Interview prep or coaching suggestion please

[res-2007]

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I have my first invitation for an interview.

Can anyone tell me how I should start preparing (websites, videos) for the interview.

 

[Winged Scapula]

1. First step - basic cleanliness (ie, make sure your suit and shoes are clean, hair is cut, nails shined, skin clean, etc.)

2. Know why you are pursuing your specialty of choice.

3. Understand the current issues in your specialty of choice (ie, if its Anesthesia maybe you should know something about the role of CRNAs, or whatever the hot topic is. Check current big journals in your field.)

4. Read the website of the program you are interested in so you are at least somewhat familiar with basics of the program.

5. If the program is out of town, make sure you know how to get there and give yourself enough time (if you arrive the night before, do a trial run then instead of in the am).

6. If invited to a social event with the residents the night before, go.

 

[Mumpu]

I followed the Rocky IV training program, lifting logs and running away from the KGB car in the snow. Aside from that, what Dr Cox said is right on.

Questions you are guaranteed to be asked:
1) Why your profession of choice.
2) Why at this program.
3) Any questions (you will come to HATE people asking you if you have any questions... for the fourth time that day, after hours of presentations).
4) If you did research, be prepared to talk about it, oftentimes at the expense of everything else (personal experience... I wasn't even research-heavy and I had interviewers who would re-direct the conversation after I tried to change topics so they could learn about something other than rats).

Think about 1 and 2, and have something real to say. Try to make a personal connection with the location or some feature of the program, integrate your impressions of the city/residents/hospital into it.

And watch out for Ivan Drago's cheatin' Commie uppercut.

 

[ljl1982]

The AMA's residency interview guide gives some general info regarding commonly asked questions - i'm unable to download the attachment to SDN since the file is too large.

The link works if you have an AMA member id:
http://www.ama-assn.org/ama/pub/category/10757.html

 

[cchoukal]

Over the years I've interviewed for college, grad school, professional jobs, med school and residency, so here's my 2 cents:

Mumpu's last points are really important, particularly in competitive programs. You want to give them the impression that you've thought about why you're there (in that specialty at that program). I like to think of it in terms of "brand management," where the "brand" is you.

1. Be interestED (see Mumpu's points). HAVE QUESTIONS about them, the program, even if you already know the answer.

2. Be interestING: have traveled, have done research, have done something interesting besides school that you can talk about with passion and be remembered.

3. Be thinking ahead to your thank-you notes: try to jot something down that you talked about in each interview that was likely unique to that conversation that you can maybe reference in the thank-you, again, so you can be remembered. I like to think of the thank-you note as "putting your name in front of them and associating it with something positive and memorable (that is, the unique encounter that you'll jot down and reference in the not."

Kim Cox's points are also crucial; I couldn't believe some of the appearances I saw on the trail. Poorly fitting suits, old beat-up shoes, white socks. You want to stand out for looking professional, not for being the one guy with the purple zoot suit. With regard to her third point, recognize that some of these "hot topics" might be very controversial (particularly the one she mentioned), so keep it professional.

Finally, and everyone says this, but it's usually true: you're also there to interview them. Ask questions and pay attention to how it feels to be there; gather evidence about the culture to see if it fits with your own (this will help with point #1 above).

 

[pillowhead]

6. If invited to a social event with the residents the night before, go.

Is this an absolute necessity? For many interviews, that means essentially missing two days of a rotation to get there early enough for the dinner if you're driving there (i.e. needing to leave at noon to get there by 6pm). How bad does it look not to go?

 

[Winged Scapula]

Is this an absolute necessity? For many interviews, that means essentially missing two days of a rotation to get there early enough for the dinner if you're driving there (i.e. needing to leave at noon to get there by 6pm). How bad does it look not to go?

Depends.

If a candidate is really serious about a program, I would expect them to attend. Obviously there are extenuating circumstances such as being in another state interviewing on that night. Not wanting to go because you don't want to leave early doesn't strike me as good enough reason, although I don't expect that you would tell a program that. But you will be asked if you went to the dinner the night before and might feel compelled to give a reason why you couldn't.

Its a good opportunity to meet the residents (and sometimes faculty) on a more casual basis and get information that you might otherwise not ask during an interview or see (ie, how many residents show? If its only a few you might wonder why - are they too tired, too busy, or simply don't care to come and support their program?).

So, yes it does mean you will miss two (or more) days of a rotation, which is why we generally suggest people try and do "light" services during the fall/winter of their 4th year. Most faculty should understand your needing to be gone for interviews.

Obviously interested candidates can't always come to the night before social but try and make up for it in other ways - second visits, calls, etc. But if there is any way you can make the event, I strongly suggest it.

 

[Mumpu]

You will have interviewers ask you how the social the night before went. Saying "I wasn't there" feels awkward... probably not bad (they understand that flights get in late, etc.) but you would be better off sharing your impressions of the housestaff, the kinds of people the program attracts, etc. If you don't attend the dinner, you next chance to talk to the housestaff will likely be during lunch on the interview day which is generally AFTER you finish the interviews. Again, you want to have real things to say about the program, not generic BS.

Your grades and evals after early September will not make it into the Dean's Letter. Who cares if you miss two days?