CV Necessary for Interview???

[drhouse]

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Do I need to bring a CV to my interview? They already got my AMCAS, AND my secondary AND my letters AND my money...

 

[Depakote]

Necessary, no.

Helpful, yes.

 

[gbbdoc]

Necessary, no.

Helpful, yes.

i'm gonna feel stupid after hearing the answer, but CV=?

 

[dsprague12]

i'm gonna feel stupid after hearing the answer, but CV=?

curriculum vitae or resume

 

[MollyMalone]

CV=curriculum vitae. Similar to a resume.

I haven't brought one to any of my interviews and no one has asked for one. Everything on my CV is on my AMCAS app anyway.

I suppose it wouldn't hurt to bring one along, but I hardly think it's necessary.

 

[LizzyM]

bringing a CV is not helpful to the interviewer. But do bring anything new that you'd like added to your file such as reprints of articles you've co-authored or copies of abstracts. Those look impressive when the committee on admissions reviews your files after the interviews.

 

[Depakote]

Well one experience I had:

A doc was flipping through my AMCAS, trying to find all my experiences...

I gave him my CV and he said:

"Oh, this will make it much easier."

Plus, it makes it look like you prepared.

The worst, they'll set it aside and not use it.

No one has been upset when I've given it to them.

 

[doublepeak]

Well one experience I had:
A doc was flipping through my AMCAS, trying to find all my experiences...
I gave him my CV and he said:
"Oh, this will make it much easier."
Plus, it makes it look like you prepared.
The worst, they'll set it aside and not use it.
No one has been upset when I've given it to them.

So you actually gave them your resume upfront or just at moments that it seemed to be helpful? I am packing for an interview, and didn't know if it would come up.

 

[Law2Doc]

bringing a CV is not helpful to the interviewer. But do bring anything new that you'd like added to your file such as reprints of articles you've co-authored or copies of abstracts. Those look impressive when the committee on admissions reviews your files after the interviews.

First, with respect to the CV, it depends on your level of experience. For most people right out of college, a CV probably won't add much value compared to the amcas form the interviewer will already have. However for nontraditionals with significant work experience, publications, etc., the CV might be helpful to the interviewer in putting things in a better and more understandable order, so that the interviewer can see where you have been and what you have done -- AMCAS is particularly bad to use as a chronological resume if your experiences are lengthy.
As for the reprints/astracts, I asked an adcom member (top ten school) last year specifically about bringing (or providing) reprints and was emphatically told that they discouraged such things, and that his school gets innundated with paper and are not at all receptive to such things that would add significant girth to their already overtaxed files. Other places might be more receptive or even encourage such stuff, but I would absolutely check first before you show up with anything like a reprint.