"How your interviews went?"

[GoodFriend]

Hi Guys,

Since the interview period already started it may be intersting to start a thread to discussion the types of questions comitees ask on a residency interview.

For example other than the usual questions of "Why you want to be a psychiatrist?" or "What is your plan after residency?" one of the program directors asked me two questions which I was not enough prepared. They were:

"Could you present to us an interesting case of yours from your previous experience?"

and

"What is the differencial diagnosis of confiusion? What workup would you order?" (CSA is good prep for these questions)

I think it may be helpfull to collect on this thread the less usual questions so as we all can prepare better for future interviews.

Do you guys want to share your experience?

GoodFriend

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[Thewonderer]

at what places were those questions asked?

The interviews I have been to, they are more concerned about talking how good their programs are that they don't really ask you any hard questions. Just gauging your interest of their programs mostly.....

I did get asked, "what do you like to do for fun?"

that sounds odd so I don't usually count exactly what I do for fun everyday.... I missed a couple things on my list.

 

[GoodFriend]

Hi "Thewonderer",

These questions were asked from me in late August when there was an unexpected openning at one of the Harvard programs
(South Sore).

Although it was not a regular time interview through ERAS, thus the interviewing style may have differed for that reason, after blowing the interview I felt that I was very stupid when not anticipating these kind of knowledge based questions.

It is good to hear that you think these questions are unusual.

I am not entirely surprised with the "what do you do for fun" question. They might want to know whether you will be happy in the location where their program is (eg. if you like to ski and there is no snow or montain there, you may not be happy at their location). Of course hobbies are also telling about personality.

GoodFriend

 

[freud]

as someone who went through the interview process last year, let me tell you that for the most part, interviewers want to get to know you and they want to know that you are going to be able to handle the particular kind of emotional stress that is psychiatry.
"what do you like to do for fun" is by far the question i was asked most often on par with "how did you get interested in psych"
and most psych residencies will allow you enough time to have an outside life so they want to know you will know what to do with it!

 

[Asher]

At my first interview, I spent all day being asked "Why do you think our program is great?" and "What questions do you have about our program?" I don't think that I got asked any questions about myself or my interests or strengths. All in all, I felt like the program would be happy to fill its slots with any candidate with scores greater than 'x.'

My second interview went better. Most of the questions still centered around why I chose to apply to them but they seemed more interested in getting to know me a bit better.

 

[Thewonderer]

Originally posted by Asher
At my first interview, I spent all day being asked "Why do you think our program is great?" and "What questions do you have about our program?" I don't think that I got asked any questions about myself or my interests or strengths. All in all, I felt like the program would be happy to fill its slots with any candidate with scores greater than 'x.'

Concur (as my radiology residenst always say at the end of every dictation ).

 

[Anasazi23]

My strangest question:
"Are those your real teeth?"

No joking. I put on my application under "hobbies" that I play ice hockey. Without prefacing the question, the director asked me out of nowhere if my teeth were real.

 

[sunny9505]

After you have interviewed with 4-6 people and are with your last one, when they ask if you have nay questions, is it okay to say that you have had all your questions answered already? I have asked so many quesitons, I never have any left by the last one and don't want to ask any question again that I already asked in case they discuss that.

 

[Asher]

Sunny, I have had the same situation occur in my interviews. I generally have said that everyone has been quite helpful in answering my questions. If it is a rather broad question (i.e., what is it like living in the area, what about psychotherapy training), I might ask if they would give me their perspective on the issue.

 

[freud]

It's totally fine to say you have had all your questions answered.
That time is for you and is almost never used to evaluate you. But it never hurts to ask more questions as you gather info on ll the different programs. Also,

what I learned a little late in the process is to have 5 questions to ask at all programs ie board pass rates, fellowships, geography of graduates, etc...and then any questions that come up during the tour or during the visits.

The most important thing for programs is that you fit in with them and vice versa. And the time at the end of the interview where they ask if you have any mnor questions is the perfect time to get a better sense of the atmosphere of the program (ie. laid back vs more formal, high volume, research oriented, community based etc)

Good luck!

 

[aldorvie]

I got asked how I handle stress. I also got asked the question about one patient that taught me the most. Mostly, though the programs have just been talking up their strengths and trying to get to know me.

 

[Asher]

I just got back from an interview where things got a little hostile when I asked about board pass rates. That among several other things where PDs/interviewers/staff were extremely rude to me made me wonder why they would invite me to an interview if they had no interest in me as a candidate.

 

[leaf]

Most of my interviews so far have been mostly about describing the program and asking if I have questions, but I've been asked most often about where I see my career going (#1) and what I do for fun (a distant #2). I've also been asked how I handle stress, which people I've worked with whom I admire, why I would be applying to academic programs if I'm interested in community psychiatry, and how I dealt with a specific difficult situation with a patient (this came up in the course of the interview and didn't feel like a canned question).