How long of a time period do programs typically give to schedule an interview?

[WTTL]

Say you are sent an interview invite on ERAS. Are interview dates to select from available all throughout the application season until March or do they only give you a 1-2 week window to pick from for example?

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[xffan624]

Say you are sent an interview invite on ERAS. Are interview dates to select from available all throughout the application season until March or do they only give you a 1-2 week window to pick from for example?

Extremely variable by specialty and program. Spots can also fill up quickly so some might have been available and are now taken. Application does not go through March. The latest interviews you will probably see will be in January, maybe early February as rank order lists are due by you and the program in mid-late February.

 

[mvenus929]

Rank lists are due in February, you won't see any late Feb or March interviews.

Some programs will only be interviewing like 2 days, some will interview most days throughout the interview season. My program decided to cut out Jan interviews because we haven't matched anyone that interviewed in January for several years.

 

[ACSurgeon]

Say you are sent an interview invite on ERAS. Are interview dates to select from available all throughout the application season until March or do they only give you a 1-2 week window to pick from for example?

Some programs you have to accept and schedule the interview within hours before it's no longer available.

Others you have a few days to respond.

You never have the choice of setting on an interview offer for weeks before accepting or declining.

 

[Stagg737]

Say you are sent an interview invite on ERAS. Are interview dates to select from available all throughout the application season until March or do they only give you a 1-2 week window to pick from for example?

If you're asking which dates they make available to you to choose from, it varies. One of my interviews said to choose from any Friday in October or Nov (half of which were already full an hour after I got the e-mail) while another gave me 3 dates to choose from.

 

[SilverCat]

Is it better to pick earlier interview dates if given the option?

 

[Donald Juan]

Is it better to pick earlier interview dates if given the option?

probably better from the standpoint that you will leave your later dates open if something last minute comes up. I doubt there is any strategy from the point that you are more/less likely to match at a place.

 

[xffan624]

Is it better to pick earlier interview dates if given the option?

I would schedule the programs that you are less enthusiastic about first and near the end. You want to get one or two under your belt before you go to one that you really care about and at the end the burnout is real. This all theory of course and your preferences will probably change as you visit places, but especially if you have a strong preference for a place or places due to geographic concerns then you can definitely try to schedule your interviews to maximize your performance as best as you can.