A fellowship just called and cancelled my scheduled interview....

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otocon

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Been a member for a long time, but rarely a poster.

I'll try to keep the details sparse.

Had a scheduled interview at a prestigious pain fellowship that honestly could've been my #1 (given the reputation, the location and all the rest) for August. Received an email from the coordinator a few days before telling me that PD had something come up and needed to reschedule and that they'd get back to me. About a week went by and today I get a call on my cell from the associate PD saying how sorry they are, but they're no longer interviewing. I was confused and mentioned as a reminder that I was actually scheduled for an interview. Got some more compliments about how wonderful of a person I am but that yes, they have no more interview spots. He apologized a few more times and wished me the best and hung up. I'm still shellshocked and bewildered.... WHAT?

Is that even allowed?
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otocon said:
Been a member for a long time, but rarely a poster.

I'll try to keep the details sparse.

Had a scheduled interview at a prestigious pain fellowship that honestly could've been my #1 (given the reputation, the location and all the rest) for August. Received an email from the coordinator a few days before telling me that PD had something come up and needed to reschedule and that they'd get back to me. About a week went by and today I get a call on my cell from the associate PD saying how sorry they are, but they're no longer interviewing. I was confused and mentioned as a reminder that I was actually scheduled for an interview. Got some more compliments about how wonderful of a person I am but that yes, they have no more interview spots. He apologized a few more times and wished me the best and hung up. I'm still shellshocked and bewildered.... WHAT?

Is that even allowed?
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Allowed, but not smart. Publicly ridicule the institution.
 
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drusso said:
Allowed, but not smart. Publicly ridicule the institution.
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I dont think it would matter for them. They're pretty well-established in a large city in Massachusetts.
 
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Brush your shoulder off, it's too small a field to make influencial enemies
 
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I don't know if there would be any way for posts in this forum to be attributed to me IRL. I'm still in the match after all; just lost a chance at my dream program :cryi:.

I don't know if what they did was the most professional thing, but I definitely know that if I went up against that institution publicly ridiculing an individual, it would certainly be unprofessional and could be something I would regret.

Just wanted to know if this is something that others have experienced or if there is some sort of professional reporting/ recourse. (anonymously, of course)
 
sb247 said:
Brush your shoulder off, it's too small a field to make influencial enemies
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What he said.

That is bewildering, but assume that there must be some pretty major extenuating circumstances for that to happen that way. You can imagine whatever scenarios best soothe your distress. Just, whatever happened, isn't it better that they cancelled than if they had let you come out to an interview for a spot that was unavailable to you before you ever set foot in their door? They could have done that instead, wasting your time and money in the process.
 
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Promethean said:
What he said.

That is bewildering, but assume that there must be some pretty major extenuating circumstances for that to happen that way. You can imagine whatever scenarios best soothe your distress. Just, whatever happened, isn't it better that they cancelled than if they had let you come out to an interview for a spot that was unavailable to you before you ever set foot in their door? They could have done that instead, wasting your time and money in the process.
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well you're right about being distressed. they told me it would be a teleconferencing interview, so no travel costs. I also would hope that if they scheduled me for an interview months prior, they considered me a potential fit and would've suspended judgment until all of the applicants were considered equally. of course these are all assumptions and i guess a lot of my distress is stemming from my own preconceived notions of how i assumed this process would be handled.
 
Tell us. Maybe some of us would like to avoid a program so unprofessional. Sounds like it's one of the Harvard programs.
 
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So... I would tell myself that clearly, the PD just got a terminal diagnosis, or maybe had some other similarly life altering personal issue arise.

Or that some terrible mistake had been made and funding for the fellowship was simply not there. Etc. Etc.

You may never know what happened. So, you are going to make up whatever explanation you come to believe. In that case, it may as well be one that doesn't make you feel terrible. Give the benefit of the doubt, since it costs you nothing to do so.
 
Promethean said:
So... I would tell myself that clearly, the PD just got a terminal diagnosis, or maybe had some other similarly life altering personal issue arise.

Or that some terrible mistake had been made and funding for the fellowship was simply not there. Etc. Etc.

You may never know what happened. So, you are going to make up whatever explanation you come to believe. In that case, it may as well be one that doesn't make you feel terrible. Give the benefit of the doubt, since it costs you nothing to do so.
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yes, i'm not disputing that mindset and that's all well and good. i just wonder what it woud've been like it i had forgone another interview on that date in favor of this one and had been out two opportunities. i suppose they're in a position to take these things that affect others lightly.
 
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otocon said:
Been a member for a long time, but rarely a poster.

I'll try to keep the details sparse.

Had a scheduled interview at a prestigious pain fellowship that honestly could've been my #1 (given the reputation, the location and all the rest) for August. Received an email from the coordinator a few days before telling me that PD had something come up and needed to reschedule and that they'd get back to me. About a week went by and today I get a call on my cell from the associate PD saying how sorry they are, but they're no longer interviewing. I was confused and mentioned as a reminder that I was actually scheduled for an interview. Got some more compliments about how wonderful of a person I am but that yes, they have no more interview spots. He apologized a few more times and wished me the best and hung up. I'm still shellshocked and bewildered.... WHAT?

Is that even allowed?
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Allowed but sh¡tty. Real sh¡tty. Kind of like that hot girl that was out of my league I asked out on a date once, shocked that she said yes, then stood me up.

Allowed?

Shouldn't be. But yes, as I learned, very, very "allowed." Very very skeezy. But ever so allowed.

Sorry man. I feel your pain. Good luck, I hope you match at number two.
 
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PDs will tell you whatever they want to keep you interested, then drop you like a bad habit once they lock their choice.

In the end, verbal agreements are about as satisfying as verbal sex. I wouldn't get excited about either one. Don't trust anyone. Sorry bro.
 
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i think what they did is appropriate.

its infinitely better that they tell you to forget it, than for you to get your hopes up that you might get into your #1 program, spend $$ and book a flight, make hotel arrangements..

you can move on. just like when that hot girl (or, in my case, dozens of hot girls, and the not so hot ones, and the ones that are as far from hot as Pluto is to the sun) said "not in your life, are you crazee?" instead of "okay, 7pm" then never show...
 
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nothing to see here.

sh$t happens, but nothing to be done.

and whats wrong with verbal sex from time to time?
 
emd123 said:
Allowed but sh¡tty. Real sh¡tty. Kind of like that hot girl that was out of my league I asked out on a date once, shocked that she said yes, then stood me up.

Allowed?

Shouldn't be. But yes, as I learned, very, very "allowed." Very very skeezy. But ever so allowed.

Sorry man. I feel your pain. Good luck, I hope you match at number two.
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sometimes that hot girl standing you up turns out to have been a good thing...
 
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Sorry to hear what happened. I'm sure it wasn't a personal affront. Things happen.

Last year, there was a program in that state which sent out interview offers and then promptly filled up their entire interview schedule before some folks had even gotten an interview notice. That was supposedly an issue with an admin staff person making a mistake in mailing more offers out than planned.
 
willabeast said:
sometimes that hot girl standing you up turns out to have been a good thing...
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Disagree.

I will put up with a fair amount of **** for a while if she is super hot... For a while at least...

Wait, are we talking about chicks or programs now...
 
Become successful and then **** on that program director... Never forget the angina he caused you... Good luck, you will match somewhere.... Revenge is sweet. I never had a match problem, I had more of a hospital privilege problem with private anesthesia chairmen being pricks...
 
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otocon said:
Been a member for a long time, but rarely a poster.

I'll try to keep the details sparse.

Had a scheduled interview at a prestigious pain fellowship that honestly could've been my #1 (given the reputation, the location and all the rest) for August. Received an email from the coordinator a few days before telling me that PD had something come up and needed to reschedule and that they'd get back to me. About a week went by and today I get a call on my cell from the associate PD saying how sorry they are, but they're no longer interviewing. I was confused and mentioned as a reminder that I was actually scheduled for an interview. Got some more compliments about how wonderful of a person I am but that yes, they have no more interview spots. He apologized a few more times and wished me the best and hung up. I'm still shellshocked and bewildered.... WHAT?

Is that even allowed?
Click to expand...
Rule number one: Take nothing personally.
The decision to do this could have been made by a secretary, who knows? You don't have to go nuclear on the program.
I would call or send a professional letter directly to the program director expressing your continued interest in the event an interview slot opens. Ideally, you can talk on the phone to the PD. Where all the other candidates are bitching, threatening to sue, etc, you are going to stand out as a professional. If/when someone else backs out or gets pregnant, the PD will say, "I know exactly who to bring on."
That may not happen but the worst case is you have some good will that may prove useful at some point. Even if you never get a spot, don't hold this against the PD or the institution. Leave the pettiness to the skirts.
 
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hyperalgesia said:
Rule number one: Take nothing personally.
The decision to do this could have been made by a secretary, who knows? You don't have to go nuclear on the program.
I would call or send a professional letter directly to the program director expressing your continued interest in the event an interview slot opens. Ideally, you can talk on the phone to the PD. Where all the other candidates are bitching, threatening to sue, etc, you are going to stand out as a professional. If/when someone else backs out or gets pregnant, the PD will say, "I know exactly who to bring on."
That may not happen but the worst case is you have some good will that may prove useful at some point. Even if you never get a spot, don't hold this against the PD or the institution. Leave the pettiness to the skirts.
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Being an "dingus" makes you more successful in life... I'll get you the article... Just sayin
http://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2015/06/why-it-pays-to-be-a-jerk/392066/

http://www.theguardian.com/news/oli...eb/12/dingus-tim-armstrong-work-getting-ahead
 
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Absolutely disagree. This is medicine and not business. You don't go out of the way to peeve off your future colleagues. Or else you may go the way of Gideon Mantell.... Or worse, Lavoisier...

Very narrow minded and spiteful. I guess if you are modeling yourself after the Donald...
 
drusso said:
That's the what the health plans, ACO's, and large employers are counting on... I wonder if the program director holds himself to the same standard?
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Not everything has to do with ACOs large employers etc, unless your mind is do polluted with the cutthroat side of business that all one can think of is that Being a pr&$k is just being a pr@$k.
 
drusso said:
That's the what the health plans, ACO's, and large employers are counting on... I wonder if the program director holds himself to the same standard?
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That's just it, we don't know. We don't even know if this was the PD's decision or that of an ambitious secretary. In my experience, most asinine moves are made by undereducated, overempowered admin wannabes. You can argue that it's still the PD's responsibility and you'd be right but it doesn't really matter. Burning down bridges is only good in war. It is otherwise unconstructive.
 
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Clearly mds have different approaches to their practice. I am forceful and argumentative, and it works well for me... My point is to take this interview set back as motivation to kick ass in the future...
 
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Stim4me said:
Clearly mds have different approaches to their practice. I am forceful and argumentative, and it works well for me... My point is to take this interview set back as motivation to kick ass in the future...
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"Kicking ass" and forming a revenge list/spite are two different activities. FYI you have a tendency to post articles and not read the full context. The Atlantic article clearly states at the end that being a jerk is rarely a good idea. Being forceful is good though
 
Ducttape said:
"Kicking ass" and forming a revenge list/spite are two different activities. FYI you have a tendency to post articles and not read the full context. The Atlantic article clearly states at the end that being a jerk is rarely a good idea. Being forceful is good though
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That's funny... You have a tendency to take everything too literally... I don't have all day to post things like you... You got my point, and my comments and articles are spot on... Try to be less comabative and insecure... the biggest problem with the handful of you, is that you can't think outside of the box... Why can't you be a jerk, be successful and be revengeful? You some expert on being successful? There are dozens of other article and studies on my comments above, I wish I wasn't so busy and successful, otherwise I'd present more to you...we clearly live in alternative universes, because you have a tendency to pick fights weekly and you arguments are pointless
 
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you must be blurting things out before your superego, whatever little there is, stops you from spouting out. thats an issue, and it will get you in trouble.

Become successful and then **** on that program director... Never forget the angina he caused you... Good luck, you will match somewhere.... Revenge is sweet.
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fyi, what was actually in the article you use to try to justify your opinion:

(the Guardian article link does not exist. hmmmm....)

The Atlantic article:

To summarize: being a jerk is likely to fail you, at least in the long run, if it brings no spillover benefits to the group; if your professional transactions involve people you’ll have to deal with over and over again; if you stumble even once; and finally, if you lack the powerful charismatic aura of a Steve Jobs.
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and:
The distinction that needs to be made is this: Jerks, narcissists, and takers engage in behaviors to satisfy their own ego, not to benefit the group. Disagreeable givers aren’t getting off on being tough; they’re doing it to further a purpose.

So here’s what we know works.

Smile at the customer. Take the initiative. Tweak a few rules. Steal cookies for your colleagues. Don’t puncture the impression that you know what you’re doing. Let the other person fill the silence. Get comfortable with discomfort. Don’t privilege your own feelings. Ask who you’re really protecting. Be tough and humane. Challenge ideas, not the people who hold them. Don’t be a slave to type. And above all, don’t affix nasty, scatological labels to people.


It’s a jerk move.
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so i stand corrected. you are spot on about you being a jerk.
 
Ducttape said:
you must be blurting things out before your superego, whatever little there is, stops you from spouting out. thats an issue, and it will get you in trouble.




fyi, what was actually in the article you use to try to justify your opinion:

(the Guardian article link does not exist. hmmmm....)

The Atlantic article:



and:

so i stand corrected. you are spot on about you being a jerk.
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You win... Will you be my life coach:kiss:
 
Ducttape said:
No.

But when I am forced to give up my cush life, I will gladly take lessons from you on how to be forceful.
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That's a deal... Enjoy the weekend
 
a lot of the large/famous fellowships will typically fill their slots w/ internal candidates (ie: same anesthesia program)....

so let's say a famous program has 5 slots --- they have 3 or 4 fantastic residents that they want to keep - so technically they only have 1-2 slots that they are actively interviewing for... if their 4 residents commit early, and they found a superstar for their 5th slot, you are **** out of luck...

that's the way of the real world - it is sad, unfortunate, not fair - but most PDs for fellowships much prefer known entities over unknown entities.... very different from match process

this happens in a LOT of fellowships that don't participate in the matching process. not just pain. and far more common with famous name locations where competition is keenest.
 
Can they do that? Are you kidding? This is a situation with an entirely unequal power dynamic. They can do whatever the F*&k they like. This is only the biggest deal in your life. It's #5 or 6 on their to do list for today.

There is a PM&R guy in PA who does the same thing. Interviews aren't granted on merit. First come, first served.

Chalk it up to experience. It sucks, but if you got an interview from one dream program, there will be others. Hang in there. It will all work out.

Oh, and just for the record, one of the slimiest docs in my area is a Mayo fellowship-trained guy, so sometimes credentials aren't as important as you are giving them credit for.
 
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Things happen. My wife was applying from the military her last year of anesthesia residency for chronic pain programs. She got an interview and eventually an offer (this was pre match for chronic pain) from a prestigious program in Maryland. They rescinded the offer several weeks later because they got nervous that the military would not let her go for training (which was a minute possibility) and they wouldn't be able to fill with another of their top candidates in time. She was very disappointed because this program was her #1. It sucked but she kept professional and took her 2nd choice.
 
jabreal00, did she accept their offer? If she did, she would have a suit for breach of contract.
 
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why do you need to wear a suit for breach of contract. come casual.
 
lobel - you crack me up
 
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