Advice for interviewees

[oar2386]

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So its that time of year where people are starting to interview. I was just wondering from people who have gone through this whole process: What is one thing you wish you had done prior to interviewing at any particular school?

 

[jm192]

So its that time of year where people are starting to interview. I was just wondering from people who have gone through this whole process: What is one thing you wish you had done prior to interviewing at any particular school?

It's good to think about the questions, but don't rehearse answers. Don't tell them what they want to hear. Just go in there and answer everything as honestly as possible.

If you have to think for a second or 10 on a question, it's ok. If they offer you water, take it. Nothing like needing a drink to give yourself a second to think about an answer.

Plus, as bullet proof as you might be, everyone gets a little nervous. Your mouth might run dry, and that's just uncomfortable.

Know EXACTLY where you need to be the night before. I got to the building, only to realize parking wasn't in the same spot.

 

[DbDan]

So its that time of year where people are starting to interview. I was just wondering from people who have gone through this whole process: What is one thing you wish you had done prior to interviewing at any particular school?

Your interview day starts the moment you step out of your car in the morning. Don't do something that would jeopardize your admission on the way to or from the interview. Also, your interview starts the second your interviewer comes and gets you for the interview. The small talk on the way to the door of their office or wherever you are going is part of it. Something i read said that some adcoms can make up their minds on what they want to do within the first 5 minutes of meeting you, make a good first impression.

Don't rehearse answers, you will come off as disingenuous. DO however, have some stock answers or examples to questions. Stories or examples of your character are good to have, typically you want to answer in a way that shows the problem, shows how you tackled it and the solution or what you learned from it. Simple yes/no or one word answers are never good.

Have a good way to answer the question "Tell me about yourself", I was asked this in every interview I've ever been in, 3 school interviews and every professional interview. This question can easily guide the interview based on what you say.

Have questions ready for the interviewers, not having questions can be interpreted as lack of interest. Ask these questions even if they are going to be answered later in the day or if they have been answers earlier, its better to ask and hear the answers again than say "nope, I'm good"

On that topic, have questions that aren't easily found online or ones that involve the interviewers personal opinions, give them a chance to sell the school to you.

Get to your interview early, I had a girl show up 15 minutes late and mess up the interview schedule, needless to say the interviewers weren't exactly happy.

 

[NYDOC112]

I agree with everything DbDan has said... Definitely listen to his/her advice. Also remember to have a good answer for why here? Why do you want to go to LECOM, PCOM, NYCOM, KCUMB, Touro Etc, For whichever school you happen to be interviewing at....
DO NOT BE LATE
Definitely know about DOs if you are interviewing for a DO school. I had a person I interviewed that we asked why do you want to be a DO? What is a DO? What is the DO philosophy? The applicant could not answer the questions, so we checked off Do Not Accept, and Not Serious Applicant...

Remember that everyone who is interviewed are eligible to be accepted, Just relax and let the interviewers see who you are, that you are sincere, you have goals, etc...

Many applicants usually spit out the same responses: Holistic approach, I really want to help people, Im a hard worker, Etc Etc Etc... Give them something more, make yourself stand out... Its also a good idea to mail out thank you cards before the next week to your interviewers and the admissions office, so be sure to get their names... Reason for this: Most admissions offices meet once or twice a month to discuss the interviews and accept applicants... Again the card/ thank you notes will make you stand out

DO NOT BE LATE- I know I said that already, but really its that important.

As DbDan said, the interview starts once you get onto campus, Ive heard of applicants being rejected after treating a janitor very poorly... Remember many students and other faculty/staff are on the admission committees depending on the school.

My favorite questions: What would your best friend say is your worst quality, What is the most negative aspect about yourself that you must work on... It really gets the applicants to think and not blurt out an answer I heard 3,000 times...

Good Luck

 

[willen101383]

1.Dark suits=dark socks...not white socks

2. dont be the guy who wears a sport jacket and jeans bc "hes that competitive"

3.Make sure you at least know a little about the program so you can pretend you know more than you actually do about the program

4. Leave lots of leeway with flights. Fly in the afternoon before and just chill or explore around.

5.When you get there just lay out your suit and what not to make sure you have everything so you arent SOL at like 9 at night realizing you dont have a tie.

6. Make sure you can actually tie a tie

7. For DOs KNOW WHO AT STILL WAS. Know a short synopsis of why he developed osteopathic medicine etc....because you will be asked....especially at NSU by a certain asian professor.

8. Before you leave the room after you are done....GET THE INTERVIEWERS E MAILS OR CARDS. I am sure the whole thank you note isnt going to impact anything....but its the respectful and professional thing to do. So be organized so you dont have to look like a tool after the interview scrambling around trying to find out your interviewers contact info.



9. I printed off sheets of "common questions" I had for interviewers so I could look responsible and neat. I always had a little leather bound notebook to keep my stuff in as well.

10. This is really important....chill out. Its cool as hell to be flying around the country like a hot shot interviewing for medical school. Check out the cities you are interviewing in if possible...you may never be back. Again...chill out. Your interviews will most likely be relaxed conversations with interviewers just sittin back and talking to you. Dont be afraid to say how you really feel about abortion, religion, controversial topics. Just pick an opinion and stick with it dont change your story because you think the interviewers arent going to like what you say.

I think I went on about 6 interviews and only 1 of them was a "challenge type" interview...and it wasnt really anything scary. I think I just got pressed about a few clinical lab related things because of my work experience....reference ranges....what would I do if I found out a coworker endangered patient safety...that sorta thing. But like I said...1/6 was like that the rest were just like talking to any old person you dont know well

 

[emno]

1.Dark suits=dark socks...not white socks

2. dont be the guy who wears a sport jacket and jeans bc "hes that competitive"

3.Make sure you at least know a little about the program so you can pretend you know more than you actually do about the program

4. Leave lots of leeway with flights. Fly in the afternoon before and just chill or explore around.

5.When you get there just lay out your suit and what not to make sure you have everything so you arent SOL at like 9 at night realizing you dont have a tie.

6. Make sure you can actually tie a tie

7. For DOs KNOW WHO AT STILL WAS. Know a short synopsis of why he developed osteopathic medicine etc....because you will be asked....especially at NSU by a certain asian professor.

8. Before you leave the room after you are done....GET THE INTERVIEWERS E MAILS OR CARDS. I am sure the whole thank you note isnt going to impact anything....but its the respectful and professional thing to do. So be organized so you dont have to look like a tool after the interview scrambling around trying to find out your interviewers contact info.



9. I printed off sheets of "common questions" I had for interviewers so I could look responsible and neat. I always had a little leather bound notebook to keep my stuff in as well.

10. This is really important....chill out. Its cool as hell to be flying around the country like a hot shot interviewing for medical school. Check out the cities you are interviewing in if possible...you may never be back. Again...chill out. Your interviews will most likely be relaxed conversations with interviewers just sittin back and talking to you. Dont be afraid to say how you really feel about abortion, religion, controversial topics. Just pick an opinion and stick with it dont change your story because you think the interviewers arent going to like what you say.

I think I went on about 6 interviews and only 1 of them was a "challenge type" interview...and it wasnt really anything scary. I think I just got pressed about a few clinical lab related things because of my work experience....reference ranges....what would I do if I found out a coworker endangered patient safety...that sorta thing. But like I said...1/6 was like that the rest were just like talking to any old person you dont know well

Great suggestions. thanks

 

[addo]

8. Before you leave the room after you are done....GET THE INTERVIEWERS E MAILS OR CARDS. I am sure the whole thank you note isnt going to impact anything....but its the respectful and professional thing to do. So be organized so you dont have to look like a tool after the interview scrambling around trying to find out your interviewers contact info.

Is this standard practice?

 

[Hanzo Hasashi]

9. I printed off sheets of "common questions" I had for interviewers so I could look responsible and neat. I always had a little leather bound notebook to keep my stuff in as well.

Just wondering, did you actually resort to the sheet prior to asking the interviewer questions?

As for the question, "Why DO?", is it okay if I tell them that the initials behind my name don't matter? That I just want to attend a school that's close to home and family? I feel that's a cop out though.

 

[DbDan]

Is this standard practice?

Yes, in fact I think both LECOM-B and Touro-NV gave me the interviewer's cards in my packet when I got to interview day so I didn't even have to ask for them.

Just wondering, did you actually resort to the sheet prior to asking the interviewer questions?

As for the question, "Why DO?", is it okay if I tell them that the initials behind my name don't matter? That I just want to attend a school that's close to home and family? I feel that's a cop out though.

I went to my paper of questions in my interview for Western's SMP when we were concluding my interview. FWIW, I was unanimously accepted to both the SMP as well as linkage program, I don't think it matters. If nothing else, it shows that you prepared questions for the interview day and have a genuine interest. That said its not bad if you don't look either and you have memorized those questions, I know by the time I had gotten through talking to the interviewers for a half an hr I had forgotten a couple of important questions I wanted to ask and I regretted it.

No, I definitely would not answer "why DO" that way. Generally they are asking because they want to know you actually know about osteopathic medicine and aren't just there because its a fallback. Do some research, figure out why the differences in osteopathy are relevant to you. If they were to ask you why XYZ school in the interview you could answer that way but I definitely not say that the letters behind your name don't matter, just that you were looking for a school that is a good fit.

 

[avion321]

I found that as someone that gets nervous around new people that doing practice interviews really helped. I wanted to know that when I got X type of question that it was going to be related to Y type of answer.

As for the why DO question. My answer involved one of the tenants of osteopathic medicine. I would know the tenants since I have read some interview feedback where they were asked.

 

[willen101383]

Just wondering, did you actually resort to the sheet prior to asking the interviewer questions?

As for the question, "Why DO?", is it okay if I tell them that the initials behind my name don't matter? That I just want to attend a school that's close to home and family? I feel that's a cop out though.

Honestly...Im not really the type who cared to know much about each program...I just basically wanted to look good. If I had choices I would worry about narrowing things down after I had been accepted. 99 percent of your questions get answered by tour guides anyway....and sometimes I would "re ask" a question just for the sake of not having that weird awkward pause after they ask "do you have any questions for us."

 

[willen101383]

Is this standard practice?

Sending thank yous?? ABSOLUTELY. Everyone does this. It takes 5 minutes to send an e mail or two...and you never know. When I interviewed at PCOM one of my interviewers was the assistant dir of admissions....and she wrote me back...so I know that didnt fall on deaf ears...and whattdayaknow I was accepted to PCOM.

As for asking? Yes that is standard too...whether you choose to ask up front or wait and scramble after the interview is up to you. But I think the more put together and streamlined you look at interview..the better you look.

Another thing I would advise....is eat before you get there. Wake up 20 mins early and hit up a DD and get a breakfast sandwich and a (small) coffee. I am a very calm and very outgoing person and I remember at one interview I slammed a large starbucks coffee and I will admit that defintely made the slight nervousness amplified 10 fold when I interviewed.

 

[willen101383]

As for why DO....tailor it to what you see fit. If the school has a large primary care goal....say you want to go into primary care for example. That may be a lie...but whatever...you need to use all the tools in your toolbox to get accepted.

Do not by any means say Oh I didnt have the grades for MD. That may be the case for some...but dont say that.

I ALWAYS said something like this "I saw a DO as a pediatrician up until I went to college and he always spent the time to talk to me, and my family. He seemed genuinely concerned in my wellbeing and how I was doing in all facets of my life. I have since seen MDs, and while great physicians, they didnt seem to take this time to really ensure how their patients were doing in all aspects of their lives. I shadowed a DO and I also noticed he had a similar approach to seeing his patients. You only have a few minutes with a patient, and really going the extra mile to ensure your patients are well taken care of can really benefit them physically as well as emotionally."

 

[HockeyDr09]

Sending thank yous?? ABSOLUTELY. Everyone does this. It takes 5 minutes to send an e mail or two...and you never know. When I interviewed at PCOM one of my interviewers was the assistant dir of admissions....and she wrote me back...so I know that didnt fall on deaf ears...and whattdayaknow I was accepted to PCOM.

As for asking? Yes that is standard too...whether you choose to ask up front or wait and scramble after the interview is up to you. But I think the more put together and streamlined you look at interview..the better you look.

Another thing I would advise....is eat before you get there. Wake up 20 mins early and hit up a DD and get a breakfast sandwich and a (small) coffee. I am a very calm and very outgoing person and I remember at one interview I slammed a large starbucks coffee and I will admit that defintely made the slight nervousness amplified 10 fold when I interviewed.

I agree with this 100%, I emailed my interviewers a quick thank you and one responded with a few questions about where I was from and it turned into a small conversation. I wouldn't be surprised if that helped my chances slightly. Thank you letters are a MUST in my opinion. Some people frown on an email thank you but I like it because it gives them the opportunity to respond, and if they respond i've found it's generally a good sign. (I have done this for job interviews as well)

 

[jm192]

Just wondering, did you actually resort to the sheet prior to asking the interviewer questions?

As for the question, "Why DO?", is it okay if I tell them that the initials behind my name don't matter? That I just want to attend a school that's close to home and family? I feel that's a cop out though.

This is all truth, but the story is as anecdotal as it gets.

A 4th year DO student came to my school and talked to us about Osteopathic medicine. What he said about kind of the philosophy of treating the body as a whole just...made sense.

So, I told them about that. I told them that that made alot of sense to me, and I agreed fully with it.

As someone above said, they don't want you to have some GREAT reason as to why DO specifically. Just that you understand what DO is all about, as opposed to applying to 60 schools, going DO if you can't get in MD.

 

[addo]

So how long after the interviews should you send thank you notes?
After I saw this on here, I emailed my thank you notes 4 days after.
I think thats a reasonable time, but I think 2 or 3 days would be optimal.

 

[jm192]

So how long after the interviews should you send thank you notes?
After I saw this on here, I emailed my thank you notes 4 days after.
I think thats a reasonable time, but I think 2 or 3 days would be optimal.

Just do it before they forget who the hell you are lol jk

Alot of people don't even do it, it's a nice gesture period---don't flip out of the time line.

 

[addo]

Just do it before they forget who the hell you are lol jk

Alot of people don't even do it, it's a nice gesture period---don't flip out of the time line.

With the amount of people some interviewers come across in a day, let alone a week, I think that would be a legitimate concern. But anyways, i will stop flipping out now.

 

[seap3]

Those of you who sent thank yous - how did you get the interviewers email addresses? Did you just ask at the end of the interview?

 

[willen101383]

Those of you who sent thank yous - how did you get the interviewers email addresses? Did you just ask at the end of the interview?

Yes. Ask at the end of the interview...just say "do you have a card or some contact information for me." Nobody is going to be weirded out trust me

 

[willen101383]

I agree with this 100%, I emailed my interviewers a quick thank you and one responded with a few questions about where I was from and it turned into a small conversation. I wouldn't be surprised if that helped my chances slightly. Thank you letters are a MUST in my opinion. Some people frown on an email thank you but I like it because it gives them the opportunity to respond, and if they respond i've found it's generally a good sign. (I have done this for job interviews as well)

YUP. People dont generally respond to you unless its good things. Also you can definitely tell by the tone what they thought of you. If its something like "Thanks so much for your e mail, I really enjoyed our conversation. I think PCOM might also be a great fit for you." You know you are golden hehe. I always try to write "baited" letters

Something we learned in criminal profiling and interrogation in grad school hehe

 

[avion321]

Those of you who sent thank yous - how did you get the interviewers email addresses? Did you just ask at the end of the interview?

I just looked my interviewers up on the schools faculty list and got their emails that way. I would say though if it is a one on one interview the asking "do you have a card or some contact information for me" would be the way to go.

 

[svftw]

At one school, the interviewers gave me their cards as soon as they met me. Another school had a handout which included the email addresses of the interviewers. I didn't even have to ask for that info.

Also, you should absolutely be aware of what the weather is going to be like and prepare accordingly.