Strategy meets opportunity
ScrambleMD.com
It is the only thing
Getting into residency isn't everything;
How to benefit from residency rejection letters
What do you do?
By April or whenever you feel the time is right for you. By the time being right we mean you have gotten over the disappointment of not matching or scrambling into a spot, and that the program directors have recovered from the hustle and bustle of filling their vacancies.
Pull out all the rejection letters you got and make a copy of the ones you got by snail mail. What you are going to do is write a letter to the program director by snail mail with your rejection letter attached as a reference point to having made contact with the program earlier. Or if you will, the open communication channel with a program director. You can equally send it by email using the reply function so that the recipient will recognize the thread and not just hit the delete button.
Now, what this does for you is to open a communication channel between you and the PD.At this point, the program director is not under pressure or on guard. He is relaxed and will give you audience.
How the communication progresses from here is entirely up to you. Here are some suggestions which you can use:-
- What did the program find deficient in your application?
- If you were to apply again to the program, what type of improvement will be a significant improvement to your application?
- If he or she where in your shoes, how would they deal with the situation to improve their chances.
- Could you come and spend a few months with them as an observer, carry out an externship or come in as a volunteer.
The beauty of this strategy is that in most cases, you are the only person making this effort, hence no competition. If you can make a compelling case with the program director, they will grant you your request and when the time for application comes again, they will be dealing with a familiar face.
By the time you have spent a few months there, you know how the program works; you know your way around and they know your strengths. Hopefully a spot for you at that program or a well worded reference letter in 12 months time.
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As you get rejection letters from programs by email or snail mail, do not destroy them, they will come in handy if you were unsuccessful in getting a spot. It would particularly be of interest to applicants who are ready to go the extra mile to get into a program.
The idea behind this strategy is that you do the unconventional thing. You have to go in the opposite direction as the crowd. Basically you think outside the box.
What does conventional wisdom say?
- Once you are rejected by a program do not apply there again
- They have already screened you out before so you do not meet their criteria
- Do not waste money by applying to the same programs again
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