Protocol for turning down an Interview invitation

[justgo]

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Alright, so I have the best of dilemmas.

I am at the point in my interview roster where I need to start thinking of turning down campuses. I have been offered interviews at 5 solid schools, one of which is in my personal "top 5" based on research (and is top 10 otherwise).

I work 2 full time jobs at the moment and while I am very well supported by my employers in this process and they are "100% happy" to let me take off time for interviews, I have a responsibility to my students and to my bacteria.

So, what is the protocol for turning down an interview invite before you initially accept and schedule and/or after you initially accept and schedule? I am tempted to see if I can get out of one of the interviews I have scheduled....politely. I still actually think I will go, but I'd like to know for future.

Also, advice from the pros: What would you say should be my interview acceptance standards from here on out? I was thinking to potentially only accept interviews from my other "personal top 5" schools and aim for a total of 10 interview experiences....Comments? Thanks.

Stats: MCAT 37R
GPA: ~3.85 Overall and Science
Research: 11 years experience (all but 3 full-time)
Publications: 5 indexed, 1 in press, 1 in prep, 2 at the bench (we hope)
Lots of extracurriculars including lots of hospital time, international, and teaching
"Stellar" letters from faculty at multiple campuses/institutes
I think I'm nice enough not to bomb out the interviews and my research is the most important thing in my life, other than my dog and maybe friends/sig other (can def talk about it)

 

[kiyung]

Alright, so I have the best of dilemmas.

I am at the point in my interview roster where I need to start thinking of turning down campuses. I have been offered interviews at 5 solid schools, one of which is in my personal "top 5" based on research (and is top 10 otherwise).

I work 2 full time jobs at the moment and while I am very well supported by my employers in this process and they are "100% happy" to let me take off time for interviews, I have a responsibility to my students and to my bacteria.

So, what is the protocol for turning down an interview invite before you initially accept and schedule and/or after you initially accept and schedule? I am tempted to see if I can get out of one of the interviews I have scheduled....politely. I still actually think I will go, but I'd like to know for future.

Also, advice from the pros: What would you say should be my interview acceptance standards from here on out? I was thinking to potentially only accept interviews from my other "personal top 5" schools and aim for a total of 10 interview experiences....Comments? Thanks.

Hi I'm new to SDN as a writer. I'm currently a MS4 student at a MD/PhD program in the Northeast. So I've had about 7 years of experience watching the admission process for MD/PhD applicants.

First of all congrats on getting lots of interviews! I would say schedule the interviews first you would consider "safety schools". In the beginning of the process I was quite nervous so it took me a few schools to get adjusted. Also some schools will give you an admission offer within the first couple of weeks so you can have some peace of mind knowing you got an offer or two. After that I would think start forming a rank list and scheduling interviews at the middle tier schools and reach schools. If you still have too many interview offers I would then suggest making a worksheet and scoring each program and ranking them according to whatever criteria is important to you (geography, research opportunities, avg. time it takes for students to finish their PhD, match results of previous MD/PhDs etc.).

As for protocol turning down an interview, I would just call them up ASAP and kindly thank them for the offer and explain that you will be unable to accept due to scheduling conflicts. They probably have a big wait list of people so it won't be a big deal for them as long as you call with a few weeks advance notice of the interview dates. Program directors get most annoyed when you call a few days before the interview date and they can't fill that spot.

Another piece of advice I'd like to give is that if you've gotten MD only interview offers but not MD/PhDs you should seriously consider those schools. The average dropout rate of most MD/PhD programs from my limited experience ranges 20-40%, so there will be openings for you to transfer into in your second year of medical school (http://forums.studentdoctor.net/archive/index.php/t-40122.html).

In other words, if you end up getting into an MD only program which you think is better then your current MD/PhD program offers, I would recommend assessing the MD only program. There is a very high chance you will be able to transfer into that school's MD/PhD program a year or two later since they are bound to have an empty spot. I've seen this happen many times at my school and other schools, and it is one thing I regret not doing.

Best of wishes! Hope that helps!

 

[Fencer]

Congratulations on your achievements! Clearly, you will have choices. I agree with the prior comments about interviewing on your "safety" schools first. The question is how many are needed for "safety". I say no more than 3 for MD/PhD programs (not MD). Then, start picking programs apart based upon your general area of interest and other factors important to you. Although you can keep multiple acceptances until the AMCAS (or TMDSAS) deadline, be polite to your other peers and decline a school as soon as you figure out that there is no way that you will be matriculating there. Take a second visit to your top 2 or 3 acceptances, and then make decisions.

Good luck!

 

[justgo]

Thanks for your responses! So I will keep the school I was thinking of not interviewing at as I would consider it one of my "safeties" though it is still top 10 by other rankings...good practice. All my interviews are MD/PhD so far but I will definitely keep MD only acceptances in consideration (hoping I get some of any!)

Most of the emails that invite for interviews seem to say scheduling is urgent....can I hold onto an interview invitation waiting to see what other invites I get? I obviously don't want schools to put out for a plane ticket and then cancel on them and would like to let them know I won't be coming up front. But I also don't want to not interview someplace because I waited too long.

I believe the consensus was that I can politely turn down an interview after I have already selected a date by noting that I have a new scheduling conflict?

Thanks again.

 

[JustForPretend]

I think that you can politely turn down an interview at any point. I think it's worse to go there and waste everyone's time if you aren't seriously considering the place. I know that a last-minute cancellation seems rude, but it's a rare person who wouldn't want an extra hour free on his schedule, even at the last minute.

Along the same vein, if there are schools you are still waiting from that you know you would not accept an interview for, it probably makes sense to withdraw--no sense having the Admissions Committee wasting their time. I have done this for one school.

As for the interview scheduling: I think that I would accept the interview if there is a decent chance of going, but I would schedule a later date to give me ample time to hear from other places and (potentially) withdraw.

Congrats on getting a bunch of interviews, and good luck!

 

[Choculitis]

I obviously don't want schools to put out for a plane ticket and then cancel on them and would like to let them know I won't be coming up front.

Other than WUSTL, what schools pay for your flight?

 

[justgo]

So far only WUSTL booked a flight for me, but others are paying for it through a reimbursement scheme....2 others. Hope that is the case for everyone.

 

[Prophetstown]

Based on my current invites, WashU books everything for you (flight, hotel, etc) and pays for it, U of Chicago books your hotel and reiumburses you for everything else after the interview, and Michigan provides housing and provides up to $400 reiumbursement for travel.

 

[JustForPretend]

Also, out of curiosity, is there a consensus about how many interviews is "enough"? Obviously, 1 could be enough, and 30 might not be enough, but does anyone know if there are any data like "95% of people with X interviews get into at least one place"?

I know of only two schools that publish their rates (Hopkins accepted 21 or 24 out of 68 interviews last year; Pitt 39/64).

Just wondering if there is logic behind your goal to aim for 10 total interview experiences. Lots of us are busy and poor, and it would be great not to waste time and money.

 

[justgo]

My logic was only based on recommendations from faculty/residents/students with whom I have worked who either or on ad comms or have been through the process. I was told that I should roughly apply to 10 schools and interview at 5-10. I wasn't comfortable with applying to 10 at all.....but I might interview at only 10 or thereabouts...we shall see.

 

[Neuronix]

The Neuronix general rule: apply to 12-15 and go on as many interviews as you get. Can apply to fewer if awesome, apply to more if serious flaws.

This is based on zero data so take it with a grain of salt. If you really get invites to say 12 out of 15, your app is pretty strong. So if your interviews go alright you could consider cutting it back. This is a personalized (i.e. you make this) decision based on time/interest/money/paranoia.

 

[Choculitis]

I know of only two schools that publish their rates (Hopkins accepted 21 or 24 out of 68 interviews last year; Pitt 39/64).

Just wondering if there is logic behind your goal to aim for 10 total interview experiences. Lots of us are busy and poor, and it would be great not to waste time and money.

Agreed. Mainly because every interview means I miss 1-3 days of class, and there's only so much I can ask other people for notes. I don't see why 10 interviews would be necessary. Most schools accept at least 25% of their interviewees (often higher...Cornell takes half), so if you interview at 5-6, you should get into at least one.

 

[JustForPretend]

Well, based on the JHU (funded) yield (33%), you'll have a 95% chance of getting into at least one place if you have 8 interviews. Of course, there may not even be 8 schools as selective as JHU. Based on the Pitt yield (61%), you'll have a 95% chance with 3-4 interviews.

I know, these aren't super useful numbers, and I'm not going on much data, but maybe a good rule of thumb.

 

[SBR249]

However, one must consider that each admissions decision is not really an independent event, meaning that if you do well in one interview, then the chances of you doing well in all your interviews are highers. The inverse may be true as well.