Intuitively I thought there would be more interview slots per program, but actually don’t think that’s the case, that being said I think less cancellations occurred this year, so I think more people are on 2 ends of the spectrum 3-5 interviews and 12+ interviews.
Official 2020-2021 GI Fellowship Application Cycle
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May be controversial but I think there should be a limit, may be ~14-15 max interviews in the future to prevent this from happening. No one needs to attend 15+ interviews to match. If you don't match after 15 interviews, it's not the number of interviews holding up the match. This is coming from someone who has double digit interviews and canceling some
As far as I see programs are not increasing the invitation being virtual. If the invitation count remains same, good profile candidates are doing more interviews. This makes me feel the edges of getting matched is high even with 5 interviews when compared to last/previous years, as getting 5 interviews could be equivalent to getting ~8 last year. Correct me if I am wrong.
This is what I’ve heard. For those with less than the “goal” to match, the IVs that one does get are certainly even more valuable than before, and certainly means one is being seriously considered
Yeah the only thing I am curious about is the total number of invites being offered. Otherwise I agree with you guys about the number needed to match for an average applicant like me. Hopefully that is not just wishful thinking from my part.
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kupamanduk
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Has anyone received an interview from the University of Kentucky? Regarding the number of candidates programs are interviewing, the programs that offered me interviews are looking after double the number of candidates based on information from FREIDA. Based on what I have heard from programs, the total number of applicants has also increased compared to last year. Having said that, even though it might be wishful thinking, any interviews you get should have higher chances of a match compared to past years. Besides, internal candidates have even higher chances of matching.
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There were a few programs that I've interviewed with so far that have outlined the number of applications they received and how many interviews they offered during the program introduction. From what I saw, those programs are interviewing about 8-10 applicants per spot which, from my understanding, is consistent with the number of interviews in prior years.
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What kind of questions have you guys been asking during your home institution interviews? Can't ask the simple questions since they would assume you already know a lot about the program..
What date do you have? Do you have the 9th as well?
Applicant1991
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Hi everyone, is anyone willing to switch times for Albert Einstein interview on October 7 with me? I am currently scheduled for 1 pm and need the 8 am slot due to work scheduling issues. If anyone would be able to switch, I would greatly appreciate it. Thank you in advance. Please message me if you would be able or willing.
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All my interviews thus far have disclosed their number and it is 8-10 per spot, my mentor who is an advanced endoscopy PD told me that he discussed with his friends who are general fellowship PDs at two top programs and they are interviewing fewer outside candidates with plans to keep mainly internal candidates. It doesn't seem like too many places are interviewing very many extra candidates since it is resource intensive for faculty.
Im not sure how they are interviewing fewer outside applicants given most programs interview all their internal / alumni; i think this year the invites are much more regional in nature. What happens to programs with 3 spots, but 5 internal applicants.
feels like the end is very near. Lots of places especially the community programs only really invited within a small geographical radius.
gastroapplicant2020
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Still haven't heard from some big places like Louisville, U Arizona Tucson, Thomas Jefferson. . . Any word from these places anyone?
+1. I've been wondering if they've sent any invites, since it seems like they sent out some rejections a couple weeks ago at this point.
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apparently they are late this year and haven’t
Hey guys! Wondering if anyone can speak to the process of switching dates? Whether it being having found someone to switch with or talking to the coordinator to see if a switch is a possibility. Also a little worried if talking to the program about a switch will be taken as a slight in any way and hurt your chances at that program. Thanks everyone!
Or alternatively if anyone is able to make a switch for Lenox Hill/Hofstra on that same date (October 1st) that would be amazing!
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Then they interview them all and rank their 3 favorite applicants higher. One of the bigger places that hasn't sent out interviews yet is I think planning on pre-matching for their spots so may not interview anyone external but that is hearsay from a friend who is a fellow in a different field there.
Poop_Emoji
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Is there any data on how many people match into their top program(s), or is it usual to slide down the rank list?
Yes NRMP reports. For GI it’s something like 30% get #1 choice then 10% for #2, 10% for #3 and so on and so forth.
I have not been to one and hope I don't have to but I would guess yes. Why wouldn't they drink? It is happy hour right?
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My money is on Jefferson. Regardless, it's so annoying that a program would do that because we pay for every place we apply and its not like we're swimming in money.... Like can i plz get my money back from ERAS since UC Riverside isn't participating in the match??
Went to one. One applicant had a beer but no one else seemed to be drinking. 10/10 would be down for this to change though
DrIndianaJones
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are people finding IVs being granted in geographic proximity to their home program/hometown? or is it random?
I had an interview tonight where there was no working link, and the only available contact info was the PD email which he didn't answer. I feel like I got stood up. I hope everyone else's interviews are going better!
I'm come to realize I am more competitive than average (AMG from mid tier w/ decent scores/pubs/awards w/ ~25 invites) but have interviewed/been invited east, west, midwest, south. I've heard in previous years that strong applicants are invited nationally, with average applicants getting more regional interviews. Also, don't worry, I'm not hoarding interviews and have declined/canceled several with plans to decline/cancel more!
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I have gotten IVs from around the country, mainly larger cities. I think it is because of my stated interest and not many centers have research in my particular field.
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Average candidate here *raises hand*, have gotten almost all regional invites. Very very little love outside of region. Not complaining since it's ridic out there
Same 11 here, regional mostly
TBH I've had more issues getting interviews in my geographic region than outside of it. That being said, whenever I interview at these places outside my geographic region, I have gotten asked many times if I would even consider moving there...
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Definitely more geographic. This makes sense to me because programs are worried they are going to interview a bunch of people who would actually have no interest in the geographic location of their program, especially now when it takes very little effort to attend an interview. Faculty member at a program I just interviewed at told me this.
I started emailing places yesterday and asked a few mentors to email them as well. I don't know if that will help since some places already invited others but what do we have to lose?
agree. Is the general consensus to email PD and cc PC, or email PC alone?
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Did anyone who got an IV from NJMS get a date confirmation email? I've emailed the coordinator again but no response...
I do not know the consensus here but I emailed the PD (only PC when email cannot be found) and asked mentor to email as well.
Also, what do you guys think is the best way to have your mentors contact the PD regarding the rank list when interview season is over? Email is probably the way? A phone call is obviously much better but how do you even facilitate this? Call the office you may not be able to get the PD on the phone and not like we can call the PD's cellphone.
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Like others have posted, it can't hurt. Preferably, a mentor reaching out would yield the best results. FWIW, I had a mentor who personally knew PDs at two separate programs reach out to each of them to advocate for me and I didn't get interviews at either. Given they were at two competitive programs but I think this year with how many more applications each program received, once interviews have gone out and you haven't gotten one, its pretty much a wrap. Maybe it will help at local community programs but not at large academic centers. Curious to hear if anyone has actually had success with getting an interview after reaching out to the program.
I have yet to year back as well.
Email is probably the best bet as I doubt you'd be able to get the PD on the phone unless your mentor has their direct number. So far this season, I've actually found that my faculty interviewers (not the PD) knew my letter writers more frequently so I'm going to have my mentors reach out to the faculty that they know instead of the PD when it comes to advocating for my spot on the rank list.
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My mentor called 2 places for me, next day I got an offer from one place who made an extra interview slot for me. However he knew these PDs very well. So 50% worked?
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I will consider it worked if you match at that program after ranking it last. many a times, PDs will give courtesy IVs as mark of respect to your mentor who called them. Have seen time and again that it doesnt translate to ranking the candidate unless one is truly stellar.
This is huge. While covid makes it easier not to have to travel, looking over the years and people doing this it looks like the cold emailing usually only yielded these “courtesy” interviews that didn’t yield a match really. Home PD even mentions calling these courtesy interviews because just because their friend from fellowship calls them to get an applicant an interview, that applicant is still a random resident who still isn’t their friend and they may not rank them very high or at all unless they blow them away with magic at the interview.
That being said, from my part, I didn’t get interviews at some places I have local ties at and emails/calls still didn’t work so far. My app is pretty decent as well with no clear red flags. It may have to do with the sheer number this year and lack of people canceling out of fear since some co residents (not on SDN) are spreading word of needing 12 to match this year, which still doesn’t make a whole lot of sense.
This sure adds another layer onto to this lol. A fellow applicant from my same program has been aggressively cold emailing and asking mentors to cold call since the very beginning of the cycle and got total of 16 interviews. I did not call anyone until few days ago and got 10. Both of us are reapplicants without any significant improvement in our app other than applying more broadly and both of us got less than 5 interviews last year. Hopefully we both match this cycle but who has higher chance? No one really knows since it depends on how many "courtesy" interviews he got.
