Two weeks is really the minimum. I'm a Coordinator. Today is Monday and I have interviews scheduled for this Saturday. Three people canceled on me today, which meant I had to rearrange the interview schedule three times. The problem with that is I gave the faculty interviewers their folders last Friday so they'd have a week to review applications. So today I had to chase them down and give them revised folders and updated schedules, plus cancel hotel reservations, modify catering orders, restaurant accommodations, etc. Things that would not have been finalized last week.
Cancelling is fine, however cancelling at the last minute is not, unless it is for a valid reason (i.e.health, family issues). Not only is it unfair to resident coordinators but it is unfair to your colleagues who may be wait-listed for interviews at that program. If you cancel at the last minute the program or applicant has no chance to fill that spot. If you have an interview you have a chance, so be respectful of your colleagues and do the right thing. Two weeks is sufficient....the day before is not.
I can't reiterate this enough: if you are
reasonably certain that you are not interested in a program and will not be going to an interview, cancel it as soon as possible (i.e. immediately). There is no "proper amount of time" to wait.
Again, I talked about this already (but, just to state again) people are applying to WAY too many programs, and it is becoming a real problem. As someone involved in the interviewing process at my program, I can't begin to tell you how much this inconveniences everyone and wastes their time.
Be realistic about your chances to get good spots. Look at your list of acceptances, when you get them, and honestly ask yourself whether or not you would live in that city and actually do training in that program if you matched. If you can with
reasonable certainty say "no, I'm not really that interested in spending the
next 3 to 4 years of my life in that location", then
do not hesitate. Cancel right away.
I hope to dispell this notion that you have to wait to cancel, that somehow this is more "polite" to the program.
The program doesn't care. If you are not really interested in the program, then they won't want you anyway as you're are likely to become a disgruntled resident if you're not going to be 100% happy there.
What
does piss a program off is someone who waits until the last minute to cancel. You are not only screwing over the program by doing this, but you are also screwing your future colleagues in getting a spot that they may not otherwise have been offered to interview. It is
incredibly hard for people to schedule interviews at the last minute.
Please,
please consider this.
Thanks!
-copro
