When to schedule interviews?

[littlefield]

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A question to all the EM interview experts out there:

Once I've been granted an interview, does it matter when I schedule it? Basically, do early (Oct./Nov) interviewees have an advantage over late (Jan./Feb/) interviewees? I'd like to schedule all of my east coast interviews in January for one big haul (i'll be there anyway).

I've been granted an interview, so I need this info quick.

Thanks in advance for the help.

Littlefield.

P.S. "Interviewees" looks funnier than it sounds.

 

[DrQuinn]

I did almost all of my interviews in Nov/Dec... with but one in January. I don't believe it makes a difference, but I'm sure there's folklore out there disagreeing with me.

I would suggest scheduling your interviews so its most convenient for you.

Do not schedule your top couple of programs as your first or second interview. Give yourself an average program for a first interview (unless its a program you rotated at). Your first interview can be a bit nerve-racking... but you'll easily relax on interview #2 and from the on.

Q, DO

 

[anonymousEM]

I absolutely agree with Q. Make it as simple for yourself as possible, but remember that programs won't necessarily have a schedule that jives with yours..."You can come any tuesday in December except we're full for the 1st, 3rd and 4th Tuesdays" in which case you can go or not...fortunately if you call quickly when invited, that doesn't happen too often. Hopefully you'll be on rotations where you won't be missed and you can make little trips out of the days without interviews. I matched where I interviewed last, but I don't think it had anything to do with timing. I was tired by the end and probably put forth my best image somewhere in the middle.

Second looks are probably where timing matters...late enough that they remember you still when they make thier rank list but not so late that their's is already submitted...

 

[sweetfynesse]

I scheduled most of my interviews in Nov with a few in Jan. Amongst my fellow interns, there are three of us that interviewed on the first day of interviews, and 2-3 that interviewd on the very last day of interviews. Personally, I don't think it matters. I did all but one of my NY/PA interviews in Nov (7 interviews in two weeks---not recommended), and my chicago interviews in Jan, because it was best for my schedule. I think the most important thing is working with your schedule...I don't necessarily agree that you shouldn't do your top choice interviews first. As long as you go in prepared, ie consider likely interview questions, and have a firm understanding of who you are and what characteristic people like about you, then you can find something interesting to talk about. Just talk with your advisor about things interviews like to ask, and talk to people who went through the process recently. When it was all said and done, I think I interviewed better early on than later because I was so tired of interivewing that it was hard to muster up a smile after being asked for the zillionth time why I like emergency...

best of luck

 

[Sessamoid]

Whether it's an advantage or a disadvantage to be early v. late in the interview season can depend on the individual program and how they rank their candidates. I don't think a consistent statement can be made as to "early is better" or "late is better". When we interviewed candidates everybody took pretty good notes, so when it came time to make the rank list, I don't really feel that it made much difference where in the interview season you fell. More likely to affect your chances are other things not under your control, like how rushed the interviewer was, how much sleep he/she had, whether his dog just died, etc. There's a lot of luck involved here too.

During interviews, it's alright to be an individual, but avoid appearing too weird. What most EM residencies want are smart, hard-working, well-rounded people, who above all AREN'T GOING TO CAUSE ANY PROBLEMS FOR THE PROGRAM DIRECTOR. They don't want anybody who pisses off other departments, causes patient complaints, dresses funny, comes in late, has an offensive sense of humor, etc. Try to appear reliable.

 

[Scrubbs]

I've heard they actually did a study over the past few years looking at whether the time you interview makes a difference... I haven't seen the study, but I hear that interview time didn't matter. On a personal note though... I spread my interviews out from the end of October to the end of January, mostly Nov and Dec. By the end, I was totally burnt out on interviewing. I probably had my best face on in the middle, when I had gotten comfortable with the process and was still having fun with it. I agree with Quinn that you should try to interview somewhere closer to the bottom of your list first, if at all possible. 😎

 

[The White Coat Investor]

It took me 10 interviews to figure out what I was looking for. I'd put your favorites toward the end, but maybe not dead last. That way, if you get burnt out, the last ones can be cancelled. If I were you I'd take January off and schedule as many interviews as possible then. Since you'll be getting invites up until about the first two weeks of December, its nice to have enough time to decide which ones you really want and how you can best work them together. I don't think there's a big advantage as to when you interview, its mostly about convenience/expense for you. I did West Coast interviews in December, then did a big road trip from Minnesota to Maine and a short trip to the Southwest (3 of my top 5 programs) in February. Pick the 5 or 6 interviews you really want to go to, then go to the ones that conveniently fit in between those.

 

[DrQuinn]

Originally posted by Scrubbs
I've heard they actually did a study over the past few years looking at whether the time you interview makes a difference... I haven't seen the study, but I hear that interview time didn't matter. On a personal note though... I spread my interviews out from the end of October to the end of January, mostly Nov and Dec. By the end, I was totally burnt out on interviewing. I probably had my best face on in the middle, when I had gotten comfortable with the process and was still having fun with it. I agree with Quinn that you should try to interview somewhere closer to the bottom of your list first, if at all possible. 😎

I agree. I was nervous the first interview (not so much the second), and by the third it was all old hat. I got burnt out aruond 7 or so... but maybe that was because I did a run of like 4 in a row with 300 miles each day. Wouldnt' recommend it but I knocked out a bunch of interviews quickly. Although I still had a fresh face, it was only because I was travelling around and seeing new cities (which I think is fun). I got REAL tired of watching power points on the programs... it all sounds the samea fter a while. I would put your "top choices - pre interivew" in the middle of your order, with any last minute top choice interviews at any time that you get the interview.


Q, DO

 

[Seaglass]

bumpity bump bump