I'm going to write more detailed thoughts in my dermguide above, but suffice to say that it's very important to know your research as well as any AFFILIATED questions related to your research. Ie, what other people are doing similar work? Have they come up with something new? You're probably not going to be expected to know all of that, but if it's hitting the medical news in a big way, you should know it. (Medical news = JAAD).
Other interview strategies in general:
The dinner and mixer can be make or break. Break in that if you piss of the residents or don't click with them, that will get back to the committee because I guarantee you, the committee/faculty at many programs will solicit feedback from residents. Maybe not in a coherent fashion, but rather in the form of an email like, "Anyone stick out in your mind in a good way/bad way? Let us know." That means that when you are hanging out in a room with the residents, they are at one level or another evaluating you. Maybe not formally, like those who are actually interviewing you, but definitely informally. And realize that residents talk to each other cross-class. Meaning, those podunk first years that you are ignoring, and who may not be interviewing you formally? They chat with the seniors or the chiefs who are interviewing you. Piss them off and they'll let others know, as you're interviewing to be in their overall residency program. So if you act irritating, I'll be certainly wondering, "Darn, do I really want to deal with that person's jive for the rest of my third year?" And plus, we residents want our program to have cool, neat people in it, not people who are going to make our lives miserable.
Ack. Enough of my rambling. We have interviews coming up, and so these thoughts are top of mind right now.
My fingers are dropping off. More later.
