Agree with all the above. You can prematch. I've written about this in other threads but prematching has it's pros and cons.
1-if you prematch, you might be cutting off opportunities to see other programs.
2-if you prematch, you could be cutting short a process that could be very trying, or enlightening, depending on how your interview process goes.
3-the interview process for many is extremely expensive, time-consuming, and stressful. A prematch could get rid of all these woes.
I was offered a few prematches and I'm glad I didn't take any of them. I was too green at the time to know what I could've been missing out on. It worked out for me, but for others, prematching may be the way to go.
I will say if you prematch, fight the urge to sign the paper and think about it. Most medstudents are in a position where after years of self-denial, it's nice to have someone want you to join them very quickly. That urge could knock your senses a bit.
You really have to weigh everything-e.g. the strength of the program (how will you know unless you see other programs?), the pay (base salary, moonlighting opportunities), the atmosphere of the program, etc.
Otherwise, the timing of the interview in relation to the season may matter per program, but it likely differs with each program. Some programs I've seen want to see the people they like best first. Others don't have any particular order to the timing. IF you see them at the end of the season, you could make a stronger mark on their memory. In others, the program already has it's mind set on who it'll pick even before the last set of people come it.
Bottom line: it could matter, but there's no way you'll know unless you have insider information, so just focus on being calm, confident and having a good interview day.
I've sat through 3 program directors in my program. Each one had a very different style.
