Is it okay to bring a piece of paper with a list of questions to ask in interviews?

[boltedbicorne]

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I have a lot of questions to ask and I want to make sure I ask them all. Can I bring a pen and tablet with potential questions I've written down to interviews. Is that acceptable?

 

[Osteoth]

I would imagine yes, but be professional about it and bring a folder. I plan on bringing a messenger bag with a folder inside.

 

[Law2Doc]

I have a lot of questions to ask and I want to make sure I ask them all. Can I bring a pen and tablet with potential questions I've written down to interviews. Is that acceptable?

I used to think that was acceptable, but recently experienced the other side of an interviewing process where the interviewers universally seemed weirded out by an applicant who pulled out a list of questions during the interview. So I would recommend committing it all to memory. It's better anyhow if the interview seems more conversational and less "check the box".

 

[DokterMom]

A short list of topics (<10) ought to be perfectly acceptable. But I'd wait to pull it out until you're near wrapping up. There's generally a "Is there anything you'd like to ask us?" question, and a "No" answer isn't usually well-received. But if you had a list of topics, mentioned that you had one, then scanned it quickly before discovering the answer really was "No" (or else you'd find your question) then it would, I believe, be much better received.

Edit: I stand corrected! And by people far more learned than I.

 

[Goro]

100% concur. I'd be rather aghast at someone pulling out their little note book and then reading off the questions. Everyone else has those questions in their head ahead of time.

I used to think that was acceptable, but recently experienced the other side of an interviewing process where the interviewers universally seemed weirded out by an applicant who pulled out a list of questions during the interview. So I would recommend committing it all to memory. It's better anyhow if the interview seems more conversational and less "check the box".

 

[darkjedi]

How hard is it to keep a couple of questions in your head for interviews? I agree that reading off a list would come off as a little strange.

 

[Ismet]

Don't read off the list. It's tacky.

 

[karayaa]

How hard is it to keep a couple of questions in your head for interviews? I agree that reading off a list would come off as a little strange.

considering how stressed out i get even thinking about interviews, i worry that any questions will fly out of my head. scanning a list of pre-written topics sounds like a happy medium.

 

[LizzyM]

Do keep in mind that when you take a patient history, you may be stressed out but you'll be expected to be able to keep quite a few questions in your head. Consider this your dress rehearsal.

 

[Law2Doc]

Do keep in mind that when you take a patient history, you may be stressed out but you'll be expected to be able to keep quite a few questions in your head. Consider this your dress rehearsal.

To be fair, while taking patient histories ultimately becomes pretty automatic, it takes a long time to develop. I always still find myself having to pop my head back in with a last question or two I think of as I walk out the door. If any of you guys remember the old detective show collumbo, where he's always asking a suspect "oh, one last thing..." as he's leaving, it can sometimes be like that.

So I'd say your last interview is going to be more complete than your first. But honestly these days is there really anything you need to ask in the interview that you couldn't learn from other channels? Just have a nice conversation, and if there are still pressing questions, google is often your friend and the med students you meet on interview day are often amenable to emailed questions.

 

[chillaxbro]

I used a interview pad. I did it because I thought that's what you did in interviews. Didn't realize I was being a weirdo

 

[FutureFACS]

I had a folder where I had jotted down some notes during interview day. I asked if it would be okay if I took some notes during the interview, and I did (but only a few). When it was time for my questions, I would list some off the top of my head, then at the end I glanced through my notes from the day/interview to see if I could formulate some more. I thought in doing so, I was able to be more engaged with the interview/interview day, and ask some more thorough questions that may have not otherwise been answered. So hopefully that wasn't weird...

 

[LizzyM]

I used a interview pad. I did it because I thought that's what you did in interviews. Didn't realize I was being a weirdo

A pad in a portfolio is not bad. What tries my patience is someone who in response to "do you have any questions for me, pulls out a sheet of paper that appears to accordion down like a Santa's list.

Look for answers to your questions on the school's website. Ask questions that could not be answered in this way.

 

[RWynd123]

I had a folder where I had jotted down some notes during interview day. I asked if it would be okay if I took some notes during the interview, and I did (but only a few). When it was time for my questions, I would list some off the top of my head, then at the end I glanced through my notes from the day/interview to see if I could formulate some more. I thought in doing so, I was able to be more engaged with the interview/interview day, and ask some more thorough questions that may have not otherwise been answered. So hopefully that wasn't weird...

I feel like I need to go buy a more professional folder. I also saw some helpful interview tips on student mentor network. Here is the link in case others want some advice as well.