How many interviews you have so far?

[0phthalmologist]

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Im just curious how many interviews people have so far since its almost time to interview and people have not started canceling yet. My friend and I each have 3, what about you guys?

 

[ophtho4321]

17 offers, 14 scheduled

 

[iloveeyes]

15 invites but a lot of overlaps on the same dates. I foresee a lot of movement in the next few weeks as people cancel and more people coming off waitlists!!! Good luck to you and continue to have hope!

 

[deacondo]

3

 

[0phthalmologist]

700 people click this and only 2 answer? -.-

 

[EyesOnThePryze]

I know, everyone's been real quiet this year. Not sure why. I have 9 with 7 scheduled...

Good luck!

 

[who am eye]

4

 

[parzone]

23 with 21 scheduled. I think there's gonna be a lot of shifting around soon with people finding more scheduling conflicts. Good luck to everyone

 

[Hemichordate]

23 with 21 scheduled. I think there's gonna be a lot of shifting around soon with people finding more scheduling conflicts. Good luck to everyone

Did you apply to 50+ programs?

 

[EyesOnThePryze]

23 with 21 scheduled. I think there's gonna be a lot of shifting around soon with people finding more scheduling conflicts. Good luck to everyone

Congrats on your success so far. Are you planning to go on 21 interviews?

 

[EyesOnThePryze]

Did you apply to 50+ programs?

50+ is pretty par for the course...

 

[parzone]

Yea I think I applies to 46 or 47 programs. Yea I was under the impression that was expected of applicants. Yeah, I do hope to attend all of them. If I just can't find a flight or something ahead if time then maybe not.

 

[Member111111]

Anyone know people who matched pretty low down on their rank list in the last few years? I know of people going down to #8. But mostly in the top 6. I applied widely because I am an unusual applicant, and therefore I feel like I need to go to 15+ interviews because I may not be in the top of the school rank lists although they invited me to visit...(hope that makes sense..)..any help would be MUCH appreciated =)

 

[iloveeyes]

I think most people will agree that there is no benefit to ranking more than 11 programs. There is an oft cited graph that was in a paper published about the Ophthalmology match a few years ago. I've been told that 11-13 interviews would be a safe number to go.

I'm impressed by people who manage to schedule 21 interviews! That's a lot of $$$ and time involved. In any case, so many of my interviews overlap and I'll end up having to cancel a couple because of scheduling conflicts.

I would talk to your advisor. Better to concentrate on a reasonable number than to go to so many and be incredibly burnt out at the end. My 2 cents.

 

[castiron]

Got 6 interviews. Thought I'd get more but ill have to wait and see. Very humbling experience so far.

 

[ophthotwenty13]

i also think how far down you go on your list depends on how many "top"/competitive places you are ranking at the top of your list

 

[RayCharles]

Got 6 interviews. Thought I'd get more but ill have to wait and see. Very humbling experience so far.

It is very humbling. But, to keep things in perspective, according to the SF Match stats, the average applicant for the last decade has gotten between 4 and 5 offers (4.7 in 2012).

So, for every applicant with 21 offers, there were 9-10 people with 3 offers.


And, even if the "offers" refers to programs ranking you vs. inviting you to interview, the numbers are probably still pretty close. Only a handful of people go un-ranked every year.

 

[DrZeke]

I think most people will agree that there is no benefit to ranking more than 11 programs. There is an oft cited graph that was in a paper published about the Ophthalmology match a few years ago. I've been told that 11-13 interviews would be a safe number to go.

I'm impressed by people who manage to schedule 21 interviews! That's a lot of $$$ and time involved. In any case, so many of my interviews overlap and I'll end up having to cancel a couple because of scheduling conflicts.

I would talk to your advisor. Better to concentrate on a reasonable number than to go to so many and be incredibly burnt out at the end. My 2 cents.

Agreed. I read this paper and it appears that as long as you rank somewhere between 9-11 you have a 90% chance of matching with no added benefit from ranking more than 11. I believe that's what I read 😎

 

[ophthope]

Agreed. I read this paper and it appears that as long as you rank somewhere between 9-11 you have a 90% chance of matching with no added benefit from ranking more than 11. I believe that's what I read 😎

I read that too, but then I've met people who ranked at their #12 program. So for some people ranking 11 means not matching and ranking 12 means matching. Which is scary.

I've got 13 scheduled right now, cancelled a few others. I'm thankful to have so many for sure. It is really tiring though.

 

[Member111111]

thanks ophthope..thats really helpful..i had a feeling there were people out there who matched below 10..it is good to know because it ALMOST helps to validate the amount of money i am about to spend on these interviews..it is better to be safe than sorry..

 

[airplanes]

For the curious, I'll leave the article here

If you look at figure 5 which depicts # of programs ranked vs. probability of match success, there is marginal benefit from 10 to 12 at which point, it is essentially 98 or 99%. So yes, given the numbers, there are some people that NEED that 12th program, but the likelihood of that is rather rare.

 

[MR1]

Doing more than 15 is nuts. You will be tired and burned out and it will show. I did 12 and could not have done any more. People I know that did 15 regretted it and the couple I knew that got near 20 said it was a waste. Give some of those up in my opinion.

 

[runamok]

10 invites, lost 1 because I didn't respond quickly enough and interview spots filled up and I got booted to the waitlist :/ Definitely telling next year's applicants to keep their phones handy at all times.

 

[ophthope]

10 invites, lost 1 because I didn't respond quickly enough and interview spots filled up and I got booted to the waitlist :/ Definitely telling next year's applicants to keep their phones handy at all times.

I responded almost exactly 20 minutes after I got one invitation... and the spots had filled and I was placed on a waitlist. If you're applying to ophthalmology a smartphone with push notification email enabled is pretty much a necessity.

Doing more than 15 is nuts. You will be tired and burned out and it will show. I did 12 and could not have done any more. People I know that did 15 regretted it and the couple I knew that got near 20 said it was a waste. Give some of those up in my opinion.

Yeah but that was 5 years ago! It's application escalation. If we can't figure out how to stop it then 5 years from now people might be applying to 100 programs on average and going on 30 interviews.

 

[medstudent1988]

With the expansion of medical schools and enrollment competition for the top specialties is going to be absolutely nuts in ten or so years.

That being said, and this being SDN, clearly most people are not going on 15 or even 12 interviews. If it follows a bell curve the majority of individuals will likely to somewhere in the 8-11... If 10+ virtually guarantees a match then a risk-tolerant individual should be fairly safe with 7-8, especially if they received more offers but pared down their list.

 

[oogamous]

Applied to 2 programs. Got zero Interviews so far. :-(

 

[0phthalmologist]

Ur screwed

 

[ophthope]

Applied to 2 programs. Got zero Interviews so far. :-(

Two programs? I'm sorry, someone must have given you very bad advice. If you decide to try again I'd switch mentors because no one who is savvy about the match would tell you that applying to 2 was a good idea. Seriously sorry, man (or woman). Don't be discouraged, try again!

 

[oogamous]

I thought my resume was good enough to clinch atleast one interview.

Is there a remote chance that a second wave of interviews may be on its way?

 

[0phthalmologist]

I thought my resume was good enough to clinch atleast one interview.

Is there a remote chance that a second wave of interviews may be on its way?

I really hope youre trolling or else I feel really sorry for you.

 

[oogamous]

I am not trolling. I guess I was overconfident. Totally Humbled Now.

 

[Svmophtho]

i'm a bit worried. got 19 invites but because of overlaps can only make it to 14 interviews. i feel like dropping 5 interviews is a big drop! anyone have any advice on this?

also, i'm running into conflicts of not being able to attend cocktail hours/receptions for interviews bc of having to leave for another interview. how much of a difference does it make to attend those?

 

[airplanes]

i'm a bit worried. got 19 invites but because of overlaps can only make it to 14 interviews. i feel like dropping 5 interviews is a big drop! anyone have any advice on this?

also, i'm running into conflicts of not being able to attend cocktail hours/receptions for interviews bc of having to leave for another interview. how much of a difference does it make to attend those?

Why are you worried about the # you had to drop? 14 Is a great number.

From Above...

Doing more than 15 is nuts. You will be tired and burned out and it will show. I did 12 and could not have done any more. People I know that did 15 regretted it and the couple I knew that got near 20 said it was a waste. Give some of those up in my opinion.

 

[iloveeyes]

Anyone else getting tired of airports and flight delays and long lines to get a cab? I think we're once again approaching one of those popular interview weekends when people have back to back interviews! Phew! Good luck to us all! I've had a ton of fun meeting fellow interviewees on the trail and can't wait to work with you guys!