FM Interviews

[Mitch Connor]

As I will be starting year 3 in a few months, interview season is on my mind a bit lately. I have read various things from different sources but wanted to see what opinions are floating around on here. Please share your experience or thoughts.

1. What do you think a reasonable number of FM applications is to ensure enough interviews to match? I have read there is a point of diminishing returns.

2. What do you think a minimum number of interviews is to match?

3. What were your total travel costs for your interviews?

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[VA Hopeful Dr]

As I will be starting year 3 in a few months, interview season is on my mind a bit lately. I have read various things from different sources but wanted to see what opinions are floating around on here. Please share your experience or thoughts.

1. What do you think a reasonable number of FM applications is to ensure enough interviews to match? I have read there is a point of diminishing returns.

2. What do you think a minimum number of interviews is to match?

3. What were your total travel costs for your interviews?

1 and 2 will depend on your stats. Are you a USMD with solid grades/step scores or are you a DO who has a C average and borderline scores?

3 will also very significantly for each person. I went to school in SC, there were 7 programs at the time in my state alone. Another 4 within 30 minutes of the state line to GA or NC; so, air travel was never an issue which is a huge cost saver. Programs then paid for accommodations, not sure if they still do these days but this meant my expenses were basically just gas for my car since supper the day before and breakfast/lunch day of were covered by the programs.

 

[Mitch Connor]

1 and 2 will depend on your stats. Are you a USMD with solid grades/step scores or are you a DO who has a C average and borderline scores?

3 will also very significantly for each person. I went to school in SC, there were 7 programs at the time in my state alone. Another 4 within 30 minutes of the state line to GA or NC; so, air travel was never an issue which is a huge cost saver. Programs then paid for accommodations, not sure if they still do these days but this meant my expenses were basically just gas for my car since supper the day before and breakfast/lunch day of were covered by the programs.

DO student here with good grades. We take boards in a few months, but step/level 1 are P/F now so we get to be the guinea pigs on how PDs evaluate applicants. Outta be fun.

 

[cj_cregg]

The Apply Smart tool allows you to put in some info about yourself and see what the point of diminishing returns is for applicants with similar profiles. How many interviews you need to match depends on how well you interview.

My travel costs were minimal - everywhere I applied was in driving distance, and every program I interviewed at covered hotel, all meals, etc. So basically I just had to pay for gas.

 

[Mitch Connor]

The Apply Smart tool allows you to put in some info about yourself and see what the point of diminishing returns is for applicants with similar profiles. How many interviews you need to match depends on how well you interview.

My travel costs were minimal - everywhere I applied was in driving distance, and every program I interviewed at covered hotel, all meals, etc. So basically I just had to pay for gas.

I'll certainly check out the website. How common is that for programs to pay for food and lodging? Didn't know any of them did that.

 

[MateoGM416]

Is it still 'recommended' (required) for DO students to take the USMLE even for family medicine??? Also, is there still an anti-DO bias in FM?

 

[iforget2]

Is it still 'recommended' (required) for DO students to take the USMLE even for family medicine??? Also, is there still an anti-DO bias in FM?

Definitely not required, but if you want to be choosy about particular programs it may help to still take the USMLE. It's hard for me to know if I would have gotten less interviews if I hadn't taken Step 1&2, but I'm glad I did and I felt more secure throughout the interview process and ended up matching my #1. Again, I may have matched there without it, but I believe it made me a more competitive applicant overall.