We frequently get asked the question about how many interviews should I have by now? This is difficult as every applicant is different. We look at NRMP data to help gauge how many interviews people should have. The most important question is how many interviews should I hope to get in order to match? The data from the NRMP is helpful for this.
If you are a U.S. IMG, and applying in internal medicine, the median number of interviews is 7 for MATCHED candidates and a median of 1 interview for UN-MATCHED candidates. For non-U.S. IMGs applying internal medicine, the median number of interviews for MATCHED candidates is 5 and the median number of interviews for UN-MATCHED candidates is 2.
The bottom line is that if you have 5-7 interviews as an IMG, you are right at the 50th percentile. This also translates to a 50% chance of matching. So if you have 5 or more interviews, your chances of matching is 50%. We tell our clients that as an IMG we are trying to secure 5 interviews or more. This puts in the top half of all applicants.
Can you predict my chances of matching based on the number of interviews I have? YES!This is available based on 2014 NRMP data as well. Quite simply, the more interviews you have the better chances you have to match.
What if I have 1 interview? Your chances of matching is 25%
2 interviews? ~30%
3 interviews? 40%
4 interviews? 45%
5 interviews? 55%
As a non-U.S. IMG, when you have 10 interviews or more your chances of matching reach greater than 80%. If you are lucky enough to have 12 interviews, your chances of matching is greater than 90%.
Below is data showing IMG applicants and the success rates. For candidates contemplating applying in several specialities, you can calculate your chances below.
