Interview preparation guide
Cancelling or rescheduling an interview: residency interview preparation guide
AAMC's scheduling guidance expects some cancelling and rescheduling, but sets clear etiquette: contact the program as soon as you know, preferably at least two weeks ahead, and never simply fail to attend. Handled badly, a cancellation can affect your reputation and future opportunities with that program or department.
How to prepare
- 1
Give as much notice as you can
The AAMC guide asks applicants to contact the program as soon as they know plans must change, preferably at least two weeks in advance. Cancelling or rescheduling with less than a week's notice should be limited to true emergencies, such as a sudden illness or a death in the family.
- 2
Use the right channel and confirm it
The guide says to contact the program by email or phone regardless of timing, and if you call, consider sending an email to confirm. Check the program's own interview policies first, because its instructions override the general guidance and may require documentation.
- 3
Match the explanation to the situation
At two weeks or more, the guide says an explanation is unnecessary. For an emergency, indicate the nature of it without too much detail, and if you remain interested in the program, affirm that continued interest when you ask whether rescheduling is possible. Your student affairs or career services office can help with wording.
A practical exercise
Program policy checked: [yes/no]. Notice given: [..]. Channel used and confirmed: [..]. Continued interest affirmed if rescheduling: [yes/no].
This is an editorial exercise to adapt to your own interview, not a script or a program requirement.
What the source guidance supports
AAMC's scheduling guidance expects some cancelling and rescheduling, but sets clear etiquette: contact the program as soon as you know, preferably at least two weeks ahead, and never simply fail to attend. Handled badly, a cancellation can affect your reputation and future opportunities with that program or department.
The exercises and checklists are editorial applications of the cited guidance, not required program procedures or predictions of interview outcomes. Formats and policies vary by program, so follow your actual invitation and school guidance.
Mistakes to avoid
- Being a no-show. The AAMC guide is blunt: under no circumstances should you fail to attend a scheduled interview without prior notice.
- Over-explaining an emergency with medical detail the program does not need.
- Cancelling by ignoring the scheduling platform; a platform withdrawal without a direct message is not the professional route the guide describes.
Check your preparation
- Did I check the program's own cancellation policy first?
- Did I give as much notice as I could, and confirm any phone call by email?
- If I still want the program, did I say so when asking to reschedule?
Questions for your practice review
- How much notice can I give this program, and through which channel?
- Does the program's policy require an explanation or documentation?
- Do I want to reschedule, and have I affirmed my continued interest?
Common questions
Will one cancellation hurt my application?
Programs expect some cancelling and rescheduling, per AAMC's guidance. What damages your reputation is doing it unprofessionally: late notice without an emergency, or no notice at all.
Can I cancel because a better program offered the same day?
A conflict is a normal reason to reschedule or cancel with proper notice. Keep the explanation proportionate; at two weeks or more, none is required. Our guide on deciding which interviews to accept helps before you reach this point.
Is this current for the 2027 ERAS season?
AAMC publishes this interview preparation guide as current guidance for applicants interviewing in the 2027 ERAS season. Program formats and policies change year to year, so confirm the details with each program that invites you.
Related guides
Sources
This page is general editorial guidance based on the sources above. It is not a prediction of any program's questions or a statement of its current policies.