Can I bring this to an interview?

[FML]

Hey so I know that we should all have questions at the end to ask our interviewers when they ask "do you have any questions?" But do you think it is acceptable to bring an actual list? I've got a terribly horrible memory and I feel like if I'm nervous (who isn't) that I might forget some key things or I might have a question that comes to me earlier in the day that I want to personally ask my interviewer.

Whatcha think? Will the interviewer think it's weird?

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[shemarty]

Personally I think the conversation will sound more natural if you review the questions beforehand and don't bring any notecards with you.

I'm sure it would be okay to bring an index card, but I haven't seen any fellow interviewees who've done it.

 

[clifftacopter]

I would not if at all possible. Half the battle of an interview is trying to turn it into an organic discussion between you and your interviewer rather than a rigid set of questions and answers. I haven't done my medical school interviews yet, but I have done a number of interviews for jobs, and the best ones for me have been ones where the interviewer and I didn't even talk about the job or my qualifications for more than a few minutes. You want them to get to know you on a personal level (at least however much that is possible in such a confined setting)... notecards would effectively kill that.

 

[WhizoMD]

Hey so I know that we should all have questions at the end to ask our interviewers when they ask "do you have any questions?" But do you think it is acceptable to bring an actual list? I've got a terribly horrible memory and I feel like if I'm nervous (who isn't) that I might forget some key things or I might have a question that comes to me earlier in the day that I want to personally ask my interviewer.

Whatcha think? Will the interviewer think it's weird?

your memory can't be that horrible, I mean you've made it through a bunch of science classes, and a lot of them basically require rote memorization.

 

[235009]

bringing a note card: horrible idea

writing it in your portfolio thing: great idea ...that's what i did...when your interviewer asks "do you have any questions" that has already halted the natural flow of the conversation....you're supposed to be having an organic conversation before that point. also, chances are you will have already opened your portfolio to write something down so the questions would already be infront of you. i think it also makes it look like you've done your homework on the school and that you aren't just going through the usual questions you've asked every other interviewer at every other school

 

[FuturaDocta]

You could probably decide during the interview. You may just want to pick a couple of questions that seem appropriate to you. Bring the card anyway in case you feel like the moment is right.

 

[HelloGoodbye]

From my limited experience(I applied EAP at 1 school, interviewed, and accepted) I would bring a leather portfolio with a legal pad inside. This is what I did and I worked well.

 

[FuturaDocta]

From my limited experience(I applied EAP at 1 school, interviewed, and accepted) I would bring a leather portfolio with a legal pad inside. This is what I did and I worked well.

Ooooh, how official!

 

[sindadel]

They won't care. Seriously. Bring what you need to not feel nervous. You will look professional and prepared if you say: "Yes, I do have some questions - I jotted them down - let me see..." I would make them prompt-like - enough info to remember what you wanted to ask, but not so much that you sound obviously rehearsed.

 

[LizzyM]

Seeing a long list pulled out of a pocket or bag makes an interviewer's heart sink. Try to limit yourself to not more than 3 questions and if possible, use the question period to show that you've done your homework but need a little more information. For example, rather than ask "does the school sponsor service trips or electives abroad?", look that up on the school web site and ask a specific question not answered by the website such as how many students participate or how the countries involved were chosen.

 

[FML]

Seeing a long list pulled out of a pocket or bag makes an interviewer's heart sink. Try to limit yourself to not more than 3 questions and if possible, use the question period to show that you've done your homework but need a little more information. For example, rather than ask "does the school sponsor service trips or electives abroad?", look that up on the school web site and ask a specific question not answered by the website such as how many students participate or how the countries involved were chosen.

Oooo... good questions, International electives are actually something I'm very interested in


Thanks for the advice people. I think I will bring something, but just try to look it over before going in and maybe just keep it with me (in my very professional portfolio? lol) just in case. And keep the questions to max 4 or 5. Sound good?

Also, only peripherally related, but has anyone asked an interviewer a quesiton and they were like "I have no idea, why would you ask me such a thing?" and just kinda of abruptly ended the answer? That's something I would be really scared of....

 

[witness23]

hey,

after the first couple of interviews you will get used to it. see how the interviewers react to some of your questions and re-use them later on.

a good practice is applying to jobs and doing job interviews. some of them will be a lot harder than med school ones, but its all fun.

 

[FuturaDocta]

Have you considered doing some mock interviews with anyone? Maybe even someone that is of intimidation to you, like a professor or something, might give you that extra edge at your interview. Therefore, you may find it easier to communicate at the interview and you may seem more natural as a result.

 

[Omni]

If I were you, I'd try to remember the questions before going to the interview. But if I must, I'd try to sneak notes about my questions somewhere on my hand or something.

 

[Ashers]

From my limited experience(I applied EAP at 1 school, interviewed, and accepted) I would bring a leather portfolio with a legal pad inside. This is what I did and I worked well.

I did that for residency interviews, and generally I'd put handouts that were given during the day in my portfolio, so I had a reason to carry it around (+ directions to and from my hotel). I had a list of potential questions for faculty and residents (in the pre-med case -- students and faculty). I'd almost always sat behind a desk, so I could discreetly open it if it was an interview where I had to ask questions for 15min straight (it happened quite a few times). The questions were generic and basically prompts for me to remember at each interview -- important aspects for me that I wanted to find out about each program. I generally had a 2-3 standard questions that'd suffice for my questioning time, but there were the 3-4 interviews where I had to ask questions the entire time, that was basically the only time I had to open it -- when I ran out of ideas.

 

[235009]

If I were you, I'd try to remember the questions before going to the interview. But if I must, I'd try to sneak notes about my questions somewhere on my hand or something.

don't write on your hand....you're a grown up

 

[Uisa]

Well my tip would be to instead of trying to ask 20 different questions, research beforehand and come up with few good questions that are multi-part. I'm sure if you did your research it will not be an issue for you to remember them, come time for the interview.

 

[BlueElmo]

don't write on your hand....you're a grown up

I always write reminders on my hand.

 

[runrunrudolph1]

i think you should memorize your questions. I mean if you can't remember 20 questions for your interviewer under stress, how are you expected to remember the 7000 different terms you learn during your anatomy class in med school when are under pressure taking the steps? just a thought.

 

[FML]

thanks for the replies people!