Interviewing At Mgh - What Will They Ask??

[scalpelicious]

In preparation for my upcoming MGH interview, I've been reading some not-so-nice things about the 45 minute pimping session that will occur at some point during the day. I don't exactly want to study for this, since I am aware that the main purpose (other than to see that you're not a total idiot) is to see how you respond under pressure and recognize your limitations.

Still, I am curious to know what kinds of questions people have run into, or have heard others run into. Sometimes surgeons can be quite repetitive, and this could be to our advantage, at least in the affirmation that we're not idiots.

I'll start a list of stuff that I've heard:

-ddx for liver tumors
-define triangle of Heselbach
-Parkland burn formula
-difference in management and treatment of paraesophageal hernias vs. sliding hiatal hernias (yikes)

That's all I can remember for now. PLEASE add if you've heard anything!!

Thanks.

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[Pilot Doc]

One of my attendings tells the story of being asked to draw the chemical structure of lidocaine.

 

[locitamd]

One of my attendings tells the story of being asked to draw the chemical structure of lidocaine.

lol. caffeine I might be able to do, but lidocaine!

 

[geekgirl]

In preparation for my upcoming MGH interview, I've been reading some not-so-nice things about the 45 minute pimping session that will occur at some point during the day. I don't exactly want to study for this, since I am aware that the main purpose (other than to see that you're not a total idiot) is to see how you respond under pressure and recognize your limitations.

Still, I am curious to know what kinds of questions people have run into, or have heard others run into. Sometimes surgeons can be quite repetitive, and this could be to our advantage, at least in the affirmation that we're not idiots.

I'll start a list of stuff that I've heard:

-ddx for liver tumors
-define triangle of Heselbach
-Parkland burn formula
-difference in management and treatment of paraesophageal hernias vs. sliding hiatal hernias (yikes)

That's all I can remember for now. PLEASE add if you've heard anything!!

Thanks.

these are things i've heard. i doubt they'll be repeated, but it may make you feel better to know:

what's ECMO
how does a swann ganz catheter work
basic circulation questions

honestly, it's a crap shoot.
read surg recall or an absite review beforehand and you should be fine.

good luck.

 

[FACS]

I didn't know Mgh did any pimping. Are you talking about the chicago program or the boston one?

 

[Pir8DeacDoc]

Pretty sure MGH refers to Mass. General Hospital i.e. Harvard.

 

[FACS]

Pretty sure MGH refers to Mass. General Hospital i.e. Harvard.

It also refers to Metro. Group Hospitals i.e. UIC metro group. I've heard that the PD there is fairly old school so it wouldn't surprize me if they did do some pimping.

 

[geekgirl]

It also refers to Metro. Group Hospitals i.e. UIC metro group. I've heard that the PD there is fairly old school so it wouldn't surprize me if they did do some pimping.

mass general has a notorious interview format in which candidates have a group "interview" at the start of the interview day in which they are pimped on various topics for about 40 minutes. it's just part of the game there.
any similarity in name to other MGHs is purely coincidental.

 

[Blade28]

MGH is famous for their "panel" interview. It's pretty brutal. Just skim through Recall.

 

[scalpelicious]

Thanks for all the help. I know it's silly to study or freak out, since even if you answer correctly, they'll probably just ask harder questions to stump you for sure and see how you react. But I know I'll feel more confident if I skimmed Recall.
If you don't know something, do they just go to the next question? Or do they help you along, rephrasing the question or something? I just can't believe how long it goes on, and that I'll be doing most of the talking. Not the typical medical student position!

 

[scalpelicious]

Hey, any comments from the people who interviewed on Friday Jan 6th??

 

[robotsonic]

they are pimped on various topics for about 40 minutes.

Holy crap, this goes on for 40 minutes?!? How do they have time to do everyone?

 

[cooldreams]

they do it to everyone at once, and the top 3 scorers get in.

 

[cocopuff13]

I was reading someones review of their MGH interview on one of the threads and it didn't sound as bad as everyone is making it out to be, specifically about the 40 min panel interview. Is the 40 min panel interview/pimping session done as a group with other applicants or is it individual? Are they asking questions more about your application or just straight pimping?

Thanks

 

[ExtraCrispy]

I was reading someones review of their MGH interview on one of the threads and it didn't sound as bad as everyone is making it out to be, specifically about the 40 min panel interview. Is the 40 min panel interview/pimping session done as a group with other applicants or is it individual? Are they asking questions more about your application or just straight pimping?

Thanks

You're the only applicant in the room, with 4-6 faculty members (at a table in a conference room). It wasn't as long as I'd anticipated - maybe 25 minutes, thankfully. I'm not sure what others' experiences were, but my session was straight pimping. They're more interested in your reasoning abilities than in whether or not you can recall facts.

 

[MRF1366]

I interviwed there 2 years ago. Here's a summery of what I was asked:

Started with some questions about me- my undergrad experience, etc.

What is a hernia? Several hernia repair questions.

What are the factors involved in wound healing?

Pretend you are lecturing med students on rounds: teach them the physiologic basis and swan parameters for heart failure/cardiogenic shock

I was asked to stand and come over to a light box which had a CT scan of the abdomen. I was asked to read the scan- which (thank god) had an obvious huge liver tumor. I was then grilled on the work up of this lesion.

I had several ethics questions- what would I do if I got HIV?

I was asked if a bad surgeon could be a good teacher (random?)

And that's all I remember. It was a fascinating experience to say the least. I stayed calm, smiled, and thought I handled it well. In the end, I ranked them lowly due to location.

 

[Treg]

Bumping an old thread.

Any words of advise for those of us heading to the dreaded MGH interview this month? I have heard so many stories and am wondering if things have changed at all...

Treg

 

[ESU_MD]

this seems like a pretty malignant format for interviewees- i wonder how poorly they treat their actual residents.

 

[Flank Pain]

How the weather there? Anyone know about the salary or how many weeks of vacation you get?

 

[Winged Scapula]

How the weather there? Anyone know about the salary or how many weeks of vacation you get?

Nope, but I encourage you to ask the PD those questions.

Go ahead.

I dare ya.

 

[Treg]

How the weather there? Anyone know about the salary or how many weeks of vacation you get?

http://www2.massgeneral.org/gensurg/page.asp?id=training

bottom of the page.

 

[SplenoMegastar]

How the weather there? Anyone know about the salary or how many weeks of vacation you get?

The weather is fine. We have all four seasons. Summers get hot, winters get cold. There are snow storms a few times between Dec and Feb (roughly) and the occasional no big deal shower in between. I can't believe I'm even answering this question.

 

[LucidSplash]

Teehee. Looks like some people have missed the more recent postings in the "Optimal Number of Cases" thread.