I am applying to peds, but posting here for general advice - I currently have 15 interviews - of these, 4 are at what I would somewhat consider "safety" programs (although this is based mostly on stats - I recognize that one can't really classify any program for residency as safety or not!), 4 are at programs that seem like I have a reasonable shot at, and the remainder are programs that I really considered reach programs for myself. I am also still waiting to hear back from 10 programs. I was hoping to interview at 10-12 programs and planning to rank ~10 of them. My question is - 1) with regard to canceling interviews, is it unwise of me to cancel some of my "safety" interviews? I worry my rank list would end up being filled with just the reach programs and then I would be worried about not matching - but at the same time, I wonder that 2) since I have gotten interviews at some of the reach programs, does that mean I am qualified to match there and can feel comfortable if my rank list consists mainly of those programs? I know it's too early to be thinking about rank lists but I was just projecting into the future a little since I'm trying to figure out which, if any, interviews to cancel. My final question is 3) I know I have a good chance matching at my home institution, if I rank them - if my list consisted of mainly my reach schools but I included my home institution somewhere on there, would that (relatively) guarantee me to match even if it was at my home program (which I consider a "safety"?) I just don't want to end up in the position of not matching after I've gotten a range of invites. Any help would be much appreciated!
narrowing down interview invites
- Thread starter zipps999
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A buddy who matched last year told me that he got like 40 (including prelims) and started getting tired after 20
Thanks @Psai and @Valek_PM ! I was wondering also if you/anyone had thoughts on question #3 in my original post - essentially if I feel like my home program is a "safety" and if I rank them somewhere on my list but the rest of my list consists of what I feel like are reach schools for me (because the interviews I want to cancel are ending up being ones at what I think may be more of the "safety" programs for me) would that still relatively guarantee that I'd match somewhere, even if it was at my home program?
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Better to go on a couple extra interviews than not match...
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I wouldn't go in planning to interview at a certain number, then ranking fewer than that. (12 interviews, rank 10, as you allude to).
In general, don't rank a program if you're positive you do not want to spend your time there. So you can't predict that until you interview.
My interview season was October 18 to Feb 12. I went on just over 20. It was grueling, but I was not tired of interviewing. I think it's difficult to recommend a certain number. I would go on as many as money and time allows.
In general, don't rank a program if you're positive you do not want to spend your time there. So you can't predict that until you interview.
My interview season was October 18 to Feb 12. I went on just over 20. It was grueling, but I was not tired of interviewing. I think it's difficult to recommend a certain number. I would go on as many as money and time allows.
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20 ranks for free. It's $30 per rank after 20. There's little to no value to ranking >20.
Rules are different for couples, where rank lists can be in the 100's due to all the combinations.
People applying advanced + prelim get 20 on each list
Rules are different for couples, where rank lists can be in the 100's due to all the combinations.
People applying advanced + prelim get 20 on each list
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Probably but there is no such thing as a guarantee in life. I doubt that you'll have trouble matching but the penalty for not matching is a year in purgatory and reapplying. That is a lot of time and money. I would go on as many interviews as temporally and financially feasible
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There is no guarantee of matching. One of the students who graduated from the medical school associated with my program last year didn't match, probably because said student was sure that our program was a 'safety' and wanted to stay. But, none of us residents were particularly impressed with said student, and told our PD as much.
I would advise against having your home institution as your only safety and keeping the rest as reaches. The fact that you have gotten interviews is reassuring, but anything can happen in this process and it's better to err on the side of caution than to not match.
I'd also encourage you to attend interviews at as many places as you can afford. The program I matched in was one that others at my school were advised against putting on their application because it's more of a community-based program (with academic flavor), definitely not ranked super high, but there are a lot of amazing teachers here and it has a reputation of being a better children's hospital than some of the others in the state. I came for my interview and left feeling that I could see myself coming here. And the guy in my med school class who happened to interview on the same day as me ended up matching here as well. Meanwhile, one of the programs up the road from us, which does rank higher and has fellowships, and whatnot, left a weird taste in my mouth at the end of the interview day. It dropped several places on my rank list after I interviewed.
Point being that some programs may surprise you. A program may be one of the top in the nation, but that doesn't mean that it will be a good fit for you.
I would advise against having your home institution as your only safety and keeping the rest as reaches. The fact that you have gotten interviews is reassuring, but anything can happen in this process and it's better to err on the side of caution than to not match.
I'd also encourage you to attend interviews at as many places as you can afford. The program I matched in was one that others at my school were advised against putting on their application because it's more of a community-based program (with academic flavor), definitely not ranked super high, but there are a lot of amazing teachers here and it has a reputation of being a better children's hospital than some of the others in the state. I came for my interview and left feeling that I could see myself coming here. And the guy in my med school class who happened to interview on the same day as me ended up matching here as well. Meanwhile, one of the programs up the road from us, which does rank higher and has fellowships, and whatnot, left a weird taste in my mouth at the end of the interview day. It dropped several places on my rank list after I interviewed.
Point being that some programs may surprise you. A program may be one of the top in the nation, but that doesn't mean that it will be a good fit for you.
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Programs pretty always interview their own, does not mean they will rank one highly. We always interview applicants how have a connection to our institution. But we don't always rank them near the top, unless they are superstars.
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I've said this many times before but I'll say it again. You never know what programs will surprise you when you actually interview there. The place I ranked #1 (and matched to) was somewhere that I only applied to once I received an invite from a "better" program which was not too far away, and close to my family. The 3 programs I thought would be at the top of my list when the season started wound up at 4 (location), 8 and 11 on my list of 14 programs. I was AOA and have a PhD, I could have ranked 2 or 3 places and been just fine. But I'm not that stupid.
