Need interview advice

[TreeOfLife]

Hey all...I've been out on the interview trail. Did my first two interviews recently. I was very dissapointed however because with both interviews, I wasn't on the schedule to meet with the Program Director or the Chairman...just a few attendings and/or a resident. I noticed in both situations however that some of the interviewees in the group were scheduled to meet with them. I'm starting to feel a bit "left out".

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?

For those of you who know the inside scoop...I'd sure be happy to have some insight. This is my second season on the interview trail and I surely do not want my travels this year to amount to nothing. I can't really imagine that they would actually have an applicant that they are not really interested in travel across the country to interview for no reason. I am thinking that they ask the attendings to give a head's up on those candidates that are worth meeting with the PD during that day and if not, they don't bother???

And, on the other hand--perhaps I am just being paranoid?

I need to maximize all of my opportunities here. Any advice you have, I would love.

Thanks all.

 

[rehab_sports_dr]

> 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

 

[avatar]

Hey all...I've been out on the interview trail. Did my first two interviews recently. I was very dissapointed however because with both interviews, I wasn't on the schedule to meet with the Program Director or the Chairman...just a few attendings and/or a resident. I noticed in both situations however that some of the interviewees in the group were scheduled to meet with them. I'm starting to feel a bit "left out".

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?

For those of you who know the inside scoop...I'd sure be happy to have some insight. This is my second season on the interview trail and I surely do not want my travels this year to amount to nothing. I can't really imagine that they would actually have an applicant that they are not really interested in travel across the country to interview for no reason. I am thinking that they ask the attendings to give a head's up on those candidates that are worth meeting with the PD during that day and if not, they don't bother???

And, on the other hand--perhaps I am just being paranoid?

I need to maximize all of my opportunities here. Any advice you have, I would love.

Thanks all.

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.

 

[axm397]

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.