Unique "where else have you interviewed scenario"

[mamagir]

So I just gotta ask this, even though I realize the majority of folks here will probably not have had experience with this situation. I got just one interview and it isnt till a couple of days(end of interview season!!). my question is what is the best way to answer the "what other places have you interviewed at" question that will not make me look like a total.....(cant find the right word but u get what I mean)
Thanks in advance for your insights.

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[atsai3]

So I just gotta ask this, even though I realize the majority of folks here will probably not have had experience with this situation. I got just one interview and it isnt till a couple of days(end of interview season!!). my question is what is the best way to answer the "what other places have you interviewed at" question that will not make me look like a total.....(cant find the right word but u get what I mean)
Thanks in advance for your insights.

If you searched the SDN archives, you would have found this recent thread with plenty of thoughts on this topic.

-AT.

 

[Samoa]

If you searched the SDN archives, you would have found this recent thread with plenty of thoughts on this topic.

-AT.

The op means, what do you say if it's your only interview?

 

[mamagir]

Thanks, I have actually read that thread and similar ones. As I haven't and will not likely interview in any other place apart from this sole place, I believe my situation is quite different. What will the program think if I said that was my only interview. won't they think perhaps there is something they missed in my application that all the other places I applied to and got rejected from didn't?
Anyways, don't know what kind of answer I was looking for here, I am definately not planning on lying so I guess, I either hope it doesn't come up, or it is what it is. Not that I have much hope of matching with one invite.

cheers

 

[mamagir]

The op means, what do you say if it's your only interview?

yep, exactly.

 

[QofQuimica]

I would just say that it's your first one, and leave it at that. Plenty of people wait until January to do the bulk of their interviews. If they keep pressing you, I guess you can say that you aren't sure yet where else you'll be interviewing. Which maybe sounds evasive, but it's true. You don't know for sure that you won't get another invite as other people continue canceling theirs.

Best of luck.

 

[mamagir]

I would just say that it's your first one, and leave it at that. Plenty of people wait until January to do the bulk of their interviews. If they keep pressing you, I guess you can say that you aren't sure yet where else you'll be interviewing. Which maybe sounds evasive, but it's true. You don't know for sure that you won't get another invite as other people continue canceling theirs.

Best of luck.

Thanks, yeah I thought of this but seeing as it is almost at the very end of the interview season, don't know how much that will fly.

 

[QofQuimica]

Thanks, yeah I thought of this but seeing as it is almost at the very end of the interview season, don't know how much that will fly.

Maybe I misread your OP, but you said the interview is in a couple of days. This week is not the end of the interview season! Interviews will still be going on for the rest of this month, and even into early February in some specialties/programs. And like I said, plenty of people use January as their primary interviewing month because that's when they could get the time off. So I don't think it would be all that unusual for someone to be on their first interview on January 5 or 6.

Or did you mean that the interview is a few days from the end of the month? In that case, yeah, telling them it's your first interview is going to also tell them that it's your only interview. I guess I'd still go with saying it's your first interview, and hopefully they get the hint and move on without making you spell it out for them.

 

[atsai3]

Thanks, I have actually read that thread and similar ones. As I haven't and will not likely interview in any other place apart from this sole place, I believe my situation is quite different. What will the program think if I said that was my only interview. won't they think perhaps there is something they missed in my application that all the other places I applied to and got rejected from didn't?
Anyways, don't know what kind of answer I was looking for here, I am definately not planning on lying so I guess, I either hope it doesn't come up, or it is what it is. Not that I have much hope of matching with one invite.

cheers

I referenced the prior thread because the appropriate response in your situation is exactly the same: just give an honest answer. So far you have one interview, but you are still interviewing at that program to see if it is a good fit for you, and you are going to kick the tires no less thoroughly. Unless you are prepared to lie outright, the details of your situation could easily be obtained with one or two more follow up questions. The outcome will be worse if you are cagey about it initially and force your interviewer to extract it from you.

I disagree with QofQuimica. The vast majority of high-caliber applicants begin interviews in November and December. Few are going on their very first interview in January.

-AT.

 

[hellonewman]

Good luck on your interview. If I were in this situation when asked "where else are you interviewing?" i would state where I applied; For example: I applied here in my home state or I applied quite broadly along the blank coast etc, if they still press you I would say "I did not receive any more interviews in this area so I am glad to be here." They should hopefully let go at that and you would not have lied.

Again good luck!

 

[Doctor4Life1769]

Good luck on your interview. If I were in this situation when asked "where else are you interviewing?" i would state where I applied; For example: I applied here in my home state or I applied quite broadly along the blank coast etc, if they still press you I would say "I did not receive any more interviews in this area so I am glad to be here." They should hopefully let go at that and you would not have lied.

Again good luck!

Asking where one interviewed, and replying with "i applied ..." doesnt answer the Q. Poor form.

Just answer it. Then follow up with very positive things to say about the program (and why you are a great fit for the program) as a way to deflect attention from it.

Or, you could lie, I suppose.

 

[hellonewman]

Asking where one interviewed, and replying with "i applied ..." doesnt answer the Q. Poor form.

Just answer it. Then follow up with very positive things to say about the program (and why you are a great fit for the program) as a way to deflect attention from it.

Or, you could lie, I suppose.

Umm.....
stating where you applied is deflecting

lying is Poor form

 

[juiceman311]

Not that I am an interview expert, just another fellow fourth year. I would just be honest about it. Just say that this is your only interview offer and I am extremely excited to be here. I emailed the PD of a program I really liked but wasn't initially invited to. I expressed my interest in his program (sincere). He replied that he'd re-look at my app. The next morning, he sent me an interview offer. At the interview he expressed, "please don't feel bad that you had to ask me to look at your app again, we often overlook very strong applicants and if you don't speak up we'd never know". Maybe you could try the same at other programs? Best of luck to you, I hope it works out for you.

 

[mamagir]

Thanks everyone for your input. I am back from the interview and the question didn't even come up...so glad because I still don't think I would have wanted them to know that it was my only IV.
Thanks juiceman...probably too late to start calling now but perhaps will do that for the scamble.

 

[wannabeOBGYN]

Thanks everyone for your input. I am back from the interview and the question didn't even come up...so glad because I still don't think I would have wanted them to know that it was my only IV.
Thanks juiceman...probably too late to start calling now but perhaps will do that for the scamble.

Good luck! Just out of curiosity, how many places did you apply to? In what specialty?

 

[mamagir]

Good luck! Just out of curiosity, how many places did you apply to? In what specialty?

So to satisfy your curiosity, I applied to what you wannabe plus family medicine 62+ 20. Above average USMLE scores but probably mediocre LORs as they were all from my country, zero US experience.