More Interviews Versus Second Looks

[anestheticman]

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So, I only have 3 days free in which I would be able to do some more back-up interviews or second looks during weekdays after I return from my last run of interviews next week...

I know people keep saying the second looks aren't important but if I want to really guarantee that I match somewhere (I've been told that I am "in danger" of not matching based on my credentials) is it better to throw in more backups/ places I am not familiar with geographically or do 3 second looks at my top choices even if it means spending another 1000 dollars on planes and hotels?

So far I have done 17 anesthesia interviews, about 4 I will definitely not rank due to not being compatible with my lifestyle and a few are not necessarily the most solid programs even though I like the locations so really I only have 10 excellent choices or so.... and I have 11 more interviews scheduled.

Not sure what to do. I really don't want to or need to do a second look at a place to decide where to rank it but I need to match somewhere!

 

[halflife94]

28 interviews seems like an awful lot

 

[Pilot Doc]

If you have any concern at all about not matching, you should do more interviews and not even consider 2nd looks. I happen to think they're worthless, but in this case, even if they were good, they're demonstrably hurting you. Presumably you think any adequate program is better than not matching. 2nd looks aren't going to help you match, more interviews will.

Now ... looking at the NRMP data, almost no one who ranks 13 programs doesn't match. I don't know that you need to do anymore.

 

[anestheticman]

Well the problem is only 9-10 of the programs on my interview list are locations that I would surely be happy with and those programs are much more competitive. Then its a sea of other options in cities I am visiting once for < 24 hrs where I don't know a soul. Its hard to decide what I would prefer. Location in a diverse metropolitan area is super important to me, or I could end up pretty unhappy and depressed.

I'm pretty sure I am nuts for doing so many interviews but if I don't rank the ones I am not considering I think I am playing fair. And I am being honest with the programs.

 

[PropoTAL]

How can you be in danger of not matching if you have received 28 anesth interviews? Your credentials can't be that bad if you have gotten all those invites.

 

[amyl]

did you release your step two or are you just going with step one?

 

[Gern Blansten]

How can you be in danger of not matching if you have received 28 anesth interviews? Your credentials can't be that bad if you have gotten all those invites.

I agree with this. It may be that you are actually a competitive candidate who applied to so many programs that you were rejected by some. But if you have that many interviews, your credentials must be better than you think. I suspect there are quite a few out there who would kill to have a fourth of the interviews you have.
Good luck!

 

[anestheticman]

I know I have a good application and will match somewhere but just to give you some perspective I received interview offers at < 1/2 of the places I applied and I only have a few "top tier" interviews. Again, my question is about doing say 3 second looks versus more interviews. Either way, I am very picky about locations so I will be checking out a larger number of places than I need to. I'm also picky about the program as we all should be, many are not well known and or on probation of some sort. I'd rather not go into why some faculty have told me that I may not match... but so far it seems like a non-issue.

I released Step 2 immediately. FYI, I heard from a fellow student that two residency coordinators were on the phone discussing why he had not released his Step 2 score. So, lesson is they know if you haven't released it and do gossip about it apparently. I think the best thing to do is release it immediately and be honest/forthright about whatever score you received.

 

[amyl]

i just took step two and am hoping for the best but realistically i was trying to study while on a rotation -- so that meant nights and weekends and that was it. i guess i will wait to see how bad/good it is before i decide to release the scores or not. UW predicted mid 220s....but who knows how the actual thing goes.... the waiting is the hardest part....

 

[anestheticman]

Seems like there is no advantage in not releasing the score.

 

[mcfreak]

I know I have a good application and will match somewhere but just to give you some perspective I received interview offers at < 1/2 of the places I applied and I only have a few "top tier" interviews. Again, my question is about doing say 3 second looks versus more interviews. Either way, I am very picky about locations so I will be checking out a larger number of places than I need to. I'm also picky about the program as we all should be, many are not well known and or on probation of some sort. I'd rather not go into why some faculty have told me that I may not match... but so far it seems like a non-issue.

Well it seems that the faculty were very wrong.😀 Statistically you already have all the interviews you need, and you only need about 10 ranked to match.
If it was me, I would do the 2nd look at my top programs.

 

[amyl]

Seems like there is no advantage in not releasing the score.

really?!?!?! if it goes down from step one i think it is better not to release it. am i wrong?