how many interviews

[lonelywolf]

Just a rough estimate, and I know it is just an average, how many interviews does an applicant get?

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[abu barney]

Just a rough estimate, and I know it is just an average, how many interviews does an applicant get?

You shouldn't need more than 10, otherwise you're wasting your time/money. The number of invitations that you get is a function of the competitiveness of your application, the competitiveness of the programs you've applied to, and the number of programs you've applied to. I got 8 interviews, went to 6, matched at 3/6... I'm happy.

 

[lonelywolf]

for a IM program, usually interview # to position # is 10:1. That means you have 10% ( or slightly more) to get matched if you get interview. looks like 10 interviews will add your 10% to 100% meaning one may likely find a match from 10 inerviews. That make senses.

I am IMG, situation may be very different for me.

 

[mig26x]

I dont know why I am so nervous and anxious!!!! LOL.

How many programs do people apply to in IM?

 

[ThinkFast007]

I dont know why I am so nervous and anxious!!!! LOL.

How many programs do people apply to in IM?

i believe 10 is good enough....but hey that's hearsay

 

[Fermi]

I dont know why I am so nervous and anxious!!!! LOL.
How many programs do people apply to in IM?

I think the national average is around 12 applications for IM, which is basically in agreement with what others have written here. I just applied to 19 including some quite competetive programs. Ideally I would get 10-12 interviews from this and rank 9-10 programs. I don't know whether or not this is an appropriate strategy, I'll just have to see.

 

[ucla2usc]

for a IM program, usually interview # to position # is 10:1. That means you have 10% ( or slightly more) to get matched if you get interview. looks like 10 interviews will add your 10% to 100% meaning one may likely find a match from 10 inerviews. That make senses.

I am IMG, situation may be very different for me.

if they inteview 10:1 then you have much better than 10% chance of matching if you interview there because the IM program's rank list will be alot longer than their number of spots...every IM program (even MGH) will lose people it ranks to other programs...I bet your chances of matching after an interview can be as high as 50% depending on the program.

and yes...10 interviews is the "magic number" from what I hear.

 

[Zolpidem25]

I think the national average is around 12 applications for IM, which is basically in agreement with what others have written here. I just applied to 19 including some quite competetive programs. Ideally I would get 10-12 interviews from this and rank 9-10 programs. I don't know whether or not this is an appropriate strategy, I'll just have to see.

lets say that you feel like you are a pretty competitive applicant (ie: 240s, AOA etc.), and that you are interested in going to a top-notch, competitive place. In that case -- wouldn't it make more sense to apply to like 30+ programs, as opposed to say 15? because everyone applying to those upper echelon places has good scores and stuff. in other words, doesn't it sort of become a crap-shoot at the really top places? if one were to apply to the very top 15 IM programs in the country, how would that be any different than someone who is doing Ortho, and applies to 45 places?

the way I see it, so long as you have the money to pay the application fee, more is better, especially if you're aiming high. maybe my logic is flawed though... guess we'll find out soon enough.

 

[madcadaver]

the way I see it, so long as you have the money to pay the application fee, more is better, especially if you're aiming high. maybe my logic is flawed though... guess we'll find out soon enough.

Cool, let us know how you feel about this plan after your 30th interview.

You will soon find out that travelling to and going through the motions at interviews gets really old after just a few.

 

[Zolpidem25]

Cool, let us know how you feel about this plan after your 30th interview.

You will soon find out that travelling to and going through the motions at interviews gets really old after just a few.

No, no... i am not talking about INTERVIEWING at 30 programs... that would be ludacris, i don't think its even physiologically possible! i said APPLY to 30 programs. many of them will not even grant me an interview. and of those that do, i can then narrow it down further from there... i just want to maximize my chances because i know a lot of the elite places might not even offer me an interview...

whatever though -- it's only money....

 

[madcadaver]

No, no... i am not talking about INTERVIEWING at 30 programs... that would be ludacris, i don't think its even physiologically possible! i said APPLY to 30 programs. many of them will not even grant me an interview. and of those that do, i can then narrow it down further from there... i just want to maximize my chances because i know a lot of the elite places might not even offer me an interview...

whatever though -- it's only money....

Your post suggested you were a top notch applicant. AOA and 240+ Step I will get you an interview at just about any internal medicine program, even if your LORs describe you as a sociopathic serial killing *****. There are obviously a few exceptions but you will be in the running.

Why would your apply anywhere at which you would not definitely be interested in interviewing ("many of them will not even grant me an interview. and of those that do, i can then narrow it down further from there")?? That makes no sense.

 

[Roadrunner]

What I've heard from current residents is that if you apply to programs that are on your level (i.e. Univ of Colorado if you're an upper average student and not Hopkinds) then you should expect to get interviews at 60-70% of the programs you apply to. Just rough numbers--remember this is highly variable depending on how strong an applicant you are.