rejected at program currently doing away elective at

[booohooo]

Well...this is awkward.

I have a week + 2 days left on my away elective and today I got an email from the program saying they won't be able to extend me an interview (

The program is extremely competitive and was my top choice so this sucks. Now I'm not only demoralized, I also just feel like ****.

Is there anything i could possibly do to reverse this decision? I honestly feel I've been doing a good job here and I clicked well with some of the younger attendings too.. Didn't get a chance to really have a talk with the PD..when I requested a meeting with him, he just emailed me asking to come to a group info session.

Any ideas?

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[Idiopathic]

bust your ass, get a good letter, touch base with them later in the season

 

[wanttoreadforum]

Because it's residency program coordinators who arrange interviews for a given department, and not the hospital medical education coordinators that deal with medical student rotations, it's entirely possible that the person who rejected you had no idea that you were at their institution at the present time rotating. This is especially true if you haven't had any face time with the PD. The fact that it's a highly competitive program lends credence to this idea, because they'll get 600 applications for 70 interviews, and reject a TON of people right off the bat, if for no other reason than the fact that you're a piece of paper and you didn't hit their desk first or have a specific, tangible attachment to the area. You'd like to think that the program would be aware of everyone who has applied who is doing aways at their institution, but if you haven't specifically met with anyone involved with the process or made it known, you'd be surprised.

What can you do? Go ask the program coordinator personally (not an e-mail!). Best case scenario is they re-review your application with the new info that you clearly want to be a part of their program, and they offer you an interview. Worst case is she says no. If that happens, well, you be sure to arrange a meeting with the PD before you go (which honestly you should probably do anyway). Open a dialogue about how much you've enjoyed your rotation at the institution, how you developed such a good rapport with Dr so-and-so (attendings you referenced previously, who the PD can talk to about you), and that you were hoping to interview for a position.

Worst that happens with any of the above is they say "sorry, no" and that's the end. Best case? You interview and end up on their rank list. Take some time to collect your thoughts, and then put a smile on and talk to the program coordinator. You'll probably be surprised with what you find.

Good luck!

 

[Idiopathic]

that too

 

[associate]

Ask yourself this question!! I know you are demoralized and all. Do you really want to attend a program that cant put 2 and 2 together and say hey this is the guy who is rotating with us? Let's give him an interview.

 

[Surfer]

Because it's residency program coordinators who arrange interviews for a given department, and not the hospital medical education coordinators that deal with medical student rotations, it's entirely possible that the person who rejected you had no idea that you were at their institution at the present time rotating. This is especially true if you haven't had any face time with the PD. The fact that it's a highly competitive program lends credence to this idea, because they'll get 600 applications for 70 interviews, and reject a TON of people right off the bat, if for no other reason than the fact that you're a piece of paper and you didn't hit their desk first or have a specific, tangible attachment to the area. You'd like to think that the program would be aware of everyone who has applied who is doing aways at their institution, but if you haven't specifically met with anyone involved with the process or made it known, you'd be surprised.

What can you do? Go ask the program coordinator personally (not an e-mail!). Best case scenario is they re-review your application with the new info that you clearly want to be a part of their program, and they offer you an interview. Worst case is she says no. If that happens, well, you be sure to arrange a meeting with the PD before you go (which honestly you should probably do anyway). Open a dialogue about how much you've enjoyed your rotation at the institution, how you developed such a good rapport with Dr so-and-so (attendings you referenced previously, who the PD can talk to about you), and that you were hoping to interview for a position.

Worst that happens with any of the above is they say "sorry, no" and that's the end. Best case? You interview and end up on their rank list. Take some time to collect your thoughts, and then put a smile on and talk to the program coordinator. You'll probably be surprised with what you find.

Good luck!

This. Happened exactly like that for me. The secretary didn't realize I was rotating there. It's an honest mistake, they can't interview every great candidate.

 

[musli]

Absolutely agree with the other responses. Most likely you were rejected without their realizing that you were rotating there.

We will virtually always offer interviews to medical students who rotate with us; that seems only courteous.

 

[IlDestriero]

Absolutely agree with the other responses. Most likely you were rejected without their realizing that you were rotating there.

We will virtually always offer interviews to medical students who rotate with us; that seems only courteous.

Track down the PD, introduce yourself, explain the situation and ask for an interview.

 

[Grey Wind]

Absolutely agree with the other responses. Most likely you were rejected without their realizing that you were rotating there.

We will virtually always offer interviews to medical students who rotate with us; that seems only courteous.

i agree with this practice as long as its genuine.

if im not a realistic candidate for the program, i'd rather be told as such so i dont waste an interview/time/money for a 'courtesy' when in reality there really isnt a chance.

 

[Oggg]

I was on an audition rotation at the top place in CA, and they rejected the other auditioner on rotation with me. They gave me an interview though. I think they knew what they were doing. You have to have face to face time with the PD, like suggested above, but if you don't make the cut, suck it up. Finish your elective and learn some more anesthesia.

 

[cchoukal]

I was on an audition rotation at the top place in CA, and they rejected the other auditioner on rotation with me. They gave me an interview though. I think they knew what they were doing. You have to have face to face time with the PD, like suggested above, but if you don't make the cut, suck it up. Finish your elective and learn some more anesthesia.

I'm at a CA program and I'm told that auditioners are told that auditioning does not guarantee them an interview.

 

[Oggg]

Honestly, I still think its tacky for a program to reject you for an interview while you're still on rotation. They should let you finish to see if you can prove why you are special, then reject you after you're gone.

 

[lane]

If someone spends the time, effort, and money to travel to a program and stay there for weeks at a time, it seems that the very least a PD could do is take 30 minutes out of their day to do a face to face interview before they leave. Whether they actually rank the candidate afterwards doesn't really matter, as plenty of interviewees are left off the list at many programs.

This should also serve as an example for students scheduling away rotations. It can be much harder to impress the right people over the course of a month when you're trying to learn your way around a new place, surrounded by new people, doing something in that you frankly lack useful experience. You should expect the opportunity to see a slightly different way of providing anesthesia from your home program. You may want to check out a different town and see the sights, or catch up with family/friends if they're local. You should also expect to bust your butt, but with the knowledge that you may very well get nothing in return. Many times it isn't a back door into a program that's "better" than your grades would allow you to get into otherwise. So be realistic about it before you book your travel accommodations.

But the PD is still a dick for not giving the courtesy of a simple interview.

 

[dotcb]

I would address this in person with the residency coordinator first, and possibly with the PD, depending on how that conversation goes.

If it is a top tier program and you are underqualified, they may just not want to interview you. It's kind of a jerk move by them. Hard not to take it personally, but I would suggest you just move on with things.