2014-15 Anesthesiology Applications & Interviews

This forum made possible through the generous support of SDN members, donors, and sponsors. Thank you.
Anyone else get a lovely rejection from Stanford?

got stanford rejection yesterday... MGH reject today...

Anyone else get invites from Stonybrook, NSLIJ, or St lukes without a step 2 score?

Members don't see this ad.
 
You're fine. Late but fine. Don't worry. And by "late" I mean two months ahead of most school's deadlines.

You might just have to wait for invites to come in one by one as spots open up as people cancel rather than getting a bunch of invites dumped on you but I bet you're fine.
 
Looks like very little activity today.. only 2 interviews for 10/16 updated on the spreadsheet (compared to 40+ yesterday). Does this mean just about all invites have been sent?
 
Members don't see this ad :)
Could anybody comment on which programs in the states of Louisiana, texas, florida, and sc still haven't invited yet or will be sending more invites? These are the states I applied to and just wondering if most are all filled up since Im late.
I have heard from Tulane & MUSC. Does anyone know anything about the program in Tulane?
 
I have heard from Tulane & MUSC. Does anyone know anything about the program in Tulane?

Last year a couple of people were saying Tulane ended up being higher on their rank list after interviewing there. Supposedly the atmosphere is really laid back, and the residents were happy. The P.D. seems to care a lot too.
 
Only two invites for Georgetown on the spreadsheet. Assuming that's either their students or away rotators. Anyone know about their interview invite status?
 
are most your schools giving you time off for interview season? or allowable days to miss in order to attend interviews?
 
are most your schools giving you time off for interview season? or allowable days to miss in order to attend interviews?

Here we get a certain # of weeks off in 4th year and we can put it to whatever month we want. Most ppl use it for interviews, and try to take laid back elective classes for the remaining interviewing months. some classes only allow 1 miss per week, some allow 1 miss but we have to make it up on the weekend, and some dont allow any misses.
 
Members don't see this ad :)
Is anyone else having a serious dry spell or should I just go pad the wallet of eras and round up some more programs? Started hot but for the last week now it has been no news or rejections.
 
Is anyone else having a serious dry spell or should I just go pad the wallet of eras and round up some more programs? Started hot but for the last week now it has been no news or rejections.

very dry for me as well. i can't tell if anesthesia is super competitive this year or if i'm just unlucky (or a bad applicant? :wideyed:). I would add more now but at this point it seems futile.
 
same... got 10 in the first two weeks but ever since MSPEs got like 3 in the last 2+weeks. At this point, im going to assume no more interviews unless people start cancelling.
 
same... got 10 in the first two weeks but ever since MSPEs got like 3 in the last 2+weeks. At this point, im going to assume no more interviews unless people start cancelling.

2 invites and 1 rejection in last two days after some days of silence while everyone was at ASA. I think interviews will still be popping up over the next couple weeks, if the post from last year (copied on the first page of this thread) is any indication.
 
Is anyone else having a serious dry spell or should I just go pad the wallet of eras and round up some more programs? Started hot but for the last week now it has been no news or rejections.

same... got 10 in the first two weeks but ever since MSPEs got like 3 in the last 2+weeks. At this point, im going to assume no more interviews unless people start cancelling.

Same here.. haven't had an invite in about 10 days. ive received more rejections in that time. Just curious, do the both of you have step 2 scores in already? I'm wondering if im receiving so few invites because my step 2 score isn't in
 
Same here.. haven't had an invite in about 10 days. ive received more rejections in that time. Just curious, do the both of you have step 2 scores in already? I'm wondering if im receiving so few invites because my step 2 score isn't in

I have been thinking about this as well... Both of my step 2 scores are not in. I took CS last week and CK next week. I hope not having a step 2 score isnt hurting me...
 
Same here.. haven't had an invite in about 10 days. ive received more rejections in that time. Just curious, do the both of you have step 2 scores in already? I'm wondering if im receiving so few invites because my step 2 score isn't in

I have been thinking about this as well... Both of my step 2 scores are not in. I took CS last week and CK next week. I hope not having a step 2 score isnt hurting me...

I got my step 2 scores back about 3 weeks ago and I scored well, and got the bulk of my interviews after the score came in, so I think you guys should take some comfort there. I only have single digits so far for interview offers and the only thing I am taking comfort in is that it is A) still only the middle of October and B) someone mentioning at the ASA conference that many PDs said they were still going through large volumes of applications. Does anyone have any more info on this or is it time to panic?
 
Same here.. haven't had an invite in about 10 days. ive received more rejections in that time. Just curious, do the both of you have step 2 scores in already? I'm wondering if im receiving so few invites because my step 2 score isn't in

By UW, do you mean Washington? If so, then they don't require a step 2 score.

No idea on Wisconsin.

I am not familiar with any programs that have hard requirements for step 2 prior to interview offers. Some require it to rank you, though.

Everything is so individual, so it is very hard to comment. If you have a high step 1 score and do not take step 2 before interviewing, you may be viewed as "playing the game": you're worried that your score will drop and so you hope to coast through on your high score. I have had multiple professors express this to me. Some people do not care.

Some people with lower step 1 scores should be taking step 2 earlier to boost their app.
 
I got my step 2 scores back about 3 weeks ago and I scored well, and got the bulk of my interviews after the score came in, so I think you guys should take some comfort there. I only have single digits so far for interview offers and the only thing I am taking comfort in is that it is A) still only the middle of October and B) someone mentioning at the ASA conference that many PDs said they were still going through large volumes of applications. Does anyone have any more info on this or is it time to panic?

I think you should talk to your school's student affairs office and your home anesthesia dept. They are going to offer you much better advice than a bunch of people at your same level.

My student affairs office suggested sending a second round of applications out, if I had not received an adequate number of offers before by mid-October.
 
I am not familiar with any programs that have hard requirements for step 2 prior to interview offers. Some require it to rank you, though.
I was told by a CA1 (not at Wake) that Wake Forest does not invite without step 2 CK. She had called them to find out why she hadn't heard and they said they need step 2 before. Maybe it was a personal thing, but she was a very competetive applicant.

Edit: looks like it isn't REQUIRED, but recommended.
Is the USMLE Step 2 required for applying to residency?
We recommend that a USMLE step 2 score be submitted with your application. The USMLE Step 2 examination helps us gauge how well you will be able to perform clinically and your success on the Anesthesiology In-Training and written examinations.
 
I've never heard that not having a step 2 if you have a high step 1 could hurt you. Anybody else care to comment? What happens if someone just didn't have the time to take it due to rotations or aways?
 
Again, these are anecdotes and probably not the prevailing opinion. That said, all it takes is one person's poor opinion to ruin you at a particular program, right? Hell, you could flip off the PD unknowingly, while on your way to your interview.

This entire process is a craps, shoot. All y'all need to stop worrying so much about every little thing. I mean, your neuroticism is hilarious and all, but it is certainly not helping you progress in your training.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 user
Again, these are anecdotes and probably not the prevailing opinion. That said, all it takes is one person's poor opinion to ruin you at a particular program, right? Hell, you could flip off the PD unknowingly, while on your way to your interview.

This entire process is a craps, shoot. All y'all need to stop worrying so much about every little thing. I mean, your neuroticism is hilarious and all, but it is certainly not helping you progress in your training.
Pretty easy to tell people not to worry about interviews when you are sitting on 15 of them there champ.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 5 users
I'm just curious because from what I've heard, several schools, like stonybrook, have finished sending out interviews, and several ppl i talked to got their interview invite a long time ago but they also had step 2. their step 1 was bit lower than mine so im not sure why i didn't get an interview. maybe i'll just give them a call.

what are you guys doing about thank yous post interview? physical card? email? who to address it to?
 
Last edited:
Received 0 invites this week and 1 rejection. It's crazy cause some programs are finished sending out invites, while a few haven't sent out any at this point.
 
Is anyone else getting lots of rejections from prelim programs, particularly medicine? I've gotten a decent amount of anesthesia interviews but a bunch of prelim medicine rejections this week, including my home institution. Are prelim medicine places anti-anesthesia?
 
Is anyone else getting lots of rejections from prelim programs, particularly medicine? I've gotten a decent amount of anesthesia interviews but a bunch of prelim medicine rejections this week, including my home institution. Are prelim medicine places anti-anesthesia?

I have heard that prelim programs are more anti anesthesia due to the huge # of categorical programs. But idk if this is true since i never heard any program directors outright say this.
 
Could Someone please comment as to what the "yes" and "no" means on the google document for interviews on the program interview days?? Im trying to figure out which programs have yet to invite
 
Could Someone please comment as to what the "yes" and "no" means on the google document for interviews on the program interview days?? Im trying to figure out which programs have yet to invite

Whether they pay for a hotel or not.
 
yeah I see that now. I missed that at first. Anyway to tell which places haven't invited yet?

On the main spreadsheet, the column next to the program name lists the number of invites they've offered. The ones that say 0 have (presumably) not offered interviews yet. Programs with 0 interviews are also grayed out in the main list.
 
I've been reading the google document and there's really some great information in there but I noticed something....if there are only 70-80 or so applicants on the document and according to charting the outcomes 2014 there are approx 1300 applicants to anesthesia last year, is this document even useful as only about 5% of total applicants are even entering there information into it? Just a thought but seems like the sample size may be too small to be useful
 
I've been reading the google document and there's really some great information in there but I noticed something....if there are only 70-80 or so applicants on the document and according to charting the outcomes 2014 there are approx 1300 applicants to anesthesia last year, is this document even useful as only about 5% of total applicants are even entering there information into it? Just a thought but seems like the sample size may be too small to be useful

The most useful thing about it is to see when specific programs are sending out invites/rejections so that you can expect to receive one or the other, and also it can be used to see what interview dates are offered. Other than that, I agree. The applicant info is probably the least useful thing on there since its taken from a small sample size and may or may not be accurate. Such is the nature of SDN.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 user
Hey guys,

Advisors at my school have told me that, based upon match data from previous years, an average candidate needs to schedule roughly 12 interviews to have a >95% chance of matching in our desired specialty. I am fortunate to have 12 anesthesia interviews at this point, in addition to a handful of prelims that I applied to as backups. However for personal reasons I'm really hoping to match at a categorical program (and thus have applied only to categorical spots at many places where I have upcoming interviews).

I don't want to go to more interviews than I need to, 1) because of the excessive expense and 2) because I don't want to hog interview spots away from other applicants who may have a genuine interest in some of the programs about which I feel less excited... That being said, I am concerned that applying for predominantly categorical spots will make my match algorithm exponentially more competitive. Is anyone in a similar boat, or does anyone have some data on the likelihood of matching vs. number of interviews attended specifically for categorical spots? In other words, how many interviews must one attend to have a >95% chance of matching at a categorical spot?

Thanks everyone for the great info on this forum, I'm looking foward to meeting many of you on the interview trail!
 
Anyone know why the spreadsheet is messed up all of a sudden? Schools in the wrong state, wrong number of interviews, etc.?
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 user
Anyone know why the spreadsheet is messed up all of a sudden? Schools in the wrong state, wrong number of interviews, etc.?

I'm actually on the interview trail right now, but I'll try to take a look at it ASAP.
 
Is anyone else having a serious dry spell or should I just go pad the wallet of eras and round up some more programs? Started hot but for the last week now it has been no news or rejections.

I have actually called a good number of programs, and almost every single one has said they are still in the middle of sorting applications, that it is very early in the season, and things are running a bit late this year. I am a DO applicant, Step 1 236, Step 2 254, great clinical grades/LORs, and I have 7 anesthesia invites (UCLA, UW, Emory, U Florida, UT Houston, UAB), 1 anesthesia wait list (MUSC), and 2 prelim/transitional year invites so far.

I don't think it is time to panic yet... they will trickle in. The time to panic would be mid November, but by then its too late to submit more applications so... do what you will. I applied to 31 programs (mostly top/middle tier), and I am going to wait it out. I have heard the golden number to match is 10 interviews - gives almost 100% chance of matching. Even 6 gives you about an 85% chance though so I think we all just need to relax, as hard as that is... I got a few invites the week the MSPEs went out, then 1-2 a week since then, so it has been slow, but programs are still sending out invites, some haven't sent any out yet, and people will CANCEL as the season goes on. There is time.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 3 users
I have actually called a good number of programs, and almost every single one has said they are still in the middle of sorting applications, that it is very early in the season, and things are running a bit late this year. I am a DO applicant, Step 1 236, Step 2 254, great clinical grades/LORs, and I have 7 anesthesia invites (UCLA, UW, Emory, U Florida, UT Houston, UAB), 1 anesthesia wait list (MUSC), and 2 prelim/transitional year invites so far.

I don't think it is time to panic yet... they will trickle in. The time to panic would be mid November, but by then its too late to submit more applications so... do what you will. I applied to 31 programs (mostly top/middle tier), and I am going to wait it out. I have heard the golden number to match is 10 interviews - gives almost 100% chance of matching. Even 6 gives you about an 85% chance though so I think we all just need to relax, as hard as that is... I got a few invites the week the MSPEs went out, then 1-2 a week since then, so it has been slow, but programs are still sending out invites, some haven't sent any out yet, and people will CANCEL as the season goes on. There is time.

Wow you have amazing interview invites.
 
I have a few questions. If you are put on a school's waitlist. Does a letter of Interest help you at getting an interview in the future? When is a good time to send them a letter when you are waitlisted?
 
Do people not have classes right now or something? I responded 15 min after getting my Wisconsin invite and all interview days are full except 1!! can't believe it
 
Is there a wait list thread or are ppl using this one for that too?
 
it would be good to create a tab for waitlist on that spreadsheet.

probably wont be very accurate. the # of ppl on waitlist, and on SDN is very low, so it would be misleading (you might see a blank sheet while in reality there already 10 ppl on it. etc)
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 user
Top