Be prepared to discuss a case that you sat in on. Don't get too fancy either, you can get burned pretty easily. Relate that to why you are interested in the field. Also be prepared to back up your choice of locations that you apply to if you are outside of your area, ie why do you want to go to the midwest if you're from the northeast, etc. Don't be surprised when they ask you what other programs you've applied to, or even what you thought of them. Also be prepared to state why you should be selected at that program. I agree with the questions, have questions and more questions and then some more. Be prepared. Just don't ask the wrong ones. Asking the PD or dept. chair what time you will be done in the OR each day is not the way to show you are a hard worker. Have a good list of questions for residents and some for attendings, and know which to ask of whom. Oh yeah, one more thing...don't be surprised about some mild pimping during interviews. Doesn't happen often, but it does happen so don't freak out. One more very important thing now that I have diarrhea of the brain: Know where your letter writers trained. Academic medicine is a small circle and nothing is better than knowing who's who. It establishes rapport pretty quickly when an interviewer sees a letter from Dr. X and then follows up with "so how is Bill these days, we trained together..." you get the picture.
