How many interviews did you go on in 2005-06?

Yearly Interview Poll

I think it is important for the younger med students to realize that this forum has a selection bias. It is my opinion that the people who post regularly on here have their $hit together and tend to be the people who are getting interviews. I think the people who are not in such a great position tend not to be active on this board.

so keep this in mind when you look at these posts. Most people applying to ortho are not going on 10-20 inteviews....only the better applicants that are likely to match have the opportunity to go on so many interviews...

bump

I went on a total of 7 interviews. I had 10 offers but three conflicted with other interviews and did not have any alternative dates. Overall, I applied to 32 programs with 10 offers, 1 waitlist, about 15 rejections and did not hear anything from the rest. I had a step I of 249, step II of 255, AOA, good LORs (as far as I know!), mix of honors/A's, and research experience in both ortho and plastics. The interviews I had were from very solid programs, but I learned in this process that nothing is exactly predictable. I was rejected from smaller programs that I was hoping to interview at and offered interviews at some of my "reach" programs. In the end, I realize that in many ways, the interview offers are quite random. Therefore, you must apply to many programs and just hope to match somewhere ... preferably someplace that is a good fit for you as well!! Good luck. Only 5 weeks.

The randomness to it all is 100% correct, I had 248 Step 1, 259 Step 2, AOA, great letters (able to read them at certain interiews) and Ortho research with pub in minor journal. Applied to 56 programs, offered 14, went on 11 due to conflicts, wait listed at 3 and rejeced from 29, never heard from the rest. Invites were to some places with big names and other lesser known joints said not in this lifetime and vis versa. My recommendation ...... don't fail the CS, f%^&*^% bast$#@!s at the NBME. I think that where you go to school matters a significant amount because I know guys with lesser numbers who got more interviews while appling to less but are from well known schools. And forget Chicago they are so busy bickering between themselves that you are lucky to get one from the 5 of them.
My own personal take on this process is that if you have apporox 400 applicatons no one is gona sit and go through all those. So what do you do? You take only those with >230 Step 1. Then you are left with say 150-200. Still I doubt anyone is gona go through that many aps. So you give 40 to attending x, 40 to attending y and 40 at attending z, and so on and tell everyone to pick 10 or whatever and give all rotators a shot. The process boils down to your letters (remember everyone is the greatest and everyone walks on water)and who wrote them. If the guy whose pile you ended up in knows the guy that wrote yours, you're in, if not tough luck, see ya at the Grammys. Apply to 60+ programs even if you are the best applicant then decide where to vist. Cold process but the people you meet at these places are some of the nicest and coolest peole I've met.
The glass is either half empty or broken to me. Why would anyone leave a half- full glass just sitting there.

The last several posts are dead on...and the younger guys need to heed these with respect. This process is so random, so you increase your chances by applying to a lot of programs. You will find a SIGNIFICANT geographic bias in interviewie selection. So if you are from a certain area and want to go to another area, YOU NEED TO ROTATE THERE. The chicago story is true...if your not from a med school in chicago or you rotate there your odds are very slim of getting an interview there. And even so, if you want to actually operate only a couple of the 5 will fit your bill anyway.
The last guys post is a sentiment to the reality of the situation.....guys who have those numbers would expect to get almost every interview they apply to....you can try to guess the algorythm...but my best estimate is that the residency coordinator screens most of the applications and you could have a letter from "letournel" and "rockwood" that says you are the second coming and it wont matter until you get into the interview.
If you figure most places interview 40-60 people and they also interview all rotators and home med students, then that leaves about 25-30 spots open to the "general public".

I whole heartedly agree with what has been said. I applied to 52 programs....I did not apply to a lot of the smaller places where I may have picked up a few more interviews. My target region was the Midwest. Wayne State shut down===imagine if you had done a rotation and the program closes. I had a 241 on I, and 243 and duece, passes CS... Mostly H and NH on my clinicals (missed AOA by a bit and cannot emphasize how much I think that hurt me)...one nice little reseach project..good letters..from a decent med school....and I got 13/52 invites....I made 11 interviews...

Can I complain???...NO.....I was content...but honestly I had no idea what a blood bath this would become....