Thank-you notes after residency interviews: Tips and timing
Thank-you notes are a great way to show gratitude. But did you know you may not want to send a residency interview thank-you email?
The simple answer is that sending a thank-you note is often appreciated, but not every residency program will want you to send one. In those instances, it’s actually better not to send a thank-you note. Let’s get into why.
National Resident Matching Program rules to remember
The National Resident Matching Program® (NRMP®) has Match codes of conduct for applicants, programs and medical schools to ensure a professional and responsible matching process. While the NRMP does not specifically mention thank-you notes, the codes of conduct for both applicants and residency programs recommend limiting post-interview communication.
From the Match Code of Conduct for Applicants:
Applicants may request and exchange clarifying information with programs following the interview but must not solicit or engage in post-interview communication for the purposes of influencing or ascertaining a program’s ranking intentions.
From the Match Code of Conduct for Programs:
The recruitment team may exchange clarifying information with applicants following the interview, but must not solicit or require post-interview communication for the purposes of influencing applicants’ ranking preferences.
However, the NRMP does not forbid communication after an interview, and thank-you notes usually fall in the realm of reasonable communication.
Steps for sending a residency interview thank-you note
If you decide to send a thank-you note—be it an email or an actual letter—follow these key steps to adhere to thank-you note best practices.
Step 1: Ask your resident point of contact if you can send a thank-you note.
Residency programs may request that you do not follow up at all, or they may tell you that they don’t want or respond to thank-you notes. Programs may want to strictly adhere to the NRMP guidelines, or they may simply be overwhelmed with thank-you notes from applicants they interview. Before sending a thank-you note, contact the residency representative to get approval.
Step 2: Determine if you want to send an email or a letter.
Most residencies receive thank-you notes via email, which is a perfectly acceptable option. However, sending a physical letter could be a way to stand out from the crowd. If you handwrite your physical letter, do so cleanly and legibly. Again, if you have questions about whether an email or letter would be more appropriate, the residency representative can help you.
Step 3: Write your thank-you note.
Now that it’s time to sit down and write your thank-you note, keep in mind a few key tips for how to make it a good one.
If you do send a thank-you note, send it shortly after the interview and personalize it to your experience. Using AI to write a follow-up email or letter can result in a generic note that could ultimately do more harm than good.
Send a note shortly after your interview. Waiting a long time can make it seem like you forgot to follow up.
Personalize the note to your interview. No one else experienced your interview from your perspective—so use it!
Don’t use AI writing tools. Program directors get a lot of thank-you notes, and AI tools could contribute to a bland note.
Focus on sincerity. Programs value authentic communication over superficiality because it helps them get to know you better.
Residency thank-you note recap
Every residency interview is a chance for you to showcase yourself for residency programs, and thank-you notes can be another way to help you express your authentic self. Be professional and sincere, and remember that a thank-you note doesn’t officially factor into a program’s decision about your application. However, a thank-you note that is poorly written or is sent to a program that doesn’t want one could negatively impact how the program perceives you. For more information on how to nail all parts of your residency interview, explore our full residency interview guide.