This is directed to previous and current match participants.

I am about to start 4th year rotations and wanted to schedule my time off for my residency interviews but I wasnt sure when most of them would be conducted. I have heard that most interviews are done in November and December but I am not sure.

Could those who are in the match this year let me know what month or months that they did most of thier residency interviews?

Thanks in advance.

Shelly,

You have heard correctly. The interview season lasts into January but you should really try to interview at places you are interested in before the new year if possible. This differe program to program. You'll likely need to spread out your interviews over several months as to not burn out (if you plan to attend a lot).

Bes of luck! This is where your hard work and dedication pays off.

-M

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MitchDC/MD
RUSM 2006 Graduate

I heard differently- that you either want to be in the being or the end of the season, so that you are more memorable- in the middle you kinda get lost - any truth to that?
I've always heard that most interviews were conducted in December and January (unless they were early match residencies)- so when did most of you get interviews - sounds more like Nov/Dec like the OP said- i've blocked off Dec and Jan- should i change it?

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Things depend on where you are doing the clinical rotations and where you are doing your interviews. I can only speak for my son who had 13 inteviews and only one required an overnight stay, which was paid by the hospital. He told the head of each clinical rotation when he started which days he would need off for the interviews. I don't beleive it effects your grade in the rotation. He had two in OCt four in Nov four in Dec and three in Jan. If had allof them during one rotation there might have been a problem.

Not sure what happens if you haveto travel cross country for and interview. Hopefully if you have several interview in one remote location you can schedule them in the same week and possiblly not schedule a clinical rotation for that week.

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When you become my age you will realize all of the hard work and studying was worth the effort.
"60 years young" another 60 to go if my doctor sons keep me alive with free prescriptions!!

I had interviews as early as October 4th (Sept. dates were available) and latest was January 30th.

Now I had 2 weeks of an interview (spikes) every day....which was at the end of NOVEMBER and the second week of JANUARY.

It all depends....but I did have to take 3 weeks off...in addition to the numerous days I missed during some "easy" electives for my interviews.

BTW...I only interviewed for IM categorical spots.

All I know is that for EM, most programs tend to start a little later... about mid-November and most run through towards the end of January. The majority of the interviews didn't seem to be rolling in (for IMG's and USMG's) until the week or two after the Dean's letter/MSPE came out (Nov 1st). Interestingly enough, I still have one more interview this week (Feb 14). My busiest interview month was December, of which I had six within 3 weeks since most programs were taking the week between Christmas and New Year's off. November and January were about the same for me.

My advice, don't worry about it too much. My experience is that most electives are pretty relaxed about letting students go on interviews. And I had to fly all over the country so I was usually off for two days for almost every interview unless I could schedule them on consecutive days. I didn't take any time off but I would still recommend a month off if you can... just makes life easier.

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PGY-1 Emergency Medicine

Most programs will pay for at least one night of hotel expense, if the program does not offer this - do ask - it should not offend them? Most do - especially in family medicine. Most have a dinner the night before, ask about that too. They will take you to lunch at least.

Get your ERAS token as soon as possible. Get everything set up. Your LOR's, make sure you have Step 1, Step 2 and CS out of the way and your score reported before Feb 1 or you will be jerked out of the match in Feb. Make sure you have a deans letter before you apply to ERAS.

On September 1st, start applying to programs. I waited because of crazy promise from a residency program that did not get approved and did not get my applications in until the end of Oct. I was lucky and still got 13 interview offers.

Most of the interviews were conducted Nov 1 through the middle of December. By the time I got to the last interview in January, we had gotten a prematch offer. The first interview we went on the PD hinted at a prematch... but did not offer until the middle of December after we had spent thousands dollars and thousands of miles on the road. One required plane tickets and a rental car.

The interview process is stressful. Get your application in early and try to get your interviews scheduled close to each other and in the same proximity. All the programs we applied to picked up one night of hotel. However, we stayed another night at our own expense to see the town etc... and wait for the next interview in the next city.

It is hard as a 4th year medical student to find time to interview and continue rotations. As an FMG, I felt I needed to apply to as many programs as possible - nobody wants to go through the scramble. US students have an advantage because they have someone helping them with the scramble and they don't have to apply to as many programs. I was lucky in a way. I had to sit out a year because of the program blow-up but, I did not have to worry about rotations and interviews at the same time. We were also ECFMG certified which really helps when you apply to residency.

Hope this helps.

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Carpe Diem
MUA-Nevis Graduate
Family Practice Residency
former Razorback
but now I "Roll Tide" in AL

I will be writing step 2 CK at the end of Sept ( I can't write it earlier because of core rotations and will not have 4 weeks off to top of the studying until late august.)

I am planning to wait until the 3rd week of October (once my step 2 score is reported on oasis) to apply for residency.....this is because i did poorly on step 1 and don't want to be rejected from interviews before I prove myself on step 2.

If I submitt my applications on ERAS around October 26th; should I expect to receive interviews in December or January? As I schedule electives for the fall, I plan to take either Dec or Jan off but am having a tough time deciding on which month.....?

The best time to interview is January, or whenever your program of choice will be holding its last few interviews. I have heard of PD's claiming they remember interviewees better when they show up near the end, than those who showed up in sept or oct. There will be lots of arrogant medical students (sheesh, whoever heard of such a thing?) who will brag about their interviews being held so early, as if they have so many to attend to or that they are that desireable.

Don't be fooled by these people..just do yours late and match where you want to.

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Good luck.