Do people really do 20 interviews?

[Poety]

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Hi all!

I was just wondering if any of you have actually gone on like 20 interviews, and if so - how did you find the time to do that in 4th year? Im off with the baby and my 9 were strained. I'm just curious about this since its like a rule of thumb with our dean to do 20! SEems like too many to me, but perhaps the more competitive specialties require this? 😳

 

[rugtrousers]

I did 20 - 9 anesthesia and 11 prelims. I took off November, December and January to interview, take Step 2 CS and write a thesis. I don't think most people are able to take off this much time. I know some people who were literally gone from home for 30 days interviewing.

 

[Poety]

I did 20 - 9 anesthesia and 11 prelims. I took off November, December and January to interview, take Step 2 CS and write a thesis. I don't think most people are able to take off this much time. I know some people who were literally gone from home for 30 days interviewing.

wow rutgers, I hope you get your first pick after all that effort!! how did you pay for all that traveling? even my 9 were a significant dent! congrats on finishing up the thesis and cs btw 🙂

 

[EctopicFetus]

Also people who couples match do a ton... I met a girl doing peds.. she was doing 22.. INSANE!!

 

[rugtrousers]

how did you pay for all that traveling?

Thanks for the well wishes! A took out a medical residency loan through Access Group to pay for interviews and to pay for relocation expenses (getting a new apartment will be over $3000 with first/last/security). I also used Priceline A LOT.

 

[Poety]

Thanks for the well wishes! A took out a medical residency loan through Access Group to pay for interviews and to pay for relocation expenses (getting a new apartment will be over $3000 with first/last/security). I also used Priceline A LOT.

I'm sure it will be well worth it in the end - 🙂 I got that same loan too, but I'm impressed you did all those on that money!! 🙂

 

[Flea girl]

I will have done 18 interviews. Yeah, alittle nutty, but been glad that I have done as many as I have. Glad to have my last interview on Friday, though! I did not take any time off, have had really accomendating Attendings. I spaced out my interviews over a four month period(Oct-Jan), though did have an intense 3 week period which I did 9 interviews during that time. I too, took the Med loan to help pay for all my interviews. I think my final bill will be under $8,000(that is how much I alotted and I still have $1500 before my last interview).

 

[toofache32]

What specialty are we talking about? Nobody ever mentions which specialty they are referring to in this forum....

 

[Flea girl]

What specialty are we talking about? Nobody ever mentions which specialty they are referring to in this forum....

Mine Ob/Gyn

 

[penguins]

Went on 12 interviews and 3 solo prelim interviews.
I think I spent about $300 on each average if I include things like dry-cleaning bill before each and manicures and stuff.
I haven't really kept too close tabs on the tab because it is so painful and denial is best when you can't do anything about it. 😱

 

[Fermi]

Did 12 interviews for IM, but 3 were in my city, and 3 more within driving distance. So I only had to fly for 6. That was more than enough for me.

 

[jennyboo]

12 anesthesiology interview + 5 prelims = 17 interviews.

I took a month off in order to do all of them. Spent under $1000 to attend all of them, since many anesthesiology departments actually pay for your night's stay as well as dinner the night before.

I paid for 2 hotel nights (a painful $250 for one and $80 for another), two Southwest Airlines one-way flights ($70, $80), one United Airlines one-way flight (a more expensive $175) and Amtrak tickets for two trips (total of maybe $180). Stayed with a friend in New York for free, drove to interviews in Boston (maybe $100 gas/parking for several trips), and paid for a couple of extra meals during travel.

 

[daisyduke]

I will be finishing up my 20th interview on Friday (ObGyn). I am couples matching and since we didn't have just one city in mind, we did a lot of interviews. My final bill will be around $5K. I am now very Priceline savvy and saved serious $$$$ that way. I had December and January off, so I haven't missed any days from a rotation for my interviews. I am definitely sick of them though and dreading this last one!

 

[fukuisan]

I ended up doing 20 interviews - 12 anesthesia + 8 prelim. Took 2 full months off. I'm fortunate though and saved a lot of $$ because most of the places I visited were within driving distance. Only flew out of town 3 times. I'd say I paid a total of ~$800 for my interviews.

 

[mig26x]

one of my roomates did 19, he is doing couples match.

 

[c diddy]

23 interviews (14 res + 9 ty) last year. Was insane and i do not recommend it. The only good thing about the internship interviews was that 8 were in the city I live in. nevertheless I had plenty of travel and lack of sleep. Depends on the specialty you apply to I guess.

 

[new_avatar]

19 advanced and/or categorical
9 prelims and/or ty

and i would highly suggest not doing this many.

 

[locitamd]

only did 13 for g-surg, would have done 4 more if it hadn't been for scheduling issues. nevertheless, I'm wiped out.

 

[Koko]

21 categorical/advanced
2 trans/pre-lim

over two months, secondary to the couples thang...

they were much more helpful than i was led to believe, but the travel became tiring toward the end.

 

[Sohalia]

6 PM&R, 11 prelim medicine.

4 of the prelim were in NC, so I didn't have to fly. But a couple of those flights were around $600!! Mostly I could do the flight/hotel ones at around $400 total for the trip. 1 PM&R program and 2 prelims paid for accomodations. I took off from mid Dec to early March to interview, do research, and study for step 2 ck/cs.

I am convinced there is a better way for this process to work.

 

[Poety]

I agree, and it really is a kick in the butt that it comes outta the applicants pocket- I think the residencies should have to pay HALF of every interview. That would really widdle down those they want and help with the cost for everyone.