Thinking about canceling an interview...

[Psychelle]

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I feel like I'm initiating a breakup I may or may not be ready for. Do I have to call? Can't I just text someone or leave a post-it note or something?

 

[kugel]

I would call the Program Director's secretary and politely state that you will have to cancel the interview, how much you appreciate the opportunity, and how you will keep the program in mind if the situation changes. (You'll notice I did NOT say to go into an explanation as to why you're canceling. If they ask, you politely and vaguely answer something to the effect of, "It's just not feasible at this time. I wish it didn't have to be that way, but I'm afraid it is.")

Then ASK if the program would like you confirm your cancellation with an email or letter - so that you can comply with whatever they would like.

Treat this like a business transaction, where you may want to do business with them in the future.

 

[Psychelle]

Thanks Kugel!

 

[cookymonster]

I've been doing cancellations by email to make it as painless as possible. Problem is, some never return a confirmation. Should I try to reach them again, or is it reasonable to assume that they received and read my email?

 

[drtt2bear]

What's the most interviews folk will be going to?

 

[GmailQueen]

How are you guys deciding which programs to not interview at? I actually like all of the programs I applied to, but with 16 invites it seems like it's just not going to work out due to limited time and money...

 

[cookymonster]

How are you guys deciding which programs to not interview at? I actually like all of the programs I applied to, but with 16 invites it seems like it's just not going to work out due to limited time and money...

I'm just going on the ones I like the most. If you really can't decide on the merits of the programs, you could base it on what best fits your travel schedule, which ones pay for hotels/transportation, etc.

 

[j48seconds]

I'm currently facing that same problem. I have one program that I have tried to find a date that would fit my schedule multiple times and still haven't been successful. I don't know how many more times I can do that before I'm just going to have to give up and turn down the invite.
Plus, I am trying hard to schedule interviews in the same area together so that I can limit plane flights to the same region. I just can't afford multiple flights. So, if that doesn't work out then I guess I have to turn those down too.

 

[Psychelle]

Honestly the one at the top of my list to cancel is partly there just because I didn't really like the scheduling woman that I talked to on the phone. There are a lot of other reasons too but unlike some other programs where I've totally clicked with the person I talked to, our whole conversation was awkward and I've still never gotten a confirmation on my interview date. I've gotten another offer for the same date and I'm probably going to take it.

 

[j48seconds]

I guess for me, I'm still not ready to cancel anything for fear that there won't be more interviews later. I still have quite a few schools I'm waiting to hear from and would like to interview at. but if I don't get an interview there, I don't want to not have the interviews I currently have.

 

[cookymonster]

I just wouldn't cancel anything until you're pretty sure you can't go on the date scheduled and don't want to reschedule to any other dates. It's still October, and there isn't much harm in taking a few days to think it over. Canceling on the other hand is pretty much irreversible - even if a program lets you change your mind, you've sent a signal indicating the program isn't one of your top choices.

I've scheduled 16 interviews so far, and my budget is a little over $2k. I'm staying in cheap lodging and taking ground transportation whenever feasible. I know there are a lot of little costs I haven't thought of, but I doubt I spend more than $3k.

 

[GmailQueen]

I just wouldn't cancel anything until you're pretty sure you can't go on the date scheduled and don't want to reschedule to any other dates. It's still October, and there isn't much harm in taking a few days to think it over. Canceling on the other hand is pretty much irreversible - even if a program lets you change your mind, you've sent a signal indicating the program isn't one of your top choices.

I've scheduled 16 interviews so far, and my budget is a little over $2k. I'm staying in cheap lodging and taking ground transportation whenever feasible. I know there are a lot of little costs I haven't thought of, but I doubt I spend more than $3k.

I definitely agree with you... I'll probably wait until my schedule is finalized and I can determine what interviews are going to be difficult/impossible to make it to... I'm also trying to schedule the interviews I'm not 100% convinced I need to attend in Jan so that I can gauge how I feel after doing some interviews and getting a sense of how tired I am. I guess I'm just trying to determine the utility of attending 16 or so interviews... on one hand, I really am not sure at this point what I want in a program other than location (all the programs that I applied to are in a city that I would consider living in) and some other things that I probably can't get a sense for unless I visit the program. On the other hand, my friends keep telling me that it's unlikely that someone with invites to 16 great psych programs is going to actually need to rank 16 programs, and that I should pick my top 12 or so and call it quits...

 

[Sneezing]

Honestly the one at the top of my list to cancel is partly there just because I didn't really like the scheduling woman that I talked to on the phone. There are a lot of other reasons too but unlike some other programs where I've totally clicked with the person I talked to, our whole conversation was awkward and I've still never gotten a confirmation on my interview date. I've gotten another offer for the same date and I'm probably going to take it.

That's just silly. The person you are talking to may have input on the ranking list based on your ability to interact as a decent human being but beyond that, they don't have much of a role in your future at the program. If you let that influence your impression of a program that is really trivial. Remember the big picture here. Your training. Your rotations. Your faculty. Resident performance. Resources. Educational emphasis. Work culture.

Big Picture.

 

[Sneezing]

I'm waiting on a few reaches and 2 location programs. As they come in, I'm dropping less preferred programs from my interview list. Every program I applied to I would be willing to attend and get my training at and will rank each one I do ultimately interview at. However, I have a finite amount of time I can interview and as more preferred invites come in, I'm changing my schedule to reflect these preferences.

Was this what I thought I was going to do from the onset? No. I underestimated my competiveness and have been blessed with more positive feedback than I thought. But I am not feeling guilty about cancellations because this is my career! I have invested $$$,$$$ of my own money into this. I want to go to the best program for me.

 

[masterofmonkeys]

That's just silly. The person you are talking to may have input on the ranking list based on your ability to interact as a decent human being but beyond that, they don't have much of a role in your future at the program. If you let that influence your impression of a program that is really trivial. Remember the big picture here. Your training. Your rotations. Your faculty. Resident performance. Resources. Educational emphasis. Work culture.

Big Picture.

I cancelled my interview with UCLA because I found out that they'd actually decided to interview me two months earlier than my invite came...they'd just misplaced it. And I had to get super flexible just to accommodate the three dates that left me. Then I found out that actually quite a few residents had had issues with office staff being late with paperwork etc.

UCLA had been one of my top prospects before that...

 

[pingumd]

Hey Psychelle, cookiemonster, and gmailqueen:
You are so lucky to have so many interviews...yes cancel those interviews and make room for us third string players 🙂

 

[Psychelle]

Don't worry Pingumd! There is no way I'm going to more than 12, even if I were to be so lucky as to get a ton more invites. I'm really trying to narrow it down to the programs that I would really love to be at, and would consider ranking higher than my own program. I'm tempted to go to them all "just to go" but financially and energy-wise I don't think that would be a wise choice for me. Plus I don't want to take a spot from someone who is reallywanting to go there.

Just like everything we do reflects back onto our application, I'm taking all of my interactions with these programs seriously. The people they hire are a representation of their department. I would never judge an entire residency by one person, but in combination with other factors, I'm certainly taking note. Atmosphere and organization are important to me, and I'll be basing my decisions partly on these factors.

 

[cookymonster]

Hey Psychelle, cookiemonster, and gmailqueen:
You are so lucky to have so many interviews...yes cancel those interviews and make room for us third string players 🙂

I am indeed lucky; sorry if my prior post comes off as gloating. I considered myself a pretty average applicant and thus applied pretty far and wide, not expecting so many invites. I must really owe my letter writers.

If it does make you feel better, I've made a bunch of cancellations, with perhaps more to come s/p interview burnout. It's too bad I can't choose who gets the invites instead.

 

[pingumd]

Psychelle- I am totally with you on organization being important. At one away rotation I did (wont say where), things were pretty disorganized and it affected the residents (not enough rooms available to meet with patients, little notice when they would be picking up new outpatients, discoordinated coverage from attending, etc.)

cookymonster- no hard feelings, actually i think the wave of cancellations is starting because I got 3 interviews since yesterday.

Keep those cancellations coming people 🙂

 

[bullpup777]

My organization system consists of devoutly hoping someone will want to talk to me, at their convenience. Nevertheless, you did not come off as gloating to me. You have a legitimate, if enviable, problem.