Guys, it’s very important NOT to freak out at this stage on seeing that candidate X got 3 interviews and I haven’t even received an acknowledgement. I have a better profile than him and I still don’t have a single call. So on and so forth. May be they haven’t reached your profile. May be, he rotated there. May be, he has a link there. May be, his profile was screened before you. On an average, these programs receive 4000 to 6000 applications so don’t expect them to process all of them so fast. Give them time.
So the natural question is-> When do a vast majority IMG’s start getting interviews?
GENERALLY, you DO NOT get ANY CALLS/ GET 1 or 2 ODD CALLS during September unless you have a really really high score or an internal link in the program or you have rotated there.
Most programs will start sending interviews in October, generally in/after the 1st week of October. I got my first interview on Oct. 8th and had double digit interviews eventually. In the meantime, you will get rejections. Loads of rejections. Don’t get disheartened or sad. That’s what will happen to a vast majority of applicants. That’s normal. Very normal. I have been there and I know how difficult this phase is. So, what should be done during this tedious waiting time?
-
Start preparing for interviews. Select the top 5-10 programs you are likely to get interviews from and try to find out everything you possibly can. Google, YouTube, Facebook, Twitter, News, contacts etc. Use every possible resource. After that, start practicing your interviews with friends and seniors and get their feedback. How you are saying it is as important as what you are saying! Say, you receive a last minute interview and they call you the very next day to interview and you have not prepared at all. That will be a recipe for disaster.
-
Make sure you have a good network and that you are in a network zone. They do call you for interviews and you don’t want to miss that call! By network, I mean use the best network possible for ur area e.g. Verizon has the best network in the country overall. Sprint and AT&T are next. Don’t use really bad networks like Lyca, T-mobile, Orange, Metro PCS etc. unless they are really really good in your area!! IF YOU ARE IN YOUR HOME COUNTRY, TAKE A GOOGLE VOICE NUMBER AND ROUTE IT TO YOUR HOME COUNTRY NUMBER!
-
Check your emails frequently including your spam. My residency offer letter went to spam!! By frequently, I mean like every 30 mins. I have had friends who checked their emails in the evening and found an interview invitation from the morning, which was already filled till they responded. Yes that happens. They sometimes do send more invitations than slots. So check your mails frequently and respond ASAP!! If you are doing a clinical rotation right now, you can let the attending know that you are expecting mails and would be checking emails frequently so that you don’t leave a bad impression!
Good luck