Interview Experiences

[tofuscramble]

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Hi all--

I thought it would be nice to start a thread where people can share their interview experiences (things you loved, hated, questions you were asked, etc.).

Good luck on all your interviews!

 

[Frijolero]

I'll play:

Billings, MT - Decent city with mountains and good fly-fishing nearby, if you're into that. Self-admittedly a bit weak in procedures but otherwise strong training. Open to change through resident input (which is always the hope). The residents I met were a truly fun, warm group. The sub-I's there at the time were good people and seemed to enjoy the place as well.

 

[Celestron2000]

UPMC St. Margaret's (Pittsburgh): Overall positive. Not truely unapposed, but best of both worlds... residents run the hospital, strong academics. Happy residents, seem like cool peeps. Fascilities slightly above average. All electronic medical records including out patient progress notes. Big program with a good local rep.

UPMC Shadyside: Beautiful fascilities! Same electronic record system. Residents seem happy. Lots of nice bonuses including moving allowance. Not so great local rep.* Very FMG friendly.
*Addendum: Hospital has good rep, residency program less so...

 

[HSCCVCRU]

hey glad to hear you had such a great exp in pitts celestron! i interview there in a couple of weeks.

so far i've had KP riverside, which was cool. everyone was super chill and friendly. also 100% electronic notes. AND they encourage moonlighting! btw the PD was probably the coolest guy i've ever met in medicine.

hope everyone has a great experience in their int's. best of luck all.

 

[tofuscramble]

The interview day was pretty standard--4 interviews (program director, recruiting director, faculty member, resident) + tours and informal lunch with resident. All the questions you'd expect (strengths, weaknesses, why Chicago, why should we choose you, etc.)

The residents are a pretty young, fun, friendly group. They all seem very, very happy and well-supported by the program. In response to resident feedback, they've bulked up their musculoskeletal curriculum--hired a sports med doc and added an OMM clinic.

The program has lots of OB and lots of opportunity for adolescent med. Sounds like their month of inpt surgery sucks (lots of scut work) but it's balanced by a month of outpt surgery where you work one on one with a cool attending who lets you do lots of procedures.

All in all, a really nice place!

 

[Frijolero]

Some short additions:

Martinez, CA: Reputation precedes the program. Obviously a good place but some faculty seem a bit burned out. Additionally, thought the PD was perhaps a bit too gung-ho on the anti-specialist/pro-FM thing. Didn't feel the registrar system is that different from traditional approach. Fantastic all-around training, I was surprised when I wasn't blown away by the place.

Ventura, CA: Honestly quite similar to Contra Costa but just liked the vibe of this place better. Procedure heaven, practically a surgical residency at times. Residents up front about working their tails off and having to sacrifice hobbies. My number one if they would back off on the intensity just a smidgeon. Surf's up, too.

Provo, UT: Strikes me as a very well-funded place and the FM clinic is near new and second to none. Birth rate here is higher than Bangladesh, you'll get lots of OB. Fair amount of procedures, less call and more electives this year. LDS central.

More to come as I roll on down the trail...

 

[FMGuy]

👍 First interview. University of South Carolina. A very solid program - receiving a lot of financial support from the university as well as from the state.
I'll admit that I first applied to the program as an afterthought - but based on the tech resources, procedural experiences, pt care (with strong continuity clinics & a great PEDS department), and its general emphasis on fm education (the fm program is technically opposed, but it's definitely not the "ugly stepchild" of the university...in fact, very well respected), I'd suggest anyone check it out & interview (or at least add USC to their ERAS Ap list).

 

[Campy Lobacter]

Oops. Deleted.

 

[Campy Lobacter]

Disclaimer: I'm picky and hard to please, and I call it like I see it.

In all honesty, I started out with a bad first impression--the coordinator didn't get back to me until three days prior to my interview on times/locations of interview. In a world where I've been receiving directions, maps, frequent e-mails--and in the case of MAHEC-Asheville, you sassy devils, a lifestyle magazine/real estate guide--I was beginning to feel unwanted. Nothing makes a U.S. medical grad more nervous than a program that appears to put them at the bottom of the pile. In the words of an overplayed pop-song, I want you to want me. Needless to say, this little action made me wary about how the rest of the program was, because I like to have things planned out well in advance, and it shows disorganization on their part.

Overall, however, it's good to give second chances, and I'm glad I did. PD seems to be a straight shooter, is very interested in having residents that fit in with the program. Residents predominantly female, though the cattiness is distinctively absent at interview time (don't know about the rest of the time). Also had the impression that this is a very family friendly program--they'd had their share of pregnant residents in their time. Rural site available for 2 of the 8 residents, didn't seem too far out in the stix to me though. Friendly staff, friendly residents, facilities that they complained about being old/out of date seemed pretty freakin' nice to me. (I suppose when you have to scour three floors to find an otoscope at your home facility, your standards may be a little more lax than others.) Longstanding use of EMR. In general nice facilities, and perhaps most important, a frozen yogurt machine in the cafeteria. Sorry, I didn't manage to get a chance to sample it. Someone else will have to add an update.

I would describe this program as "huggy" or "touchy-feely." They praised their focus on behavioral health, patient interaction and listening to resident feedback. Of note is a combined Preventative Medicine/FMR. May allow a bit of public health to rub off on you. Seemed to also really like their OB/Maternal Fetal Medicine. Boasts board certified pediatricians/obstetricians in their faculty, and the best part: unopposed.

Problems: the rural didn't seem too rural to me. The hospital is not a large one, so you may be getting big problems/unique diagnoses going elsewhere. Interns seemed a bit unhappy at the front-loaded (PGY-1) call schedule. But then again, let's face it ladies and gentlemen, it's internship. If it doesn't make the gladdest Pollyanna shave her head and contemplate suicide, there could be something wrong. Or, you're going to have to start sharing your Prozac with the rest of us.

More reviews to come.

 

[OtisRSB]

i start the interview trail this week...but i am surprised at how few people have posted their experiences....
anyone have any good/bad interviews? places you love? places that surprised you?
thanks to those of you who have given some new info...keep it coming!

 

[AwesomO]

i start the interview trail this week...but i am surprised at how few people have posted their experiences....
anyone have any good/bad interviews? places you love? places that surprised you?
thanks to those of you who have given some new info...keep it coming!

I think most people are nervous (and perhaps rightfully so) of putting their impressions of a program and having said program see it and be able to deduce who it is posting.

 

[Frijolero]

I think most people are nervous (and perhaps rightfully so) of putting their impressions of a program and having said program see it and be able to deduce who it is posting.

Though I'm not sure about programs, I have had a few other applicants on the road figure out who I am. Guess I better be on my best SDN behavior...
I'll write a full run-down in a week or two as I finish up the trail (barring any warm-weather last-minute add-ons).

 

[Campy Lobacter]

Okay, it's time for another satirical romp through my interview experience.

(As for the whole "figuring out who you are" scare... See, the way I look at it is like this: if they read this and figure out who I am (GASP!) and are pissed, then I probably didn't need to go there anyway. If they can read these reviews and laugh, then that's a program I need to be at. But let's move on.)

I really liked this program from the beginning because they kept in good contact with me. They sent maps, itineraries and hotel information through the mail, not just e-mail, and I'm the type of gal who loves to have things in my hands. 🙄 In short, great first impression.

So, I read on FREIDA that this program interviewed like 80 applicants last year. I applied trying to figure out if that's just because people like to live in the hippie-infested mountains of western N.C. or if this program really had aspects that made it great. The truth is, it's probably both.

This program is pretty large compared to some of the others. I think they take 9 residents each year, and residents were from ALL OVER. Widespread appeal. They have a very nice Family Health center where they appear to do a lot of their work, and get to work within a fairly geographically wide-servicing Hospital system. Residents seemed fairly pleased with the variety of patients they saw. Let's face it, when a hospital system names it's life-flight service "MAMA" you know it has to be pretty cool.

Residents seemed very happy with their call room (great views people, great views) and the program in general. The downside is that they seemed to like talking to one another a lot more on interview day than the candidates--but maybe that's because they've all grown to love one another and miss each other desperately. Who am I to say? Maybe hippie-ness rubs off? 😍

Talked to some of the other candidates who thought the interview with the PD was a bit harsh. I kind of felt that way too, so I don't know if it was us, if something crawled into his coffee that morning, or he's just grumpy. (Residents think he's nice though.) No, he didn't beat us like circus apes, but the interview was a bit more "on-the-spot" than I expected from a Family Medicine Program. I guess when you have to weed out 70-some people, you need to know how they take pressure.

You also need to be prepared for a little "creativity" on interview day. However, I don't want to completely give this process away, so I'll leave it at that.

This program is also very up front about the contract, which they give you to mull over the day of the interview. Proud of their international experience too, they are. (That sentence sounds like Yoda said it. 😀) By the way, that sports medicine fellowship they talk about in the brochure isn't accredited yet, but it's on its way.

So, put concisely, I challenge you to not get pan-handled or see someone with dreadlocks during this interview. (If you have dreadlocks you probably belong here.) However, I also challenge you to not like this place.

Campy says thumbs up. 👍