Peace corps and interviews

[TJ995]

Hi SDN,
I'm currently serving in the peace corps (1 year in), and applying for the 2020 admittance cycle. I've got medium stats (519 MCAT, 3.4SGPA) but plenty of clinical experience. I'm in a bit of a strange situation interview wise- my service isn't over until February 2020, and I have been told that interviews may range from September 2019 to March 2020. So far, I've worked out a deal with my country director (boss) to allow me to be in the US for September and October of 2019, but it will be nearly impossible to stretch that any further. I plan on submitting everything as early as humanly possible, but here's my question: will all that be enough for schools to be able to schedule interviews with me within that window? Note- I will be applying to MD schools only.
As always, thank you in advance for your help and advice.
-TJ

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[precisiongraphic]

Hi SDN,
I'm currently serving in the peace corps (1 year in), and applying for the 2020 admittance cycle. I've got medium stats (519 MCAT, 3.4SGPA) but plenty of clinical experience. I'm in a bit of a strange situation interview wise- my service isn't over until February 2020, and I have been told that interviews may range from September 2019 to March 2020. So far, I've worked out a deal with my country director (boss) to allow me to be in the US for September and October of 2019, but it will be nearly impossible to stretch that any further. I plan on submitting everything as early as humanly possible, but here's my question: will all that be enough for schools to be able to schedule interviews with me within that window? Note- I will be applying to MD schools only.
As always, thank you in advance for your help and advice.
-TJ

No I don't think that's possible, sorry to say. Only superstars get most/a lot of their interview invitations early in August and September and October and even those that do are often not able to get the interviews scheduled until November or December. Many applicants get interview requests in January and February.

A better strategy would be to wait until you get interview requests (II or interview invitations) and then try to schedule time off. But some schools are very inflexible as to dates (that is, they give you a date and are unhappy if you try to change the date). It's possible that calling and saying you're in the Peace Corps might get you more flexibility.

You may want to advocate for one month, say December, once you get some IIs and then another month like January or February. But really limiting yourself to only September and October or October and November for example may keep you from being able to attend or to get acceptances.

 

[vrazzles]

No I don't think that's possible, sorry to say. Only superstars get most/a lot of their interview invitations early in August and September and October and even those that do are often not able to get the interviews scheduled until November or December. Many applicants get interview requests in January and February.

A better strategy would be to wait until you get interview requests (II or interview invitations) and then try to schedule time off. But some schools are very inflexible as to dates (that is, they give you a date and are unhappy if you try to change the date). It's possible that calling and saying you're in the Peace Corps might get you more flexibility.

You may want to advocate for one month, say December, once you get some IIs and then another month like January or February. But really limiting yourself to only September and October or October and November for example may keep you from being able to attend or to get acceptances.

I wouldn't do it.

Even if your CD is a super nice guy and lets you go over the 45 day vacation allotment, you are still disadvantaging yourself by asking schools to interview you in such a narrow time frame. I'm assuming your MCAT will expire at a ton of schools if you don't do this though. Tough situation.