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Ask the CaRMS Selection Committee member


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1 hour ago, Pin2020 said:

Hi there; how important is the PD liking you in terms of choosing the final candidates? Do they get the ultimate say / veto in terms of resident selection? I am particularly asking re: small competitive specialties with only several residents per year. I didn't make a meaningful impression on the PD at my top choice (not a bad impression, just not memorable at all), but was very well-liked by staff and residents, and got a super strong letter from one of the top docs in the program.

Can the PD - if they really love a candidate -  pretty much just go ahead and insist they get picked?

 

 

There is literally no way for anyone to meaningfully answer this question. This will not only vary from specialty to specialty but also from program to program. 

I think it is fair to say that the PD has a say at all schools as they are on the committee. However, how important their say is will vary. Generally all members of the committee have a veto power as they can flag a candidate. 

Either way, the answer to your question is not important as it should not change how you approach interviews. Just do your best and be yourself. Everything else is out of your control so you should try to avoid fixating on it.

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On 1/9/2020 at 7:04 PM, Pin2020 said:

Hi there; how important is the PD liking you in terms of choosing the final candidates? Do they get the ultimate say / veto in terms of resident selection? I am particularly asking re: small competitive specialties with only several residents per year. I didn't make a meaningful impression on the PD at my top choice (not a bad impression, just not memorable at all), but was very well-liked by staff and residents, and got a super strong letter from one of the top docs in the program.

Can the PD - if they really love a candidate -  pretty much just go ahead and insist they get picked?

The rank list is submitted by the program director and program secretary. But everyone on the committee could be aware of what was agreed upon before submission. I would imagine that a program director would take into account any reservations other committee members might have about a candidate. If there are genuine reasons that others do not feel the person is a good fit, it is likely not worth the risk of creating problems in the program down the line, despite the PD's personal feelings.

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Every program has a different review committee. In our specialty all the residents and interview panel and member of program review and rank without seeing each others rankings and they are put together to keep it fair. Reference letters are #1 in the review (within the specialty being most important), being well rounded, showing real interest in the specialty, and for the love of all things tailor your personal letter to the program. If you don't even mention the program or the city it looks like you don't really care that much and are sending the same letter to every school.

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