[Could you please share this with your audience?]
I strongly urge all applicants to keep programs informed of your plans, especially if you cannot or decide not to attend the interview. As soon as you know you are not going to do an interview, CALL or write the program and let them know. DO NOT USE E-MAIL: IT IS NOT RELIABLE. It's best to call and speak to either the residency administrative assistant or the secretary for the program director. Give as much advance notice as possible.
If you are granted an interview and either can't or don't want to keep it, DON'T JUST NOT SHOW UP. Surprisingly, almost every year we have had people cancel the day before, or worse, just not show up. This is rude, and terribly inconsiderate of your fellow applicants, as it means there isn't time to offer that slot to another applicant, and both our program and the applicant lose out. We have a limited number of interview slots, and we want to utilize every one productively. We do understand there are emergencies and last minute changes of plan - you still need to contact the program.
When we have a no-show in my department, I write a letter to the student and to the student's dean, and we simply don't consider applications from that institution the following year. There are two schools affected this year whose applicants will not hear from us. While this may seem harsh, it is effective, and both applicants and deans have taken notice. Applicants need to understand they do not operate in a vacuum, and their actions are a reflection on their institution. Furthermore, keep in mind that urology is a small community, and that memories are long. This year we had one otherwise qualified applicant for our very competitive laparoscopic fellowship whose application was rejected outright because 4 years ago he was a no-show for a residency interview who made no contact with us until his dean chewed him out. Don't start out your urologic career on the wrong foot. Be polite, be considerate of the programs and your fellow applicants, don't be stupid, and do be concerned about how you project yourself and your school.
Good luck on the trail. We look forward to meeting many of you.
Donald F. Lynch, Jr., MD, FACS
Professor and Chairman, Department of Urology
Eastern Virginia School of Medicine
Norfolk, Virginia
I strongly urge all applicants to keep programs informed of your plans, especially if you cannot or decide not to attend the interview. As soon as you know you are not going to do an interview, CALL or write the program and let them know. DO NOT USE E-MAIL: IT IS NOT RELIABLE. It's best to call and speak to either the residency administrative assistant or the secretary for the program director. Give as much advance notice as possible.
If you are granted an interview and either can't or don't want to keep it, DON'T JUST NOT SHOW UP. Surprisingly, almost every year we have had people cancel the day before, or worse, just not show up. This is rude, and terribly inconsiderate of your fellow applicants, as it means there isn't time to offer that slot to another applicant, and both our program and the applicant lose out. We have a limited number of interview slots, and we want to utilize every one productively. We do understand there are emergencies and last minute changes of plan - you still need to contact the program.
When we have a no-show in my department, I write a letter to the student and to the student's dean, and we simply don't consider applications from that institution the following year. There are two schools affected this year whose applicants will not hear from us. While this may seem harsh, it is effective, and both applicants and deans have taken notice. Applicants need to understand they do not operate in a vacuum, and their actions are a reflection on their institution. Furthermore, keep in mind that urology is a small community, and that memories are long. This year we had one otherwise qualified applicant for our very competitive laparoscopic fellowship whose application was rejected outright because 4 years ago he was a no-show for a residency interview who made no contact with us until his dean chewed him out. Don't start out your urologic career on the wrong foot. Be polite, be considerate of the programs and your fellow applicants, don't be stupid, and do be concerned about how you project yourself and your school.
Good luck on the trail. We look forward to meeting many of you.
Donald F. Lynch, Jr., MD, FACS
Professor and Chairman, Department of Urology
Eastern Virginia School of Medicine
Norfolk, Virginia
