2012-2013 Interview Gossip/Chit-Chat

This forum made possible through the generous support of SDN members, donors, and sponsors. Thank you.
I'm thinking of not going to my UVA interview...I mean 26 applicants for 1 spot seems like a waste of time in my mind, especially since I'm flying so far.

I was actually relieved I didn't get an invite when I saw that ratio. Not in an ungrateful way, but that just seems a bit steep in terms of odds.

Members don't see this ad.
 
I was actually relieved I didn't get an invite when I saw that ratio. Not in an ungrateful way, but that just seems a bit steep in terms of odds.
Isn't the normal ratio 20-1 anyway?
 
Isn't the normal ratio 20-1 anyway?

I know it is for some, but not all. I know most programs with 3 spots aren't interviewing 60+ people.

I don't know though, maybe the 26-1 isn't that bad, it just seemed pretty crazy when I saw it.
 
Members don't see this ad :)
Hi, I'm sitting on a mere 5 interviews, 2 at institutions at which I rotated. I know many programs have not sent out invites (including some local programs), but is this number small enough to start worrying?
Related to this, when do the second waves of interviews start coming? Is it possible that it's not happening this year?
Thanks.
 
Last edited:
Hi, I'm sitting on a mere 5 interviews, 2 at institutions at which I rotated. I know many programs have not sent out invites (including some local programs), but is this number small enough to start worrying?
Related to this, when do the second waves of interviews start coming? Is it possible that it's not happening this year?
Thanks.
According to the last published Charting the Outcomes of the match, people who ranked 8 programs had a 90% chance of matching, so with less than half of the programs sending out invites so far, I think you'll be fine.

http://www.nrmp.org/data/chartingoutcomes2011.pdf
 
How often do candidates from waitlists get invited for interviews?
 
I am certain I am not the first to feel buyer's remorse when picking interview dates.

If you were forced to choose between interviewing at either Maryland or Moffitt this year, which would it be and why might you decide so? Would the upcoming proton facility at Maryland be a motivating factor?
 
Number of people on SDN from Moffitt = 2
Number of people on SDN from Maryland = ???

That has to mean something. Or nothing. I don't know. I don't know anything about Maryland's program. The job market in both the urban northeast and southern Florida areas are both very tight. I don't know if you have a strong preference as to where you want to practice.
 
How many residents are there in total at Moffitt? Moffitt's website is not terribly informative about their residency program.

To Neuronix's point-- I'd prefer the urban northeast to S. Florida, but by this I don't mean DC/Baltimore-- rather, NYC/Philadelphia... Am I to understand that job placement from Moffitt typically and possibly exclusively been distributed in the south?
 
How many residents are there in total at Moffitt? Moffitt's website is not terribly informative about their residency program.

They're updating it... Currently we have 7, that will go to 9 next year, total target is 10.

To Neuronix's point-- I'd prefer the urban northeast to S. Florida, but by this I don't mean DC/Baltimore-- rather, NYC/Philadelphia... Am I to understand that job placement from Moffitt typically and possibly exclusively been distributed in the south?

Moffitt is a fairly new program. Of four graduates, two stayed in Florida, one went to Arizona, and one went to Chicago. Generally program graduates anywhere often stay in the area where they trained for a variety of reasons relating to settling down there with a family or picking a residency based on where they were from and/or wanted to settle down. But you do make connections in the area of your residency if you're a good resident, and that can make getting a job in that area easier.

Word on the street from my buddy at Cornell is that there are literally NO jobs in some of the major northeastern cities this year. That doesn't necessarily change just because you graduated there, but it might help. Though I don't think Baltimore is going to necessarily help with Philly/NYC. Who knows.
 
Members don't see this ad :)
Now that there has been a flurry of invites, any news from a second batch from Harvard beyond their first invites in mid-Oct?
 
In response to medstud200, I have heard there will be a second batch within a week or so. Hopefully someone will post when it happens.
 
How many residents are there in total at Moffitt? Moffitt's website is not terribly informative about their residency program.

To Neuronix's point-- I'd prefer the urban northeast to S. Florida, but by this I don't mean DC/Baltimore-- rather, NYC/Philadelphia... Am I to understand that job placement from Moffitt typically and possibly exclusively been distributed in the south?


We have a total of 6 residents this year at Moffitt although we will be increasing to 9 starting next year. I agree the website needs some help, and that's in the works. It is also true that 2 of the previous graduates have stayed in Florida and 2 have not.
 
Has anyone heard anything from the other NY/Boston programs?
 
Got a rejection email today that started off with "Dear Mr. Rogers"... I am female, and that's not my last name. :\
 
Got a rejection email today that started off with "Dear Mr. Rogers"... I am female, and that's not my last name. :\

Haha sounds like a copy paste fail. Of course, I was paranoid I would make the same mistake with programs' names when I emailed most programs in the country (with variable success) asking how many spots they would have..
 
waiting for Albert Einstein, NYU, Mt Sinai, Columbia, Cornell as well. Also waiting for Emory, Vandy, U Florida, Northwestern
 
Anyone know if Colorado sent out a second batch of invitations?
 
Anyone know if Colorado sent out a second batch of invitations?

Not that this is binding in any way, but based on my conversation with the program administrator, I think that they are done sending invitations.
 
So do programs usually send out more invites in December when people start cancelling their interviews?
 
Anybody gotten sick while out on the trail yet? With all this traveling and hand shaking I feel like its inevitable.

What have you done to get through the interviews? Sudafed?
 
Anyone know of places gives > 3 months of research if you are not a Hollman? It seems that places I have interviewed at gives you 6, but in 3 month blocks.
 
Anyone know of places gives > 3 months of research if you are not a Hollman? It seems that places I have interviewed at gives you 6, but in 3 month blocks.

Multiple places come to mind, Michigan gives 12 consecutive months protected with no clinic for all residents, MD Anderson does something similar, Stanford...Wisconsin does 6 with the option of more if you're productive
 
Rush has 2 spots - 1 advanced and 1 categorical.
 
Anyone know if Vandy has sent out invites yet?
 
Now that we're getting later in the season, has anyone changed their total interview goal? Its really hard to cancel interviews, but I know none of us want to go on "too many" interviews.

For those from previous years, if we are lucky enough to have more than 15, should we start canceling?
 
I cancelled a few interviews last year with some apprehension, but everything turned out well. It is difficult to say what is "enough" interviews. I think it comes down to judgement and the feedback you are receiving on the trail, from places you externed and your home program. If you are around the 15 interview mark, I would say it is better to attend the interview and associated events, rather than just the interview and hurry out to the next program. Also, if you are around 15 interviews, you might want to think seriously about attending interviews at programs you really could not see yourself spending 4 years, as it is probably a waste of time and funds at that point. Good luck, and enjoy the process.
 
Hi all!

Does anyone know if programs actually interview on a Saturday? I have an interview that gives me Fri-Sat dates, and I can't get a hold of the PC as she is out for the holidays. Maybe it was a typo (Rad onc's working on a Saturday?!)....:D
 
Hi all!

Does anyone know if programs actually interview on a Saturday? I have an interview that gives me Fri-Sat dates, and I can't get a hold of the PC as she is out for the holidays. Maybe it was a typo (Rad onc's working on a Saturday?!)....:D

I know of at least one program who does Saturday interviews (Baylor).
 
Ya, Hopkins interviewed me on a Saturday... well, back in the day...
 
So if we weren't able to find out about whether or not moonlighting was permitted during our interview experience, is there any other way to find out at this point? Won't be responsible for big jumps on the list, but I could see it potentially being a tie decider.
 
So if we weren't able to find out about whether or not moonlighting was permitted during our interview experience, is there any other way to find out at this point? Won't be responsible for big jumps on the list, but I could see it potentially being a tie decider.

Email one of the program's residents. If you don't have the contact info email the program secretary and ask if there is a resident who would be willing share his email address to answer a question from an applicant.
 
Can anyone provide insight on ranking the following programs with the goal of going into an academic career? It seems the Hopkins residents are more productive than the rest, but other than that, each has its own unique set of positives and negatives.

Hopkins
Yale
Duke
 
Can anyone provide insight on ranking the following programs with the goal of going into an academic career? It seems the Hopkins residents are more productive than the rest, but other than that, each has its own unique set of positives and negatives.

Hopkins
Yale
Duke

The advice I was given when I asked a similar question was the following: Name is important, but most important will be having a CV that demonstrates your ability to be productive. Seems to me that the prestige of those three are roughly equal, so I would make the decision based on a) Where you think you'll be the most productive and b) where you will be the happiest.

Take with a grain of salt, since I am in the same boat and making similar decisions.
 
Anyone know how many spots Oklahoma is offering this year?
 
Has anyone heard back from the new Cedar-Sinai program in LA?
 
FYI: If anyone else is wondering how many spots a program has, if you look up the program in the NRMP directory it tells you how many spots they've registered for the match this year.


Has anyone heard back from the new Cedar-Sinai program in LA?

I didn't apply, but someone I know did and has heard back so they've at least started the process of contacting people.
 
Anyone know how many people UC-Irvine is interviewing for their 2 spots? Is it just a few each day, or are they interviewing a lot of folks since they have something like 10 interview days?
 
Anyone know how many people UC-Irvine is interviewing for their 2 spots? Is it just a few each day, or are they interviewing a lot of folks since they have something like 10 interview days?

There were 2 at my interview day...not sure about others
 
Top