MD & DO Co’22 ERAS Panic Thread

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If any of you guys remember, a place offered me an invite for my top choice specialty but were full before I could get there a while back. I sent them an immediate LOI letting them know that I really, really wanted that interview and after talking to the PD, the PC told me they'd email me first if a spot became available. Well, the PC got back to me today offering me an invite for tomorrow since they had a last-minute cancellation.

I know we hear a ton about not trusting what a program tells us, but I thought I'd share an example of a program following through on exactly what they said. It reminds me that there is still good in the world... not to be overly dramatic or anything.
 
calivianya said:
If any of you guys remember, a place offered me an invite for my top choice specialty but were full before I could get there a while back. I sent them an immediate LOI letting them know that I really, really wanted that interview and after talking to the PD, the PC told me they'd email me first if a spot became available. Well, the PC got back to me today offering me an invite for tomorrow since they had a last-minute cancellation.

I know we hear a ton about not trusting what a program tells us, but I thought I'd share an example of a program following through on exactly what they said. It reminds me that there is still good in the world... not to be overly dramatic or anything.
Click to expand...
They shouldn't have sent more invites than spots in the first place lol. But glad to hear they found you a spot.
 
calivianya said:
If any of you guys remember, a place offered me an invite for my top choice specialty but were full before I could get there a while back. I sent them an immediate LOI letting them know that I really, really wanted that interview and after talking to the PD, the PC told me they'd email me first if a spot became available. Well, the PC got back to me today offering me an invite for tomorrow since they had a last-minute cancellation.

I know we hear a ton about not trusting what a program tells us, but I thought I'd share an example of a program following through on exactly what they said. It reminds me that there is still good in the world... not to be overly dramatic or anything.
Click to expand...
Over invite and the. Last minute interview :/ . You prob gonna match there with that kind of story
 
Sitting on 10 interviews with people telling me the cycle is finished is not a good feeling...
 
orthomyxostudent said:
Sitting on 10 interviews with people telling me the cycle is finished is not a good feeling...
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10 is a lot!

Check the stats… if you interview well you’ll totally match with that many!
 
Ganon said:
10 is a lot!

Check the stats… if you interview well you’ll totally match with that many!
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It depends on the field. 10 for gen surgery isn't enough.

Sent from my moto g power using Tapatalk
 
Has anyone experienced programs low key trying to recruit you during the interview more than the normal you will be a good fit ?
 
Chelsea FC said:
Has anyone experienced programs low key trying to recruit you during the interview more than the normal you will be a good fit ?
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Don't fall for this trap! It happens every year, and then you rank them first, and you don't match there. Always rank based on your own preference.
 
Chelsea FC said:
Has anyone experienced programs low key trying to recruit you during the interview more than the normal you will be a good fit ?
Click to expand...
Yes. I've had several PDs be like "you're a stellar applicant, so tell me what I need to tell you in order to convince you to come here". I'm like....uhh just tell me the truth about your program??
 
Chelsea FC said:
Has anyone experienced programs low key trying to recruit you during the interview more than the normal you will be a good fit ?
Click to expand...
Several of my interviews have been like this. I am hopeful they mean it, but I know that odds are they don’t. It’s so frustrating.
 
DrStephenStrange said:
Don't fall for this trap! It happens every year, and then you rank them first, and you don't match there. Always rank based on your own preference.
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Know they are full of shhhhhttt but just want to see if people been experiencing this. Wonder if it means I have a strong app or that I interview well. Or it means not a god dam thing?
 
I'm applying neurology and have my first prelim interview this afternoon. What kind's of questions do you all recommend asking the interviewers? I really feel lost trying to think of anything that's not superficial since I'm not doing IM for my career
 
hiiiiiiiiiii said:
I'm applying neurology and have my first prelim interview this afternoon. What kind's of questions do you all recommend asking the interviewers? I really feel lost trying to think of anything that's not superficial since I'm not doing IM for my career
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They know that and will ask you about more personal questions or about your goals with your advance career
 
orthomyxostudent said:
Sitting on 10 interviews with people telling me the cycle is finished is not a good feeling...
Click to expand...
Same. Got 11 and I know that I should be happy considering how this cycle is going but half of them are new programs or notoriously malignant. Feels bad to have applied to so many programs and only hear back from places that were safeties.
 
Some interviews are just so.....meh. Like they don't even ask me anything to indicate they read my application, I feel like the whole thing is just so blah like yeah we chatted but I'm just not happy with it. And then some ask me so many questions about things I've done to show they actually looked at my app. It just sucks because it makes the applicant feel meh after the interview even though it's on the program.
 
justcuriouser said:
Same. Got 11 and I know that I should be happy considering how this cycle is going but half of them are new programs or notoriously malignant. Feels bad to have applied to so many programs and only hear back from places that were safeties.
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What resources are you guys using to find out if a program is malignant?

I have had overwhelmingly positive interviews, and just one that was even neutral. The last one I had showed multiple pics of all the residents and attendings going on whitewater rafting trips, out to breweries, etc. together. I’m sure of the culture of the places when you have crap tons of photo documentation of the attendings and residents hanging out together, or when the residents say that some random weekdays that the department tells them to leave at 10am and head to Top Golf for the entire day and the program will foot the bill.

Short of that, are you guys making judgements based on Doximity? Reddit? Something else? I want to make sure I’m not missing anything.
 
calivianya said:
What resources are you guys using to find out if a program is malignant?

I have had overwhelmingly positive interviews, and just one that was even neutral. The last one I had showed multiple pics of all the residents and attendings going on whitewater rafting trips, out to breweries, etc. together. I’m sure of the culture of the places when you have crap tons of photo documentation of the attendings and residents hanging out together, or when the residents say that some random weekdays that the department tells them to leave at 10am and head to Top Golf for the entire day and the program will foot the bill.

Short of that, are you guys making judgements based on Doximity? Reddit? Something else? I want to make sure I’m not missing anything.
Click to expand...
I'm having a hard time with this too. Almost every program I've interviewed with has said the strength of the program is the people, the relationship between the residents, how supportive faculty are. Realistically, I feel like it's just not possible for all of them to be that great, but I have no way of figuring it out. I think this is where auditions or personally knowing someone at a program would really help.
 
fldoctorgirl said:
I'm having a hard time with this too. Almost every program I've interviewed with has said the strength of the program is the people, the relationship between the residents, how supportive faculty are. Realistically, I feel like it's just not possible for all of them to be that great, but I have no way of figuring it out. I think this is where auditions or personally knowing someone at a program would really help.
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That’s why I make my decision on things they can’t lie about. Pay, COL, closeness to Fam, EMR, activities in the location , fellowship match of their grads
 
For behavioral interview questions do you guys jump right in, or take a minute to think about it? Sometimes I feel like I need to tweek my stories and responses a bit and I am not if I am better off just answering and being natural or being more concise/organized?
 
Osteosaur said:
For behavioral interview questions do you guys jump right in, or take a minute to think about it? Sometimes I feel like I need to tweek my stories and responses a bit and I am not if I am better off just answering and being natural or being more concise/organized?
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I’ll usually take a few seconds if nothing comes to mind or if i’m caught really off guard, but I like to work through the thought process out loud for the interviewer. In the end, it’s the reasoning that they care about. I mean…unless you give some real psychopath answer.

Caveat being you have to be able to think aloud without backtracking a ton or using filler (um, like). That is to say can you be natural/off-the-cuff and still concise and organized to a certain degree. Remember that sounding too rehearsed/scripted (at least to me) comes off bad.

All in all I don’t think it’s a detriment to pause, as long as it isn’t >30-45 seconds. After that i’d say something like “I’m having trouble working this through, here’s my thought process”.
 
fldoctorgirl said:
I'm having a hard time with this too. Almost every program I've interviewed with has said the strength of the program is the people, the relationship between the residents, how supportive faculty are. Realistically, I feel like it's just not possible for all of them to be that great, but I have no way of figuring it out. I think this is where auditions or personally knowing someone at a program would really help.
Click to expand...
Those are all things a good residency should have though. I spend a descent amount of time doing things with my co-residents outside of work. We all get along great and it definitely makes challenging, chaotic days a lot more tolerable. The faculty at my program are also amazing. They give us tons of autonomy and are always teaching. It's also nice being able to say you are interested in XYZ fellowship and getting plugged in with the right people for success. Unfortunately, I think applicants miss out on witnessing some of the camaraderie places have with virtual interviews. Or as you stated, auditions and/or friends at the place definitely gave you a good idea of how a place functioned. You can always try reaching out to a resident at the program or asking the program coordinator for contact info for residents. Most of us want to give you a good idea of what our place is like so we can attract people who will fit in well. I could care less what your step score is, I'm more interested in getting new residents who will fit in well with the culture.
 
Deecee2DO said:
Should thank yous be written the same day?
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I've only written 1 out of the 4 interviews I've been on so far and that was only because the PD asked the coordinator to send applicants all our interviewers' email addresses, making it seem like they sort of expected a letter. That was the only one I sent and it was 3-4 days after. The PD sent a nice response in return. So, in conclusion, wouldn't recommend sending thank you's unless they sort of hint that they like them and as long as its within a couple days that's fine.
 
Oh my gosh just realized I missed a meet and greet last night with residents... I completely misread the date. What do I do?

Update: Just asked the PC during my interview about another date, and he was very understanding. Phew
 
Last edited:
Coltuna said:
Oh my gosh just realized I missed a meet and greet last night with residents... I completely misread the date. What do I do?
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You can email the PC asking what the future dates are and for an invitation to those dates because you weren't able to make XYZ date. I've had some on the same days as others and had to choose... this is how I've handled it.

I really hate it when programs have them some date other than the night before, for the record. Can't be in two places at once. :/
 
So I got an interview invite on ERAS and received no email notification. I just happened to visit the neuro spreadsheet and saw someone mentioned it. Luckily there were still spots available. So now I have reached my comfortable threshold with 10 interviews.
 
calivianya said:
What resources are you guys using to find out if a program is malignant?

I have had overwhelmingly positive interviews, and just one that was even neutral. The last one I had showed multiple pics of all the residents and attendings going on whitewater rafting trips, out to breweries, etc. together. I’m sure of the culture of the places when you have crap tons of photo documentation of the attendings and residents hanging out together, or when the residents say that some random weekdays that the department tells them to leave at 10am and head to Top Golf for the entire day and the program will foot the bill.

Short of that, are you guys making judgements based on Doximity? Reddit? Something else? I want to make sure I’m not missing anything.
Click to expand...
The ones I know of that are malignant I just know that because I am regional or they are near where my school was so I heard it directly from residents. These are mostly programs in NYC or programs run by for-profit hospitals where I go to school so I think they are more the exception than the rule.
 
DrStephenStrange said:
So I got an interview invite on ERAS and received no email notification. I just happened to visit the neuro spreadsheet and saw someone mentioned it. Luckily there were still spots available. So now I have reached my comfortable threshold with 10 interviews.
Click to expand...
I had the same experience, so strange the program didn't send out any notification whatsoever! I would have missed it completely if I didn't check the neuro sheet.
 
Received my first West coast interview this morning which is also a university program. I wasn't expecting anything from there especially with no connection whatsoever, and now it's probably one of my top 3.
 
kazill said:
I had the same experience, so strange the program didn't send out any notification whatsoever! I would have missed it completely if I didn't check the neuro sheet.
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Yeah, that is also weird that I signed for the interview and haven't received any confirmation. It makes me wonder if it was a glitch in their system or something lol.
 
So if they email us contact info, you guys think they want a thank you letter?

Well, eff. Like every program I've interviewed with has sent contact info. I need to get busy lol
 
calivianya said:
So if they email us contact info, you guys think they want a thank you letter?

Well, eff. Like every program I've interviewed with has sent contact info. I need to get busy lol
Click to expand...

no, they dont "want a thank you letter" by telling you how to reach them if you have any more questions
 
calivianya said:
So if they email us contact info, you guys think they want a thank you letter?

Well, eff. Like every program I've interviewed with has sent contact info. I need to get busy lol
Click to expand...
Unless they say we welcome thank you letters I would assume they don’t.
 
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