Need to cancel interviews -- opinion

[yayayaya]

Dear Ophtho Friends,

I need to cancel some interviews, but I'm afraid I'm very naive and dumb about the whole process.

These are the ones I am planning on canceling, if anyone has any opinion about these programs please let me know? Am I making a big mistake canceling any of these?

I really don't know much about how good/bad a program is...


Thank you.

1. NYMC (valhalla)
2. St vincents
3. Temple
4. Penn State
5. UMDNJ
6. Sinai (baltimore)
7. Indiana

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[4424]

7 interviews is a lot to cancel. why are you canceling them? because of conflicts with other interviews on the same day? if not, i think it's in everyone's best interest to go to as many interviews as possible. i dont know what you are comparing those 7 interview to, where else are you interviewing? it's also a good idea to have a diverse rank list (i.e. have a mix of upper, middle and lower tier programs). i dont know about some of the programs u have listed but sinai, umdnj and penn state are decent programs. some more information may be helpful.

 

[yayayaya]

I have >20 interviews, with a good mixture of safety and reach schools. I am canceling because of time constraints and also, I think it's physically impossible to do >15-18 interviews.

 

[ttuhscaggie]

Why would it be impossible? I went to > 30 interviews.

 

[MAYOphtho]

Why would it be impossible? I went to > 30 interviews.

I'm impressed you were able to schedule that many since so many programs have overlapping interview days...but I think their bigger point is that it's REALLY expensive to be going to >20 programs if you have no interest in training at some of them...and it isnt really worth the time and money, but i'm just guessing here

I cancelled plenty of interviews at programs later on either because of conflicts of dates or I just didnt want to train there when I sat down to think about it....

 

[4424]

I have >20 interviews, with a good mixture of safety and reach schools. I am canceling because of time constraints and also, I think it's physically impossible to do >15-18 interviews.

oh ok that gives us some more information! again i'm not sure what other programs u are interviewing at but i think umdnj, penn st and sinai are good programs. i dont know much about the others. but location might matter to you as well. penn st is in hershey, pa vs sinai in baltimore..slightly different environments

 

[toulouselautrec]

I agree with 4424, you should try to go to as many as possible. Going to >20 is difficult, but if you're not restricted by time or finances then you're only restricted by your own energy level, so to speak.

Of those 7, I would put Indiana, Penn State, UMDNJ at higher priority. None of these 3 programs are in particularly desirable locations but IMO you should consider your quality of training and potential surgical volume over location if you have no personal restraints on geography. With the above 3, you'll get high surgical volume and excellent training.

At the other 4, I think you would get good to very good training, although I'm not sure I would say "excellent."

And of course...the major determining factor in what makes your training "excellent" at any program is yourself, and how motivated you are to do and learn things on your own.