Not invited to second look

[MrDocMD]

Allow me to be neurotic for a moment. I know that it doesn't matter if a candidate goes for a second look or not, but what if the candidate isn't invited to go?

I kept in touch with someone I met on the interview trail and found out this weekend that my #1 choice had a second look. I wasn't invited. Just out of curiosity, how many people are usually invited for second looks? Is it just the top-tier candidates or is it usually anyone the program ranks? I'm basically asking if it's common to match somewhere that didn't invite you to their second look (for the ones that offer them)?

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[Psychotic]

I realize you are asking how this affects your chances of matching, but with rank lists due in 2 days, that is a moot point. The only question that you should ask yourself is why would this affect how you rank a program anyway? Your #1 should be your #1 whether you were invited to a second look or not.

I have read that my #1 has made phone calls to some people (well, at least one person who is reporting it on sdn), telling them they are ranked highly; I did not get any such phone call from that program or any other programs. It makes no difference to me in how I rank this or any other program. Zero difference. And the only thing any of us control at this point is OUR rank list. Focus on what you control, and don't second guess yourself by speculating how this affects your chances at a particular program.

And I seriously doubt it materially affects my chance of matching at my #1, but of course I will have no proof of that until Match Day.

 

[SouthernSurgeon]

1) I'm sure it happens in some fields that I'm just not aware of, but I've not heard of programs having an organized "Second Look" a la med schools. Some schools are more welcoming/inviting of second looks than others, and I've definitely heard of programs calling people and offering them. But at the same time, the VAST majority of second look visits are organized at the impetus of the applicant. So I'd be careful about drawing any conclusions from secondhand/hearsay information when you don't have the complete picture.

2) As psychotic said above...who cares? Maybe they only invite their top ten candidates and you are number 11. You liked the program. Rank it based on that. Don't worry about all these petty things like email love letters or phone calls. Maybe you match there, maybe you don't.

 

[Psychotic]

.

 

[SouthernSurgeon]

One psych program I interviewed at held a multi day revisit, at applicant expense, in late January. I did not bother to attend, and when I notified them I would not be there, the tone of their reply was pretty odd (almost like you really REALLY should come...PLEASE COME). Frankly turned me off a bit.

Someone on another thread said another psych program (UF?) held one for selected applicants and paid for transportation and hotel. But to your point, I am not that aware of many programs in psychiatry holding revisits. Who the heck has the money, time and energy to go to one of those anyway? I was frazzled at the end by the travel for interviews, wasn't getting on another plane or train for any program.

Good to know. I still wouldn't change my advice though...

 

[Substance]

Allow me to be neurotic for a moment. I know that it doesn't matter if a candidate goes for a second look or not, but what if the candidate isn't invited to go?

I kept in touch with someone I met on the interview trail and found out this weekend that my #1 choice had a second look. I wasn't invited. Just out of curiosity, how many people are usually invited for second looks? Is it just the top-tier candidates or is it usually anyone the program ranks? I'm basically asking if it's common to match somewhere that didn't invite you to their second look (for the ones that offer them)?

I've never heard of anyone being invited for a second look. Your interview trail pal probably went for his own purposes (to suck up) and at his own expense.

 

[MrDocMD]

I've never heard of anyone being invited for a second look. Your interview trail pal probably went for his own purposes (to suck up) and at his own expense.

It happens. Just do a search on second looks here on SDN and you'll see that second-look invites DO happen.

Thank you guys for your posts. I wasn't planning on changing my rank list. I already certified last week and don't plan to revisit it. It's just that it was my #1 program and it's a little disheartening to hear that others got a second look invite. I can only hope they still ranked me highly, even if I'm not in their top tier. I mainly just wanted to know if programs invite everyone on their rank list to a second look. But I guess that's program dependent.

 

[shenanigi]

I've never heard of anyone being invited for a second look. Your interview trail pal probably went for his own purposes (to suck up) and at his own expense.

I was invited to two. They happen.

 

[organdonor]

I think the existence of second looks must be specialty dependent. 6 out of 8 family medicine programs I applied to had organized second look parties, I went to all of them that didn't require >1 hr travel time. One was at a zoo and another was at an NHL game!

 

[shenanigi]

I think the existence of second looks must be specialty dependent. 6 out of 8 family medicine programs I applied to had organized second look parties, I went to all of them that didn't require >1 hr travel time. One was at a zoo and another was at an NHL game!

I'll add that I'm going for EM

 

[shiftingmirage]

I was invited to one for IM, received an email with a list of a few dates to pick from. There were probably 12 or so of us there that day.

 

[foodle]

I was not invited for any second looks, but I don't think it's prevalent in my specialty.

If you weren't invited by your #1, it might be a slight indication that you're not super high on their rank list, but at this point who cares?

Rank in order of your preference irrespective of where you think you are on their ROL. Good programs run down their ROL by anywhere from 2-5x their number of slots, so even if you are not in the top of the list, you have a reasonable chance of matching.

 

[Law2Doc]

It's irrelevant at this point, but many programs/fields don't do second looks unless you specifically request one. It's a pain for programs to organize formal interview days let alone do another couple dozen informal ones for people who are still on the fence. Programs won't ever say no, but normally it's a courtesy they'd rather have very few (or no) people take them up on.

 

[Euthymia]

I kept in touch with someone I met on the interview trail and found out this weekend that my #1 choice had a second look. I wasn't invited.

I am in the same situation. I received zero second looks. My friend, who interviewed at many of the same programs, got several invitations. I'm worried that this means that they didn't rank me.

 

[peppy]

My residency program allows applicants to come back for a second look if they want to, but we don't have any sort of organized second look. It's more like, "If you still need more info about our program, feel free to come back and check it out some more" but nobody notices or cares if you choose not to do one. While making an exceptionally good or bad impression at the second look might change your rank, for the average person it would not matter at all. We certainly did not rank people that we otherwise liked lower because they didn't ask to have a second look.

If a program is saying/implying that coming to their second look is mandatory, then I would take that as a sign the program is being run by people who are either very narcissistic or who have very little empathy regarding how stressful and expensive the interview process already is.

 

[551151]

@peppy some people have "second look parties" which are towards the end of the season and preferred candidates are invited. This is just part of the programs recruitment proccess.