Interviews and how they influence a program's rank list

[dabeags]

Hell yes accept the offer? or are you agreeing with what I am thinking?

Hell yes do everything in your power to get an interview.

Even better if you can meet with your friend's aunt before hand and go over your strengths and why you are interested in the program. That way when she puts in the endorsement it isn't, "hey can you do me this favor", it is "Hey I know someone that hasn't gotten an invite yet who is interested and I think it'd be a mistake not to extend an invite"

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[waitlist22]

I think the question/answer versus back & forth conversation is more of personal style than a specialty style. Don't force things, if the you can make the conversation work go for it, otherwise stick to question and answer. One of the most important things with interviews is to be yourself.

Just out of my own curiosity, have you had much of a chance to ask questions or has it consistently been the interviewers asking you questions?

Yep, always had an opportunity to ask questions at the end of the interview. My latest interview was much more conversational and went quite well. Really must just be style of the interviewer as well as how well they knew my application, so thank you so much for the reply.

I am a reapplicant in a very compeititive specialty. One of my aunt's friend has offered to help me get an interview invite at a program I am very interested in. She is a faculty and knows the PD well. Should I accept her offer? And if I did end up getting an interview, how seriously would they consider my candidacy? I feel it would just be out of courtesy and that I may not even be ranked. I am no rockstar, just an average candidate with a decent application.

I know you have already gotten a resounding yes but just to add to earlier comments. I had someone with a big name that knew me well put in a good word on my behalf and got an interview at that program. I approached it as if I had nothing to lose since I was never expecting to get one there. I was much more relaxed and able to be myself because I felt no pressure. My interview went fantastic (from my side at least) and they were very complimentary of my application and accomplishments. I went with the goal to impress them with my personality and prove that I could be just as good as the other applicants with better stats than me. Has been one of my favorite places thus far.

 

[Chicago2012]

(a) Some people are in fact lazy interviewers

(b) Assuming that (a) is not the case, you'd be surprised by how well someone can get a read on you by just letting a conversation take place

I have to say that my favorite interviews, and those in which I feel I did, to turn a phrase, "Rock it like a hurricane" was when it became a back and forth conversation, so I have no problem with this type of start to an interview because its easier to take it in that direction.

 

[Macklin]

Will I be eligible for a faculty position here when I am done with my residency? True story.

This might be a dumb question, but is this bad because it is naive to assume you could get an academic job straight out of residency? Or is it bad because they asked specifically for a "faculty position"?

I have close family ties to an area that would keep me around a program on the east coast, and I would like a career in academics. I generically asked if they had success in placing residency graduates in academic positions in the area. Then, because most of the physicians on staff were program graduates (including my interviewer), I asked if they tend to preferentially hire their own graduates. Hope I didn't bomb that interview- thought it was a pretty harmless question.

 

[Chicago2012]

I think there is a better way to ask this. For example, you could ask how many residents stay around in the program as Attendings in the program. I think that's a fair question, whereas asking about a job for yourself is kind of arrogant.

 

[operaman]

I asked that question once in a very special situation where it was warranted, but ordinarily I just read the faculty bios and see how many trained at that program. Most larger programs have a nice mix. Smaller programs on the rise may not hire their own as they seek to bring in new people, new funding, etc. At a larger program without any grads on faculty in an area I'd like to ultimately settle, I would most certainly ask the chair his/her thoughts on hiring their own in the future as it might really impact my decision.

 

[group_theory]

Don't bring your parent with you to the interview, even if your parent just wants to see the hospital and "meet the residents" - it will be noticed by everyone (from residents, to chief residents, program coordinators, and program director) and is the quickest way to drop down on the rank list (or fall under Do Not Rank), even if you "rock" the interview

 

[ThoracicGuy]

Don't bring your parent with you to the interview, even if your parent just wants to see the hospital and "meet the residents" - it will be noticed by everyone (from residents, to chief residents, program coordinators, and program director) and is the quickest way to drop down on the rank list (or fall under Do Not Rank), even if you "rock" the interview

Also, don't bring your wife/husband/significant other to the interviews itself. I've heard of some people that had their wives sit in on the interviews for surgical residencies... That's another quick way to get to the DNR list.

 

[mcl]

Also, don't bring your wife/husband/significant other to the interviews itself. I've heard of some people that had their wives sit in on the interviews for surgical residencies... That's another quick way to get to the DNR list.

Or siblings, even if they were your ride to the interview. I still get occasional flashbacks to a fairly disastrous interview day where I had to try to entertain someone's younger sister to the detriment of spending time with my actual applicants.

 

[Chicago2012]

Can I bring my Step Brother? And before you answer, just know that we come in wearing awesome matching Tuxedos.

 

[Frederica]

Don't bring your parent with you to the interview, even if your parent just wants to see the hospital and "meet the residents" - it will be noticed by everyone (from residents, to chief residents, program coordinators, and program director) and is the quickest way to drop down on the rank list (or fall under Do Not Rank), even if you "rock" the interview

Please tell the story that led to your post. I need a good laugh.

 

[Frederica]

This might be a dumb question, but is this bad because it is naive to assume you could get an academic job straight out of residency? Or is it bad because they asked specifically for a "faculty position"?

I have close family ties to an area that would keep me around a program on the east coast, and I would like a career in academics. I generically asked if they had success in placing residency graduates in academic positions in the area. Then, because most of the physicians on staff were program graduates (including my interviewer), I asked if they tend to preferentially hire their own graduates. Hope I didn't bomb that interview- thought it was a pretty harmless question.

The applicant was gunning for a faculty position; there were not any familial ties to the area. Your situation is different, and as others noted, there are very tactful ways of asking the question, or reading bios to see if there is a pattern of hiring their own. Rather than tell the whole story, I just gave a very quick synopsis. After all, that's what surgeons want.

 

[Sp9353]

The tuxedo stepbrother is from a will ferrell movie

 

[Chicago2012]

sp9353 says

 

[Yoz1711]

Is it rude to ask the interviewer to ask if it's okay to use the restroom right before the first interview ? Had to really go and didn't get a chance to go since they started right after presentations. Really regret doing this now in hindsight.

 

[Law2Doc]

Is it rude to ask the interviewer to ask if it's okay to use the restroom right before the first interview ? Had to really go and didn't get a chance to go since they started right after presentations. Really regret doing this now in hindsight.

Yes it's rude, but having an accident in his office would be a lot more rude.
That being said, first impressions are huge and this might not be the best one. Unless you have a medical condition or are pregnant, your bladder usually holds surprisingly more than you think, and if you don't focus on it, you can usually make it another hour or so beyond when your body starts giving you signals. Most of the planet goes 8 hours or more between bathroom breaks every night --it's only when you are awake that you focus on this.

I thought everyone who has ever done a med school rotation would have learned to never pass a bathroom...

 

[Siggy]

Most of the planet goes 8 hours or more between bathroom breaks every night --it's only when you are awake that you focus on this.

I thought everyone who has ever done a med school rotation would have learned to never pass a bathroom...

Heck, most days as a resident I go more than 8 hours without a bathroom break.

 

[Chicago2012]

Just get a catheter, then you don't have to worry about it, or a good adult diaper