Is taking day(s) off from an away rotation to go for an interview a huge no-no? If so, I guess that precludes doing away rotations from October-January?😕
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Interviews during aways?
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It is generally frowned upon but is not a serious infraction, as programs know you need time off for interviews. However, most people who are doing away rotations do them prior to October so that they can get a letter of recommendation for their residency application. If your away rotation is not in a field in which you are applying, then being away for a day or two for an interview is probably not a big deal, IMHO.
It would actually be in the field I'm applying to. As a DO I'm trying to really maximize my aways just to get a foot in the door (competitive field), but only have 2 elective blocks before October. I was thinking of doing a 2-week away starting the middle of November, but maybe not a good idea.
I know of an IM program in FL that doesnt allow externship participants to take time off to go to interviews. They express it in the rules when you apply. Be sure to know the answer to this question at every program you are thinking of doing an away rotation.
A couple points:
October-Jan is not necessarily off-limits. That's 4 months. I'm sure you can do an away, and still leave yourself three months to interview. Three months is a long time. If you're really concerned, do it in Oct. That's pretty early in the interview process. One good thing, especially since you are a DO, is that if you are at the school during the interview period, they are maybe more likely to grant you an interview during that period. This would be especially convenient if the institution is far away from your home, as it would save you another trip. On the Anesthesiology forums, there are more than a couple DOs that did aways early, then got declined for the interview.
When I did my away, I scheduled an interview on a Saturday. I knew it wouldn't interfere with my rotation, but I let them know anyways, so I knew I would get the day off. They didn't seem to care. Another student that month went away twice, once for CS, once I think for another interview. They didn't seem to mind.
Point is, I think you have to feel out the place first. Where I did the away, the doc in charge of the clerkship only had a minor voice with the selection committee. So, I would imagine if the coordinator was cool with letting you go, the important folks on the selection committee may never find out.
Really, I think two weeks in November would be fine. When you get interview invites, they typically give you a date range, so you can easily select something outside that 2-week window.
October-Jan is not necessarily off-limits. That's 4 months. I'm sure you can do an away, and still leave yourself three months to interview. Three months is a long time. If you're really concerned, do it in Oct. That's pretty early in the interview process. One good thing, especially since you are a DO, is that if you are at the school during the interview period, they are maybe more likely to grant you an interview during that period. This would be especially convenient if the institution is far away from your home, as it would save you another trip. On the Anesthesiology forums, there are more than a couple DOs that did aways early, then got declined for the interview.
When I did my away, I scheduled an interview on a Saturday. I knew it wouldn't interfere with my rotation, but I let them know anyways, so I knew I would get the day off. They didn't seem to care. Another student that month went away twice, once for CS, once I think for another interview. They didn't seem to mind.
Point is, I think you have to feel out the place first. Where I did the away, the doc in charge of the clerkship only had a minor voice with the selection committee. So, I would imagine if the coordinator was cool with letting you go, the important folks on the selection committee may never find out.
Really, I think two weeks in November would be fine. When you get interview invites, they typically give you a date range, so you can easily select something outside that 2-week window.
Oh okay, I was under the impression that you were given a date to have an interview with no choice in the matter. Good to know, thanks.
Another option is to do the elective, as noted above, in October (which is early for most interviews), or late December when most interviews don't happen.
What is your field's deadline for application? If you wanted to have a letter of rec submitted frm your away, it would behoove you to do the rotation before the deadline.
