About interviews and gentle nudging

[samdaman]

Hello once again,

There was a post a few days back about getting 1/2 to 1/3 of ur interviews before the dean's letter is dispatched. It is also recommended that you call the programs you have applied to and give the "gentle nudge" to grant you an interview. My question is, how do u decide which programs to call before the dean's letter and which ones to call after? I am sure most programs will simply reply that they can only consider my application after the dean's letter.
Also , what exactly do u say when u call them? How do u put ur case forward without sounding too eager?

Thanks in advance once again.
Peace
samdaman

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[Captain Solo]

Acutally, I am still in a little bit of disbelief, but I have received 2 letters in the last two weeks from programs that I am rotating at for my 4th year electives, and both stated that my interview will be conducted while I am on rotations at their facility. I guess I was suprised that I would have interviews prior to even applying. Is this common place?

 

[edinOH]

It is common for programs to offer you an interview during your rotation. Many reasons for this; courtesy, avoid second trip, they avoid having to reject you during interview season if they don't like you, if they do like you it gives them an extra chance to sell the program to you while you are there. I think alot of them tell you in advance simply so you will pack something to wear besides scrubs.

I wouldn't start calling programs until after Dean's letters are out. If there is a program you are interested in that you haven't heard from by December, I would definitely give them a ring or an email. I actually matched at a program that I hadn't heard from by mid December. When I called, I told them that I was interested but hadn't heard anything. They pulled my app while I was on the phone and then scheduled an interview right then. Turned out my app hadn't been looked at yet. I probably wouldn't have recieved an interview if I hadn't called.

Considering the volume of apps that cross the PD's desk, after a while they all begin to look the same, so many times after they have invited known students and the superstars, they just practically pick the top half of the pile and send invitations.

I called a couple of programs. What I would tell them is that I'm so and so and I am really interested in their program but I hadn't received an interview invitation yet and I was wondering if they could tell me if my app had been reviewed. I might throw something in there about how my interview schedule is rapidly filling up and I was wanting to make sure I left some time open to interview there. I would gently probe about the possiblity that they would be offering me an interview. If the response sounded promising, I would inquire to when this might be. The next question would be can we go ahead and schedule the interview now? Then I would tell them about great financing offers we had on all 2003 cars and trucks in stock. (try not to sound like some car salesman; be very tactful and just have a conversation)

I called four programs and got two interviews this way. The other two just said, "sorry, we're full". But none acted like they were pissed I was calling.

Interestingly, I received two rejection letters via email from one program. I guess they wanted to be perfectly clear that they had no interest in my candidacy as a resident. Another sent me a rejection two days after the ROL deadline. I actually responded to that one.

 

[samdaman]

hehe... seems like calling around DOES make a difference. However, if every candidate is going to call programs they have applied to, will it really make that big of a difference?
My step 2 score would be out by the first week of december. Do you think that would be a good time to call up programs?
thanks again
samdaman

 

[DrQuinn]

edinOH has great advice. He/she should write a book.

Heed the advice.

And not *all* applicants call up the programs. In fact, I didn't call up ANY programs at all, and I know many people who did the same as I did. If I had a real focus on a #1 before I interviewed, I would have called, but i didn't really care, so I just waited for the interviews to come in. There are a lot of applicants like me.

I wouldn't necessarily call ALL the programs you are applying to and nudge them along, just a top handful.

You'll have plenty o' interviews anyways.

Q, DO

 

[edinOH]

Dude, you know I'm a "he"! I'm not the one confusing my sexuality with tricky avatars!

 

[DrQuinn]

Whatever, EDNAinOH.


Q, DO