Timing of residency interviews

[sdnetrocks]

I'm setting up my 4th year schedule, and am trying to figure out the timing for interviews. At this point, I can set aside either late November - early December OR January - first week of February for interviews. My med school also allows a few days off during regular rotations for interviews (which would allow 1-2 interviews during a clerkship month).

Is there any advantage to interviewing early, like there definitely was for medical school?

What are the typical dates that people interview for the NON-early match specialities?

Thanks!

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[prefontaine]

Last seen, best remembered.

I'm setting up my 4th year schedule, and am trying to figure out the timing for interviews. At this point, I can set aside either late November - early December OR January - first week of February for interviews. My med school also allows a few days off during regular rotations for interviews (which would allow 1-2 interviews during a clerkship month).

Is there any advantage to interviewing early, like there definitely was for medical school?

What are the typical dates that people interview for the NON-early match specialities?

Thanks!

 

[CTKN2]

Last seen, best remembered.

Not necessarily, I've met plenty of residents who matched at programs where they had early interviews. AND one of the PD's, I spoke with wanted to know where I was along on the interview trail because he knows that people get burnt out and don't care towards the end. It might also be nice to be done with your interviews early on, so that you have more time to think over your rank list.

Interview season begins in November and ends early in February. You can also look up when each program starts interviewing on FREIDA. The heavy months are December and January, and some people choose December because it often has better weather (although this year appears to be a freak weather pattern where December is proving to be worse than January).

I've come to realize that it doesn't matter when you interview as long as you present yourself well and make it seem like a "fresh" interview. If you interview early, and find that you really like a program, send them correspondence via e-mail/thank you letters, etc to remind them of who you are. Otherwise, I truly don't think it matters that much when you interview.

 

[trouta]

Program directors repeatedly say it makes no difference when during the season you interview so I wouldnt worry about it too much.

The bulk of your interviews will come in Dec and Jan so plan for that time.

 

[streetdoc]

How do residencies come up with their rank lists? does each applicant get a score shortly after the interview? do they go over all of them at the end of the "season"? or does it just depend?
I would think interviewing towards the end would actually be helpful as they can see which applicants REALLY stand out in that season of interviews once they know what the competition is going to be like. I don't know...
I do hear a lot about those who interviewed "late" ended up matching at the later interview programs.
Can anyone shed light on this? I was looking at trying to spread mine out anyway, but i'm curious.
streetdoc

 

[pippergal]

I can only offer personal experience here. I was advised to schedule my top choices in January so I would be well remembered by PDs. I did two interviews in Nov, took Dec as an interview month and did the bulk of my interviews in Dec, and scheduled four interviews in Jan. By the time I got to Jan, I was totally burnt out and the interviewers seemed totally burnt out too. I ended up cancelling two interviews in Jan because I was too tired and too broke to even consider going. I would advise you to do two practice interviews in Nov at safety programs and then schedule the programs you really are interested in next. That way, you are still enthusiastic, but aren't totaly burnt out. My two cents.