Input on the "silent treatment?"

yeah, its an akward position to be in, especially b/c some places r kind of touchy about giving out info if u call them.
you may have already checked, but theres a list of when programs granted interviews in past years on one of these forums.

i might be paranoid, but for me, i'm not comfortable torture calling the program directors and possibly comprimising my application.

i've heard they have some input, even though i've never actually been able to verify that.

this is the most annoying aspect of this process......jeez how hard is it to mass email. common courtesy!!!

First of all, when you call, just ask if they are finished sending out interviews for the year. usuallly, they'll answer yes or no, and you don't have to ask about your status per say, you never have to really identify yourself that way.
Its so funny, cause they are probably more hassled by having people call and check the status of their app. then they would be by just sending out mass rejection e-mails!
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Ok i am starting to grow frustrated. I applied to 34 programs. I have 5 interviews scheduled and 1 no-thanks. So what is up with the other 28 programs? I have only seen a few of them (less than 5) that have offerred interviews to other people on this board. Are the others just late in sending out invites or should I assume that I am just not going to get very many? I hate this already.

I feel you. After waiting so long to hear from programs that have started to give out interviews, I decided to call a few of them. As it turned out I was told over the phone that I was not going to get an invitation for an interview. The messed up part of the whole thing was that they were not going to send out rejection letters. This whole process is so stressful.

i called some programs too after not hearing anything and some told me they were finished sending out invites and others said they have only reviewed half of the apps and sent out invites as they come in.....so no news may mean that your app is still out with the screening committee.
but u won't know unless u call and just ask if invites are finished and give a fake name!

talked to a few programs today

done offering interviews this year
University of Michigan Program
University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics Program - do not send out rejection letters
Duke University Program
Jackson Memorial Hospital/Jackson Health System Program in Miami

still offering interviews this year
univ of cincinnati - should send out some the beginning of next week
univ of florida - still reviewing applications, will send out interviews/rejections as they make the decisions
univ of virginia - still reviewing applications, will send out interviews/rejections as they make the decision
LSU - still has some more to send out
Fort Worth Hospitals Program - still reviewing applications, do not send out rejection letters
Albert Einstein Medical Center Program (phil) - should send some invites/rejections at the end of next week

First thing you should do is make sure that in any prior communication the school had with you, they did not mention WHEN invites would go out. In my initial 'thank you for applying' letter I state exactly when invites will go out, yet still got calls a week prior asking. THAT is annoying and tells me I took the time to write a comprehensive message and this student basically said blah blah blah, whatever. Which means I will then have a resident who says blah blah blah, whatever, something I do NOT want. So please, be sure that this information wasn't given to you prior (a simple list of programs and tidbits about each gathered throughout the process should take care of this). If not, wait a reasonable amount of time (I would think now, as December is upon us is reasonable) and give a QUICK call. When I hear, "Hi, I'm a 4th year..." I pretty much know what the question will be if it's after our deadline. Just make it short and sweet, "Can you tell me approximately when interview notifications will go out?" Many coordinators DO have a say to some degree. Personally, the only time I would ask a student for their name is if notifications went out and for some reason they did not receive one, I will tell them over the phone (good or bad). I don't need your name. I strongly disagree with coordinators who do not send everyone a yes/no/maybe email, it's only fair to all of you. Maybe if those people get 50 calls a year asking for status and she ends up having to tell each of those people via phone that they aren't getting an interview, it will change her mind for next year and she'll send out 'rejection' letters. You've got to learn somehow.
Be nice to the coordinator (I'm not just saying that so you'll be nice to me). Before interviews, at interviews, after interviews. They are the eyes and ears for the PD. Don't kiss up, but be yourself and never cop an attitude or behave unprofessionally. I can guarantee you there are students whose rankings were lowered based on being rude or demeaning to a coordinator.