preparing for psych interview

[mad4psych]

So I have my first interview next week and have been preparing a list of possible questions and answers and well as long list of possible questions to ask. I usually interview well but psych residency interviews seem like they are different to previous types (e.g. med school) I do have some questions of my own for the panel:

1.Is there any advice you wish you had before your first interview?
2. Is it common to be asked personal questions in psych interviews? How do you answer them if you don't feel comfortable?
3. What do you do if you feel a question is inappropriate, e.g. regarding sexual orientation or personal history of mental illness - is it possible such questions could come up?
4. It is really the case that interviews with faculty who are analysts can feel like you are being analyzed? How little or much is it the right amount to disclose?

I know I am probably worrying about nothing, but I do not really want to end up having a conversation about my personal life but I don't want to be dishonest either. Example: My family don't know I am applying for psychiatry residency and they don't even know where I live. I don't really think that kind of thing, if it came up reflects well on me but imagine a nightmare situation where I end up being asked lots of personal questions and end up presenting myself as someone from a dysfunctional family, rather than someone who would be a great psychiatry resident.

Also, I know psychiatry is one of the most LGBT friendly specialties, but having only recently come out, I do not really feel all that comfortable disclosing my sexuality during interview. If it comes up (and have already been asked whether I had a wife who would be accompanying me), should I just disclose it? I suppose I wouldn't want to be at a program that had a problem with it but I also would not want to do anything that could potentially affect my chances.

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[digitlnoize]

So I have my first interview next week and have been preparing a list of possible questions and answers and well as long list of possible questions to ask. I usually interview well but psych residency interviews seem like they are different to previous types (e.g. med school) I do have some questions of my own for the panel:

1.Is there any advice you wish you had before your first interview?
2. Is it common to be asked personal questions in psych interviews? How do you answer them if you don't feel comfortable?
3. What do you do if you feel a question is inappropriate, e.g. regarding sexual orientation or personal history of mental illness - is it possible such questions could come up?
4. It is really the case that interviews with faculty who are analysts can feel like you are being analyzed? How little or much is it the right amount to disclose?

I know I am probably worrying about nothing, but I do not really want to end up having a conversation about my personal life but I don't want to be dishonest either. Example: My family don't know I am applying for psychiatry residency and they don't even know where I live. I don't really think that kind of thing, if it came up reflects well on me but imagine a nightmare situation where I end up being asked lots of personal questions and end up presenting myself as someone from a dysfunctional family, rather than someone who would be a great psychiatry resident.

Also, I know psychiatry is one of the most LGBT friendly specialties, but having only recently come out, I do not really feel all that comfortable disclosing my sexuality during interview. If it comes up (and have already been asked whether I had a wife who would be accompanying me), should I just disclose it? I suppose I wouldn't want to be at a program that had a problem with it but I also would not want to do anything that could potentially affect my chances.

I just had my first interview. It was pretty low-pressure. I doubt anyone would ask you about your medical or psychiatric history...it's not a patient interview...

Regarding your orientation: My philosophy is always to be honest and open. If the program has a problem with it, to the point that it affects your application, then it's probably not somewhere you want to wind up anyways.

You don't have to run around shouting your orientation or anything, but if the topic comes up in normal conversation, I'd answer it honestly. Just be yourself. The interview is as much about finding where you want to be, as it is about programs finding who they want.

FWIW, I'm a Straight Republican Catholic from the South, and I think it's ludicrous that the LGBT thing is even an issue. The world is changing, and one day soon, hopefully, this will stop being an issue...even with people who share my demographics. The younger generation might suck at a lot of things, but tolerance is NOT one of them. As the old, prejudiced fogies start to die off, things are going to get much easier for you.

 

[peppy]

YES, it's true that at some places the interview will be more "psychotherapy" than a normal job interview. Be prepared for that and don't let it throw you off.
Don't assume that it is a bad thing either. At one program that is known for having very good psychotherapy training, there is a certain faculty member who is famous for "making people cry" during his interview with them - but NOT in a frightening or unkind way. He just has a gift for making you feel so comfortable talking to him that you're willing to talk about very emotional things, and he does it in a way that you don't feel bad about it. I left that interview feeling like, "Wow, this guy is a great therapist. I'm sure I would learn a lot from him" and also having more appreciation for how therapy can be a positive experience.

As for being asked personal questions, yes, that can happen sometimes even though technically it is illegal to ask about certain topics.
I do think at one place I was asked in an indirect way about if I had any personal experience with mental illness. It's very common that people with mental illness are attracted to psychiatry, so I think some programs do try to look for that.
I also was definitely asked things like "Tell me about your family" or asked about marriage and kids (at one place, the interviewer was even like, "I know I'm not supposed to ask this but...").

Sometimes people don't mean anything by it. For example, some will ask if you have kids because they want you to know why they think that program is a good place for people who have kids. Some simply don't realize asking such things is illegal. Unfortunately at many places, they don't train or screen the faculty who give interviews - it just comes down to who is willing and able to take the time to interview people.

Technically, you can say "I'd rather not answer that" but realistically you know the interviewer won't like that answer. If I were you, I'd try to practice an answer to those kinds of questions that you would feel comfortable giving without looking nervous or like you're trying to hide something.

In the majority of cases, I would recommend answering any question about a personal history of mental illness without revealing that you've dealt with it yourself.
Even though it may not always be held against you, it's better safe than sorry.

The issue of sexuality is a trickier one. If you have ANY sort of red flag on your application, you only applied to a few places, or otherwise are not confident that you're going to be able to match, then it's probably best to avoid talking about it. On the other hand, if you're a competitive applicant with a lot of interviews, and if you plan to be "out" in residency, it may be better to just be honest about it as a way of screening out programs that won't accept a gay person. If you plan to be openly gay, it's better to find out if a place can't accept you being gay before you match there than after you've matched. It looks bad if a resident gets fired or has to switch programs, so you don't want to end up in that situation because of this issue.

I do feel that mental health in general is a pretty gay-friendly environment. I think every psych unit I've worked on since med school has had at least one openly gay/lesbian social worker, nurse, etc. I encountered openly gay Psych faculty/residents
at midwestern programs (not just the coasts). There are a few programs out there that have faculty with a research interest in issues like transgender issues or the psychiatric complications of HIV/AIDS where a gay applicant would probably be accepted.
But, yes, there is always that chance that one particular individual may have a problem with you being gay and that it could cost you a spot at a particular residency, so you really have to decide for yourself whether you can accept that risk or if you'd rather try to keep a low profile.

 

[MDchouette]

1. Have a lot of questions ready that are specific to the program. Have questions for both residents and attendings.
Residents are on the selection committee. Don't say anything inappropriate to anyone. I saw a few people on the trail really sabotage themselves, including one who went down in flames in a pretty spectacular manner.
2. Not sure what you mean. I got asked frequently, in a veiled way, if I had a significant other.
3. I'd be really surprised if this happened. That would be in pretty poor taste.
4. Yes. I got asked things like, "What were you like in high school?" and "Tell me about your parents." I thought the analyst interviews were pretty fun but some people felt they were off-putting.

I can understand your concern about being asked about your family. I would try to come up with a line about them that sounds neutral and makes it clear that it's not up for further discussion. That said, I'm not sure what that line would be.... Anyone else have thoughts?

So I have my first interview next week and have been preparing a list of possible questions and answers and well as long list of possible questions to ask. I usually interview well but psych residency interviews seem like they are different to previous types (e.g. med school) I do have some questions of my own for the panel:

1.Is there any advice you wish you had before your first interview?
2. Is it common to be asked personal questions in psych interviews? How do you answer them if you don't feel comfortable?
3. What do you do if you feel a question is inappropriate, e.g. regarding sexual orientation or personal history of mental illness - is it possible such questions could come up?
4. It is really the case that interviews with faculty who are analysts can feel like you are being analyzed? How little or much is it the right amount to disclose?

I know I am probably worrying about nothing, but I do not really want to end up having a conversation about my personal life but I don't want to be dishonest either. Example: My family don't know I am applying for psychiatry residency and they don't even know where I live. I don't really think that kind of thing, if it came up reflects well on me but imagine a nightmare situation where I end up being asked lots of personal questions and end up presenting myself as someone from a dysfunctional family, rather than someone who would be a great psychiatry resident.

Also, I know psychiatry is one of the most LGBT friendly specialties, but having only recently come out, I do not really feel all that comfortable disclosing my sexuality during interview. If it comes up (and have already been asked whether I had a wife who would be accompanying me), should I just disclose it? I suppose I wouldn't want to be at a program that had a problem with it but I also would not want to do anything that could potentially affect my chances.

 

[belle54321]

I too had my first interview last week. It was fairly benign. It was more the program trying to sell the program than the other way around.
As a non-traditional student, I was asked about my background, but it wasn't an interrogation. I think you are in control of how much you want to disclose.
One of the people who gave me the hardest time was actually one of the interns who had lunch with us. She was a little abrasive and demanding in terms of answer. I just tried to play it safe and tried to be polite and pleasant at all times.
Psychiatry is definitely much more accepting of gays and lesbians. I think you should play it by ear. I know that some programs are very proud of their gay residents.

 

[notdeadyet]

1.Is there any advice you wish you had before your first interview?

Do your research about each program before interviewing. Have good, solid, heartfelt answers to Why psychiatry? and Why here? And come with many, many intelligent questions to ask about the specific program you're interviewing for. Much of the interview time may be spent with faculty asking, "so... do you have any questions for me?"

2. Is it common to be asked personal questions in psych interviews? How do you answer them if you don't feel comfortable?

Define personal. Questions about what do you want out of life and why do you think you'll be good at this are fair game. As for "tell me about your childhood friendships" or "what are your recurrent nightmares?", I wouldn't say "some places" do this, but "some people" will. Thankfully, most programs do a good job of telling their interviewers not to play that game. I only came across it in two or three interviewers out of about 25 last year.

Regardless of whether or not you like them, unless the questions border on illegal (see next), you're wise to answer them and move on.

3. What do you do if you feel a question is inappropriate, e.g. regarding sexual orientation or personal history of mental illness - is it possible such questions could come up?

There are questions inappropriate by custom and questions inappropriate by law. The former you kind of have to suck up, the latter you should report.

Any questions that are used to discuss aspects of what are considered "protected class" (demographic by which it is illegal to discriminate) are no-go areas for any interviewer. This includes questions about your religion, age (if over 40), disabilities, and sexual orientation (in some areas).

If questions about your sexual orientation come up, you should feel free to defer it and mention it to the PD. If the PD is going to judge you harshly because you notified him/her about an interviewer who was asking you questions about your sexual history, trust me, this is a program you don't want to be a part of, gay or straight. That's a PD that will throw residents under the bus and will obviously not support you if you face discrimination as a resident.

4. It is really the case that interviews with faculty who are analysts can feel like you are being analyzed? How little or much is it the right amount to disclose?

See #2. It's rare.

I know I am probably worrying about nothing, but I do not really want to end up having a conversation about my personal life but I don't want to be dishonest either. Example: My family don't know I am applying for psychiatry residency and they don't even know where I live.

Asking questions about your family and how they feel about your going into psych would be fair game (and not all that uncommon, particularly if you and the interviewer are both Asian, from what I hear). If you gave the answer you mention above, a good interviewer would probably change subjects, but some might ask why. The best approach is to answer honestly and succinctly before moving on. A long, drawn out story or tears are probably a bad approach.

Also, I know psychiatry is one of the most LGBT friendly specialties, but having only recently come out, I do not really feel all that comfortable disclosing my sexuality during interview. If it comes up (and have already been asked whether I had a wife who would be accompanying me), should I just disclose it?

Unless you have research interests in LGBT, there's no real need for it to come up. Some applicants talk about it out-of-hand ("I'm gay, and was wondering if there is much of a gay community at this institution," etc.), but many don't. You're not betraying your identity to not make it a point of pride during interview. Questions about whether you're bringing your wife is probably not meant to be intrusive, rather just polite. Many programs will talk about "significant others," but that might be too new fangled for some spots.

Good luck with interview season. At the end of the day (sorry if I sound like a broken record), psych is one of the least competitive specialties out there. Interviews are much more like recruitment pitches than when you looked at med schools.

 

[tennreb]

Also, I know psychiatry is one of the most LGBT friendly specialties, but having only recently come out, I do not really feel all that comfortable disclosing my sexuality during interview. If it comes up (and have already been asked whether I had a wife who would be accompanying me), should I just disclose it? I suppose I wouldn't want to be at a program that had a problem with it but I also would not want to do anything that could potentially affect my chances.

Regarding personal questions, our program asks interviewers to let the interviewees volunteer personal information. No one should be asking if you are married or have children. I think this may even be against the law. However, it is a good idea to volunteer personal information in order to see if the program is a good fit for you. I would volunteer that you are gay because not all communities are gay friendly, and you would want to know this before you rank the program. Are there going to be other gay people with whom you can socialize? If you were married with children, you would want to know if there is affordable family-sized housing near the campus. You would want to know about schools. It's not all about the academics.

At my program (MUSC), no one will ask you if you are gay. However, if you volunteered that, then the interviewer would likely introduce you to one of gay faculty or other residents (there are several). Most people assume that Charleston and MUSC are not gay-friendly because it is in the Deep South and people dress preppy. If you didn't volunteer that you were gay, then you wouldn't discover otherwise. You wouldn't know that many psych residents (both gay and straight) are members of the very active Gay-Straight Alliance (in conjuction with the law school), which has social events that are widely attended by both gay and straight people. You wouldn't know what gay residents thought about Charleston.

Again, this applies to other social groups as well. If you are married, you want interviewers to introduce you to other married residents so that you can ask about housing, schools, social activities, etc. If you are a single female, you want interviewers to introduce you to other single female residents so you can find out about the dating scene or nightlife or whatever. If you are a religious person, you want the interviewer to direct you to folks who know about your faith community.

Regarding mental illness, if you have a history of mental illness but it is not evident anywhere in your record, then I wouldn't bring it up. However, if you did not complete medical school in four years or you took time off, then I would. If you had to re-take a class for whatever reason. You always want to explain any deficiencies/irregularities in your record. Re-taking a class or taking longer than four years to finish med school will be noticed. It's better to explain why. In my program, we have never held it against an applicant for having a mental illness if they were actively engaged in treatment. In fact, openness about it and the unique perspective as a patient can be an asset.