Too many OMFS externships?

[Quackquackquack]

Advertisement - Members don't see this ad

Is there a point to where doing too many externships can actually end up hurting my app? I was under the assumption that I should try and get in as many as possible to increase my chances of getting interviews with those programs (given I’m a good extern). I’m signed up for 6 all over the country and have already completed 3, and these are all places I can see myself going, but now I’m hearing that’s excessive. I wanted to hear some thoughts, thanks.

 

[dentpinned]

Why would this hurt your app? Do as many as you can.

 

[dentpinned]

I did 8 and got gassed up about it everywhere I interviewed at for reference

 

[nade0016]

Thats fine. once you get above 6 it really dosent add much to the application. At that point they are for you.

 

[Quackquackquack]

Why would this hurt your app? Do as many as you can.

I was told that programs will see such a long list and will wonder why they didn’t “make the cut”, and I’d need to be able to answer that on interview day.

 

[Quackquackquack]

Thats fine. once you get above 6 it really dosent add much to the application. At that point they are for you.

That’s what I initially thought. And isn’t it true that some programs will extend interviews to only those that externed with them?

As a program director, does it deter you from ranking an applicant high if you see you were one of 9 externships they went on? Like, would that make you think that they aren’t as serious about their desire of coming to your program since they visited so many more?

 

[Quackquackquack]

I did 8 and got gassed up about it everywhere I interviewed at for reference

That’s awesome! Did you receive interviews at most of the programs you visited?

 

[Anonamoose]

I was told that programs will see such a long list and will wonder why they didn’t “make the cut”, and I’d need to be able to answer that on interview day.

You should be prepared to answer this question, I did 6 and was asked the same. Consider the question and answer truthfully. Surely you had reasons for the 6 you did choose, you can't extern everywhere. Got interviews everywhere I externed.

 

[Quackquackquack]

You should be prepared to answer this question, I did 6 and was asked the same. Consider the question and answer truthfully. Surely you had reasons for the 6 you did choose, you can't extern everywhere. Got interviews everywhere I externed.

I feel like I’ll be able to answer this fine, but inside I feel like I’m already not being considered to programs I didn’t extern at, especially if they ask me this kind of question you know?

 

[nade0016]

That’s what I initially thought. And isn’t it true that some programs will extend interviews to only those that externed with them?

As a program director, does it deter you from ranking an applicant high if you see you were one of 9 externships they went on? Like, would that make you think that they aren’t as serious about their desire of coming to your program since they visited so many more?

It would not be a deterrent but doing an externship with us it is not the only reason I would interview someone. I would be very imporessed that a student had that much time off from school to extern. As long as scores, grades, class rank were good. Then it is fine.