Analysis : Apply Apply and no Reply ?

Let us get slightly off-topic in response to many emails I received about a apparent paucity of interview calls this year for people who have applied for the 2007 residency match !

First of all, it's true that since 2004 / 2005 the competition is bizarre with many IM programs receiving more than 1,600 applications for their 20-30 seats and this is understandably disturbing !!

But hold on a minute here and think a moment from the Program Director's (PD) point of view - If you were a PD with a responsibility of making sure that none of your program seats go unfilled and received tons of excellent applications, how will go about it ? Within the current application system, you will work like this :

a. Obviously you will like to start with the best applicants - so you 'screen' all application with the most obvious parameter - the Scores. You invite the 100 people with , say , more than 96 on the steps.

b. You ask them to confirm dates for interviews - and soon find out that some are cancelling interviews - why ? That's coz' this year - almost ALL students with all sorts of scores have applied to ALL programs and on the other side ( I know a dude with 96 &99 who has applied to 100 programs each from IM, FP, Peds and Ortho !!) - ALL programs have been unintentionally choosing the SAME applicants in the 'screening' process. That's why on various forums you might have come across folks with 20-plus interviews and some none ! ALL-OR-NONE Phenomenon ;-)

c. As a PD, your nightmare has begun ! Well, you are happy that not everyone has cancelled their interviews to your program - but your 6th sense (and logic) tells you that these guys with great applications must also be interviewing - god knows how many places! How do you tackle that uncertainty ? - 1. Ask them during the Interview ! 2. Offer the Prematch 'bait' and see if they take it ;-) 3. Go back to your downloaded application in your ERAS software and call the next batch of applicants with slightly lower scores...

d. OK ! So you interviewed the 90s guys and many did not take the prematch ..and many looked eligible for higher-ranker programs - many would prefer a H1 and not that J1 which you wanted to give..and so on....your head gets cluttered with so much pessimism...but again , you got time on your hands...it is only October man ! and so send out interview invites to some more folks through November, December and Jan till you are reasonably sure that you got enough potential candidates who will consider your program!!!

So folks...sit tight, sympathize with the programs and give them time - the first round of interviews will be getting done and second round will begin with the score-barometers lowered with each round. There is always hope to hear about an interview call hope until before mid-Feb, when the PDs have to submit their candidate rank listings for the match :-) It's a Gamble for both..programs and you ! Also read these tips to maximize your interview chances..

Afterall - You only need that one special interview that will matter ! Worth a wait, ain't it ?

Meanwhile, if anyone of you did get interviews or if you heard some interview experiences from anyone else, help us all build a Interview Experience Database at www.USMLEtoMD.com. (Follow the link on the home page of the site - a few program-specific entries have already been submitted by readers and may help you in interview tips)




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