When is it appropriate to ask if a program will interview you?

[nchhabra]

---

Members don't see this ad.

I searched the forum and couldn't find a place to post this topic, so if there is a better place, I apologize in advance.

I have applied to 20 programs, have had all my stuff in for about a month, and have not been offered any interviews, receiving two rejections. So, when is it ok to ask about the status of my application? I applied to mostly programs in the southeast. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

 

[doc_strange2001]

Thats odd. I think many programs have begun offering interviews already.. Out of 20 you should have some.. I really would call and ask what the status of my application was. I plan on doing that myself for one program in Tx that I am interested in simply b/c i'll be in the area doing other interviews. It cant hurt at this point.....Good luck

 

[DOMD]

I had that same problem last year. What I did was call and ask what the status of my application is. Just play it cool and ask if they might need anything else from you.

DOMD

 

[drlee]

I've called several programs up and politely asked the status of my application. One time I ended up speaking with the residency coordinator for a long time over the phone and she ended the conversation by saying that she'll grant me an interview. Not too long after the phone conversation, I got an interview invite email from the department!
Don't underestimate the power of residency coordinators: they do the initial screenings of the piles of applications that come in. You can even ask to resubmit your appl after a rejection to the selection committee through the coordinator. I've been told by a coordinator that in some cases, a request for resubmission can lead to an interview invitation.

 

[OldManDave]

I think the above posters offer excellent advice. Call the programs to inquire about your app status. Who knows, this absence may mean that something is missing from your app packet. It would really suck for you to get passed over simply for an oversight. Plus, it provides you with a grand networking opportunity, just as DrLee described.

Best of luck to you!

 

[nchhabra]

Thanks for everyone's advice. I called a couple of places and all of them said they are waiting on the dean's letter, so I guess I will sit tight and see what happens in the next week.