Now that I am an interviewer...things I've noticed with the interviewees...

[ToxicMegacolon]

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So I interviewed for medical school about 2 years ago and I remember meeting with my advisor regarding what were the things I NEEDED (aka absolutely necessary) to prepare myself for interviews.
They included:
1)paper and pen/pencil
2)List of questions to ask anyone I came across about the medical school
3)Reason why I wanted to be a doctor
4)My research
5)My application
6)A Thank you card for the faculty interviewer or student...

Now that I am interviewing prospectives...I've noticed a few things that kind of throw me off...

1)No one has pencil or paper for me to give them my email address in case they have any questions
2)No one has questions. They kind of all just blankly stare at me
3)Most have an answer to "why do you want to be a doctor" but a few have said "Oh that's a good question...I haven't thought about it"😱
4) No one sends thank you cards/or emails!

The last one I am confounded by. I used to either mail my thank you card as I was walking out of the building, OR id rush home to get on the computer to email my interviewers back for their time and patience.... I've interviewed 10+ people now and NONE of them have sent a thank you. It also can't be just me because other interviewers are ALSO not getting any thank yous.

SO.....what is goin on?! Why are we sending potentially fantastic medical students out into the interview world so utterly unprepared.....? Im underwhelmed

Lesson of the day: Just shoot your interviewer a thank you email would be super nice 😀. Oh and know why you want to be a doctor.

 

[Kiara08]

i've had a few thank you cards returned to sender, especially ones sent to medical students. that might explain a bit of it.

 

[Ohiogeekgirl]

My interviewer told me several times NOT to send him one. So I didn't. If I get accepted I'll email him to thank him and let him know, as he did ask that I let him know if I got in.

 

[Jolie South]

I've never had anyone tell me NOT to e-mail a thank you, and I've interviewed at schools that receive lots of apps (Georgetown, GWU).

Sending lots of annoying updates, maybe not, but a thank you is a must.

 

[ToxicMegacolon]

i've had a few thank you cards returned to sender, especially ones sent to medical students. that might explain a bit of it.

Well, that sucks. At least they could have given you an active address...

 

[parto123]

So I interviewed for medical school about 2 years ago and I remember meeting with my advisor regarding what were the things I NEEDED (aka absolutely necessary) to prepare myself for interviews.
They included:
1)paper and pen/pencil
2)List of questions to ask anyone I came across about the medical school
3)Reason why I wanted to be a doctor
4)My research
5)My application
6)A Thank you card for the faculty interviewer or student...

Now that I am interviewing prospectives...I've noticed a few things that kind of throw me off...

1)No one has pencil or paper for me to give them my email address in case they have any questions
2)No one has questions. They kind of all just blankly stare at me
3)Most have an answer to "why do you want to be a doctor" but a few have said "Oh that's a good question...I haven't thought about it"😱
4) No one sends thank you cards/or emails!

The last one I am confounded by. I used to either mail my thank you card as I was walking out of the building, OR id rush home to get on the computer to email my interviewers back for their time and patience.... I've interviewed 10+ people now and NONE of them have sent a thank you. It also can't be just me because other interviewers are ALSO not getting any thank yous.

SO.....what is goin on?! Why are we sending potentially fantastic medical students out into the interview world so utterly unprepared.....? Im underwhelmed

Lesson of the day: Just shoot your interviewer a thank you email would be super nice 😀. Oh and know why you want to be a doctor.

I know in most business/consulting and law jobs most (obviously not all, but most) interviewers advise against sending thank you emails. For one, its another chance to make a typo or mistake, but mostly, interviewers are usually encouraged to write their interview review immediately after the interview, making the thank you letter worthless.

The better question is, why would you care if an applicant doesn’t send you a thank you letter? An interview is a mutual process. Highly qualified candidates get lots of interviews and have their choice of schools, while lower candidates may not. Why don’t you send interviewees thank you letters?

 

[TheRealMD]

So I interviewed for medical school about 2 years ago and I remember meeting with my advisor regarding what were the things I NEEDED (aka absolutely necessary) to prepare myself for interviews.
They included:
1)paper and pen/pencil
2)List of questions to ask anyone I came across about the medical school
3)Reason why I wanted to be a doctor
4)My research
5)My application
6)A Thank you card for the faculty interviewer or student...

Now that I am interviewing prospectives...I've noticed a few things that kind of throw me off...

1)No one has pencil or paper for me to give them my email address in case they have any questions
2)No one has questions. They kind of all just blankly stare at me
3)Most have an answer to "why do you want to be a doctor" but a few have said "Oh that's a good question...I haven't thought about it"😱
4) No one sends thank you cards/or emails!

The last one I am confounded by. I used to either mail my thank you card as I was walking out of the building, OR id rush home to get on the computer to email my interviewers back for their time and patience.... I've interviewed 10+ people now and NONE of them have sent a thank you. It also can't be just me because other interviewers are ALSO not getting any thank yous.

SO.....what is goin on?! Why are we sending potentially fantastic medical students out into the interview world so utterly unprepared.....? Im underwhelmed

Lesson of the day: Just shoot your interviewer a thank you email would be super nice 😀. Oh and know why you want to be a doctor.

I think you've forgotten how scared most of us are when we interview when just about everything we say is judged.

Not that it really matters. It's quite easy to find flaws if that's all you're looking for!

 

[Ohiogeekgirl]

I've never had anyone tell me NOT to e-mail a thank you, and I've interviewed at schools that receive lots of apps (Georgetown, GWU).

Sending lots of annoying updates, maybe not, but a thank you is a must.

It was a very unusual interview. He didn't know he had one scheduled, so he and his administrative assistant were surprised when I showed up in his office that morning. He hadn't eaten breakfast, so the interview was in the Starbucks in the hospital while he had coffee and a raspberry scone!

I agree that a thank you is normally a must, but if the interviewer repeatedly insists that I not send one, I don't want to risk annoying him and getting a bad review by sending it.

 

[aaj117]

For one, its another chance to make a typo or mistake, but mostly, interviewers are usually encouraged to write their interview review immediately after the interview, making the thank you letter worthless.

The point of the letter isn't just to get in, it's to show the interviewer that you do appreciate them taking the time to get to know you. Whether or not it is received before they make their review, doesn't mean it is "worthless" to be a polite person and show that you understand the basic understood rules of conduct.

 

[hp540]

The OP seems to have a pre-occupation with trivial Thank You cards and emails.

I would think there would be more concern with interviewing applicants incapable of expressing something so important as their desire to become physicians.

 

[jochi1543]

The better question is, why would you care if an applicant doesn’t send you a thank you letter? An interview is a mutual process. Highly qualified candidates get lots of interviews and have their choice of schools, while lower candidates may not. Why don’t you send interviewees thank you letters?

👍 GOOD question!

Even better, why don't the schools just pay for interviewees to fly out.

 

[prettymonkey]

👍 GOOD question!

Even better, why don't the schools just pay for interviewees to fly out.

I agree.

 

[parto123]

For one, its another chance to make a typo or mistake, but mostly, interviewers are usually encouraged to write their interview review immediately after the interview, making the thank you letter worthless.

The point of the letter isn't just to get in, it's to show the interviewer that you do appreciate them taking the time to get to know you. Whether or not it is received before they make their review, doesn't mean it is "worthless" to be a polite person and show that you understand the basic understood rules of conduct.

Sending a thank you note after an interview isnt the "basic understood rules of conduct." Even the guy who started this thread admits that no one sends thank you notes.

In fact, if someone would conduct a survey of interviewers for jobs and schools across the u.s., id bet that over 80% dont send thank you notes. In my personal experience (ive interviewed dozens and dozens of people), ive received thank you notes from about 5% of interviewers (and plenty of the people i have interviewed have gone on to accept our offers).


Also, if you feel sending a thank you note is being polite, shouldnt the interviewer send one as well? The interviewee is taking time out of his busy schedule to go on many interviews in places he isn’t highly considering.

 

[45408]

👍 GOOD question!

Even better, why don't the schools just pay for interviewees to fly out.

Graduate programs do. My friend interviewed at 3-4 grad schools all around the country, and each school paid for her flights, hotel room, transportation, and now that she's accepted, she's got free tuition plus a $35,000 annual stipend. Med schools just don't love us the same way.

 

[jochi1543]

Graduate programs do. My friend interviewed at 3-4 grad schools all around the country, and each school paid for her flights, hotel room, transportation, and now that she's accepted, she's got free tuition plus a $35,000 annual stipend. Med schools just don't love us the same way.

Yeah, exactly my point. They just figure if we're gonna be making so much money after graduation, they might as well milk us for all we're worth till then, all while talking about how they want more disadvantaged and poor applicants.🙄

 

[Jolie South]

No hard statistical evidence here. . ..

but for both jobs I've interviewed for post graduation, I sent thank you notes and was hired to each.

no idea how much of it was due to thank you cards, but it couldn't have hurt to be polite and show my interest.

 

[jochi1543]

No hard statistical evidence here. . ..

but for both jobs I've interviewed for post graduation, I sent thank you notes and was hired to each.

no idea how much of it was due to thank you cards, but it couldn't have hurt to be polite and show my interest.

The only time I ever sent a thank you note, I did NOT get the job.

 

[ToxicMegacolon]

obviously I am being a bit facetious about the thank you cards, but its just odd to me (and perhaps only to me). Anyway...a little courtesy couldn't hurt. I know I always sent a thank you.

And yes, i am more worried about people not being able to answer why they want to be a doctor.... thanks for pointing that out.

 

[MrBurns10]

I think I would personally find it a bit contrived if pre-meds sent me a thank you card for interviewing them (though I'm not an interviewer, not yet at least). I mean, I did send thank you cards when I interviewed, but I also know why I did it...mostly out of fear of being the only one not to. Of course I appreciated them taking 30-60 mins out of their day, but then again they did sign up for it voluntarily and they usually enjoy doing it. I think sending a thank you card to an interviewer with whom you really made a connection makes sense, but doing so after no such connection was made just feels kind of fake.

 

[2008orbust]

Beware:Singular anecdotal datum below...

I interviewed last month and sent thank yous to my interviewers, tour guide and the department in general because I thought they put together a really nice and organized day. They accepted me a week later. Who knows if it helped, but it didn't hurt.

(I sent them because I wanted to, not cuz I felt I had to)

 

[cadingcading]

If one doesn't write a thank you card because of one's fear of making mistakes (grammatical, etc.) then why become a doctor??? 😕 A simple thank you is a simple task, unlike writing a 100-page essay. Just curious.

 

[MyInitialsAreJC]

i think that the original poster is so stunned by the lack of thank you notes is because his/her premed advisor taught them to send thank you notes and they probably learned it as standard fare. The other comments he/she made seem pretty valid.

Maybe they just had a really good premed advisor?

 

[UCDavisISokay]

thank u notes don't do much for u. With that said, I would still write them

 

[hawk126]

obviously I am being a bit facetious about the thank you cards, but its just odd to me (and perhaps only to me). Anyway...a little courtesy couldn't hurt. I know I always sent a thank you.

And yes, i am more worried about people not being able to answer why they want to be a doctor.... thanks for pointing that out.

I'm a little shocked by the brash dismissal of the potential impact of thank you notes, not to mention the good ole' fashioned common courtesy associated with sending them. Given the fact that an interviewer posted his/her opinion on the importance of thank you's, it's kind of funny that a bunch of premeds would then have the audacity to "explain" to the gatekeeper why they're really not all that important.

Interviewers send thank you's to interviewees? Hilarious... that's like my life insurance salesman expecting to get a thank you note from me after I buy a policy. Your interviewers (in most cases, as I understand it) are your advocates on the admissions committee. Regardless of when they make their decision on your application, it seems a bit short sided not to do everything in your power to ensure that they're in your corner. For a group that, in general, bemoans the seeming randomness of the admissions process, there seems to be a ubiquitous, irrational sense of intractibility when it comes to doing the small things to make yourself stand out. What do I know though? I'm just another member of the herd... a squirrel of an applicant scampering to find a nut 🙂

 

[Abilene85]

Everyone must be different. If I were interviewing, I would not want a thank-you letter or e-mail. I would much prefer a sincere, face-to-face, verbal thank-you.


I'm not surprised that people stare blankly at you without questions, though. That was one of my fears...dreaded silence.

 

[Zweihander]

I never sent any thank you notes -- what I did do was write letters to the admissions committee thanking them for offering me an interview and mentioning my experiences with my individual interviewers and whatever perspective they gave me on the school.

 

[MattD]

Everyone must be different. If I were interviewing, I would not want a thank-you letter or e-mail. I would much prefer a sincere, face-to-face, verbal thank-you.


I'm not surprised that people stare blankly at you without questions, though. That was one of my fears...dreaded silence.

Agreed. If you're ever interviewing for medschool and your docket says "MattD, Room 311B", do NOT send me a thank you note, PLEASE. It's not that the thought isn't nice, but as an extremely busy medstudent/resident/doc/ruler of the world I'm not even gonna bother opening the thing (if I know it's a TYN) and if I think it's legitimate mail and turns out to be a TYN I'll be annoyed. I just really don't want to add that hour or so of my life to the hours I've already spent interviewing. Plus, I don't like waste. REDUCE, reuse, recycle anyone? If you want to impress me or make me like you, speak to my like a normal human being, be polite, and don't quiver like a terrified gopher. That's all the thanks I need.

That being said, this is just one man's opinion, and should only apply to interactions with me 🙂

 

[Abilene85]

Plus, I don't like waste. REDUCE, reuse, recycle anyone? If you want to impress me or make me like you, speak to my like a normal human being, be polite, and don't quiver like a terrified gopher. That's all the thanks I need.

That being said, this is just one man's opinion, and should only apply to interactions with me 🙂

And me.

 

[UnderdogMD]

Everyone must be different. If I were interviewing, I would not want a thank-you letter or e-mail. I would much prefer a sincere, face-to-face, verbal thank-you.

Exactly. Why do you feel thank you emails/notes are necessary. You should be a student interviewer because you care about the people who get into your school and want to be a part of the admissions process. Not because thank you notes make you feel nice. I would hate to interview at a school where my admittance depended on my ability to kiss your ass. I will look you in the face, shake your hand, and tell you I appreciate that you took the time to interview me. Some interviewers do not give out email/contact info. I think it partly depends on the school. I hope I never have the OP as an interviewer. Your seeming ineptitude and skewed thinking scares me.

 

[qkqh]

it seems that the OP is from Pitt Med..👎

 

[maestro1625]

Exactly. Why do you feel thank you emails/notes are necessary. You should be a student interviewer because you care about the people who get into your school and want to be a part of the admissions process. Not because thank you notes make you feel nice. I would hate to interview at a school where my admittance depended on my ability to kiss your ass. I will look you in the face, shake your hand, and tell you I appreciate that you took the time to interview me. Some interviewers do not give out email/contact info. I think it partly depends on the school. I hope I never have the OP as an interviewer. Your seeming ineptitude and skewed thinking scares me.

thank you. thank you notes = just sucking up.

/interviewer? why yes I am!

 

[postbacker]

Jeez, no need to attack the OP - it is one interviewer's opinion, that's all...every tidbit helps as far as I am concerned...

 

[Creightonite]

Graduate programs do. My friend interviewed at 3-4 grad schools all around the country, and each school paid for her flights, hotel room, transportation, and now that she's accepted, she's got free tuition plus a $35,000 annual stipend. Med schools just don't love us the same way.

35k stipend? what school?

 

[maestro1625]

Jeez, no need to attack the OP - it is one interviewer's opinion, that's all...every tidbit helps as far as I am concerned...

more than anything, it shows how one can be helped/dicked over by the personality of your interviewer and his biases.

 

[UCDavisISokay]

more than anything, it shows how one can be helped/dicked over by the personality of your interviewer and his biases.

this is why the faculty interview weights much more than the student one. student interviewers can be biased sometimes. I bet if a hot interviewee kisses the op on the cheek, he would do anything to accept her

 

[parto123]

I'm a little shocked by the brash dismissal of the potential impact of thank you notes, not to mention the good ole' fashioned common courtesy associated with sending them. Given the fact that an interviewer posted his/her opinion on the importance of thank you's, it's kind of funny that a bunch of premeds would then have the audacity to "explain" to the gatekeeper why they're really not all that important.

Interviewers send thank you's to interviewees? Hilarious... that's like my life insurance salesman expecting to get a thank you note from me after I buy a policy. Your interviewers (in most cases, as I understand it) are your advocates on the admissions committee. Regardless of when they make their decision on your application, it seems a bit short sided not to do everything in your power to ensure that they're in your corner. For a group that, in general, bemoans the seeming randomness of the admissions process, there seems to be a ubiquitous, irrational sense of intractibility when it comes to doing the small things to make yourself stand out. What do I know though? I'm just another member of the herd... a squirrel of an applicant scampering to find a nut 🙂

Im not actually recommending that interviewers send thank you notes. Im just noting that for people who think that an interviewee should send a thank you note simply because its “polite”, there is no reason this logic shouldnt apply the other way around.

Either way, your analogizing an interviewee to a salesman makes no sense. As I mentioned, an interview is a far more mutual processes. Ive never been on a med school interview, but if anything, on job interviews, its oftentimes the interviewer who is doing the selling (except to the weaker candidates). Many large companies have training/ memos/videos on how to effectively recruit and sell the company during interviews.

The company/school wants to find people who are the right match, but once they do, they will be the ones selling themselves to the applicant. And it is common practice for companies to try to get recruits after their interview by sending them gift baskets, taking them out to fancy restaurants and calling and emailing them. I don’t understand why you find this practice so hiliarious.

 

[maestro1625]

this is why the faculty interview weights much more than the student one. student interviewers can be biased sometimes. I bet if a hot interviewee kisses the op on the cheek, he would do anything to accept her

if you think that faculty don't have biases that are just as idiotic, you're delusional.

 

[doinmybest5840]

I've sent a thank you email to every interviewer I could get the email address for. Except for the people at my most recent interview... I've been busy. But most of them are supposedly away for some convention, so I suppose if I did it tonight it wouldn't be soooo horrible. Eh.

 

[UCDavisISokay]

well, you are right. But Istill think that they would be less likely, however slightly, to make decisions based on their biased opinions

 

[lord_jeebus]

this is why the faculty interview weights much more than the student one.

Do not assume this. I know it's not true where I am.

 

[45408]

35k stipend? what school?

Georgia Tech. It's a specific grant that's above and beyond the usual $25K that most of their grad students get.

 

[maestro1625]

well, you are right. But Istill think that they would be less likely, however slightly, to make decisions based on their biased opinions

keep dreaming...

 

[etf]

that's like my life insurance salesman expecting to get a thank you note from me after I buy a policy.

i don't know what kind of crappy insurance you have, but the "salesmen" representing all of my insurance policies (homeowners, car, etc) send me not only a yearly christmas card, but also a card on my birthday.

 

[Kthanksbye]

Graduate programs do. My friend interviewed at 3-4 grad schools all around the country, and each school paid for her flights, hotel room, transportation, and now that she's accepted, she's got free tuition plus a $35,000 annual stipend. Med schools just don't love us the same way.

Even if they paid for it, it's still coming out of her tuition. Most grad programs don't get nearly the number of applicants as med schools do. If they paid for everyone's flights, the matriculants' tuition would be MUCH higher.

 

[Kthanksbye]

thank u notes don't do much for u. With that said, I would still write them

They probably don't even read them. Or maybe I'm totally wrong. Maybe they frame them on their mantle for all to see. I would still send them, but be very surprised if anyone actually read them.

 

[xylem29]

I've also been told that sending thank-you cards or emails annoys some interviewers b/c it's all generic. Unless you really clicked with the interviewer or had a really nice discussion about something and then you wanted to get back to them about it, I figured there's no point in sending a thank-you message in addition to the "thank-you" plus handshake at the end.

 

[hermit]

I'm sorry...did I just step into the twilight zone? Thank you notes are just nice and polite. Unless you FedEx'd the thing (which reeks of sucking up - gotta get it there before the committee meets), what kind of socially inept recluse is going to get bent out of shape upon receiving a thank you note?

 

[CultureDoc]

I'm a little shocked by the brash dismissal of the potential impact of thank you notes, not to mention the good ole' fashioned common courtesy associated with sending them. Given the fact that an interviewer posted his/her opinion on the importance of thank you's, it's kind of funny that a bunch of premeds would then have the audacity to "explain" to the gatekeeper why they're really not all that important.

Interviewers send thank you's to interviewees? Hilarious... that's like my life insurance salesman expecting to get a thank you note from me after I buy a policy. Your interviewers (in most cases, as I understand it) are your advocates on the admissions committee. Regardless of when they make their decision on your application, it seems a bit short sided not to do everything in your power to ensure that they're in your corner. For a group that, in general, bemoans the seeming randomness of the admissions process, there seems to be a ubiquitous, irrational sense of intractibility when it comes to doing the small things to make yourself stand out. What do I know though? I'm just another member of the herd... a squirrel of an applicant scampering to find a nut 🙂

Right on.🙂

Perhaps this is just my old-fashioned non-trad opinion, but I'm utterly shocked that the posters advocating AGAINST thank-you notes/letters wouldn't want to take that extra golden opportunity to show their interest in the school, be courteous to their interviewers, etc. Thank-yous are such a great means of reinforcing and summing up interest and appreciation. They give closure on the event and put your mind at ease - in other words you know you've done everything you could to make a good impression (and personally, I get warm fuzzies inside from thanking people 😀)

Interviewer bias has been mentioned - that's EXACTLY the point here!! Do you really want to risk annoying an interviewer over something simple that is completely within your power to do?? Your interviewers, with the exception of the student interviewers, are generally of a generation/age that was taught to automatically write thank-yous for the smallest of things - certainly for something major like an interview. (My mother can attest to this and has, I suppose, engrained it in my head from birth!!)

Maybe part of the problem here is a difference in how much each of us values the interview experience. I'm sure if I were an undergrad right now, applying to schools with near-perfect grades and test scores, I would expect to get an interview from nearly every school I applied to - it would be just another part of the med school application process. (If that describes you, I'm jealous, BTW!) But just note that interviews are NOT a dime a dozen for many med school applicants. There are those of us yearning for the chance to get just one, so BE GRATEFUL!!!! (and express this to your interviewers!) We're all busy, but thank-yous are not that time consuming or difficult. Just wait until you get married and have hundreds to do!

(Ok, off my soapbox - and sorry for the long post . . . I get passionate about wierd things! 😀)

 

[45408]

Even if they paid for it, it's still coming out of her tuition. Most grad programs don't get nearly the number of applicants as med schools do. If they paid for everyone's flights, the matriculants' tuition would be MUCH higher.

Uh, she doesn't HAVE tuition, so it's certainly not coming out of it.

 

[foreverLaur]

Yea, med school interviews blow. When I interviewed for business jobs, they paid for my flight, they paid for my cab fare to and from the airport, they took me out ot lunch in the middle of the interview and paid for it, and they paid for my room service in the hotel cuz I had to have dinner! Applying to med school is expensive enough - they ought to cut us some slack and at least pay for a flight and/or hotel!

oh yea and as an added bonus when i rock the interview, the business world pays me and med school steals all my $$ 😛