assertiveness during an interview

[gentamicin]

hi,

i heard that especially for surgery interviews, it is good to be assertive and "take control" of the interview. what are your guys thoughts on this? how assertive/aggressive should you be during an interview? does it depend on how malignant the program is?

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[ExtraCrispy]

hi,

i heard that especially for surgery interviews, it is good to be assertive and "take control" of the interview. what are your guys thoughts on this? how assertive/aggressive should you be during an interview? does it depend on how malignant the program is?

Could you please be more specific, or give an example of what you mean by "taking control"? Sure, you want to show them that you're confident and can step up to take responsibility, but as surgery is still pretty hierarchical, you don't want to be disrespectful.

 

[geekgirl]

hi,

i heard that especially for surgery interviews, it is good to be assertive and "take control" of the interview. what are your guys thoughts on this? how assertive/aggressive should you be during an interview? does it depend on how malignant the program is?

be yourself.
other than that, make sure to have good and reasonable questions to ask, as there is often that pause and then "what can i tell you abour our program?". but really, be who you are. that's the person they're gonna hire.

 

[Winged Scapula]

Someone who comes off as very shy and retiring might want to try and appear more confident and outgoing as assertiveness is highly valued in surgery. However, one shouldn't try and "control" anything or appear arrogant or obnoxious. Unbelievably, every year we have candidates who come off as such or get drunk at the social event the night before interviews (and ask attendings out!).

 

[locitamd]

...and ask attendings out!.

Holy crap! Are you serious? When you say "attendings" do you mean this has happened more than once?

 

[Orange Julius]

hi,

i heard that especially for surgery interviews, it is good to be assertive and "take control" of the interview. what are your guys thoughts on this? how assertive/aggressive should you be during an interview? does it depend on how malignant the program is?

Here's how you make a strong impression. As some point in the interview, ephasize a point you're making by taking off one of your shoes and banging it on the desk, ala comrade Kruschev. That always works for me. Good luck.

 

[dynx]

Holy crap! Are you serious? When you say "attendings" do you mean this has happened more than once?

I hope she means they asked out more than one attending that night. If you're gonna go the arrogant route might as well do it with some gusto.

 

[locitamd]

must be some program. There isn't one surgical attending I'd want to ask out at my school, let alone a few.

 

[Orange Julius]

must be some program. There isn't one surgical attending I'd want to ask out at my school, let alone a few.

I've seen a few along the way. Then their hottness gets multiplied by their surgeon-ness leading to extreme actractivness.


But I agree. The vast majority of women surgeons are pigs.

 

[Roux-en-Y]

Holy crap! Are you serious? When you say "attendings" do you mean this has happened more than once?

and more importantly, they're HOT?

 

[Winged Scapula]

Holy crap! Are you serious? When you say "attendings" do you mean this has happened more than once?

Yes...it has!

 

[Winged Scapula]

must be some program. There isn't one surgical attending I'd want to ask out at my school, let alone a few.

Two words..."beer goggles"

 

[Winged Scapula]

But I agree. The vast majority of women surgeons are pigs.

Hmmm...very nice.

Besides, who ever said I was referring to female attendings?

 

[Winged Scapula]

and more importantly, they're HOT?

Pretty much impossible according to some...(see post above).

 

[Orange Julius]

Besides, who ever said I was referring to female attendings?