Interpretation for timing of residency interview invite

[studentxx8800]

A lot of people on SDN told me that programs can send out invitations in waves. If a program has already sent out the first wave interview invites and you didn't get it then assuming later down the road you do get one, would this be an indication that you were not their preferred pick in the first place since you miss the initial wave of invitation. I was just curious about this and obviously, this can be a totally wrong and simplistic idea but from an applicant perspective, this thought often pop up in my mind. Just want to see what everyone thinks about this

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[y123]

Depends on the region and specialty of the residency.
For example, non-competitive residencies in non-desirable locations tend to invite people that are more likely to come/stay first (in state applicants/people who did away).

 

[differentiating]

In the end, it doesn’t really matter; you should rank them based on your preference. But I think it’s hard to know either way.

 

[operaman]

Makes zero difference. Even in a highly competitive field at top programs, I have friends who were not offered an interview at all, got their mentors to make calls, got an interview after asking, and matched to that program.

If you get an interview, you’re in the game. Period.

 

[GoSpursGo]

You'll drive yourself nuts trying to imagine meaning from events that are ultimately probably just random. Maybe they sent invites after the first 100 applications they reviewed, and your app was the 101st on their desk. Maybe there is some deeper meaning.

Regardless, don't worry about it.

 

[Nestsiarovich]

I have applied to 90 programs and have 0 interviews(((
IMG, graduation year 2011, Step 1 - 216, Step 2 CK - 219, still waiting for my Step 2 CS results so I do not have ECFMG certificate yet...is any of these factors particularly responsible for such a failure?

 

[watermelon master]

I have applied to 90 programs and have 0 interviews(((
IMG, graduation year 2011, Step 1 - 216, Step 2 CK - 219, still waiting for my Step 2 CS results so I do not have ECFMG certificate yet...is any of these factors particularly responsible for such a failure?

Low step 1 and 2 scores and no cs and no certificate. Each one of those is a red flag

 

[studentdocftw]

I have applied to 90 programs and have 0 interviews(((
IMG, graduation year 2011, Step 1 - 216, Step 2 CK - 219, still waiting for my Step 2 CS results so I do not have ECFMG certificate yet...is any of these factors particularly responsible for such a failure?

Specialty? Got to be brutally honest, your application is full of red flags..the biggest being YoG (most programs wont even consider your app based off that alone). Add in very low board scores..and it will be difficult to match.

 

[Frazier]

Doesnt matter. Especially this early. My program had a ton of apps with 3 different folks doing initial filter for II's. Divided by alphabet. They work at different speeds.

So even though you're last name might start with H ("oh my app def got reviewed... this other guy from my class whose name starts with a J got invited"... there is real chance your app hasn't even been seen yet, or some other random scenario is playing out.)

If you get an invite before the end of the season: they are interested. You might match there.

 

[sella.turcica]

Any new insight into this?

 

[Banco]

Any new insight into this?

I mean, it's most likely program dependent and pure speculation. I don't think this can be generalized.

Could be that some programs wait to read all applications and send invites, could be that some programs are rolling or in waves. Could be that some auto-filter for high step 1/region/medical school and send invites and then go through the rest of the list. It's hard to draw a conclusion, because relatively few programs are candid about this.

 

[deleted645092]

Since I’ve thought about this before and how I’d do it, I’ll give my two cents. Granted, I’m applying right now and acknowledge it really doesn’t make a difference since as everyone else has said, if you get an interview you’re in the “top” 10-15% of applicants for that particular program. And when I say top I mean by their specific criteria, not necessarily on paper.

I’d probably start with my home students and students that did a Sub-I. I figure that’s a given. they’d get the first wave of invites.

after that I’d probably go for either local (Hometown or connections) or people who fit the particular strength/mission of my program. Second wave.

third wave would be non-local who are likely to match There based on whatever Data I have, like known feeder schools or someone who knows a current resident.

fourth would probably be my reaches and safeties. So high performers who aren’t necessarily from the area but also didn't Grow up, go to college, and go to med school on the other side of the country, and for safeties the students who probably didn’t get a bunch of interviews based on objective data but might have a sincere letter of rec.

As for the particular order of sending these out, outside of the first wave I’d probably try and mix them up and send out interviews around the same time so nobody could read too much into how I picked.