Do I need to go to more than 8 interviews?

[Poit]

I've been lucky enough to have 8 interviews at residency programs I like and a few that I'm not too fond of. If I'm a strong applicant that can interview well, do I really need to go on 10-12 "to be safe"? It sounds like most people match to their 1st-3rd choice, so why do we need to go to so many? One of my interviews is at my home institution that I'm 95% sure would take me (and I like this program).

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[DNC127]

I've been lucky enough to have 8 interviews at residency programs I like and a few that I'm not too fond of. If I'm a strong applicant that can interview well, do I really need to go on 10-12 "to be safe"? One of my interviews is at my home institution that I'm 95% sure would take me (and I like this program).

Depends on specialty, but I would't risk it. Probs don't want to hear it but people usually overestimate their ability to interview well.

 

[libertyyne]

This is specialty specific.
If applying to Derm 8 would probably not be giving yourself the best shot.

However if you are applying to Family Medicine 8 would be sufficient.

Ask yourself this question. What if you are wrong in your assessment of your application and you dont match.. Would you have regret for not attending those extra interviews?

 

[VincentAdultman]

I've been lucky enough to have 8 interviews at residency programs I like and a few that I'm not too fond of. If I'm a strong applicant that can interview well, do I really need to go on 10-12 "to be safe"? It sounds like most people match to their 1st-3rd choice, so why do we need to go to so many? One of my interviews is at my home institution that I'm 95% sure would take me (and I like this program).

It depends on the specialty and it depends on how competitive the programs you’re interviewing at in said specialty. You can’t just say “well most people match at their top three” for that reason.

And also because, to be blunt, you may not be “most people.”

 

[Lexdiamondz]

I've been lucky enough to have 8 interviews at residency programs I like and a few that I'm not too fond of. If I'm a strong applicant that can interview well, do I really need to go on 10-12 "to be safe"? It sounds like most people match to their 1st-3rd choice, so why do we need to go to so many? One of my interviews is at my home institution that I'm 95% sure would take me (and I like this program).

Because random sht happens and every year about 1 in 20 people get fxcked over by the match algorithm. I normally don't like to promote neuroticism but the Match is the one time where to be neurotic is the more sensible route - you screwing up in the match can basically shape your career for several years. I've seen people with competitive applications match at their #19 rank, don't get fxcked.


Would you rather be at a program you don't like or go unmatched - only you could answer that question.

Also, as an aside, you won't know if you interview well or poorly until you either match or don't match. Why risk it?

 

[21Rush12]

Knowing the specialty in question really helps answer this, but as an M3 I’m in no position to comment. It’s really down to your own personal comfort level and an honest assessment of your application, just like applying for Med school is.

Best of luck to you!

 

[ortnakas]

Unless:
1) going to those interviews would put you in serious financial hardship
OR
2) you applied to those programs as a super super super backup and you know with certainty you wouldn’t rank them for whatever reason

you should go.

 

[MSTPlease]

Because random sht happens and every year about 1 in 20 people get fxcked over by the match algorithm. I normally don't like to promote neuroticism but the Match is the one time where to be neurotic is the more sensible route - you screwing up in the match can basically shape your career for several years. I've seen people with competitive applications match at their #19 rank, don't get fxcked.


Would you rather be at a program you don't like or go unmatched - only you could answer that question.

Also, as an aside, you won't know if you interview well or poorly until you either match or don't match. Why risk it?

Really only 1/40 gets screwed by the algorithm. I recall AAMC doing a study and determining that half of the people who fail to match had one of like seven red flags. The red flags were fairly obvious (failed boards, failed clerkships, institutional action etc)

Unless you meant something other than “not matching” in which case, you can ignore me. Just want to point out that its really only like 2% of applicants where not matching comes as a real surprise.

That being said, id still go to the interviews.

 

[evilbooyaa]

What specialty you are applying for is critical to answering this question as per the charts posted above.

 

[MD-2022]

Why not go for 15+

 

[FindMeOnTheLinks]

Why not go for 15+

Because it's expensive as hell and each interview after 10-12 increases probability of matching only marginally

 

[W19]

8 interviews are enough for Path/FM/IM/Neuro...

 

[angelslanding18]

Using the charting outcome graphs, what probability of matching should we aim for? 90, 95, or 99%?

Also does it matter if you get interviews off a waitlist? If you rank several of those, would it be better to rank more? (assuming programs give lower ranks applicants who were on an interview waitlist?)

 

[MSTPlease]

Using the charting outcome graphs, what probability of matching should we aim for? 90, 95, or 99%?

Also does it matter if you get interviews off a waitlist? If you rank several of those, would it be better to rank more? (assuming programs give lower ranks applicants who were on an interview waitlist?)

For your first question - whatever you are comfortable with. Are you comfortable with a 10%, 5%, or 1% chance of not matching?

I would imagine it does matter if you get interviews off a waitlist vs straight up (unless it's the BS "invite more people than there are spots and whoever doesn't check their e-mail fast enough winds up on the waitlist" waitlist) because as you said, it means you were not among the top X number of applicants pre-interview. On the other hand, in order to get offered a spot off the waitlist, someone has to decline the offer and that means that person will not be ahead of you in the rank. Additionally, interviews are very important. I imagine it is quite commonplace for someone to "just" get an interview and then wind up drastically higher on the rank list because of their performance on interview day.

 

[Raney Schauer]

How does # contiguous ranks correlate relate to # interviews offered or attended?

 

[libertyyne]

How does # contiguous ranks correlate relate to # interviews offered or attended?

I dont think it is unreasonable to think that contiguous ranks correlate almost on a 1:1 with interviews attended.

 

[evilbooyaa]

How does # contiguous ranks correlate relate to # interviews offered or attended?

Sometimes people don't rank places that they attended the interviewe, but I can't imagine it'd change the ratio to anything significantly different (across all comers) from 1:1. Maybe like 0.95 ranks:1 interview across most of the population.

Impossible to tell with interviews offered. Likely much less.

 

[Premed2295]

I would attend them all. Yes they are expensive AFFFF but less expensive than doing the process again

 

[VincentAdultman]

I mean this isn’t really the time to be budget conscious. You go to as many interviews as you can since you don’t know how far you’ll drop in your list, and for all you know the last interview you accept may be the first you rank.

 

[bic_atlantis]

This is specialty specific.
If applying to Derm 8 would probably not be giving yourself the best shot.
View attachment 241026
However if you are applying to Family Medicine 8 would be sufficient.
View attachment 241027


Ask yourself this question. What if you are wrong in your assessment of your application and you dont match.. Would you have regret for not attending those extra interviews?

~85% chance of matching wouldn't be a good shot???

 

[libertyyne]

~85% chance of matching wouldn't be a good shot???

This is obviously based on personal neuroticism/ decision. But is an added 10% increase in matching worth the added cost and time of an interview?

 

[FindMeOnTheLinks]

~85% chance of matching wouldn't be a good shot???

saving a few hundred bucks is not worth a 15% chance of leaving your chosen career on life support if you have a choice in the matter

 

[Angus Avagadro]

The idea is to win. Until you match, you haven't won. Fight hard, spend the time and money, and win. Your 35 yr career depends on matching successfully. Make sure. Why take a chance after all you have been through? Do NOT believe any program that suggests they will rank you. Plenty of disappointed people out there