Need interview advice

> I am wondering if there is some politics here with regard to which applicants get put on the schedule to meet with the "big guns"? Do programs look at applicants coming to an interview, rank the most competitive applications and then place them to meet with the PD and perhaps the less competitive ones meet with the various other attendings?

I cannot speak definitively, but I think the assignment is largely random. I wouldn't get upset if you didn't meet with either the chair or the program director.

Keep in mind that you may not have any idea who the most important faculty are. It is only in retrospect that I realized what a big deal my interviewers were at the various places (e.g., they may be fellowship directors, run the medical student clerkship, etc). So I wouldn't be dismissive of faculty just because they aren't the PD or chair

 

i've only been on 2 interviews so far. On one, the PD made a point to meet with everyone. At the other, you were more than welcome to talk to the PD for a few minutes if you were not lucky enough to have an interview with them. I think if you want to make sure u meet the PD, it is more than acceptable to go up to him/her at the end of the day.

 

Depends on program I think...

I did NOT meet with PDs at all the programs. Some times they were out of town, other times I was no assigned to them for interviews. I don't think it makes that big of a difference. If you are confident in your personality it may make sense to butt kiss at the end but a simple thank you card thanking him/her for the opportunity to interview at his/her program should suffice in getting his/her attention.

Some programs had 10+ interviewees per day and it would have been impossible for the PD to meet with each and every one of them. (UPenn for example...) Other programs require an interview with the PD (like RIC). I wouldn't worry about it.