Interviewing applicants- tips? ideas?

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kat82

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Hi everyone
I'll be interviewing applicants for our EM program and wanted to know if you had any suggestions for useful questions to ask. I hated the boring questions that I got asked on my interviews years ago. What sort of questions do you find trigger interesting conversation that help you get to know the applicant on a useful level?

Thanks in advance
 
Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaand, this is the part where all of us fourth years walk in, sit down, and take notes.
 
kat82 said:
Hi everyone
I'll be interviewing applicants for our EM program and wanted to know if you had any suggestions for useful questions to ask. I hated the boring questions that I got asked on my interviews years ago. What sort of questions do you find trigger interesting conversation that help you get to know the applicant on a useful level?

Thanks in advance
Click to expand...

Just please, for our sake, don't start off with "tell me about yourself....."
 
RustedFox said:
"If you were yogurt, would you be fruit-on-the-bottom, or stirred ?"
Click to expand...

Fruit on the bottom. I prefer having the ability to decide how much I get in each bite. I like eat the fruit sparingly at the beginning, then reward myself at the end for being patient.
 
"Tell me what you love, and why." And make it clear that it is open-ended - anything is good. You're not looking for world peace and an end to war. It is the truisms - your kids, 80s music, college football (such as that is), beef jerky, that sort of thing.
 
On a more serious note, here were my top 3 favorite questions I was asked when residency hunting:

1) "teach me something" - not a question, per se, but allowed me to do whatever. I ended up doing an origami box... and explained the steps, as well as why I know origami.

2) "soda or pop?" - absolutely fricking hilarious to drop this... leads to a lot of interesting discussion potentially about upbringing, grounding/support, etc.

3) "what was the last non-school-related book you read?"

Cheers!
-d
 
I tried to ask something specific about their app. Not the obvious stuff like Step scores and MSPE, but pick something cool about their ECs , research, life prior to med school, etc. Something that I hoped they'd be passionate about. Then I just let them talk and learned pretty much everything I needed to know.

I'm also a recent grad of the program I'm interviewing candidates for and almost all of my interviews were early in the day so I let them ask me questions about the program.
 
Daiphon said:
On a more serious note, here were my top 3 favorite questions I was asked when residency hunting:

1) "teach me something" - not a question, per se, but allowed me to do whatever. I ended up doing an origami box... and explained the steps, as well as why I know origami.

2) "soda or pop?" - absolutely fricking hilarious to drop this... leads to a lot of interesting discussion potentially about upbringing, grounding/support, etc.

3) "what was the last non-school-related book you read?"

Cheers!
-d
Click to expand...

The book one always worries me as i read like 3-4 zombie novels a month (no joke). I don't want to lie when asked this interview question, but I have a hard time believing that something fruitful will come out of me saying City of the Dead!
 
gutonc said:
I tried to ask something specific about their app. Not the obvious stuff like Step scores and MSPE, but pick something cool about their ECs , research, life prior to med school, etc. Something that I hoped they'd be passionate about. Then I just let them talk and learned pretty much everything I needed to know.

I'm also a recent grad of the program I'm interviewing candidates for and almost all of my interviews were early in the day so I let them ask me questions about the program.
Click to expand...

Confidential to g.o.: This is second only to "tell me about yourself". I am hopeful that you will take stock of questions asked, and then endeavor to include the answers to those questions when you talk to the next series of candidates.
 
Apollyon said:
Confidential to g.o.: This is second only to "tell me about yourself". I am hopeful that you will take stock of questions asked, and then endeavor to include the answers to those questions when you talk to the next series of candidates.
Click to expand...

I'm just one of many interviewers, generally the only one they're going to see who actually trained in the program. I usually use this for the last 5 minutes of a 30 minute interview and preface it with "I recently graduated from this program, is there anything you want to ask me about what it's like here?". And then I answer honestly.

I agree that a generic "what questions do you have?" is kind of bulls**t.
 
gutonc said:
I'm just one of many interviewers, generally the only one they're going to see who actually trained in the program. I usually use this for the last 5 minutes of a 30 minute interview and preface it with "I recently graduated from this program, is there anything you want to ask me about what it's like here?". And then I answer honestly.

I agree that a generic "what questions do you have?" is kind of bulls**t.
Click to expand...

On a similar tack, though: do you think there is material difference between IM subspecialty fellowship interviews, and EM interviews? EM usually has 2 or 3 interviewers; those with 4 or more, or a team interview, or some other permutation are the outliers.

And the point I made above is one I'd posited some time in the past on SDN: when someone asks a question, for the next interviewee, pre-empt that by including that answer in the interview.

(And, quite candidly, I thought you were starting out with the "do you have any questions?". Funny would be a pre-recorded crickets sound.)
 
Apollyon said:
On a similar tack, though: do you think there is material difference between IM subspecialty fellowship interviews, and EM interviews? EM usually has 2 or 3 interviewers; those with 4 or more, or a team interview, or some other permutation are the outliers.
Click to expand...

While I think the details are clearly different, the fundamentals are the same. Everybody wants the same thing, smart, hard working house staff that you want to work and hang out with.
 
bad virus said:
The book one always worries me as i read like 3-4 zombie novels a month (no joke). I don't want to lie when asked this interview question, but I have a hard time believing that something fruitful will come out of me saying City of the Dead!
Click to expand...

You'd be surprised. Preparing for the zombie apocalypse is like dealing with drunks... d=)

Sent from my DROID BIONIC using Tapatalk
 
bad virus said:
The book one always worries me as i read like 3-4 zombie novels a month (no joke). I don't want to lie when asked this interview question, but I have a hard time believing that something fruitful will come out of me saying City of the Dead!
Click to expand...

I could actually see it going over really well. I suspect EM is home to a disproportionately large number of zombie fans...
 
I have a question for the Attendings....I'm not the MS4, just the wife/nurse of the MS4 who is watching these threads like my life depends on it.....sorry if this has been asked on another forum etc....

If there is a program that we are truly wanting to be a part of, how can this be relayed in the interview without blatantly saying it....(since I'm reading you shouldn't do that)
Hubby has met many of the residents of the program at ACEP & SAEM and sees himself fitting in very well...
Simple...it's an area where we want to be for a very long time...(so not to move children AGAIN)
This is the ONE interview I plan to fly with and attend the dinner etc...

Any advice?
 
nurse nancy said:
I have a question for the Attendings....I'm not the MS4, just the wife/nurse of the MS4 who is watching these threads like my life depends on it.....sorry if this has been asked on another forum etc....

If there is a program that we are truly wanting to be a part of, how can this be relayed in the interview without blatantly saying it....(since I'm reading you shouldn't do that)
Hubby has met many of the residents of the program at ACEP & SAEM and sees himself fitting in very well...
Simple...it's an area where we want to be for a very long time...(so not to move children AGAIN)
This is the ONE interview I plan to fly with and attend the dinner etc...

Any advice?
Click to expand...

Just say it. It worked for me. You just can't ask, but you can volunteer the information.
 
gro2001 said:
There is a legend about an EM attending somewhere who keeps a guitar in his office and for everyone who put 'playing guitar' as a hobby the interview is him pointing at the guitar and saying 'play'.
Click to expand...

I'd much rather play the guitar for him/herthan have an opportunity to put my foot in my mouth, lol.
 
nurse nancy said:
I have a question for the Attendings....I'm not the MS4, just the wife/nurse of the MS4 who is watching these threads like my life depends on it.....sorry if this has been asked on another forum etc....

If there is a program that we are truly wanting to be a part of, how can this be relayed in the interview without blatantly saying it....(since I'm reading you shouldn't do that)
Hubby has met many of the residents of the program at ACEP & SAEM and sees himself fitting in very well...
Simple...it's an area where we want to be for a very long time...(so not to move children AGAIN)
This is the ONE interview I plan to fly with and attend the dinner etc...

Any advice?
Click to expand...

Just say it, and explain why - e.g. family/kids opportunities. Residency is tough, and we recognize that having a support system (that's happy, healthy, and hale) is essential.

The only caveat is that one oughtn't tell multiple programs that they're "#1" - that can bite you in the butt.

As for *you* see if one of the spouses would be willing to show you around whilst hubby is interviewed... and talk up how much your family would love to be there. That kind of unofficial info makes its way back.

Good luck!
-d

Sent from my DROID BIONIC using Tapatalk
 
I agree - be honest and straight with them. It's OK to tell your interviewers that a place is your first choice if it is. Explain it on both personal and professional terms. It may or may not make any difference in how they rank you, but it might. Programs want people who wanna be there and will be happy professionally and personally.

I agree with others - don't say this to more than one program. But honestly - I haven't seen any evidence the love letters make any difference at all, other than it's polite to send a follow-up thank you card.
 
It's not a matter of where he grips it, it's a simple matter of lift to weight ratios.

Back to the OP, I think the more you have time to read the application the easier it likely is. So if someone wrote about their research, or a club they were in, those are low hanging fruit to talk about. Other good questions:

1: What keeps you sane? What do you do off duty that keeps you happy?
2: How do you deal with stress?
3: Mets or Yankees fan?


Also you can try to find out who this "she" is, and why she says these terrible things. I know "that's what she said", but she is going to get a reputation if she isn't careful.
 
If you did not match ... would you be willing to work as a High School teacher and if so what subject would you like to teach ?


Fill in the blank field is popular with many med students. Tell me why you don't want to match into that field.


Interns are assigned rotations based upon the luck of the draw. If you had your choice, which rotation would you prefer as your first?


Everybody starts their interview process with preconceived notions of where they are going to rank different hospitals. So I am going to assume we are your first choice. Ignoring your #1 and without telling me the who, tell me something fun, exciting, positive or interesting that has caused you to change your preconcieved ranking list ?


Your undergrad major was X. In hindsight, what elective class (outside the field of your major, minor and core requirements) do wish you had taken?


In hindsite, what undergrad elective did you take that you now feel was a waste of your time?


One of your co-workers wants to swap shifts so that he/she can attend his spouse's surprise birthday party. Assuming supervisor approval, what special day (other than SuperBowl Sunday) would you like off in exchange for working your co-worker's shift?


At your med school's teaching hospital, tell me how to find the billing department from the main hospital entrance?


If you could mandate the removal of an offservice rotation of our program, what rotation would you want to remove ?

what offservice rotation would you like to add?



October is breast cancer awareness month. Our hospital is considering pick lab coats, scrubs etc for all the staff next year. Do you think you look good in pink?


At times I feel like the tourism board recruiting officer. Never less, our current residents provide a couple tours of ther homes/apartments before / after the interviews. Where you able to attend (going to attend) ?

Did you pickup the local realestate housing information packet? I have a spare one if you didn't already receive one.
 
StevieStud said:
Everybody starts their interview process with preconceived notions of where they are going to rank different hospitals. So I am going to assume we are your first choice. Ignoring your #1 and without telling me the who, tell me something fun, exciting, positive or interesting that has caused you to change your preconcieved ranking list ?
Click to expand...

Huh?
 
Glitterbox said:
Look deeply into my eyes. Tell me what you see.
Click to expand...

I can see you . . . Living happily . . . With someone who truly gets you . . . Someone like me !?!?!?!?!?!

Oh Crap . . . wait, I am so sorry, I totally missed the fun stopper on your finger.
 
The "do you have any questions?" line gets old pretty fast. The first 5 times is fine, but I just had an interview where I had 7 separate interviews, plus residents in the main room between interviews, and I was asked no fewer than 20 times if I had questions. You feel obligated to ask questions or risk the assumption that you are not interested enough. Can get a little uncomfy over 7 hours of this.
 
kat82 said:
Hi everyone
I'll be interviewing applicants for our EM program and wanted to know if you had any suggestions for useful questions to ask. I hated the boring questions that I got asked on my interviews years ago. What sort of questions do you find trigger interesting conversation that help you get to know the applicant on a useful level?

Thanks in advance
Click to expand...

Thanks for asking this question, I'm also interested as I start interviewing applicants soon
 
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