Zero interviews?

[DOanonymous]

Has anybody on here not been granted any interviews for residency? I realize I am prematurely freaking out, but the "what if I don't get any interviews?" thought just occurred to me. The fact that there are no threads on the topic is somewhat reassuring....

For the record, I am a US medical student at a DO school applying to AOA residencies in a field that is not typically considered competitive. I have low (but passing) Level 1 scores and low (but passing) pre-clinical grades.

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[DocVapor]

My school recently gave my class a couple examples of this happening to former students. The common thread between them all? Applying to a very small number of programs (think <5), and then +/- applying for competitive residencies without being competitive. Halfway through the interview season some of them started applying to greater numbers of programs, or more realistic programs. Those students seemed to match. The ones that stuck their heads in the sand and rode it, didn't. So I would say that if you aren't getting any interviews a month or two after applications are in then I would just start applying to a broader set of programs. Don't wait until the end.

 

[costales]

Apply broadly, go on as many interviews as you can afford, and rank them all.

 

[hallowmann]

Apply to a decent number of places including places that you are competitive for, and you shouldn't have to worry about this. Be sure to apply to a bunch of places early on. If you wait too long to add places they might full up their interviews.

 

[FutureDO2016]

Yeah I have been talking to some residents and I think it's simply insane when they say oh I only applied to this program or how I only applied to 3 places....I'm not sure why they were so confident about getting in but their risky move paid off for them...

So what is a good number if you are applying in general to a less competitive residency? For example, is 20 programs average or 30 or 50? Obviously, the more you apply, the more you spend and the more chances but still I want to be realistic.

 

[YankeeCandle1141]

Yeah I have been talking to some residents and I think it's simply insane when they say oh I only applied to this program or how I only applied to 3 places....I'm not sure why they were so confident about getting in but their risky move paid off for them...

So what is a good number if you are applying in general to a less competitive residency? For example, is 20 programs average or 30 or 50? Obviously, the more you apply, the more you spend and the more chances but still I want to be realistic.

I wanna say that I saw some data, and 20-30 is average. I will try to dig the internet and post a link if I can find it. I

 

[Kevin Baker]

Apply 1/3 average, 1/3 reach, 1/3 safety. I recommend applying to at least 30 places. It's different and more competitive now and the average number of interviews is 12 or so. I got 10 from applying to 34 but much of that was from safeties. Better to match at a safety than go unmatched and what's a couple extra application fees in the long run.

 

[YankeeCandle1141]

Apply 1/3 average, 1/3 reach, 1/3 safety. I recommend applying to at least 30 places. It's different and more competitive now and the average number of interviews is 12 or so. I got 10 from applying to 34 but much of that was from safeties. Better to match at a safety than go unmatched and what's a couple extra application fees in the long run.

I wish I could.

My advisor is essentially useless, and at least 75% of aoa IM programs post no information about their average board scores etc.

Its literally a guessing game as far as reach-average-safety goes.

 

[SLC]

Apply broadly, go on as many interviews as you can afford, and rank them all.

Sage advice, advice I wish I'd gotten and followed last year. I went in being told I'd match no problem, had a very competitive app.

I applied to around 30, got around 20 interview invites, ended up only going on 9, had plans to go on 11 but ran out of cash and stamina around the beginning of January.

I ranked the 9 I went on, and went unmatched. One program that I cancelled on last minute went unfilled, I would have matched there if I'd just gone on the interview. But I didn't, because I thought I was fine and I was tired of interviews. Big mistake!

Everything worked out, I got a spot at a top program that miraculously had a spot in SOAP, and I'm very happy with the outcome now. Things are going great, and I'm apparently exceeding expectations based on feedback with faculty thus far. I even had a gentle nudge toward thinking about fellowship from the director of one of our fellowships the other day.
But it almost didn't happens for me, and I really made a big mistake not interviewing more places. I could just as easily ended up with a terrible program or no residency at all last cycle. I'm very fortunate and dodged a major bullet.

Don't make the same mistake I did. SOAP week was one of most stressful things I've ever gone through.

 

[YankeeCandle1141]

Yeah I have been talking to some residents and I think it's simply insane when they say oh I only applied to this program or how I only applied to 3 places....I'm not sure why they were so confident about getting in but their risky move paid off for them...

So what is a good number if you are applying in general to a less competitive residency? For example, is 20 programs average or 30 or 50? Obviously, the more you apply, the more you spend and the more chances but still I want to be realistic.

Average AOA IM applicant = 16 programs. https://www.aamc.org/download/358760/data/residency.xls

 

[YankeeCandle1141]

Usually SDN is very good at ripping apart any piece of data that gets posted.


Honestly I feel like 16 is too low, but I cant think of any way to explain it.

The cost to apply to 1 AOA program is the exact same as the cost to apply to 10 AOA programs, so the lowest amount of programs that reasonable AOA applicants would send out is 10.
Unless maybe your ortho applicants maybe apply to 2-3 IM programs banking on that being enough for a safety?


Usually SDN is very good at discrediting data. This is a call for help. Anybody know how AOA IM applicants send out only 16 apps?

 

[Kevin Baker]

Usually SDN is very good at ripping apart any piece of data that gets posted.


Honestly I feel like 16 is too low, but I cant think of any way to explain it.

The cost to apply to 1 AOA program is the exact same as the cost to apply to 10 AOA programs, so the lowest amount of programs that reasonable AOA applicants would send out is 10.
Unless maybe your ortho applicants maybe apply to 2-3 IM programs banking on that being enough for a safety?


Usually SDN is very good at discrediting data. This is a call for help. Anybody know how AOA IM applicants send out only 16 apps?

I have no idea how the data was compiled but just from giving it a quick glance, and knowing from that list ACGME average IM programs applied to per applicant was 32, I assume the osteo numbers on the list just include applications to the osteo programs. Since we can do both matches, people apply to roughly half AOA and half ACGME so you'd get closer to 32 apps per osteo applicant.

 

[YankeeCandle1141]

OP, any updates?