Popular interview questions

[padresp]

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For all the people who interviewed this year (and in recent years), I figured it'd be worthwhile to list some of the common questions asked on the interview trail. I, for one, was asked the same questions repeatedly, and it would've been nice to know it beforehand!

• "So... why did you choose PM&R?"
• "Tell me about a patient you had that made you learn a lesson"
• "Why do you want to come to our program?"
• "What do you tell people when they ask you 'What is PM&R?'"
• "Tell me about [enter portion of CV here]..."
• "Where do see yourself in 5 years? 10 years?"
• "Why do you want to live in this city?"
• "If you didn't choose PM&R, what would you have chosen instead?"

 

[Nicholaus]

For all the people who interviewed this year (and in recent years), I figured it'd be worthwhile to list some of the common questions asked on the interview trail. I, for one, was asked the same questions repeatedly, and it would've been nice to know it beforehand!

• "So... why did you choose PM&R?"
• "Tell me about a patient you had that made you learn a lesson"
• "Why do you want to come to our program?"
• "What do you tell people when they ask you 'What is PM&R?'"
• "Tell me about [enter portion of CV here]..."
• "Where do see yourself in 5 years? 10 years?"
• "Why do you want to live in this city?"
• "If you didn't choose PM&R, what would you have chosen instead?"

Excellent idea! Those were pretty much the scope of questions on my IV trail as well. I would also add:

1) Any specialty areas of PM&R that you are interested in? (i.e. Sports, SCI, TBI, Pain, etc.)

2) Discuss an interesting patient/case that sparked your interest in PM&R.

 

[oreosandsake]

I got pimped on the interview trail once or twice.

but this by far, was the exception to the rule.

 

[bettyrubble18]

I concur with the above! Also...

1. What did your research show? (know your research intimately. I would advocate bringing a copy of your poster that your interviewer can look at, so that you can point at figures if you prefer having visual aids... it also shows that you are prepared!)

2. Do you know anyone in this program? (I got this one mostly at prelim yr interviews)

3. What are you looking for in a residency program?

4. So... tell me about yourself. (Tell your story in under a minute. Have ~3 main points i.e. strengths that you want to hit that are personal and have an academic slant.)

Good luck!