There’s a scary, but important, recent article in the Journal of Graduate Medical Education by Mueller et al called “Gender Differences in Attending Physicians’ Feedback to Residents: A Qualitative Analysis.” As you might have guessed, male and female residents were given – on average – very different types of evaluations from faculty. Here’s a link to the study and a podcast with an interview of the physician-authors.
Blog Archives
Haven’t Heard Back from a Medical School or Residency Program? Here’s What to Do.
One of the more frustrating aspects of the medical school and residency admissions processes is the lack of response from some institutions. There is no obligation for medical schools or residency programs to reply to a candidate, which leaves applicants in limbo.
If you have not heard back from medical schools or residency programs to which you’ve applied, I recommend that you contact (preferably call) the institutions to inquire about your status.
After I offered that advice to a residency applicant I was advising, she emailed me to say she obtained an interview in a competitive specialty with a phone call. Another said she received two preliminary interviews with simple emails. (I recommend calls over emails, however, because it’s hard to ignore someone on the other end of a phone line. Still, if you simply can’t bring yourself to call, an email can be effective.)
I’ve seen this phone call strategy work for medical school interviews as well: Several years ago I helped a strong applicant who had been rejected by a top medical school. He thought he was a very good fit for this particular institution, so he called the school to make his case. Surprisingly, after the applicant’s phone call, the school granted him an interview, reversing their original rejection. Ultimately, after being initially rejected, this applicant was admitted to that top school. Of course, this is an exceedingly rare occurrence. But to me, the moral of this story is that it is worth being assertive in the application process.Now, if the school or program explicitly asks in written materials that you don’t contact them about your status, then calling is not a good idea.
If you have not heard back from medical schools or residency programs to which you’ve applied, I recommend that you contact (preferably call) the institutions to inquire about your status.
After I offered that advice to a residency applicant I was advising, she emailed me to say she obtained an interview in a competitive specialty with a phone call. Another said she received two preliminary interviews with simple emails. (I recommend calls over emails, however, because it’s hard to ignore someone on the other end of a phone line. Still, if you simply can’t bring yourself to call, an email can be effective.)
I’ve seen this phone call strategy work for medical school interviews as well: Several years ago I helped a strong applicant who had been rejected by a top medical school. He thought he was a very good fit for this particular institution, so he called the school to make his case. Surprisingly, after the applicant’s phone call, the school granted him an interview, reversing their original rejection. Ultimately, after being initially rejected, this applicant was admitted to that top school. Of course, this is an exceedingly rare occurrence. But to me, the moral of this story is that it is worth being assertive in the application process.Now, if the school or program explicitly asks in written materials that you don’t contact them about your status, then calling is not a good idea.
An additional strong option is to send an effective update letter or letter of recommendation from an influential writer (alumus, for example). I do edit letters of update/interest for medical school and residency applicants, but even if you choose not to use my services, I recommend sending a well-written, strategic note in addition to making a phone call.
This process is an uncertain one, but asserting some small bit of control can be useful (and comforting).
NRMP® Data Suggests Residency Applicants Should Apply Broadly
In their publication Impact of Length of Rank Order List on Main Residency Match Outcome:2002-2016, the NRMP reports that matched applicants consistently have longer rank order lists than unmatched applicants.
What that means to those approaching the residency application process is that candidates should throw a wide net in choosing programs at which to apply. Of course, there is a cost to this strategy, and that expense needs to be balanced. However, if you can afford it, starting out with more options usually will provide more opportunities to interview and thus, the ability to create a longer rank order list.
Tags: NRMP, Rank Order, Residency Applicants
Are you a Residency Candidate Applying in More than One Specialty? Read this.
If you’re planning to apply in more than one field, you have a challenging road ahead of you, and you should strategize accordingly. Remember that, although your ERAS activities cannot be individualized to different residency programs, your personal statement and letters of recommendation can. Demonstrating commitment to each field through your essay and letters will be a challenge, so take time to write thoughtfully, and make sure you speak candidly to your faculty recommenders.
Above all: Ensure that you assign the correct specialty-specific documents to the correct programs!
Tags: Eras, Residency Applicants, Specialty
Inaccuracies in Medical Student Grades Translate into Residency Application Strategy
Here’s an interesting article by Dr. Pauline Chen on medical student grades. In reading the article, residency applicants should reflect on how important the content of their letters of recommendation is, especially in the setting of medical school grades that may be inflated or simply inaccurate. The 2016 NRMP Program Director Survey supports the importance of letters, as well, with statistics. Make sure your letters are very strong; remember that mediocre letters should not be a part of your residency package.
Dr. Finkel is a graduate of Stanford University and Harvard Medical School. On completing her residency at Harvard, she was asked to
stay on as faculty at Harvard Medical School and spent five years teaching at the world-renowned Massachusetts General Hospital.
She was appointed to the Assistant Residency Director position for the Harvard Affiliated
Emergency Medicine Residency where she reviewed countless applications, personal statements and resumes. Read more
