I am gearing up to apply this summer 2006, and I am wondering about the practicality of attending interviews while working full-time. I have a job offer for a full-time job (in a non-medical field), and the pay would really help with application costs, etc. My plan would be to use vacation time to go on interviews. Here is my dilemma. There is no vacation time for the first three months, only two personal days. Then you accrue one vacation day a month. The job starts May 30. Would I be restricting my ability to go on interviews? What has your experience been going on interviews while working? I plan to apply to schools after getting my MCAT results in June. Thanks!
I would work but tell them I may have to go somwhere for an interview, understanding that school is not for a year or so, and that I will have to take time without pay. You must go to the interviews when they want you or you may blow your chance.
Also many jobs will be very annoyed that you will need so much time off at the drop of a hat ( by thier standards) it may get you fired? I would check with them if this will be okay before taking the job. 
You are very unlikely to get interviews before September, so you might be just fine. I agree that you need to check with them about how much advance notice you need to schedule 1-2 day vacations, but med schools are not all, “Jump in the car and get here tomorrow!” about it either, since they know people have jobs and have to buy plane tickets and all that stuff.
I think it could work out. If you get so many interviews it threatens your job you have a rosy future. 
I made the mistake of taking this into consideration this past application season. My advice is to just go on with your life. You are not guarenteed interviews. I passed on taking time off when I needed it so I can have vacation time for interviews. But because of my MCAT score, that never happened.
Worry about it when you get the interview invite and not before.
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Worry about it when you get the interview invite and not before.
That seems like good advice to me. If the folks who have offered/will offer the job know about your med school plans or you don’t feel like it affect you adversely, giving them some warning about the vague possibility of you needing time off before the three months would be a nice thing to do. However I wouldn’t worry about it too much.
Damon