EM Questions From a 3rd Year

[breaker1919]

Hi guys!
First time poster here. I'm a 3rd year who's 100% sold on EM. I've read ALL of the stickies here, but I have a few other questions for those of you who have already been through the application process. Please answer as many or as few of these as you like. Thanks in advance!

1. On average, how much does it cost to interview? I'm trying to make a financial aid budget for next year. I plan on interviewing at 12-15 places, 5-10 of which will probably be by car. Did you have a certain way of coming up with a budget?

2. Do programs allow you to pick interview dates? Do they accomodate to you if you're trying to do a driving tour in which you interview at multiple programs?

3. Which month would be best to take off from fourth year? December or January?

4. How much does it cost to simply apply to 20-25 programs?

Thanks so much in advance!

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[deleted109597]

1. On average, how much does it cost to interview? I'm trying to make a financial aid budget for next year. I plan on interviewing at 12-15 places, 5-10 of which will probably be by car. Did you have a certain way of coming up with a budget?

Uh, the cost of driving/plane ticket plus around $50-75 a night for hotels (if you use priceline, $100 if not). I interviewed at 11, drove to all of them. Some of the hotels are free from EM (Cinci, some Pennsylvania places), and if you can set it up with a travel "buddy" that gets free rooms (anything but EM apparently), it will be cheaper.

2. Do programs allow you to pick interview dates? Do they accomodate to you if you're trying to do a driving tour in which you interview at multiple programs?

Some allow you to pick, some send you an email saying "this day". Most are accomodating.

3. Which month would be best to take off from fourth year? December or January?

Neither. Work them both, that way you get credit for a rotation that you don't actually go to very frequently. If you can, that is. I asked off Dec, because those dates are easier to schedule. Jan was my month of waiting list retrieval dates.

4. How much does it cost to simply apply to 20-25 programs?

A lot. 29 programs was $325, and anything over 30 starts costing a lot more.l
Also, the match costs another $40 or something like that. I can't remember anymore.

 

[met19]

Hi guys!
First time poster here. I'm a 3rd year who's 100% sold on EM. I've read ALL of the stickies here, but I have a few other questions for those of you who have already been through the application process. Please answer as many or as few of these as you like. Thanks in advance!

1. On average, how much does it cost to interview? I'm trying to make a financial aid budget for next year. I plan on interviewing at 12-15 places, 5-10 of which will probably be by car. Did you have a certain way of coming up with a budget?

2. Do programs allow you to pick interview dates? Do they accomodate to you if you're trying to do a driving tour in which you interview at multiple programs?

3. Which month would be best to take off from fourth year? December or January?

4. How much does it cost to simply apply to 20-25 programs?

Thanks so much in advance!

1) didnt use a budget b/c it depends on where you interview. Sometimes I took a slightly more expensive mode of transportation b/c it was more convienent. I did t abunch of flying and tried to do circuit. Used the train also a couple times. SOmetines residents can put up the applicants. Or stay with friends- I did that in DC.

2)Generally allowed to choose. They will send you an email with dates to pick from. That is unless you are picked to replace someone who cancelled at the last minute or week. They generally are accomidating to try and help your travel plans out.

Temple received a low mark from me for this- refused to reschedule so I only had to make one trip to Philly (and this was early in the season). I ended up canceling them instead b/c it messed with my schedule. Georgetown gets mad props. The co-ordinator tries really hard to give me the date I wanted b/c I was in DC for another interview. She called me back a couple times and literally called me when I was in town to see if I could attend the dinner out 2 weeks prior to my interview (when I was in town for GW) b/c they had no dinner when I was interviewing.

3) I took "study time" in December for step 2 and used it to interview. I then took January off. Either month is fine.

4) Eras will change about 300 bucks...

Good luck...

 

[polygonal]

Hi guys!
First time poster here. I'm a 3rd year who's 100% sold on EM. I've read ALL of the stickies here, but I have a few other questions for those of you who have already been through the application process. Please answer as many or as few of these as you like. Thanks in advance!

1. On average, how much does it cost to interview? I'm trying to make a financial aid budget for next year. I plan on interviewing at 12-15 places, 5-10 of which will probably be by car. Did you have a certain way of coming up with a budget?

2. Do programs allow you to pick interview dates? Do they accomodate to you if you're trying to do a driving tour in which you interview at multiple programs?

3. Which month would be best to take off from fourth year? December or January?

4. How much does it cost to simply apply to 20-25 programs?

Thanks so much in advance!

Quick response:

1) Depends on how far away they are and how travel savvy you are. I did about that many and it cost me about $7,000 (there are a bunch of unforeseen expenses).

2) They give you the dates that are available. Most are accommodating but it can be tough trying to schedule a bunch for the same time. Advice: the early bird gets the worm (apply Sep. 1).

3) I researched this to death. There is no good answer. January might be best because the Dec. holidays cut down the number of days available. In the end, it's really probably a toss up.

4) You can go to ERAS for the exact amount. It should be around $300.

Don't forget about all the other stuff. Step 2 (~$1500 for both). Suits. Airport parking. Rental cars. Taxis. Food. Thank you cards. Cash bribes. It does tend to add up.

 

[polygonal]

Wow, you guys are fast. 3 responses in 10 min!

I also recommend trying to split them up a little. I interviewed from October to February. I did several in groups as well. I didn't burn up much vacation time because I would try to interview on Fridays or Mondays so I had the weekends to check out the area or spend some time in the department. Most preceptors don't care if you take off a day or two here and there.

Don't forget about the fatigue factor too. Everybody told me that they were sick of interviewing after their #6. It didn't hit me until #8 but it does get to you. You will start canceling places you never thought you would just because the thought of one more airport or hotel make you nauseous.

All that said, I really did have a good time and met some great people. Good luck!!

 

[antiveggies]

1. I spent about $9,000. no joke. It cost me $590 to apply to 40 programs. that includes the $50 USMLE transcript fee. I spent the rest on hotels, flights, rental cars, food, gas, etc. I thought i was doing really good until i sat at home and added the receipts, then i was like WTF?!? I am in the midwest, the nearest "major" airport hub is 3 hours away but we have a mid-size local one here. i went on 2 interviews myself, the other 9 i had my fiancee with me so that added to the cost. I did 5 roundtrip flights altogether. 4 of my interviews were either geographically spread out, or i couldnt schedule them in a group. I did one large east coast trip where i interviewed at 7 places in 2 weeks. I bought one ways to and from my big trip and tickets were only 120/each by going to some outlying airports and driving in with a rental. The rental car was ~700 for my large trip. Hotels can be expensive, and every place i interviewed gave suggested hotels that had discounted rates. I think my cheapest was 40/nite and my most expensive was 175/nite (NY). When you stay in hotels for roughly 3 weeks total, that adds up fast You could stay in hostels and save money there, you could find friends/family to save money, etc. But if you are travelling outside your region, its gonna cost ya. If you want further breakdown, i have the receipts lol


2. Mine all gave a selection of dates to choose from. I had one program that i really wanted to interview at which i emailed during my large trip, and they quickly replied and set me up an interview!! They can only accomodate you as much as you can fit stuff into THEIR dates, they wont make you a special day where you are the only candidate (in my experience).

3. I took off December and got 8 of my 11 inteview done then. One was in Nov, 2 in Jan. I took Dec because it gave me from before thanksgiving till after the new year off. I think regardless what month you use, you'll be unable to fit 12-15 interviews in during that time. Programs may not offter you an interview until weeks after you have say 8 of them scheduled, this may make it so that you can no longer utilize dates they have available in that month you have off without you having to fly or spend alot more money to get there. My program was great with letting 4th years take off, most are really good about it.

4. see number 1 for 40 lol. i think you get 15 for the base cost?? i cant recall

oh, and when you get emailed offers to interview make sure you schedule them THAT day. you can always try to change it or drop it later, but i had 3 programs wait list me because i didnt reply for about 3 days after the offer (i was waiting for other offers to try to schedule the trip better, oops!)

 

[breaker1919]

Thanks SO MUCH everyone! That really helps. It's good to have some idea of what to expect.

 

[met19]

Quick response:

Cash bribes. It does tend to add up.

So important. How did I forget that one??!