What is Thalamus and Will It Help You Schedule Your Residency Interviews?

You’ve done it! After spending countless hours studying for in-class examinations, taking two United States Medical Licensing Exams, and dominating your clinical rotations, you have applied to residency! And now as the interview invitations pour in. You may be curious about managing interview scheduling and keeping track of dates and times efficiently. Furthermore, you’re probably wondering how you will even be interviewing. In this blog, we will cover everything you need to know about the Thalamus residency interview platform.

Since the 2020-2021 application cycle, interviews have primarily been conducted virtually on various platforms depending on program preference. One commonly used platform is Thalamus which serves to both schedule and conduct virtual residency interviews. Thalamus has now partnered with the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) to make the process of scheduling and interviewing in this virtual era as streamlined as possible!

What do you need to know about interview invites and virtual interviews?

Based on the specialty you are applying to, interview invites are normally sent between 2 to 8 weeks after program directors can start reviewing applications. Many programs incorporate scheduling tools. These tools enable applicants to select dates and times according to their convenience, offering a range of options for scheduling.

Additionally, there are many virtual platforms that programs will be interviewing on. Some of these I am sure you have been using for the past 3 years! To ease the process, consider discussing with past applicants or faculty advisors. Gather insights on scheduling options and virtual interviews. This preparation helps anticipate expectations during interviews and Interview Day.

What is Thalamus?

Thalamus is an interview scheduling interface that many residency and fellowship programs utilize to schedule interviews for applicants. When applicants receive an interview invitation at a program that utilizes Thalamus, they will receive an email from Thalamus with a link that allows them to create an account.

After creating an account, applicants can access a calendar displaying available interview dates, typically highlighted in green. The calendar also includes dates that an applicant can add to the waitlist for (shown in yellow) or dates that are full or otherwise not available for scheduling (shown in red). The applicant can then pick the date and time that works best for them pending its availability.

Thalamus also allows applicants to reschedule or cancel interviews right on the interface. Applicants have a personal Thalamus dashboard showing interview invitations, scheduled, and completed interviews for individual tracking. Once they schedule a date and time through the scheduling calendar, it will appear on their calendar and schedule on the website. If an applicant interviews with multiple programs using Thalamus, they’ll find all interview dates and times on their calendar, simplifying organization!

How is Thalamus used on Residency Interview Day

In addition to scheduling, Thalamus can also be used to conduct virtual interviews on Interview Day. Using Thalamus Virtual Interview and Itinerary Wizard, programs can provide a streamlined interview experience for applicants. On Interview Day, applicants can log in to Thalamus, navigate to the “Schedule” and “My Schedule” tabs to view their day’s itinerary, including program details, interview times, and interviewer information. At the scheduled session, applicants only need to click “Join Meeting” to begin their virtual interview. Thalamus allows applicants to practice and test their settings ahead of Interview Day which is strongly encouraged.

Overall, while this is such an exciting time, it is important to stay organized and have the ease of streamlining your interview process. Thalamus is a fantastic way to do this through its ability to both schedule and conduct interviews. You will most likely be utilizing it throughout your interview process, making your life much easier! Good luck!

For more assistance with residency matching and interviews, consider enlisting the help of a residency advisor! Schedule your complimentary consultation today to learn more.