Interviews
You have submitted your application and are now waiting for interviews – what a relief! There is still plenty of work to do as interview season is just around the corner. Most interviews take place between late October and mid-December. Do everything you can to schedule time off during this period, as you will be busy dedicating significant time to interviewing.
Master Calendar
Starting with the 2021 interview cycle, the SF match has implemented a new Interview Scheduler program to post interview dates and schedule applicants. We recommend watching this webinar by the SF match to familiarize yourself with the interviewer scheduler. Interview offers will arrive via the SF Match Portal: we strongly recommend you can set up automatic forwarding to your email for SF Match notifications in order to respond in a timely manner. Scheduling occurs via the SF Match Portal, and NOT by simply replying to an email. The HUGE advantage to this system is that programs will only extend the number of interview invitations they can accommodate, so you won't be fighting tooth and nail to say YES to that coveted interview spot. That being said, you should still check your email as frequently as you can because you want the first pick at the available interview dates and times!
Programs have limited dates available and they fill up ridiculously fast. This means you need to be on your toes, ready to respond quickly to get your first choice of dates. For this to work efficiently, I recommend making a calendar to determine your optimal interview schedule. I used Google Calendar and printed a paper copy to carry in my pocket, but anything will do as long as it is easily accessible and always with you. Enable email alerts so you are instantly notified when you have received a new email. If you receive many unrelated emails throughout the day, your phone will become the boy who cried wolf. One option is to create a unique email address exclusively for the SF Match website and other interview‐related activities. Remove all other email accounts from your phone so you know that every email alert concerns an interview. If you do receive an interview offer during the day, politely excuse yourself from whatever you are doing and sign up for a date on your phone. Do not put off your reply, or the most coveted dates will fill.
Using a combination of SF Match (click on the program names) and departmental websites, find this year's interview dates for all of the programs to which you are applying. In previous years, spreadsheets with a compiled list of every program's interview dates have been posted to the ophthalmology applicant google spreadsheet. If you cannot find the dates for a program in which you are very interested, you can politely send the program coordinator an email asking if the dates have been decided. Put all of the dates on your calendar then find a combination that allows you to interview at all of your top choices.
With in-person interviews, it may be helpful to group them by geographic location, but this is not always possible. Also keep in mind that many programs have an interview dinner the night before or after your interview, so try not to pack your interviews too tightly. Programs typically notify you of dinner times alongside their interview offer or in your scheduling confirmation email – do not forget to add these additional commitments to your master calendar as you will need to adjust your travel and schedule accordingly.
There is some debate over scheduling earlier versus later in the season. The thought is that those who make a positive impression early will be held in high esteem and the later applicants may not live up to these high standards the interview committee has built up. Interviewing early has the possible downside that you will be forgotten later in the season and lost among the sea of later applicants. Later interviewees are more recent in the committee's mind when forming the final rank list. If you do have an earlier interview date with a program, you may elect to send them an email around the time of their final interviews to reiterate your interest in the program and bring your name back into the spotlight.
Another consideration in making your schedule is interview performance. Most interviews end up being fairly similar, so you become more skilled at interviewing as the season progresses. Late in the season, however, you may begin to fatigue, and your performance may actually decline as a result. Therefore, peak performance usually takes place midway through the interview season.
Despite all your hard efforts, you are bound to end up with some interview dates you didn't anticipate. You can contact programs with whom you previously had scheduled interviews and ask if they have openings on other dates for you to swap. If not, they can often put you on a waiting list and contact you when one becomes available. Additionally, I've heard of others having success using the annual "interview swap thread" on the ophthalmology google spreadsheet where applicants work out personal trades with each other and simply contact the program to inform them of the change.
Interview Number
Early on, you should accept every interview offer you receive to build your numbers. If you are fortunate, you may eventually have more interviews than you need and you will have to decide how many to keep. The more interviews you attend, the more programs you can order on your rank list.
One would think more interviews would therefore increase your chances of matching, and this is true to some extent. However, there are diminishing returns after a submitting your application to a certain number of programs, particularly beyond the range of 41-60. [11] If you decide to cancel an interview, both cancel through the SF Match Portal and send a personal email to the program director (and express your gratitude). There is absolutely no reason to keep them on your calendar if you have no intention of attending. As a rule of thumb, you should give programs at least 2 weeks' notice if you decide to cancel an interview with them. Ophthalmology is a small community: if you make a bad impression with a program, you never know if word will travel to another institution, and you may face repercussions if you decide to apply for a fellowship down the road.
Do not become too nervous if your friends pursuing other specialties receive interview offers before you. Despite having an early match, ophthalmology interview offers go out relatively late compared to many other medical fields. While the ophthalmology forum online can be anxiety inducing, it is particularly useful to see when individual programs have begun sending interviews offers. Each year, an interview thread is started, and members post when they have received offers from various programs. If a program has sent out their first wave of interviews and you did not receive one, your chances of receiving one are reduced, but not zero. Some programs send invites in multiple waves and those that send a single wave may later have openings as applicants cancel their interviews with the program. The timing of interview invitations is widely spread, which can make planning difficult. The earliest you can hear from a program is mid-October, however interview offers continue through the season as applicants revise their schedules and you may continue to receive offers through early December.
If a program you are particularly interested in has sent out offers and you did not receive one, it is worthwhile to call or email the program coordinator to assess the status of your application. Say something like, "I am a fourth‐year medical student at the University of Iowa and have applied for a residency position at your program. I am extremely interested in your program and was curious regarding the status of my application." Expressing interest in the program can drastically raise your position in the waiting list, making it much more likely that you will receive an interview offer should one become available. The majority of interviewers will have no idea that you weren't a first‐round invite. With a pile of extremely similar applications, there is always an element of chance determining exactly who gets interviews at which institutions. Once you are at the interview, everyone is essentially back on an equal playing field. At this point, the interviewers are then attempting to stratify applicants based on things such as personability and communication abilities. In sum, take the second‐offer interview and stroll into the interview with energy and confidence – you may just knock their socks off.
The Interviews
Interviews themselves are pretty similar between programs and you will become an expert at the process by the end of the interview season. Interviews typically last between a half and a full day. You may have multiple 1:1 interviews, several 2-on-1 interviews, or a single-panel interview in which you sit across from a handful of faculty members at one time. If your interview cycle is virtual, it would be prudent to keep your phone within reach during interviews. Should anything happen to your internet connection mid-way through the interview, programs will sometimes call you on the phone to complete the interview. It is also helpful to have a phone hotspot as an alternative source of internet connection.
You have gotten through medical school by studying hard for exams, but these interviews carry far more weight than any exam when it comes to matching. It pays to do your homework and spend time studying beforehand. Read each program's website the night before the interview so you have some background knowledge in case they ask you why you chose to apply to their program. Make a list of commonly asked questions and think about how you would answer them. Read over your research manuscripts and personal statement so you are prepared for questions. Form opinions on hot political topics in medicine and even consider brushing up on some basic ophthalmology in case you are pimped with knowledge-based questions (although this is extremely uncommon).
During interviews, act excited about your answers and show energy even if you don't think your response is very stimulating. How you present your responses is just as important as their content. In fact, your interviewers are likely more interested in your ability to communicate than the information you are giving them. Be punctual, positive, and cheerful even if you've had a terrible travel experience. You'd rather be the memorable lad who shows up in shorts, a t‐shirt, and a smile because your luggage didn't accompany you on your rescheduled flight (yes, I did see this on my interview trail) than the bum who staggers in grumbling about how his flight was delayed. Know your application inside and out. Interviewers will ask you about items in your application far more frequently than anything else, so be prepared to elaborate on that mission trip to Africa, your research project on the latest and greatest surgical gadget, or that tantalizing tidbit you carefully planted in your personal statement.
Some questions are almost guaranteed along the interview trail. It will serve you well to prepare clever responses to the following:
- Tell me about yourself.
- Why did you choose ophthalmology?
- Tell me about <some aspect in your application, CV, or personal statement>.
- What do you do for fun?
- Why are you interested in our program?
- Where do you see yourself in 10 years?
- Do you plan on a career in private practice or academics?
- Are you interested in pursuing a fellowship?
- If I asked your friends to describe you, what would they say?
- If you were to describe yourself in 3 words, what would they be?
- Tell us about an interesting case you have seen and how it influenced you.
- What are your biggest strengths and weaknesses?
- Why would a Midwest person like you want to move to the West Coast (or another region)?
- Iowa has an excellent program; why would you want to leave?
- What are you looking for in a residency program?
- What sets you apart from the other candidates for this position?
Other questions that are less common, but you may still encounter them at some point along the interview trail:
- What is your biggest failure and how did you handle it?
- What is your most significant accomplishment to date?
- What would you like to see out of a co-resident? How do you display those traits?
- What does success mean to you?
- Teach me something.
- What did you find interesting in medical school, other than ophthalmology?
- Do you support a national healthcare plan? (or other questions about recent political or medical news developments)
- What leadership positions have you had?
- Where else are you interviewing?
- How do you deal with stress?
- Who is the person you most admire?
- Tell me a joke.
- What if you don't match?
- If you couldn't go into medicine, what would you do?
- If there is one thing you could change in your past, what would it be?
- How would your spouse feel about moving to this city? (or some other question to assess your spouse's profession and his/her mobility)
- What is the last book you read for leisure?
- Explain this <poor grade or USMLE Board exam score> in your application.
- What was your favorite (or least favorite) job and why?
I was asked all of the above questions at least once during my interviews. Of course, there are countless more potential questions, and I urge you to seek out lists online to become as prepared as possible. Study your responses prior to each interview so they are fresh in your mind. There are always rumors of programs that require you to perform some sort of manual dexterity test during an interview, but this practice is extremely uncommon, and you are unlikely to have to deal with it. If you do encounter something like this, I think the interviewer would be more interested in how you handle the stress of the situation than your actual performance.
You will be asked if you have any questions more times than you care for. Have a list prepared so you can portray interest in the program. I always tried to ask at least one question when placed in this situation. If all else fails and you are out of questions, ask the interviewer the same question you asked someone else earlier in the day. Be cautious with the questions you ask, as some can change the interviewers' perception of you. There is a host of forbidden questions (i.e., "When can I start moonlighting?" or "How much maternity leave do we get?") which you should avoid at all cost. Don't worry, there will usually be some unknowing applicant who will ask these questions so you can overhear the answers. If not, you may be able to find the answers on the programs' websites or by word of mouth. The best way to get honest answers to sensitive questions about a program is to reach out to recent alumni of that program and ask for some of their time.
In-Person Interviews
Nearly every applicant I met on the trail (including me) seemed to carry a black portfolio with him or her to each interview. Mine contained a pen, my printed SF Match application, my published manuscripts, and blank paper for taking notes. I never once pulled anything from the portfolio, and I got the feeling that others did not either. It is mostly there for comfort – the applicant's version of a security blanket. Guys typically just carried their portfolios while girls often brought a conservative tote bag. In addition to the portfolio these totes were often loaded with "emergency kits," including items like lint rollers, lip balm, mints, hair ties, extra hose, contact lens solution, Tylenol, toiletries, and cough drops. Don't forget to discreetly carry your phone so you can send stealthy replies to other invitations during any downtime you may have.
Thank You Notes and Follow-Up Letters
Thank you notes are one area where there are no clear right or wrong answers. Generally, programs say they are nice to receive, but not necessary. You can't hurt yourself by sending them, so I recommend taking a few minutes after each interview to write a personalized message to the program director and perhaps also the program coordinator and department chair. Sending an individual note to each interviewer is probably excessive, and some programs specifically request that you not send thank you notes. Type or hand write thank you notes and either email or send them by snail mail. Certain programs directly instruct applicants to email any thank you notes that are sent, so this may be the preferred method in some cases. It also saves you a few stamps!
Many applicants send a letter or email to their top programs after completing all of their interviews, often letting their favorite know that they are planning to rank them number 1. This is often colloquially called a "love letter" or "letter of intent." Again, I don't think this can hurt you as long as you are sincere in your claims. However, if you send a letter of intent to an institution that ranks you number 1 expecting to match you and you end up matching at a different institution, they will know that you have not been honest, and you will have burned a bridge.
In-Person Dinners & Socials
Have fun with the interview process! You will make friends with other applicants and bump into them over and over along the trail. Many programs host dinner or socials with the residents the night before or after your interviews. Take this opportunity to meet residents and ask any burning questions you may have about the program or city. It is important that the residents meet you as they often have input on the selection process. Attending these dinners is not required, however make as many as you can (especially for those programs in which you are most interested) as it shows that you have commitment to the program.
The dinners are held at a range of locales, including resident houses, bars, and fancy restaurants. You may not know the scenario prior to arriving, so planning attire can be difficult. As a general rule, I would avoid jeans even though the residents will frequently sport them. It is much safer for guys to wear khakis and a polo, button‐down shirt, or sweater. Most girls wear a casual and appropriate dress or nice pants and a conservative shirt. Nobody will likely notice what you are wearing, but it is comforting to know you won't be painfully underdressed.
At many dinners, you will be offered a drink. Generally, it is absolutely fine to accept the offer as many of the current residents will probably be drinking as well. Make sure to bring a bit of cash since some programs will not pay for your drinks. If you do choose to imbibe, it is wise not to over‐indulge or you may end up the comic relief of the party in the worst way.
Travel
The interview trail can be incredibly expensive, so you want to find the best travel deals possible. During in-person interviews, travel expenses over the interview season will likely set you back $2000‐5000, although I personally know people who spent as much as $10,000 because they attended many interviews requiring flights and hotel stays [12]. I found it helpful to make a packing checklist of required items for my travels which I frequently referenced to minimize the chances of forgetting anything.
Expect some delays and other travel issues, especially since most of the interview season occurs during winter. For the programs in which you are most interested, I would make sure to arrive with plenty of buffer in your schedule to allow for these mishaps. You will also then have time to explore the region. If you do have to miss an interview secondary to unavoidable travel problems, just let the program coordinator know. One particular applicant's flight was canceled the evening prior to an interview he was very excited to attend. As a result, he did not arrive until midway through the interview day and he missed the overview and tour. Fortunately, this candidate handled it with grace and he actually ended up matching at the program.
Planes
Everyone has their favorite fare‐finding website, including Google Flights, which allows you to compare different airlines easily. It also makes it easy to specify takeoff and landing times and to search by flexible dates and nearby airports. Using this feature, those traveling from Iowa City will find it is almost always cheaper to fly out of Moline or Des Moines than Cedar Rapids. I also recommend signing up for a free account and setting up daily email alerts to keep track of specific fare prices. These alerts create graphs of fare prices over time and email the data to you each morning. This helps you determine what a good price for a given ticket is and purchase them when there is a sudden drop in price.
Some budget airlines are not included in search engines such as Google Flights, including the beloved Southwest Airlines. If you are flying from Cedar Rapids or smaller and less popular airports across the country, budget airlines such as Frontier and Allegiant offer amazing prices to limited destinations, but they have very few scheduling options and can experience more significant delays than larger airlines. It is worthwhile to check if you will be interviewing near one of their destinations. Southwest has the benefit of flexible scheduling. They allow you to cancel and reschedule flights for no fee, which is invaluable during interview season when you will be frequently juggling interview dates. Of note for University of Iowa students, the closest airports where Southwest is available are Des Moines (~2 hours) and Chicago (~3.5 hours), so take the drive into consideration when planning flight times.
If you have to catch a plane the evening after an interview, let the program coordinator know as soon as you have your flight scheduled, and he or she may be able to arrange for your interviews to finish earlier in the day. Of course, this may not be possible at every institution depending on the way they schedule their interviews.
When flying, try to pack everything in a carry‐on bag. You absolutely cannot risk delayed luggage if it contains your suit or other interview day essentials. If you can't fit everything in a single carry‐on, you are also allowed to bring an additional personal item which can be a purse or backpack, and this will hopefully give you enough space to pack your things.
Traveling with a suit can be difficult. Some flyers use folding garment bags even though they aren't technically within the size requirements for carry‐on bags. Most airlines will also allow you to bring your suit in a garment bag and hang it in their coat closet; double check with your airline first before you run into unnecessary stress! I ended up wearing my jacket and folding the pants carefully at the top of my carry‐on, which worked quite well.
This is a great time to sign up for free frequent flyer accounts if you do not already have them! You can typically find a link to do this from each airline's website. Since you will likely be doing a good deal of flying, you may as well start building rewards toward a free flight. Additionally, many will take advantage of the stellar travel bonuses offered with opening credit cards, with the most popular being Chase Sapphire Preferred and Chase Sapphire Reserve. These credit cards offer up to $750 in travel rewards after spending a certain amount, which will (unfortunately) be easily attainable with applications and interview travel quickly adding up.
Cars
To cut costs and avoid travel delays, I drove to every interview within a reasonable distance rather than purchasing a plane ticket. If you are able to cluster your distant interviews together, you may also benefit from one‐way car rentals. Rather than booking a short flight, you can often save a significant amount of money by renting a car and leaving it at your next destination. I saved hundreds by renting a car in the Northeast and slowly making my way down to the Southeast where I eventually left it and flew out. While this is almost always cheaper than flying, keep in mind that one‐way car rentals are considerably more expensive than returning the car at the facility where you originally obtained it. Be sure to check the price before deciding on this option.
When you fly into a city, you can typically easily find an Uber/Lyft to your destination. However, do be mindful that these services tend to be less plentiful in smaller, rural destinations, especially during bad weather and very early/late hours. Airport shuttles are another option if they are available to your hotel. One travel hack is to stay at a hotel that offers free shuttles that can pick you up from the airport and possibly drop you off at your interview, depending on how far it is. Some of the hotels will advertise free hospital shuttles. This seems attractive, but the interviews often start around 7‐7:30 am, and the shuttles are often not running early enough for you to make it in time, so be sure to inquire about this when booking the hotel.
When shopping for a rental car, I always start off at Kayak to get a general idea what prices are in the area. Then I compare that with deal‐finding sites like Priceline and Hotwire. These sites work similarly in that you don't know which rental company you are purchasing from, but they usually have better deals than you can find elsewhere. Priceline requires you to provide your best offer while Hotwire gives you the price straight‐up. Using this method, I was almost always able to find cheaper rates than booking directly from the rental agencies' websites, especially for one‐way rentals.
Unless you're set on a Mustang convertible, go for the compact model to save cash. If the rental agency happens to be out of compacts (which isn't uncommon), they will offer you a free upgrade. They will always try to persuade you to purchase upgrades at the counter – stand your ground and don't give in. You are trying to get a deal here! Look into your credit card benefits and auto insurance to see if you get free rental car insurance. I received free insurance through American Express, and this led to considerable cost savings on each car. If using your phone, make sure you have a car charger, as the Apple or Google Maps app will drain your battery quickly. Do not pre‐pay for the tank of gas as you are unlikely to use the entire tank. Tell them you will fill it back up prior to returning the vehicle and you should be set.
Alternative forms of travel
Other than flying or driving, trains and buses are a good option in many parts of the country. Trains like Amtrak are particularly useful and a faster means of transportation in the Northeast than dealing with the airport madness. Remember to book these in advance too because prices will go up closer to your travel date! Another personal favorite of mine are buses like Megabus, Windstar, and Greyhound, if you have some time in between interviews. These buses typically stop at many airports and can be as cheap as $5 one-way.
Hotels
You will need a place to spend the night before an early interview. First, try to think of any friends or relatives you may have living in the city. If you don't know anyone around the area, the next option for Iowa students is the alumni host program. In this program, you apply for host positions in a given city and they will attempt to match you with an Iowa medical alumnus who lives there. I initially thought this would be an awkward experience, but it was absolutely amazing. My hosts consistently exceeded my expectations by doing things like cooking meals and offering to provide any transportation I may need. They were all very kind, and I would highly recommend the program as a way to gain insider advice on a city and to save money. If you end up using this program, please remember to write your hosts a thank you note and update them with your eventual match results. They will surely be curious, and it's the least you can do in exchange for their hospitality.
Residency programs usually recommend a hotel which is located near the hospital. This may be the most convenient, but you can usually save a considerable amount of money if you look elsewhere. Similar to rental cars, I recommend using Hotels Tonight smartphone app, Priceline, or Hotwire. With these services, you will end up with a highly discounted hotel room in your chosen region of the city. Hotels Tonight offers incredible prices, since hotels want to get rid of their unsold rooms. Hotwire provides prices on their website while Priceline lets you name the price you are willing to pay. Using these websites, you can often book 3 ½ to 4‐star hotel rooms for $50 or less.
AirBnB is also a great option to save money. You can choose to stay with locals who can answer your questions about the city, culture, food scene, etc., which could be much more valuable than staying at a hotel. Depending on the city, you can typically find AirBnBs for significantly cheaper than a hotel would cost. However, you may be staying with other people in AirBnBs, so be cautious with this option if you are a light sleeper.
