How to answer "THE QUESTION.."

[napoleondynamite]

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I would love to get advice from those of you who were just on the interview trail about how to best prepare for interview questions in RadOnc.

What are the questions we should anticipate in most interviews? What were your responses to those questions? What was the most interesting or most difficult interview question you were asked, and how did you answer it?

Your experiences are appreciated. Thanks!

 

[Gfunk6]

The two big questions you will hear over and over again are, "Why RadOnc?" and "Tell me about your research."

Other questions are pretty much impossible to predict. I got the commone one "tell me about your specific strengths and weaknesses" and a weird one "what do you think about the XBOX?." Just be sure you prepare for the big two questions well. The rest is up to your skill in the interview but if you are already in med school you are probably pretty good already.

 

[CNphair]

Gfunk is right. You wil get those two big questions at every interview. Now, at each interview you will meet with about 10 different people (on average). If you go to 12+ interviews, the mere thought of your "Why I chose Rad Onc" speech will make you nauseous. Trust me.

Otherwise, Rad onc interviews are different than those of most residencies (what else is new, right?). I rarely got the typical "Describe yourself in 5 words" type questions that most of my friends going into Medicine, Peds, ER, etc report. The interview guide in Iserson's is not very helpful for Rad Onc. Most of your interviews will concentrate on your experiences in the field as well as your hobbies outside school. And, of course, your commitment to academic medicine... 😉

 

[eidolon]

Yes, you will get asked the "why rad onc" question a lot. Amongst the more "unusual" questions I got asked:

1. What was your favorite book?
2. What was your favorite movie?
3. Why should we take you over other applicants? (always a tough one to answer since you have to walk the fine line between promoting yourself without sounding overly arrogant)
4. Why rad onc and not med onc?
5. Who's your role model?

Some programs will ask you (although they're not suppose to) about your ties to a particular geographical area (play it up if you have them) and even go so far as asking about your marital status, etc. One question I was prepared for but never once got ask was the "describe a memorable case you saw on the ward" or some variations thereof.