Most common interview mistakes?

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otherstuff12321

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Hi all,

Was just wondering what are some of the most common interview mistakes residency applicants make?

I don’t have the best interview skills so was just curious.

Thanks!
 
thumbz said:
These days are sadly gone with virtual interviews. I miss it
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I think an analogous situation is being too informal with residents. Or not having questions during Q&A.
 
Bad mouthing the specialty or making it known it’s your back up for a more competitive specialty.

Or talking down on Caribbean med schools and saying your European ( for profit) med school isn’t the same and that somehow you are better than the students at said Caribbean schools…to 3 Caribbean grads, one of whom is the chief resident.

True story… same person…
 
When asked "Do you have any questions about my program, life in our city or the transition to being a resident?" answering with a stoic "No"

I break out this question when the conversation is so awkward and painful that I need something to try and get the candidate to speak for longer than 3 seconds.
 
rokshana said:
Bad mouthing the specialty or making it known it’s your back up for a more competitive specialty.

Or talking down on Caribbean med schools and saying your European ( for profit) med school isn’t the same and that somehow you are better than the students at said Caribbean schools…to 3 Caribbean grads, one of whom is the chief resident.

True story… same person…
Click to expand...

Had a similar story. Had a Euro-trained MD who'd done some urology training, came to the US and re-did training as a DO but was now applying for diagnostic radiology. Spent most of his interview talking about his urology interests.... and then the kicker "I looked up your department chairman's CV and she doesn't look qualified for the position". me: (bro.................) "thank you for your time".

As for the original question: drifting off-topic can be dangerous. Keep the interview about you or the program as best you can. I would also discourage strongly negative opinion answers. E.g. "why are you applying here" should not be met with "cuz my home program sucks at XYZ". Try to frame your responses in a positive manner "i am looking for XYZ attributes and your program has them".
 
thumbz said:
When asked "Do you have any questions about my program, life in our city or the transition to being a resident?" answering with a stoic "No"

I break out this question when the conversation is so awkward and painful that I need something to try and get the candidate to speak for longer than 3 seconds.
Click to expand...

Yes. Nice reminder that the conversation is two-way and that the interviewer may have also done a full day of interviews talking with complete strangers. A little extra effort help filling those 10-15min is appreciated.

Put another way: it's a job interview. The applicant is trying to convince the interviewer not only that they are qualified (if there are CV questions) but also that they'd be tolerable to work with for X number of years. Having some stock talking points/questions for when the conversation breaks down is helpful. Know your cliches, they're your friends.
 
Last edited:
Now that we are doing these virtual interviews, I have found looking at the background a telling activity.
---A gal from a wealth family doing the interview in a very opulent living-room.
---A guy doing the interview from his dorm room with dirty underwear draped over the chair.
---A gal that was supposed to live in Chicago suburbs but looking out the window behind her were mountains and pine trees. Also the time of the interview was night time in Chicago but the sun was shining wherever she was.
 
Saddleshoes said:
Now that we are doing these virtual interviews, I have found looking at the background a telling activity.
---A gal from a wealth family doing the interview in a very opulent living-room.
---A guy doing the interview from his dorm room with dirty underwear draped over the chair.
---A gal that was supposed to live in Chicago suburbs but looking out the window behind her were mountains and pine trees. Also the time of the interview was night time in Chicago but the sun was shining wherever she was.
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I don’t see what’s wrong with #1 or #3?

I’m interested in how you knew the underwear was dirty though!
 
HemeOncHopeful19 said:
I don’t see what’s wrong with #1 or #3?

I’m interested in how you knew the underwear was dirty though!
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Sounds like an optics issue. Nothing to benefit by having anything other than having a super neutral background. Same reason you wouldn't wear a purple suit with lots of jewelry to an in-person interview.

Not everyone is going to be offended but someone might and that's an unforced error.
 
brabbit2222 said:
Nothing wrong with #3, unless she explicitly said "I am calling from the Chicago suburbs right now". People travel, see family, etc.
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I might find it a little tone-deaf. It's a professional job interview. The interviewer is probably interviewing the candidate while they're at work in their office. Little bit disconnected to see the candidate looking like they're interviewing while on a ski vacation.
 
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guytakingboards said:
I might find it a little tone-deaf. It's a professional job interview. The interviewer is probably interviewing the candidate while they're at work in their office. Little bit disconnected to see the candidate looking like they're interviewing while on a ski vacation.
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I can see how some people might take anything the wrong way... but if someone interrupted their ski vacation just to discuss a job opportunity with me I'd probably take that as a sign of someone seriously interested in working with me.
 
HemeOncHopeful19 said:
I can see how some people might take anything the wrong way... but if someone interrupted their ski vacation just to discuss a job opportunity with me I'd probably take that as a sign of someone seriously interested in working with me.
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For sure. My point was just that as the interviewee you don't know what head space the interviewer is in. Safe topics/neutral behavior are a safer bet than not.
 
Had someone genuinely break out full blown crying when talking about their own mental health concerns... during a psychiatry interview... they also shared way too much and drank way too much at the dinner with residents the night before. Did not give us much faith that they would do well in the admittedly strenuous program.

More recently, again, a guy on video underdressed and with a dirty room in the background, and with the camera wayyyy too far from him, making him look tiny compared to his very messy room.
 
hallowmann said:
Had someone genuinely break out full blown crying when talking about their own mental health concerns... during a psychiatry interview... they also shared way too much and drank way too much at the dinner with residents the night before. Did not give us much faith that they would do well in the admittedly strenuous program.

More recently, again, a guy on video underdressed and with a dirty room in the background, and with the camera wayyyy too far from him, making him look tiny compared to his very messy room.
Click to expand...
When I was in college, I knew a guy who did some sort of virtual interview at his computer in his room at his fraternity house. Being in the frat mindset, he decided only to put a dress shirt and suit coat on - no suit slacks - after all, why bother to put on the pants if you’re just sitting there? This all went great until the interviewer asked him a question about some documents that were in his bag across the room. Oops. For whatever reason, he didn’t turn off the camera and the interviewer watched this dude in a suit coat and boxers walk across his room to get his bag. He didn’t get the job…
 
Some years ago we had a candidate fly in, the night before, for the interview process. After the interview, I offered to give him a ride back to the airport as it was on my way home. During the ride, he felt the need to tell me about his adventures with a young lady he had met the previous night night.

I didn't need to hear that.
 
As a resident, I helped do interviews. One day two co-residents and myself were on the the elevator up to the IM department, ready to help lead the interview day. Suddenly two interviewees get on. One proceeds to tell the other that this is “just a backup” program for her - she doesn’t like the location, thinks the institution is weak, and on top of that she apparently doesn’t even really want to do IM but is applying just in case she doesn’t match something else. When we get off the elevator, she asks us how to get to the IM department…we point down the hall and tell her that’s where we’re going, as we’re IM residents. The look on her face was priceless.
 
dozitgetchahi said:
As a resident, I helped do interviews. One day two co-residents and myself were on the the elevator up to the IM department, ready to help lead the interview day. Suddenly two interviewees get on. One proceeds to tell the other that this is “just a backup” program for her - she doesn’t like the location, thinks the institution is weak, and on top of that she apparently doesn’t even really want to do IM but is applying just in case she doesn’t match something else. When we get off the elevator, she asks us how to get to the IM department…we point down the hall and tell her that’s where we’re going, as we’re IM residents. The look on her face was priceless.
Click to expand...

Ouch.
 
dozitgetchahi said:
As a resident, I helped do interviews. One day two co-residents and myself were on the the elevator up to the IM department, ready to help lead the interview day. Suddenly two interviewees get on. One proceeds to tell the other that this is “just a backup” program for her - she doesn’t like the location, thinks the institution is weak, and on top of that she apparently doesn’t even really want to do IM but is applying just in case she doesn’t match something else. When we get off the elevator, she asks us how to get to the IM department…we point down the hall and tell her that’s where we’re going, as we’re IM residents. The look on her face was priceless.
Click to expand...
Hah.

One time I was talking to a co-applicant about how my local Cards program wasn’t super intense (it wasn’t) but was still good training if you wanted to do community practice (I still think that but I’m not Cards so wtf do I know)… well turned out one of the fellows overheard me and had a sister who was a Cards fellow at my program.

I felt like he took it the wrong way as if I was talking it down or something. I did not get ranked by that program.

I ended up somewhere I’m happier at anyway but I will always wonder if I offended that dude on accident!
 
I guess I got one from today. This was my top choice program.

I went to the in-person open house for this program a few weeks ago. During the open house they mentioned they didn’t want to know which applicants made it there since they did not want this event to impact the rank list.

During the interview, I was asked why this program was my top choice. I mentioned that the residents I met were really awesome and would love to be a part of the team that I saw at the open house. The interviewer, shocked at what I just mentioned, says “No! We’re not supposed to know that you attended it! You can’t say this!”

I apologized and said I hope we can scratch it off record. I was nervous, so I let it slip, but some programs really take these things seriously I guess.
 
otherstuff12321 said:
I guess I got one from today. This was my top choice program.

I went to the in-person open house for this program a few weeks ago. During the open house they mentioned they didn’t want to know which applicants made it there since they did not want this event to impact the rank list.

During the interview, I was asked why this program was my top choice. I mentioned that the residents I met were really awesome and would love to be a part of the team that I saw at the open house. The interviewer, shocked at what I just mentioned, says “No! We’re not supposed to know that you attended it! You can’t say this!”

I apologized and said I hope we can scratch it off record. I was nervous, so I let it slip, but some programs really take these things seriously I guess.
Click to expand...
You're fine. That won't be held against you.
 
otherstuff12321 said:
I guess I got one from today. This was my top choice program.

I went to the in-person open house for this program a few weeks ago. During the open house they mentioned they didn’t want to know which applicants made it there since they did not want this event to impact the rank list.

During the interview, I was asked why this program was my top choice. I mentioned that the residents I met were really awesome and would love to be a part of the team that I saw at the open house. The interviewer, shocked at what I just mentioned, says “No! We’re not supposed to know that you attended it! You can’t say this!”

I apologized and said I hope we can scratch it off record. I was nervous, so I let it slip, but some programs really take these things seriously I guess.
Click to expand...
Seems like your interviewer confused the logical rule "don't ask the candidate if they attended the event" with a bizarre "the candidate has no right to share that they attended the event".
 
HemeOncHopeful19 said:
Hah.

One time I was talking to a co-applicant about how my local Cards program wasn’t super intense (it wasn’t) but was still good training if you wanted to do community practice (I still think that but I’m not Cards so wtf do I know)… well turned out one of the fellows overheard me and had a sister who was a Cards fellow at my program.

I felt like he took it the wrong way as if I was talking it down or something. I did not get ranked by that program.

I ended up somewhere I’m happier at anyway but I will always wonder if I offended that dude on accident!
Click to expand...
I once committed some sort of faux pas like this - I was at an IM interview at a very good community program. (I had applied to a wide variety of programs, community and university, and this one was in a location I wanted to go to.)

While interviewing with the PD, I said something like “I think this is the best community program in the country”. The PD got offended and started going on and on about how they didn’t see themselves as a community program (it definitely was, but that’s neither here nor there). It got super awkward after that.

I ranked them pretty low and matched much higher on the list.
 
otherstuff12321 said:
I guess I got one from today. This was my top choice program.

I went to the in-person open house for this program a few weeks ago. During the open house they mentioned they didn’t want to know which applicants made it there since they did not want this event to impact the rank list.

During the interview, I was asked why this program was my top choice. I mentioned that the residents I met were really awesome and would love to be a part of the team that I saw at the open house. The interviewer, shocked at what I just mentioned, says “No! We’re not supposed to know that you attended it! You can’t say this!”

I apologized and said I hope we can scratch it off record. I was nervous, so I let it slip, but some programs really take these things seriously I guess.
Click to expand...
That’s really stupid. Also, rest assured that they probably recognized some faces and knew that at least some applicants went to the open house…
 
How about a fellow applicant machine gunning one Q after another during the residents Q/A without letting the other applicants ask their Qs? Gunners gonna 🔫.
 
HopelessMS said:
How about a fellow applicant machine gunning one Q after another during the residents Q/A without letting the other applicants ask their Qs? Gunners gonna 🔫.
Click to expand...
What field was this for?
 
It was for a primary care specialty.
 
hallowmann said:
Had someone genuinely break out full blown crying when talking about their own mental health concerns... during a psychiatry interview... they also shared way too much and drank way too much at the dinner with residents the night before. Did not give us much faith that they would do well in the admittedly strenuous program.

More recently, again, a guy on video underdressed and with a dirty room in the background, and with the camera wayyyy too far from him, making him look tiny compared to his very messy room.
Click to expand...
That's funny, I just posted basically the same thing in the other similar thread before I saw your post.
 
Funny? You want funny, here you go then:

Things to avoid:

Talking too much
Talking too little
Talking
Looking like you want to talk
Looking like you don't want to talk

As someone who did these interviews at a "high powered" specialty in a top 10 place, I have to say, its basically utter nonsense. We know your hard stuff (scores, pubs, refs) and have already "graded you." You can either F these up, be vanilla, or in rare cases, be charming.

Of course, its the charming ones that end up (roll dice.. 1 in 3 chance) being absolute program nightmares (sociopaths). Or chairman.

Anyway, good luck out there.
 
sirspamalot said:
Funny? You want funny, here you go then:

Things to avoid:

Talking too much
Talking too little
Talking
Looking like you want to talk
Looking like you don't want to talk

As someone who did these interviews at a "high powered" specialty in a top 10 place, I have to say, its basically utter nonsense. We know your hard stuff (scores, pubs, refs) and have already "graded you." You can either F these up, be vanilla, or in rare cases, be charming.

Of course, its the charming ones that end up (roll dice.. 1 in 3 chance) being absolute program nightmares (sociopaths). Or chairman.

Anyway, good luck out there.
Click to expand...
Why Dont We Have Both GIF
 
sirspamalot said:
Funny? You want funny, here you go then:

Things to avoid:

Talking too much
Talking too little
Talking
Looking like you want to talk
Looking like you don't want to talk

As someone who did these interviews at a "high powered" specialty in a top 10 place, I have to say, its basically utter nonsense. We know your hard stuff (scores, pubs, refs) and have already "graded you." You can either F these up, be vanilla, or in rare cases, be charming.
Click to expand...
I was once in an interview and when I stood up to shake their hand at the end I looked down and noticed they had already filled out the evaluation sheet before I sat down… like yo why you asking me all about my research when you already decided it wasn’t very impressive?
 
HemeOncHopeful19 said:
I was once in an interview and when I stood up to shake their hand at the end I looked down and noticed they had already filled out the evaluation sheet before I sat down… like yo why you asking me all about my research when you already decided it wasn’t very impressive?
Click to expand...
Something like this happened when I interviewed at my rheum fellowship.

One of my interviews was with a “big name” guy in rheumatology. The interview was surprisingly blunt and he came off as gruff and not exactly impressed with my application. I looked down at his score sheet towards the end of the interview and his ratings were middling at best.

After I matched, I rounded with the guy several times and he turned out to be genuinely nice and not at all like he was in the interview. I mentioned this to him at one point and he chuckled - apparently it’s a persona he puts on for the interviews.
 
guytakingboards said:
Had a similar story. Had a Euro-trained MD who'd done some urology training, came to the US and re-did training as a DO but was now applying for diagnostic radiology. Spent most of his interview talking about his urology interests.... and then the kicker "I looked up your department chairman's CV and she doesn't look qualified for the position". me: (bro.................) "thank you for your time".

As for the original question: drifting off-topic can be dangerous. Keep the interview about you or the program as best you can. I would also discourage strongly negative opinion answers. E.g. "why are you applying here" should not be met with "cuz my home program sucks at XYZ". Try to frame your responses in a positive manner "i am looking for XYZ attributes and your program has them".
Click to expand...

I always hated this question - why are you applying here? Because it's residency and it's a numbers game!! Most programs know that residents need to match and the they apply widely particularly in competitive specialties. When I first applied Rads I applied to an unwholesome number of programs - did I want to end up in some of them? No. but not matching was not an option. So why make residents feel awkward about this?
 
Saddleshoes said:
Now that we are doing these virtual interviews, I have found looking at the background a telling activity.
---A gal from a wealth family doing the interview in a very opulent living-room.
---A guy doing the interview from his dorm room with dirty underwear draped over the chair.
---A gal that was supposed to live in Chicago suburbs but looking out the window behind her were mountains and pine trees. Also the time of the interview was night time in Chicago but the sun was shining wherever she was.
Click to expand...

The girl in Chicago could have been on vacay you know. I did one of my credentialing interviews for a job from the Venetian Hotel in Vegas in an opulent living room while on vacay lol. So it happens.
 
hallowmann said:
Had someone genuinely break out full blown crying when talking about their own mental health concerns... during a psychiatry interview... they also shared way too much and drank way too much at the dinner with residents the night before. Did not give us much faith that they would do well in the admittedly strenuous program.

More recently, again, a guy on video underdressed and with a dirty room in the background, and with the camera wayyyy too far from him, making him look tiny compared to his very messy room.
Click to expand...
In one of my former residencies, we were told by one of the residents that literally one of the interviewers fell asleep during the interview. how's that possible?
 
Iamnew2 said:
I always hated this question - why are you applying here? Because it's residency and it's a numbers game!! Most programs know that residents need to match and the they apply widely particularly in competitive specialties. When I first applied Rads I applied to an unwholesome number of programs - did I want to end up in some of them? No. but not matching was not an option. So why make residents feel awkward about this?
Click to expand...
I always read that question as a chance to prove that you know something, anything at all about the program.

Yes its a numbers game but its not hard to take 5 minutes to look over the program website and find 1-2 things that you like to talk about.
 
I often keep it fairly relaxed during interviews, more so I can assess their personality and gauge whether they'll be a good fit for the program. Had good rapport with one candidate and we found common ground on some topics. Was going to rank him but midway through the interview, he started calling me "man" and telling me "you gotta take me now". I'm not a stickler for ceremony at all but found that quite off-putting given the setting.
 
gulmohr said:
I often keep it fairly relaxed during interviews, more so I can assess their personality and gauge whether they'll be a good fit for the program. Had good rapport with one candidate and we found common ground on some topics. Was going to rank him but midway through the interview, he started calling me "man" and telling me "you gotta take me now". I'm not a stickler for ceremony at all but found that quite off-putting given the setting.
Click to expand...
What field was this for? I guess surgery?
 
Male applicant with a jacket, open collared shirt, and NO tie. Uncertain whether lack of a tie killed his chances.
 
SpoiledMilk said:
Male applicant with a jacket, open collared shirt, and NO tie. Uncertain whether lack of a tie killed his chances.
Click to expand...

interestingly at my last job interview, i forgot a tie. couldn't find a store selling ties before 8am and just rolled: suit, open collar, no tie. got the job offer anyway and started there a few months ago.
 
guytakingboards said:
interestingly at my last job interview, i forgot a tie. couldn't find a store selling ties before 8am and just rolled: suit, open collar, no tie. got the job offer anyway and started there a few months ago.
Click to expand...
why would a tie be so important for a job? how many male doctors actually wear a tie these days when seeing patients?
 
Iamnew2 said:
why would a tie be so important for a job? how many male doctors actually wear a tie these days when seeing patients?
Click to expand...

Changed jobs right before COVID.

Scrubs on day 1 (as per previous job and per certain folks seen during interview)

Got a “talking to” by boss about “professional dress”

2 weeks later, everyone is in scrubs and haven’t looked back since.

Weird how we do so many things that have no impact whatsoever on pt care
 
Iamnew2 said:
I always hated this question - why are you applying here? Because it's residency and it's a numbers game!! Most programs know that residents need to match and the they apply widely particularly in competitive specialties. When I first applied Rads I applied to an unwholesome number of programs - did I want to end up in some of them? No. but not matching was not an option. So why make residents feel awkward about this?
Click to expand...

Lol wut. That's like going on a date with someone, them asking what you find attractive in them and you saying "IT'S A NUMBERS GAME".

It's not supposed to make you feel awkward, it's to ensure you've put a modicum of thought into it and give you the opportunity to demonstrate it.
 
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