Interview do and don't

Started by frenchyn
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Matthew9Thirtyfive said:
Yes she does. My favorite cover of that song is the White Stripes version.
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Is it wrong that I like the original the best?

kopftonmd said:
Wait is this true? (The bolded, not the Miley Cyrus. That's kosher.) For some reason I thought it wasn't allowed anymore.
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This is very specialty specific. I've heard it done in IM, surgical programs, and rarely in EM and FM. In my opinion its stupid, meant to catch someone off-guard, and most applicants I've talked to, its been a reason they did not rank a program (this was in FM and EM where it is relatively rare).
 
hallowmann said:
Is it wrong that I like the original the best?



This is very specialty specific. I've heard it done in IM, surgical programs, and rarely in EM and FM. In my opinion its stupid, meant to catch someone off-guard, and most applicants I've talked to, its been a reason they did not rank a program (this was in FM and EM where it is relatively rare).
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Well it is the best lol
 
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The answer is easy. Be personable and have something interesting on your application to talk about passionately. Also, make sure you have a battery of questions you can ask in case you get that dud of an attending who just sits there stone faced with nothing to say or ask.

Rank lists are highly dependent on leaving a good impression and someone who appears motivated and pleasant to talk to always checks that box.

Oh, and leave your shoes on...
 
1. You look better on paper so your goal is to be normal, not try to win at the interview.
2. Smile (naturally), be friendly, treat everyone at the interview day like they’re a member of the selection process.
3. Know your application inside and out and prepare to answer questions about anything in there.
4. Practice common questions and “memorize” an outline for your answer, and then practice giving the answer with that outline in mind. Don’t memorize the exact answer as you’ll forget some parts under pressure and look robotic.
5. Have prepared questions for your interviews. Try to personalize them to the program so you’re not asking too many cliche stuff
6. Don’t be too loud, ask too many questions, be annoying during overview sections
7. Dress well- if you’re a guy make sure your suit is tailored well, navy or charcoal in color, white solid shirt, and an appropriate basic tie. Don’t wear expensive jewelry. Make sure your hair and beard are well groomed. Not really familiar myself with proper interview dress code for women
 
Caveat: I haven’t read the thread to see what advice has already been offered, and this is for group interviews/group Q&A sessions

  1. Do some research. Don’t ask things easily found online
  2. Listen. Don’t ask what someone else did a few minutes ago
  3. Don’t dominate the conversation let the other interviewees get a word in. Nobody wants to spend 3 years with that person
  4. Don’t one-up the others constantly. Nobody wants to spend 3 years with that either
  5. Read the room/know where you’re interviewing. If you’re super into bench research and that’s what you want to do with your life, awesome, but you’re not going to fit in or love it at a community IM program
  6. Have an answer to “why this specialty”
  7. Be friendly. It’s okay to not be the most outgoing, but try to participate and act like you want to be around us
 
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