General Interview Questions for Applicants

[theanswer03]

---

Members don't see this ad.

1.) What resources are you guys using to find information and prior feedback about residency programs?

2.) What are your general strategies as far as preparing for your interviews?

3.) What is a generally accepted amount of time to let a program know that you are declining or need to reschedule an interview date? I have scheduled one for middle of October that I may need to reschedule or cancel.

I just realized how fast all of this is creeping up on me, especially because I'm studying for Step 2 right now!! Thought I would turn to you guys for any advice and guidance you may have..

Thanks!

 

[madcye]

1. Looking at the website, SDN and talking to anyone that I can find that goes to the program.

2. Haven't really formed much of a strategy. Only what I talked about above. If anything i've been talking to regular people about the field of PM&R and that kind of solidifies in my mind why I enjoy this field of medicine so hopefully it comes out naturally when I'm interviewing.

3. No idea when. I've just sent emails maybe like a few weeks after because I found that some of the dates may not work. One place actually allowed me to change my date to an earlier one because a person dropped. Just be polite and professional.

Gl on step 2 its not that bad.

 

[deleted185747]

one "strategy" is to let your first couple of interviews be practice interviews at programs that are your backups. Most people are at their best mid interview season and tire/bore of interviews towards the end and are not at their best.

Regarding rescheduling, don't email and rock the boat unless you are sure, you may confuse things and may get dropped by accident. At one of my interviews, many years ago, one of the applicants was there unexpectedly. They still interviewed him though...

 

[theanswer03]

Thanks guys. Those are the general strategies I've been taking as well. I'm just getting nervous, because my first couple of interviews are now less than a week away..

Do PMR interviews tend to be very stressful? Or more just laid back, "get to know you" type of deals?

 

[melancholy]

Thanks guys. Those are the general strategies I've been taking as well. I'm just getting nervous, because my first couple of interviews are now less than a week away..

Do PMR interviews tend to be very stressful? Or more just laid back, "get to know you" type of deals?

I think interviews can be inherently stressful, but in most cases, PM&R interviews are more laidback and I do think many programs do try to get to know you and, within that brief period of time, try to get an inkling of how you would fit in their program. Many people in the the field are so friendly that it does become quite difficult getting a sense if they like you or not. Interviews for other specialties may not feel the same way from what I've heard.

Be prepared, know yourself, be yourself, and get to know others in your future field. Enjoy the experience!

 

[DOctorJay]

most interviews are very laid back. I only went on one where there was some pimping and I was warned ahead of time. make sure to know your application inside and out because people will ask questions directly off of it and others may not have had a chance to review it in as much detail as you might expect (so you will have to feed them the important stuff). it was a much less stressful experience than interviewing for medical school.

best of luck!

 

[theanswer03]

I just hope there is not much PMR-specific pimping, because my medical knowledge base of the field is not so developed yet. However, I've done rotations in the field, know what it's all about, and I'm confident in my decision to purse PM&R.

 

[PMR 4 MSK]

I would suspect that for much of interviews, they already have a sense of where they will rank you before you even hit the door. Kind of like going on a date where she already decided if she's going to sleep with you before you've even opened the car door for her.

At this point it's be on your best behavior because you can only screw things up.

😀

 

[theanswer03]

I like the analogy haha..

 

[anonapp2011]

Another resource is to contact people from your school who matched last year or two years ago(since they're done with prelim and now have at least some time in the program). They could probably give you a sense of what the interviews were like and their impressions of the program.