how are you all choosing which interviews to go on?

[zedpol]

Anyone else having a beast of a time deciding which programs to visit for interviews? I have a bunch I am very interested in but I don't seem to have time to go to all the interviews. How is everyone choosing which interviews to do?

Z

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[Complications]

Anyone else having a beast of a time deciding which programs to visit for interviews? I have a bunch I am very interested in but I don't seem to have time to go to all the interviews. How is everyone choosing which interviews to do?

Z

I feel your pain ... I have no idea.

 

[chhsu]

Choosing interviews is a difficult and timely decision. The way I did it was grouping by geographic area. November are my WI, MI and OH interviews. December is left for all my Chicago, MN and MO interviews. There is 1 week where I have all my Chicago interview lined up monday through friday. Up to this point, and to save money, I'm doing it all by driving (I just got new brakes so my 14 y.o. car runs like new). I'm leaving January for interviews in the Northeast and I'm planning on flying for these. So I basically left December and January free for interviews. November, I'm juggling it within one of my last rotations. Anyway, hope this helps in giving you some ideas to squeeze in interviews.

 

[UVa2005]

Although it has been 2 years now, I can still remember how hard this decision was to me. Like the previous person, I tried to group my interviews into geographic areas. Of course the problem comes when schools like DC Childrens and Hopkins (where I ended up) don't hand out interivew offers until Nov. What I ended up doing in the end were ranking the schools before I interviewed based on my likelyhood of going there and put the ones I was unsure of towards the end. I also talked with people with similar interests to mine about the places I had yet to see. About half way through after I had found 3-4 places that I really liked I started cancelling interviews. It really is hard, but it is expensive (both money and time) and in peds you have the right to choose. I hope this helps.

 

[Pedialyte]

It's the worst, but what can you do? I'm making weeks (like New York/Boston week and Chicago week) and leaving holes in the week, hoping that I can shuffle things around to add more programs as they come. It's getting a little crazy, though. Also, since Dartmouth will interview you any day you want, that's a good one to take advantage of in some sort of creative timing. I'm just trying to juggle and contacting course directors to beg for some Saturday shifts.

 

[Funshine0123]

I know, that's exactly how I feel... and it seems like most of the programs that I've heard back from interview on Tuesdays & Thursdays, so I'm beginning to have all of my weeks "full" of interviews, but still not have even heard from some of the places I'm really considering.

On a side note, does anyone know anything first-hand about the following programs: DeVos (Grand Rapids, Mich), Wright State, MetroHealth (Cleveland, OH), or Thomas Jefferson? Also, I noticed the post about St. Christopher's & it's kind of concerning to me - have they been having a lot of political type changes into their program?

 

[honu]

Are you guys taking vacation time during this time, or just asking for days off from your rotations? I'm feeling bad about asking for so much time off during my rotations.

Thanks!

 

[chhsu]

I went on 1 interview during my family med rotation because they allow students to miss 3 days. The rest of my interviews are during December and January where I don't have anything planned except study for Step 2.

 

[Complications]

My school gives us a month for interviews ... I assumed most schools did ... do they not? I'm missing a few days here and there ... but most of my interviews are in my off month (jan).

 

[blanche]

we can take 'reading months' or vacation months at my school. also, senior requirements are pretty minimal, so as long as you get enough months of clincial electives in 4th year you are good to go. one less thing to worry about this time of year!