Interviewing with Programs in the Same City/Metro

[LMarie_MD2b]

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I like the idea of acknowledging an interview invitation, showing enthusiasm for the institution, and saying you definitely want to interview at Program X. So far, I have had luck with being able to schedule right away. However, I am starting to get invites from programs that co-exist in a city with other programs from whom I have not yet heard.

How long can one hedge scheduling an interview while waiting to see when other program(s) in the same city are holding interviews?? Is it a huge faux pas to ask to pencil something in, then possibly change it based on future invites to other programs??? Or should I just bite the bullet, schedule Program X, and try to fit Program Y in on the same trip?

I've been told one can call the neighboring programs and let them know you'll be in town, but that seems forward to me. Any suggestions, strategies, or success stories from previous applicants? Thanks

 

[oakream]

I would like to second those questions.

 

[HumbleMD]

I like the idea of acknowledging an interview invitation, showing enthusiasm for the institution, and saying you definitely want to interview at Program X. So far, I have had luck with being able to schedule right away. However, I am starting to get invites from programs that co-exist in a city with other programs from whom I have not yet heard.

How long can one hedge scheduling an interview while waiting to see when other program(s) in the same city are holding interviews?? Is it a huge faux pas to ask to pencil something in, then possibly change it based on future invites to other programs??? Or should I just bite the bullet, schedule Program X, and try to fit Program Y in on the same trip?

I've been told one can call the neighboring programs and let them know you'll be in town, but that seems forward to me. Any suggestions, strategies, or success stories from previous applicants? Thanks

What program are you interviewing for? I'm in OBGYN, and programs tend to have very few interview days (2-4), so hoping for overlaps isn't much of an option. I've been checking on program websites and charting out those that have announced their interview on a big calendar. Scheduling interviews then becomes a juggling act of avoiding choosing a date that wouldn't allow me to interview somewhere else, while at the same time trying to be "near" a date for a possible program in another city.

I think it's less about trying to show enthusiasm by responding promptly, and more about the fact that interview dates fill up fast.

Sorry I can't help about the phonecall stuff.

 

[LMarie_MD2b]

I'm applying to Pathology, so I don't think I'm up against the same level of applicant competition and/or slim interview date options that Humble is dealing with in OB/GYN.

Ultimately, I ended up e-mailing the program coordinator at the program I haven't heard from, just to get the days of the week and the duration of their interview season, explaining that I'm trying to stick to a budget and travel to their city just once (and because I checked their website first, and it isn't published information). She simply emailed me back and answered my question. A friend of mine who is an EM resident at Iowa said that programs expect questions like this, and not to stress too much about it.

I'm scheduling my for-sure interview in such a way that the other program has 2 other days that week that I could potentially visit.

 

[caprisun]

Great question. Wondering if anyone else can corroborate this story. Especially for those applying to programs + several prelim/TY spots in the same cities.