesn't matter how you arranged the ones above it, you would never have matched at any of them, no matter how you arranged them. That's how the match works. This is why there's no advantage to ranking a place higher just because you think you have a better chance there/they liked you more. Always rank in order of preference. Take solace in the fact that you matched and that your rank order list is not what sabotaged you.

Edit: unless you meant that you ranked your worst school high and regret that? In which case, just try to make the best of it and be glad you matched.

 

[Dr.Housexoxo]

OP it sucks, but remember your situation could be much worse. Try looking for positives in your program, focus on it and make the best out of your situation.

 

[Promethean]

I am very heartbroken I ended up placing at my worst school. I really did not expect to be here. I received tons of positive post-interview communication and decided to follow up on some of it and let it sway my school rankings. I really feel like I am the only one who could have made this stupid of a mistake. I was wondering if someone did something similar and how this strategy played out for you.

Did anyone else let post-interview communication sway them? How did this strategy fair for you?

How you ranked programs above the one you matched with does not matter. The algorithm goes down your list, trying to find you a seat at each until it succeeds. If you didn't get a seat until the bottom of your list, that is like falling out of a tree on the edge of a cliff but managing to catch the bottom branch. Don't mourn that you didn't snag a higher rank. Be gleeful that you weren't left without a seat and that you aren't trying to figure out what to do with yourself for a year while all your medical knowledge ages a year and you become an even worse applicant for next year's match.

I not only received positive post interview communication... at 2 of my sites, I was kept 1-2 hours after all the other applicants to have a lot of smoke blown up my rear about how awesome I am and how much they wanted me and all that they'd do to get me to rank them first. It was assumed that I'd get my first choice. The hubris that inspired made for an even worse blow when it turned out that I didn't match at all.

I was extremely lucky to scramble into an incredible site that miraculously had a seat for me and that was stunned and delighted that I was available to take it. And even if if I didn't love that program before, I love it now. Because it accepted me and it is where I will train to be the physician that I wish to become, and because the responsibility for doing that is on me, not the program.

You have a chance to do the same. Get over wistful mourning of programs that didn't love you enough. You dance with the one that brung ya. This program said yes to you. They wanted you. More than they wanted other folks, so that you got a seat there and they didn't. Throw yourself into the opportunity they've given you. They aren't your "worst." They are your one and only, and if you pour yourself into the work with love and integrity and grace, you will fulfill your potential there.

Be grateful. It is a lot more pleasant for you and your future c0-residents and faculty.

 

[OrthoTraumaMD]

Christ, this is the definition of humble brag. Hope your co-interns are more self aware than that.

It’s not bragging if you’re worrying about fitting in and whether you made the right decision. First choice, last choice, doesn’t matter.


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[NRP]

It’s not bragging if you’re worrying about fitting in and whether you made the right decision. First choice, last choice, doesn’t matter.


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Sure, maybe in another thread. Op matched bottom of his list and read into post interview notes too much. Some guy posts about matching into his first choice? Yeah sorry, not getting sympathy in this thread.

 

[OrthoTraumaMD]

Sure, maybe in another thread. Op matched bottom of his list and read into post interview notes too much. Some guy posts about matching into his first choice? Yeah sorry, not getting sympathy in this thread.

I disagree. I think the guy was making a point that even people who match their first choice worry about fitting in. But everyone’s entitled to their opinion.


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[flightnurse2MD]

I disagree. I think the guy was making a point that even people who match their first choice worry about fitting in. But everyone’s entitled to their opinion.


Sent from my iPhone using SDN mobile

It’s amazing to me how some people on SDN are itchin’ to pick a fight over something. I get it- we all become a little more brazzen behind the keyboard than in actual real life.

 

[atomheart]

It’s amazing to me how some people on SDN are itchin’ to pick a fight over something. I get it- we all become a little more brazzen behind the keyboard than in actual real life.

Haha. I think I started scrolling down as soon as I learned the OP matched. With a clickbait title I expected a good unmatched story.

Now people have to fill in their own disappointment with something else.

 

[Snowmanta]

How you ranked programs above the one you matched with does not matter. The algorithm goes down your list, trying to find you a seat at each until it succeeds. If you didn't get a seat until the bottom of your list, that is like falling out of a tree on the edge of a cliff but managing to catch the bottom branch. Don't mourn that you didn't snag a higher rank. Be gleeful that you weren't left without a seat and that you aren't trying to figure out what to do with yourself for a year while all your medical knowledge ages a year and you become an even worse applicant for next year's match.

I not only received positive post interview communication... at 2 of my sites, I was kept 1-2 hours after all the other applicants to have a lot of smoke blown up my rear about how awesome I am and how much they wanted me and all that they'd do to get me to rank them first. It was assumed that I'd get my first choice. The hubris that inspired made for an even worse blow when it turned out that I didn't match at all.

I was extremely lucky to scramble into an incredible site that miraculously had a seat for me and that was stunned and delighted that I was available to take it. And even if if I didn't love that program before, I love it now. Because it accepted me and it is where I will train to be the physician that I wish to become, and because the responsibility for doing that is on me, not the program.

You have a chance to do the same. Get over wistful mourning of programs that didn't love you enough. You dance with the one that brung ya. This program said yes to you. They wanted you. More than they wanted other folks, so that you got a seat there and they didn't. Throw yourself into the opportunity they've given you. They aren't your "worst." They are your one and only, and if you pour yourself into the work with love and integrity and grace, you will fulfill your potential there.

Be grateful. It is a lot more pleasant for you and your future c0-residents and faculty.

Wow that sounds like a tough time to go through, I'm sorry that happened but glad everything worked out. Did the post interview communication not play on you at all?

In general, I want to also thank everyone else for the sympathy and references. It certainly does help to read that others go through similar experiences and are enjoying where they are. Ultimately though I guess I was also hoping to see whether other people got influenced by post-interview communication the way I did and not feel like the only one. Anyway, thank you for all the great responses so far! Would love to hear more about the aforementioned and stories similar to the one above, thanks for sharing @Promethean!

 

[mw18]

Wow that sounds like a tough time to go through, I'm sorry that happened but glad everything worked out. Did the post interview communication not play on you at all?

In general, I want to also thank everyone else for the sympathy and references. It certainly does help to read that others go through similar experiences and are enjoying where they are. Ultimately though I guess I was also hoping to see whether other people got influenced by post-interview communication the way I did and not feel like the only one. Anyway, thank you for all the great responses so far! Would love to hear more about the aforementioned and stories similar to the one above, thanks for sharing @Promethean!

Why do you have two accounts with one post each? This is weird.

 

[Snowmanta]

Why do you have two accounts with one post each? This is weird.

Yeah sorry I created a new account because my old account name was "ChocolateMouse" and I wanted it to be "ChocolateMousse" (I accidentally misspelled it) and felt too awkward continuing with it lol....instead of changing it to ChocolateMousse I just created a new with a completely different name

Also I created these accounts just for this question so thats why they just have one post and are new.

 

[username456789]

I’m still confused regarding what the OP did with any post interview communication.

-Did you rank less desirable programs higher than your more desirable programs simply because the lesser programs said nice things to you? Why would anyone with even a remote understanding of the match process do that? I very much hope that’s not what you did.

Or did you [correctly] list your “worst school” (least desirable program) last and simply matched at your last spot on your rank list? If this was the case, nothing you could’ve changed would have altered your outcome (except not ranking that dead last program and then failing to match at all).

 

[Rekt]

I’m still confused regarding what the OP did with any post interview communication.

-Did you rank less desirable programs higher than your more desirable programs simply because the lesser programs said nice things to you? Why would anyone with even a remote understanding of the match process do that? I very much hope that’s not what you did.

Or did you [correctly] list your “worst school” (least desirable program) last and simply matched at your last spot on your rank list? If this was the case, nothing you could’ve changed would have altered your outcome (except not ranking that dead last program and then failing to match at all).

Why would you let any post IV communication change your rank regardless of what it said? Even if you're number three ranks you first, don't you just match there if you don't rank to match at your number one or two? Aka it always favors applicant preference?

 

[username456789]

Why would you let any post IV communication change your rank regardless of what it said? Even if you're number three ranks you first, don't you just match there if you don't rank to match at your number one or two? Aka it always favors applicant preference?

Yes, which is why this entire thread has me puzzled. And why I asked the question.

And why I assume the OP entered the match without understanding at all how it works.

 

[Redpancreas]

Why would you let any post IV communication change your rank regardless of what it said? Even if you're number three ranks you first, don't you just match there if you don't rank to match at your number one or two? Aka it always favors applicant preference?

Absolutely correct! I don’t know how much this needs to be said.

 

[Donald Juan]

Why would you let any post IV communication change your rank regardless of what it said? Even if you're number three ranks you first, don't you just match there if you don't rank to match at your number one or two? Aka it always favors applicant preference?

It's human nature to want to go where you are wanted, so when one program is giving you a big sigh and eye roll when the interviewer sees your grades, and another place smiles and says how much they love you and are putting you at the top of their list because you are so wonderful, it can affect where someone wants to go. In the end the applicant sometimes (as with the OP) regrets that decision.

 

[siliso]

Maybe it could even be a good thing for you to go to a place where you feel you will be welcomed with excitement rather than being the person the program is pretty bummed to have gone down the list far enough to match?

Either way OP, you will be fine. You matched in your preferred field to a place that wants You. Grieve your expectations as needed but go in positive and ready to be an asset to make the place even better than it is now.

 

[Snowmanta]

I’m still confused regarding what the OP did with any post interview communication.

-Did you rank less desirable programs higher than your more desirable programs simply because the lesser programs said nice things to you? Why would anyone with even a remote understanding of the match process do that? I very much hope that’s not what you did.

This is what I did

 

[SilverCat]

And this is why all post-interview communication from programs should be banned.