Faux pas to not interview at home program?

[xaelia]

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How much of a faux pas is it to not interview at your home program? If you know you're going to rank them last, etc. etc., can you just skip the whole deal, or do you have to fake the smile for the day to make sure you don't piss them off if you need a call from them later?

 

[gutonc]

An assistant PD at my home program told me not to even apply there because they didn't have the type of program (short-tracking) that I was interested in. I don't think it's a huge deal unless you're applying in a "small world" specialty (Derm, ENT, Ophtho, etc) where it seems like every single PD in the country knows every other. In that case, you should probably do it.

 

[lowbudget]

Personally I think it's a faux pas even if you have no intentions of ranking them. It's always good to show your appreciation towards your department, especially if a faculty wrote you a recommendation letter, or if they sponsored one of your interest groups, or if you rotated with their residents or faculty. Probably the only person to noticed if you stiffed them would be the program coordinator, but still... Just be generous and be appreciative, I think it goes a long way. And once you graduate, keep in touch the home school. Because bottom line, you never know where life will take you and when you will cross paths with these people again -- They may end up with an opening for a Faculty or fellowship position that fits 100% what you want.

 

[asdfaa]

I didn't apply to my school's program. I still got excellent letters and matched at my first choice. I was upfront with my PD and mentors that the program there wasn't what I was looking for and that I wasn't interested in spending another bunch of years in the same place. They were fine with that.

 

[slim shanie]

I second asdfaa's comment... I'm not applying to my home program because I have no intentions of staying in this city. I told all my letter writers and my advisor (who writes our deans letter). Why accept an invite and interview if you know 100% you're not going to rank the place? Can thank those people in other ways.

 

[pmpkn219]

I would think they'd prefer you not to interview if you Know you don't want to stay at the place. That way it opens up a spot for them to invite someone who actually might want to go there for residency.

Maybe it's different if you're snubbing them because you outright hate your home program, but if it's a matter of locale (ie: you don't want to live there for the next 3+ years) then I don't see how they could reasonably be upset. You can appreciate what the faculty have done for you in your time there, without looking to interview with them.

 

[zedpol]

I talked to our dean of student affairs and a PD at another program and they both said you aren't expected to interview at your home program if you have no desire to stay there. They both also said it is annoying when students do interview with no intention of staying since it uses up the programs time/resources.

Z

 

[Methyldopa]

I would think they'd prefer you not to interview if you Know you don't want to stay at the place. That way it opens up a spot for them to invite someone who actually might want to go there for residency.

I agree with that completely. It's a waste of your time and more important it's a waste of the program's time.

I never applied to my home program, and the Chairman (who wrote an LOR for me) didn't care at all.