Early Interview = easy to forget later?

[pazu]

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Hey,

I'm currently trying to schedule my interviews, and I'm wondering whether it's wise to schedule interviews early on (October, November) or if I should aim to have most of my interviews in Dec/Jan so that the program has a fresh(er) memory of me.

If I like the program, I will definitely keep in touch, but 3-4 months seems like a long time to keep me fresh in their minds before they rank students!

I noticed when I applied for med schools, I got into the schools I interviewed later (Dec/Jan) at, whereas I got waitlisted at a bunch of schools I interviewed earlier at (Sep-Nov). I know med school is rolling admissions so it's kind of different, but still it seems reasonable to think programs will have a fresher memory of someone they interviewed recently, and hence a good impression will go much further for the later interviewee.

Thanks!

 

[humuhumu]

You're scheduling interviews now (more than one)? Seriously?

 

[pazu]

I purposely left it ambiguous...this is an anon message board so I could have no interviews but just want my question answered. Say hypothetically, I have the option of scheduling an interview early on (Oct) vs. late (Dec/Jan). I see the pros to an early interview being that I get it over with and am not swamped/dealing with scheduling conflicts later on. The cons being that it's that much more time before they rank me, and by then, I may have faded into the distant memory being replaced by more recent interviewee impressions. So yeah, I think this is a dilemma we are all going to face, and worth discussing on SDN.

 

[WayChanger]

My understanding is that many, if not most programs get around this issue by scoring your overall application soon after your intervew. At the end of the interview season, applicants are ranked by the scores that have been previously given. The result of this is that there is minimal advantage in interviewing later vs. earlier, I believe. This is what most program directors seem to say, as well.

 

[mcl]

My understanding is that many, if not most programs get around this issue by scoring your overall application soon after your intervew. At the end of the interview season, applicants are ranked by the scores that have been previously given. The result of this is that there is minimal advantage in interviewing later vs. earlier, I believe. This is what most program directors seem to say, as well.

All of this is true.

I have at times tried to analyze our Match patterns and have pretty much determined that there isn't any pattern to analyze. Last year we had interviewed everyone who would ultimately join our program by November 20th. Five years ago half our intern class came from the last interview day in January. Most years it stratifies across the interview season.

There is a lot to be said for setting the standard that other applicants have to beat during an early interview.

Ultimately, though, most applicants have to schedule with an eye to time and finances.

 

[Flopotomist]

old research, and EM specific.. but here is one published piece of evidence that argues that interview date does not have a major impact on rank. http://www.saem.org/download/1022_1026.pdf

 

[sweetlenovo88]

old research, and EM specific.. but here is one published piece of evidence that argues that interview date does not have a major impact on rank. http://www.saem.org/download/1022_1026.pdf

link is down?

 

[John Deere Gree]

From my own personal experience...

I matched to my top place, and interviewed with them on October 31, 2008. I didn't keep in contact much with the program. If a resident e-mailed me I'd politely respond, but I never initiated an e-mail.

I also did a second look at the program (as well as the other two programs in my top 3) in late January.

So, no early interviews don't hurt your chances to match there.

 

[Taurus]

I matched at the first program I interviewed at. I was shocked I matched there because being my first interview in September last year I didn't think I did so hot compared to my later interviews. I just sent them an email prior to rank time to let them know my continued interest.