Ridiculously late cancellation

[fuegorama]

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I have knocked out 12 of 13 interviews. I am seriously sick of the trail. I have an interview scheduled in 3 days.

It is in another state that will require plane+car+hotel. I am way over budget already after seeing great places in 3/4s of the country.

I have no intention of ranking this program. (it's my only 4 year)

My only reason for going would be courtesy.

Should nobility and the kidz at visa win out? Or, can I bail at this point and not be seen as a ****ty human and a poor future colleague?


any advice/viewpoints?

 

[met19]

My PD says you should cancel at least 2 wks prior. When I cancel, I usually heard thanks from the coordinator about how time I gave them to look at other candidates. So cancelling this late is ufair to the program and other applicants that might not be able to get to this program. BTW you might be suprised by the program.

 

[fuegorama]

Well put, expected and thanks.

There is nothing I dig about this place. It is in a state I don't want to live in. It is four years in length. My partner doesn't want to live there etc.

Isn't it unfair to the program for me to be 'going through the motions'. They are spending the coin on my dining. They are taking faculty time to do an interview etc. It seems a waste.

I feel crummy about holding this slot. I have declined 19 and cancelled 10 at least 2 weeks in advance.

I miscounted my interview offers and just uncovered that email today.

12 had been my lucky number. I don't want lucky 13 to blow it.

 

[southerndoc]

Well put, expected and thanks.

There is nothing I dig about this place. It is in a state I don't want to live in. It is four years in length. My partner doesn't want to live there etc.

Isn't it unfair to the program for me to be 'going through the motions'. They are spending the coin on my dining. They are taking faculty time to do an interview etc. It seems a waste.

I feel crummy about holding this slot. I have declined 19 and cancelled 10 at least 2 weeks in advance.

I miscounted my interview offers and just uncovered that email today.

12 had been my lucky number. I don't want lucky 13 to blow it.

If you had no intention or ranking the program, why did you schedule the interview in the first place? Why didn't you cancel earlier since you had such strong feelings?

 

[paramed2premed]

With all the above in mind, you should go ahead and cancel.

Otherwise, it's like forcing yourself to choke down the too-large portion you served yourself at dinner - yeah, you shouldn't have taken so much, but you can't really mail the leftovers to the starving kids in China.

Actually, that''s a terrible simile: who's the buffet? Or the leftover? The starving kid?

 

[fuegorama]

As I said in the earlier post, this was an admittedly stupid mistake. I did not realize I had so many interviews scheduled. The past week's interviews have made me realize that I have seen enough. I can name my ROL down to #10. Hopefully this is enough.

 

[JackBauERfan]

As I said in the earlier post, this was an admittedly stupid mistake. I did not realize I had so many interviews scheduled. The past week's interviews have made me realize that I have seen enough. I can name my ROL down to #10. Hopefully this is enough.

maybe it will it end being #1.

 

[FoughtFyr]

Bail it, but at least call and let them know. I think that while 2 weeks is the rule, you have to be honest with yourself and with them.

- H

 

[membsr-8890]

Well put, expected and thanks.

There is nothing I dig about this place. It is in a state I don't want to live in. It is four years in length. My partner doesn't want to live there etc.

Isn't it unfair to the program for me to be 'going through the motions'. They are spending the coin on my dining. They are taking faculty time to do an interview etc. It seems a waste.

I feel crummy about holding this slot. I have declined 19 and cancelled 10 at least 2 weeks in advance.

I miscounted my interview offers and just uncovered that email today.

12 had been my lucky number. I don't want lucky 13 to blow it.

From what you say in this post, it sounds as if you've already decided to cancel it and you're just looking for some validation.

Just cancel the interview, own up that waiting so late was crummy, and move on.

 

[roja]

Yes, two weeks is nice. But trust me.. PD's are as tired of the season as you are. Interviewing someone who doesn't plan on coming is a waste of everyones times. Everyone knows it happens. they probably have a wait list and may be able to squeeze in someone who might really want to go there.

 

[RayF]

there should be a law against interviewing in more than 8-9 programs. it would be good for everyone. U wil match %99.9, u will save money, u will research and focus on fewer programs that your are really interested in, it would make the ranking that much easier. Plus you will think twice before scheduling interviews at a place you don't wanna go to, just for the hell of it... it's just not right.

 

[roja]

I can understand the underlying sentiment here, however, its not very realistic. I originally had 14 or so interviews sceduled. You don't know what you are going to like etc. It also doesn't sound lke that many. I ended up cancelling 4 or 5 of them and didn't rank 2 two of them. My last two ranked programs were ones that were 'safetys'... programs that I didn't love, but that I thought I could do well enough at if I had to.

(I had applied to phili and yale because of thier proximities to NYC, not being sure if I would interview at enough NYC programs, how many I would like etc etc. I sceduled yale and 2 phili programs but ended up cancelling after I went to 6 NYC programs and new I would like some of them. I then cancelled a few NYC interviews because I had found enough programs that had started to meet what was sorting out to be a 'priorities' list)

Gauging the # of interviews is hard. The key is to cancel as soon as you can. But sometimes, things happen and you don't get to cancel early enough.

Programs have long lists of waitlists and can usually find people who will want to interview, even at short notice. (I have seen this year after year at my program) Hence why I tell people if there is a program you are really interested in and you haven't gotten a resounding no, you should be persistent but not annoying. 🙂

 

[ERMudPhud]

Bail,

They'll get over it. You won't be the first or the last. Why spend the money and time if you are no longer interested. On the other hand my wife's first choice ended up being her last interview and she only went because I told her she might as well at least go check it out. I actually didn't want to live there either. She came back from the interview and said, "Your going to kill me but I loved it"

 

[wadoc]

BAIL!

Call and email so they have time to potentially invite someone else... who perhaps is in the state or close by and could swing it.

I got an invite in late november with several dates offered--and it included one 2 days later.

Better to save money and partly save face than to 1) waste the money, or 2) be the guy that no-showed and whose name comes up in conversation between two PDs during rank list time.

 

[BKN]

I have knocked out 12 of 13 interviews. I am seriously sick of the trail. I have an interview scheduled in 3 days.

It is in another state that will require plane+car+hotel. I am way over budget already after seeing great places in 3/4s of the country.

I have no intention of ranking this program. (it's my only 4 year)

My only reason for going would be courtesy.

Should nobility and the kidz at visa win out? Or, can I bail at this point and not be seen as a ****ty human and a poor future colleague?


any advice/viewpoints?

Bail, it's ok. but call or email. We held up the show 10 minutes a couple of days ago for a candidate who didn't show. That's a name I'll probably remember.

 

[deleted109597]

Bail. And if they throw up any flack, say that you couldn't buy the plane ticket because you're out of credit card money, but you'll gladly come if they buy the ticket.

 

[trkd]

Total bail. What is the point of going? I would say you realize it is just a few days before but you very sorry to have to cancel. I had waitlisted at a program for date that wasn't available but more convenient gor me and got the call 2 days before. Worked out much better for me because I was already in town. Plus it saves them 10-30 dollars on food.

 

[southerndoc]

Bail, it's ok. but call or email. We held up the show 10 minutes a couple of days ago for a candidate who didn't show. That's a name I'll probably remember.

That's bad. Applicants should know that PD's talk to themselves. You don't want to be a standout, at least not in a bad way!

 

[fuegorama]

Thank you for the input.
I have called and emailed my cancellation.

Now I gotta wax up my x-countrys since it's the only skiing I can afford this weekend.
Thanks again.
F

 

[EctopicFetus]

Good job on cancelling it is the way to go. Dont waste time. Last yr I cancelled an interview about 3-4 days prior.. I felt like i was going to die cause i was feeling ill. It was a good program but by that point I found my #1.. I think the 2 week rule (or longer) is ideal but if you cant you cant..

 

[Jeff698]

Applicants should know that PD's talk to themselves.

While this may, in fact, be true, you make it sounds as if they need a psych consult. 😀

Take care,
Jeff

 

[BKN]

While this may, in fact, be true, you make it sounds as if they need a psych consult. 😀

Take care,
Jeff

And this is not correct because???

 

[southerndoc]

While this may, in fact, be true, you make it sounds as if they need a psych consult. 😀

Take care,
Jeff

One can argue that this applicant is irresponsible and is likely to do the same with clinical shifts (i.e., be late, not show, etc.).

C'mon, it only takes 5 minutes to give a courtesy call to a PD saying "hey, I'm not going to make it to the interview. Thanks for the offer!"

 

[SoCuteMD]

One can argue that this applicant is irresponsible and is likely to do the same with clinical shifts (i.e., be late, not show, etc.).

C'mon, it only takes 5 minutes to give a courtesy call to a PD saying "hey, I'm not going to make it to the interview. Thanks for the offer!"

You need to fix your sarcasm meter. And re-read your original statement.

 

[southerndoc]

You need to fix your sarcasm meter. And re-read your original statement.

What? I'm saying there is absolutely no reason for a resident to not have called BKN to tell him that he was cancelling. A person that doesn't cancel and ends up not showing up for their interview is someone I think will make an irresponsible resident.

Just my two cents (three if you adjust for inflation).

 

[SoCuteMD]

What? I'm saying there is absolutely no reason for a resident to not have called BKN to tell him that he was cancelling. A person that doesn't cancel and ends up not showing up for their interview is someone I think will make an irresponsible resident.

Just my two cents (three if you adjust for inflation).

Right, but what you said was "PDs talk to themselves" and what you MEANT was "PDs talk amongst themselves." Hence the joke about the psych consult, since talking to oneself is generally abnormal.

 

[southerndoc]

Right, but what you said was "PDs talk to themselves" and what you MEANT was "PDs talk amongst themselves." Hence the joke about the psych consult, since talking to oneself is generally abnormal.

Oh!

Although I hear BKN has been talking to himself again now that he's off his haldol!

 

[BKN]

Oh!

Although I hear BKN has been talking to himself again now that he's off his haldol!

My understanding is that talking to oneself is OK. ex. "I wonder if I remembered to read all the new apps in ERAS today?"

It's even OK if you answer. ex. "I wonder if I remembered to read all the new apps in ERAS today? . . Oh yeah, I did."

The following however suggests one has taken the absent-minded prof thing a step too far "I wonder if I remembered to read all the new apps in ERAS today? . . Oh yeah, I did. . .HUH?"

But what do I know, I "ran out" of my Haldol.

 

[southerndoc]

My understanding is that talking to oneself is OK. ex. "I wonder if I remembered to read all the new apps in ERAS today?"

It's even OK if you answer. ex. "I wonder if I remembered to read all the new apps in ERAS today? . . Oh yeah, I did."

The following however suggests one has taken the absent-minded prof thing a step too far "I wonder if I remembered to read all the new apps in ERAS today? . . Oh yeah, I did. . .HUH?"

But what do I know, I "ran out" of my Haldol.

What are you talking about? Are you getting paranoid that people are talking about you? 😉