I am applying in neurology, which is an early match. To date, I have received interview invites from at least 2/3 of the 18 programs I applied to. Even though I am Air Force, I still have to apply to the civilian match because the neurology slots are split 2 at Wilford Hall (Air Force training hospital) and 2 civilian deferments.
So I am very excited to be hitting the interview trail. I interviewed while I did my sub-I at Wilford Hall in August and feel more comfortable with my decision to go into neurology. With interviews coming up, I feel that I am interviewing programs as much as they are interviewing me. I haven’t felt that way in a long time. I remember hoping that any med school would take me. When I ended up with 5/6 acceptances, I found myself somewhat unprepared for making that decision, feeling that I had missed the opportunity to really examine the individual programs during my interview. Plus, I somehow believed that all programs wre alike, having the same values.
Well, I couldn’t have been more wrong and am now excited to find a program to fit me. Over the past few years in medical school, I have discoved the values and qualities I want in a program. I am very excited about really knowing what I want and having a plan to get there.
Enough of my babbling…back to the Amazing Race 
Tara
Tara,
Doesn’t it feel nice? It just feels good to have the residency programs trying to convince us to come to them, rather than desperately hoping you’ll get in somewhere. I have told several people that applying to residencies is much more fun than applying to medical school!
I finally made the decision to go IM. I feel really good about the decision, and that has just made things so much easier. Like you, I’m focusing on finding a program that fits me. It’s just fun. I’m feeling particularly pleased this evening because one of the more competitive programs I’m particularly interested in has offered an interview, which has done lovely things for my confidence. I am however starting to wonder if I overdid the applications a bit. I’ve applied to 23 programs, and hadn’t really considered what might happen if I got more interviews than expected. I might run out of available dates. However I prefer this to the alternative!
Anyway, good luck Tara. Enjoy the interviewing and visiting the programs. I’m sure you’ll have a great match. It will be fun to see where everyone ends up.
Epidoc
Congrats Epidoc! I hope that you get interviews everywhere you applied and have to decide where and how to go he he. That will give you tons of options! good luck!
Epidoc,
I was just thinking about that today, that it is much more fun applying for residency than it was applying for med school. To me, this is about me finding a place that’s right for me. And I too am beginning to wonder if 18 programs was too many as I am now getting more invites than they have days (many programs interview on the same set of days).
Good luck in your interviews. I am sure that you will rock them!!
Tara
Tara, while none of us dared turn down a medical school interview, I gathered that it is pretty commonplace to decline some or even lots of your residency interviews. I even heard of people simply not showing up for interview day - not even having the courtesy to cancel (mind you I think that’s tacky and don’t recommend it).
One of my resident class colleagues went on something godawful like 18 interviews, but she was doing Couples’ Match which is a whole 'nother layer of complexity, and felt that she had to be sure she was adequately covering all her bases. And I’m sure for some super-competitive specialties you go on however many interviews you get. For most of us, though, more than ten interviews is probably just more than you can possibly stomach, much less financially handle!
Mary
Hey Tara,
You need to have at least enough interviews so that you can rank your top ten. The more competitive the specialty, the more interviews you need to have because you do not want to have to scramble.
For neurology, I am sure that having between 10 and 15 interviews in places that you really love is plenty. Since you are a good candidate, you are likely going to get your first choice.
Residency interviews are job interviews. If they invited you for an interview, you are a candidate for the job. You are interviewing them as much as they are interviewing you. Pick a place you love and fit into and you will be golden.
I remember that during my orientation at UVa, I really felt at home. I still identify more with Virginia than with Cleveland Clinic even though I am here in the rain and the fog.
Enjoy the “rubber chicken circuit”.
Natalie
Well, I sure feel silly.
I was getting a little disappointed about not having recieved an interview invite to a particular program yet. I was hoping they were waiting on Dean’s Letter, or something, but still feeling a little disappointed. Then, for some reason, I woke up this morning, and my mind went to the little sheet I’m using to try to keep track of programs and interview dates and the like, and I realized-- I can’t visualize that program on my paper. In fact, I’ve done checking of several things on ERAS, and I don’t remember seeing it on my list of programs…
DOH!!! Somehow, on the day I was sending off my ERAS, I didn’t check that program, or something, so I haven’t actually applied to them, which would certainly explain not getting an interview. Fortunately their deadline has not passed. I promptly applied, assigned documents, etcetera. I think my chances at this residency have significantly improved now.
My suspicions have been confirmed. Actually APPLYING to a program DOES increase the chances of being invited for an interview. I’m very happy, as I am really interested in the program that had inadvertently left off my ERAS list.
Anyway, today I’m celebrating. Found out I passed the CS exam. Yes, I know, it’s supposed to be pretty much a given, but hey, I worry. One more obstacle to graduation/residency/etcetera negotiated. Now, if I can just get through Step II-CK with some degree of grace next month, and I can relax and enjoy the last few months of med school and the travelling for interviews I’m going to get to do.
Actually, my schedule is looking kind of crazy. I’ve applied to 24 programs, have interviews at 18, but some that I’m still hoping to hear from are more appealing to me than some I have scheduled. It is hard for me to do, but I’m thinking I’ll have to cancel some-- it just seems wrong. I know it’s very commonly done, but the little paranoid person inside of me says, “but what if you cancel at one that you would have liked and you end up not matching and…” I know it’s not realistic, but still… I’ll just have to deal with it, I guess.
Well, back to doing the things that need doing.
Epidoc
Epidoc,
I feel your pain. I remember during the application process to med school how we kept charts keeping track of appplications and secondaries, interviews, etc. Well ,I feel like I have multiplied that by 100 in trying to keep track of residency interviews…plane flights, hotels, am I going to the dinner the night before hand (wher eto meet, etc), thank you notes…
I think this is a little overwhelming for me because I only applied to six schools back in 2002 and interviewed at 5. Four of those were local so I just drove.
I have 12 interviews scheduled and have been accepted at a thirteen, but will be delining that one.
Well, back to sorting through my schedule. I guess this is a thing to be happy about in some ways