I know who my interviewer is. Now what?

[heartshaped box]

A med school I am interviewing at has listed the Dr's name on my itinerary. How should I use this information? Read up on her research? Any suggestions?

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[punkedoutriffs]

Just do a quick google search. I would know what they do/what department they are in. Other than that, not much. You probably won't be able to understand their research papers. Even if you will, it won't really do much for you. At least that was the case for me.

 

[eefen]

^ This. And don't forget their name at the end of the interview.

 

[Geebeejay]

A med school I am interviewing at has listed the Dr's name on my itinerary. How should I use this information? Read up on her research? Any suggestions?

Maybe look up his specialty, so one of your questions can be "why did you choose (insert specialty)," but don't do anything else. It only has the potential to hurt your or make you look like an idiot. Don't try to learn his research, look up his papers, or act like you know anything about his field except for how to pronounce it. Don't doctor your interview technique based on anything you discover about him. Don't sound rehearsed or scripted in any way!

The only way I can see investigating him being helpful is if you were both in the armed forces, or if some other very improbable connection exists.

 

[heartshaped box]

Helpful suggestions. Thanks.

 

[Sophocles]

I worked that information in my conversational interviews and it worked really well. For my more formal interviews where they barrage me with questions, I saved that information until the end when they ask me if I had any questions. Most of your questions can be answered throughout the interview day, talking with students or researching their website, so asking something about why they got into their particular field is a good way for them to talk a little more and build a better rapport with your interviewer.

 

[impermanence]

If I ever got the chance I would read their research interests and see the interviewer's background (what schools/states she may be coming from), if on the off chance that you have done research at a lab that works on similar questions I would bring that up. It will all depend on how the interview goes and wether you even have the oppotunity to ask questions but I imagine that the school provided you with the info in advance for a reason... Good luck!

 

[Praefectus]

^ this. And don't forget their name at the end of the interview.

But it's so easy!

 

[911 Turbo]

asl/ssn/cc#s/criminal record




.. just kidding. i would read up on their research, professors usually like talking about that.

but be careful not to sound creepy when you actually interview

 

[lovesfall]

I'd do your homework the same way you would for a job -- try to get an overall sense of who your interviewer is and understand where he or she might be coming from. I've always found it helpful to identify shared areas of interest, just because that gives you some topics to discuss that will likely be enjoyable for both of you and helps take some pressure off the tough questions. Plus, if they are interests you would like to continue pursuing in school, who better to ask about opportunities in those areas?

 

[FSU2013]

I would just get their short bio - undergrad, med school, residency and specialty.

I don't think you need to know anything about their research or their field. It's totally OK to say "wow, I don't know anything about that" and you don't want to act like you're interested in their field when you have absolutely no interest in it. What happens when you're admitted then you s/he invites you to work on a paper because you said you thought it was super-interesting? Cue awkward conversation....

What you also don't want to do is have your interviewer ask "so, why are you interested in our school?" and you say "well, I'm from <insert random city> and it sucks. seriously, it's just awful. i hate it. I can't wait to get out....." when your interviewer did their entire training there and still has family there that he or she visits regularly.

 

[sector9]

I wouldn't spend much time at all stalking your interviewer. I would be much more concerned with having decent answers to common interview questions than digging up her recent research

 

[stoutt]

find their address, go through their trash to figure out their favorite wine.....profit

 

[CuttingCorneas]

asl/ssn/cc#s/criminal record

More like license plate number/make & model of car.

That way if you don't get in, you know whose tires to slash.

 

[intcards]

The benefit of this information is that you will understand their perspective. If their research is lab work/molecular bio, expect more mechanistic/procedural type questions about your research. If their research is more clinically oriented, expect more outcomes/statistical/significance type questions. Also, if you read about their research you you can see if overlaps with yours, in which case you better know your crap.

Furthermore, you may want to frame some of you answers based on their field. For example, if they are a primary care doc, you may want to incorporate something about the importance of preventative medicine and longitudinal care into one of your answers. If they are an ophthalmologist, you can mention that you are excited how technology is advancing medical care. Those answers may not go over well if you stressed those points to the wrong listener. Don't get me wrong, it's not that primary care docs can see the value of technology, and if that's what you love about medicine you can mention that, but I would be careful stressing it too much.

 

[TheMightySmiter]

Don't do anything, like you don't google someone before a first date. Because what if you end up dating your interviewer.

 

[CodeBlu]

^ This. And don't forget their name at the end of the interview.

1000 times this. Seriously.

 

[Tots]

Don't do anything, like you don't google someone before a first date. Because what if you end up dating your interviewer.

Awkward.

But just to add what other people said: I wouldn't worry too much about looking up your interviewer, if anything it will just add to the stress. I googled a few of my interviewers(for the schools that tell you waaaaaaaay in advance) but only to just briefly glance at their bio to satisfy my curiosity. I don't think looking up my interviewer in any more detail would have helped in any way. While I had many interviews where we talked about some aspect of the interviewers life/experiences I don't think I would have known any of this from googling their name and even if I did that would have been creepy. "Dr SoandSo, I realized you were a big fan of Disneyland when I found your facebook page..." I think if you are tailoring the information you are going to share before you even walk in the door then you are probably doing it wrong.

 

[KnuxNole]

Don't do anything, like you don't google someone before a first date. Because what if you end up dating your interviewer.

I had someone look me up on Facebook before going on a date
Took me by surprise but had to play it off...