Contacting your #1

I plan on writing a letter to the chairman stating that I will be very strongly considering their program. Just like in your letters of rec when they use certain buzz words to say this a student is "excellent" or whatever...I will use some word like that to say they are #1 without actually saying "#1". I dont think you need to send anything to anyone, and definitely not to your #2.....I doubt they will call another meeting and be like...."Oh damn...hold everything! we need to change our rank list because Dr. Sawbonz has ranked us #2! "

Not gonna happen......

If you want to go to a place, telling them that you are ranking them number one is just fine. It does not break any rules to give them an unsolicited statement. Just remeber that it is a small community and if you tell a bunch of people in an unsolicited statment that they are number one and don't mean it, you may have some issues.

However, if any program asks you what you are going to rank them, you should have one answer..."number one". This was the advice that our old chairman used to give students. Reasoning behind this is that if they are not going to play by the rules, neither should you. No program should ask you for a commitment on your rank list (this is not legal in the match system).

It is really early to even think about sending these letters out. You should have almost all of your interviews done before even thinking about sending the letter. In my opinion, a "you're #1" letter now just makes you look desperate.

When I came through, I wrote my top 5 programs letting them know what I liked about their program. I told my top program very clearly that it was my top choice, for the remaining 4, I told them that I thought they had an excellent program and that it would be an ideal place for me to train.

I would think verbally telling a program they are #1 when they aren't is not such a hot idea. I may be completely wrong, but like you said, it's a small community and everyone talks....

no program is gonna bad talk you if they start their bitch session to another pd something like this..."when i asked so and so how they were going to rank us they said...". everyone knows that this is a no no question to ask you. as a news flash to you guys and girls out there....a bunch of these places LIE to you. yes, i said it. they LIE. this is a business. they are trying to get the best residents just like you are trying to get to the best place. i personally experienced this when i matched. people that had matched before me kept warning me that places lie about how thrilled they are with you, but i didn't truly believe it until match day when i opened my envelope. good luck, keep those suits smelling fresh, and for god sakes wipe the sweat off of your hand before you shake hands! have fun.

So how did your top program react when you told them this, and did you end up matching there?

I am training there now and could not be happier.

I told the program I matched to that they were #1 and like the guy above me, I wouldn't change it for the world.

an ortho applicant telling a program that they are they # 1 is about as useful as telling a hooker that you love her!!! They don't believe you...We all know that we want to match in ortho "somewhere" and programs know that. Programs know that applicants "shotgun" approach their applications and what to see what they get; so now that I get to see it from a resident standpoint and hear every applicant tell us that they want to come here for sure; I see myself a year ago....programs/residents know the process and the desperation to match!! Trust me if you really really really wanted to come a program you would have rotated or made some other contact besides a 1/2 day interview process in which you just scratched the surface of a program....think about it!! it is easy to see the sincerity in people versus the B.S. b/c actions speak louder than words and with 90 applicants interviewing you want to stand out.....just trying to helpout b/c I am only 12 months out from the process and know the pain all too well; good luck to everyone.

I agree, I can tell you that an applicants ranking is fixed about 30 minutes after we interview them when we all get together to talk about how the interviews went. The residents opinion of them usually can move them more in a downward than upward direction (if we say we like you but your interveiws all sucked then we cant do much, bu tif your interviews went well and the residents thought you were arrogant or something you will drop in rank). Interviewing applicants this year as a chief has been interesting since often interviewers have very different takes on people. I had one guy I thought was really not that good at all for several reasons that the other staff all seemed to love. We actually had to make sure we were talking about the same person.

Our program does the same, rankings are done right after interviews and are a composite of all interviewers equally!!! so residents can bring u up or down; therefore telling a program director or let alone just the chairman won't do much for you; everyone interviewing our candidates has the same pull; chairman, attendings and residents....just leave it all on the table at the interview b/c after that your ranking is set....it really is that subjective about how people feel about you so just be cool/yourself and hope for the best; it truly is about personality once u get the interview b/c all 90 of our applicants had similar USMLE, +/- AOA and Research but really on paper everyone is good so the only way to differentiate is personality and if you fit in with the program!