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- Mar 9, 2014
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I seem to be getting very bi-polar feedback about what the exact nature of the residency interviews consist of.
On one end, I have been told that interviews are relaxed, informal conversations to get a read mostly on personality and 'fit' for the program since you'll be working intimately with the residents. A few directed questions, but nothing that you can exactly prep for.
The other end is the complete opposite. An hour long quiz (where does this muscle insert, what technique would you use for this procedure, name the top five procedures we perform at our clinic in terms of volume and revenue in the past year), and the classical sort of Google/Apple metaphysical interview questions (if you were a dime that got stuck in a blender, how would you get out?-- How many times a day does a clock's hands overlap?)
Anybody have an interview that lies in between these two ends of the spectrum? I am yet to come across someone who has described somewhat of both. I seem to only get one or the other.
Footnote: it seems the latter of the two descriptions above is due mostly to the fact our boards are minimum competency vs. percentile ranked. Schools can only objectively gauge us on how we fared vs. our classmates (class rank) as opposed to USMLE scores that rank us across every student from every school. I postulate that these cases may also occur for students who are interviewing but did not complete an externship.
Footnote2: I even heard a story of a residency interview asking the 4th year to complete as many pushups as possible. Frankly, I think that it would be a better indicator of a candidate to refuse this task, and walk out (in addition to immediately crossing off this program from my list). We are applying for a program of graduate medical education, not pledging Alpha Zeta Gamma.
On one end, I have been told that interviews are relaxed, informal conversations to get a read mostly on personality and 'fit' for the program since you'll be working intimately with the residents. A few directed questions, but nothing that you can exactly prep for.
The other end is the complete opposite. An hour long quiz (where does this muscle insert, what technique would you use for this procedure, name the top five procedures we perform at our clinic in terms of volume and revenue in the past year), and the classical sort of Google/Apple metaphysical interview questions (if you were a dime that got stuck in a blender, how would you get out?-- How many times a day does a clock's hands overlap?)
Anybody have an interview that lies in between these two ends of the spectrum? I am yet to come across someone who has described somewhat of both. I seem to only get one or the other.
Footnote: it seems the latter of the two descriptions above is due mostly to the fact our boards are minimum competency vs. percentile ranked. Schools can only objectively gauge us on how we fared vs. our classmates (class rank) as opposed to USMLE scores that rank us across every student from every school. I postulate that these cases may also occur for students who are interviewing but did not complete an externship.
Footnote2: I even heard a story of a residency interview asking the 4th year to complete as many pushups as possible. Frankly, I think that it would be a better indicator of a candidate to refuse this task, and walk out (in addition to immediately crossing off this program from my list). We are applying for a program of graduate medical education, not pledging Alpha Zeta Gamma.
