In person interviews getting cancelled due to COVID19?

[Elach]

Anyone applying for fellowship right now getting emails about cancelling in-person interviews due to the virus?

I know a couple of transplant and a plastic surgery spots are offering Skype-type interviews instead because of it.

Wondering if more programs and specialties will follow. If that's the case, maybe their match should be postponed for X weeks/months if it's a PGY4 match anyway. Will be difficult for me to take a program seriously, regardless of prestige and numbers, if I don't get to see them in person.

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[mikeGR]

I heard of an MIS program doing the same. We haven't decided how we will proceed with interviews. In light of all the recommendations and statements from organizations (including CDC, ACS, etc), I personally think that many (?most) in-person interviews are likely to be replaced with online interviews. I believe some Canadian programs were moving towards this direction anyway (regardless of covid19) due to the environmental footprint of all interview-related travel as well as the financial impact on the applicants.

 

[MediCane2006]

ABS just cancelled the oral boards....

 

[Dr.LeoSpaceman]

Wow. While I understand the move, annoying as hell for those it impacts.

 

[MediCane2006]

Wow. While I understand the move, annoying as hell for those it impacts.

I can’t even imagine. I would be livid. Understandable though, a lot of institutions now have travel restrictions

 

[Dr.LeoSpaceman]

I can’t even imagine. I would be livid. Understandable though, a lot of institutions now have travel restrictions

They made the obvious move to not have it count against a person's attempts. They more considerate move would have been to double up on the next date and offer those who were canceled with the option to take it in June.

 

[TypeADissection]

Our institution did our last in person interviews for the season one week before the travel ban came down. If so then we would've had to resort to skype like some of the NYC programs have had to do. It is what it is at this point. Inconvenient and less than ideal but these are the times we live in at the moment. Stay safe everyone and good luck with the match. Cheers.

 

[Dr.LeoSpaceman]

Our institution did our last in person interviews for the season one week before the travel ban came down. If so then we would've had to resort to skype like some of the NYC programs have had to do. It is what it is at this point. Inconvenient and less than ideal but these are the times we live in at the moment. Stay safe everyone and good luck with the match. Cheers.

If anything, I wonder if it's going to show people you don't really need in person interviews. I think there are certainly advantages, but are they worth the marginal expense (in time, money, etc) for both programs and candidates? Do we end up with a hybrid system using rounds of interviews like most other industries? I can see definite advantages in that approach.

 

[The wise one]

Sorry to hear.... I had it with this virus. I went shopping after quaratining myself for 1 week, but God, it felt like soviet Russia. I had to stand in line to buy food????