How common are no-call-no-shows for medical school interviews?

[Taskmaster]

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How common is it for applicants who have, for one reason or another (accepted at a higher choice, decide it's not for them, etc.), decided to not attend their interview at a given school to not inform the school they will not be attending their interview, and just don't show up on the day of?

 

[Planes2Doc]

I don't know. Cancelling an interview with enough time is fine. Being a no show despite an acceptance is incredibly unprofessional. Even though someone may not care because they think it won't affect them, they may or may not eventually realize that the world of medicine is actually a pretty small world. It may bite them in the ass later.

 

[HomeSkool]

Even though someone may not care because they think it won't affect them, they may or may not eventually realize that the world of medicine is actually a pretty small world. It may bite them in the ass later.

^This.

While I was in residency, I did an out rotation and impressed a very prominent anesthesiologist, and he offered to write me a letter if I ever needed it. Three years later while applying for my current position, I took him up on his offer. At my interview, the first thing the department chair said was, "I know him from doing residency in that city. How do you know him?"

Later that same day, I learned that one of the faculty members had been the residency program director for my program director. He trained the guy who trained me. And he and two other faculty members did residency in the same program as me.

Medicine is a smaller world than you think. Never, ever burn bridges.

 

[Microbug]

^This.

While I was in residency, I did an out rotation and impressed a very prominent anesthesiologist, and he offered to write me a letter if I ever needed it. Three years later while applying for my current position, I took him up on his offer. At my interview, the first thing the department chair said was, "I know him from doing residency in that city. How do you know him?"

Later that same day, I learned that one of the faculty members had been the residency program director for my program director. He trained the guy who trained me. And he and two other faculty members did residency in the same residency program as me.

Medicine is a smaller world than you think. Never, ever burn bridges.

similar story. I did research with a PI, and when I interviewed at a school, my interviewer was the PI's clinical tutor back in the days. That PI also trained with a guy who did his post-doc in my first PI's lab. everyone knows everyone

 

[HomeSkool]

On a related note, you should never attend an interview if there's no chance you'd attend the school because of an acceptance from somewhere higher on your preference list. Doing so wastes your money and everyone's time. You burn no bridges by graciously thanking them for their interest but saying you've decided to accept another offer of admission. (One way to do this is to say, "Thank you for your interest, but I've decided to accept another offer of admission.") Think about it: when you receive a politely-worded rejection letter, you're disappointed, but you don't think, "What a bunch of ignorant assclowns! If I could, I'd burn their school to the ground and pee on the ashes!" (At least, I hope you don't.) Schools don't think that of you, either. When I was applying to master's programs, I was accepted by my top choice. I called another school that had accepted me and thanked them but declined their offer. The program coordinator said, "Do you mind if I ask where you've decided to attend?" I told her. She responded, "Well, we're disappointed to lose you, but at least it's to a great program." And that was it. No bridges burned.

 

[Piglet2020]

Unless the applicant was involved in an emergency situation, not informing the school seems pretty unprofessional. Idk if schools will b so vindictive that they blacklist you from residency positions later on but who knows?

 

[HomeSkool]

Unless the applicant was involved in an emergency situation, not informing the school seems pretty unprofessional. Idk if schools will b so vindictive that they blacklist you from residency positions later on but who knows?

It generally doesn't work that way. Residency programs have separate administration than the medical school. Some individuals may serve on committees for both, but residency decisions are made independent of feedback from med school adcoms.

 

[Piglet2020]

It generally doesn't work that way. Residency programs have separate administration than the medical school. Some individuals may serve on committees for both, but residency decisions are made independent of feedback from med school adcoms.

Perhaps not the deans of admissions but I could imagine that the physicians who are part of the uni hospital know each other. (Like the whole posts above about small physician world)...

 

[HomeSkool]

Perhaps not the deans of admissions but I could imagine that the physicians who are part of the uni hospital know each other. (Like the whole posts above about small physician world)...

That's true, but... The med school receives several thousand applications and issues several hundred IIs. My department's residency program receives about a thousand apps for fourteen spots each year. For such residency blacklisting to occur, the following would have to happen:
-The applicant would have to piss off an adcom who happens to be a member of the department
-The applicant would have to apply to a residency program at the same place they shafted
-The department member would have to remember that one applicant out of the 20,000 or so who've applied to the med school over the intervening four years
-The department member would need to have access to the residency applications to know that applicant was back in the hunt
-The department member would have to still be cheesed off enough to seek out a member of the residency selection committee and rat out the applicant

All of those things could happen, but what are the chances? Like I said, it generally doesn't work that way.

 

[Tenk]

You should always cancel. Sometimes it’s not the applicants fault though! I canceled an interview for residency at a program I would never attend. Then one morning very early I get a call from someone asking where I am. I reply: in bed. She informed me that I was supposed to be at an interview across the country. I told her I emailed her and canceled that months ago. She was adamant that I was wrong. I pulled up my email and gave her the date I sent it. Some clicking on her end then a big “oh...” “well... thanks....” *click*

Probably best to call to confirm!

 

[gyngyn]

It happens about once a year.
If they have a committee letter, we call their school to make sure they are ok.

 

[Coupd'Cat]

OOF.

Had a friend who did this to a school...just didn't show up. Was sent an email that he could forget about applying there for residency in the future.

 

[ulna]

You should always cancel. Sometimes it’s not the applicants fault though! I canceled an interview for residency at a program I would never attend. Then one morning very early I get a call from someone asking where I am. I reply: in bed. She informed me that I was supposed to be at an interview across the country. I told her I emailed her and canceled that months ago. She was adamant that I was wrong. I pulled up my email and gave her the date I sent it. Some clicking on her end then a big “oh...” “well... thanks....” *click*

Probably best to call to confirm!

THIS is what I'm afraid of! I emailed a school to cancel my interview there and they emailed me back to confirm...but I'm a little nervous that something might fall through the cracks and they wonder where I am on the day I was supposed to interview.

I will probably call them to confirm in a couple weeks if nothing changes on the portal.

 

[Biochemistry69]

OOF.

Had a friend who did this to a school...just didn't show up. Was sent an email that he could forget about applying there for residency in the future.

Lmao I don't believe this.

 

[Coupd'Cat]

Lmao I don't believe this.

I swear on my First Aid

edit: Now that I think about it, maybe he just said he'd heard he'd be placed on some blacklist from an advisor. Lol it's been 5 years

 

[Pathdocmd]

^This.

While I was in residency, I did an out rotation and impressed a very prominent anesthesiologist, and he offered to write me a letter if I ever needed it. Three years later while applying for my current position, I took him up on his offer. At my interview, the first thing the department chair said was, "I know him from doing residency in that city. How do you know him?"

Later that same day, I learned that one of the faculty members had been the residency program director for my program director. He trained the guy who trained me. And he and two other faculty members did residency in the same program as me.

Medicine is a smaller world than you think. Never, ever burn bridges.

I had a residency detector call me about an applicant I wrote a letter for when he didn't show up for the interview. The chances he will get a job there 4 years from now is zero.

 

[Lawpy]

How common is it for applicants who have, for one reason or another (accepted at a higher choice, decide it's not for them, etc.), decided to not attend their interview at a given school to not inform the school they will not be attending their interview, and just don't show up on the day of?

I suspect no shows are very rare because interviews are hard to get and applicants don't want to destroy their careers by disrespecting the school.

Schools usually explicitly ask applicants to inform them in advance if they are unable to attend the interview. They also clearly discourage no-shows. And for a good reason.

Interviewing requires investing in resources on part of the school. Interviewers do their work on a volunteer basis so it actually requires them to take time off from their already busy schedule to interview applicants and submit their evaluations to adcom. Not showing up on interview day is blatantly disrespecting the school and insulting the interviewers.

This is why no shows are extremely unprofessional and doing so will hurt you in the long term, since medicine is a small world and you are burning bridges at that school.

 

[Microbug]

I suspect no shows are very rare because interviews are hard to get and applicants don't want to destroy their careers by disrespecting the school.

Schools usually explicitly ask applicants to inform them in advance if they are unable to attend the interview. They also clearly discourage no-shows. And for a good reason.

Interviewing requires investing in resources on part of the school. Interviewers do their work on a volunteer basis so it actually requires them to take time off from their already busy schedule to interview applicants and submit their evaluations to adcom. Not showing up on interview day is blatantly disrespecting the school and insulting the interviewers.

This is why no shows are extremely unprofessional and doing so will hurt you in the long term, since medicine is a small world and you are burning bridges at that school.

It is not like canceling is a very involved process either... it's basic courtesy

 

[HomeSkool]

Interviewing requires investing in resources on part of the school. Interviewers do their work on a volunteer basis so it actually requires them to take time off from their already busy schedule to interview applicants and submit their evaluations to adcom. Not showing up on interview day is blatantly disrespecting the school and insulting the interviewers.

Exactly. In order for me to do interviews, I have to sign up months in advance so I can request a day free of clinical responsibilities. Then I have to dedicate my day to interview responsibilities rather than working on any of the admin tasks or projects on my plate. If an interviewee no-shows, it shows deep disrespect to me and everyone else who went out of their way to extend the privilege of an interview to that person.

Rule #1 of being an applicant: remember that you need us a whole lot more than we need you.


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