preparing for the residency interview

[medc]

so is there any sort of preparation for the interview? any books? or is it all just common sense? I've never been in a medical job interview...

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[rachmoninov3]

Good question, I want to know the answer too! I've got the interview I really want, so now it's just waiting and hoping everything goes well...

 

[atsai3]

so is there any sort of preparation for the interview? any books? or is it all just common sense? I've never been in a medical job interview...

Common sense. Be yourself.

-AT.

 

[notdeadyet]

I'd strongly recommend contacting your home department. Most folks at my school did that and they were given a packet or sheet that talked about what to expect at the interview. Most useful was a list of commonly-asked questions specific to your specialty.

If they don't have that (and if they don't, I'd wonder if you're talking to the right people, because I can't imagine they wouldn't. Even small specialties like PM&R had a one-pager of common questions), do a quick search online and I'll bet you'll find a paper or two listing what to expect.

Common sense. Be yourself.

Atsai3's advice sounds too easy, but from interviewing lots of folks in my past job, I guarantee that the biggest mistake job applicants typically make is trying to play a role during the interview process, leaving the interviewer with the impression they never got to know the "real you," which can only work against you.

Be yourself, be genuine and be authentic. Do that, and odds are good that you'll be highest ranked by the programs in which you'll find the best fit.

Best of luck, everybody.

 

[humabot]

Common sense. Be yourself.

-AT.

absolutely agree.

Go over your cv/and essay and ask yourself why you did the things you did. Also, look up the school and which city it is in to get a sense of their overall mission. I have a few friends who actually went to the wrong places on their interview date.

interviews is where padding your cv bites you in the a...ss.

 

[Pkboi24]

Good question, I want to know the answer too! I've got the interview I really want, so now it's just waiting and hoping everything goes well...

Wow, interview invites are coming out already? Are you applying to one of the early match specialties?

 

[ZagDoc]

I've heard good things about "The Successful Match" by Katta and Desai. Has a good chapter on the interview with common questions, do's and dont's (though most are common sense).

 

[atsai3]

absolutely agree.

Go over your cv/and essay and ask yourself why you did the things you did. Also, look up the school and which city it is in to get a sense of their overall mission. I have a few friends who actually went to the wrong places on their interview date.

interviews is where padding your cv bites you in the a...ss.

Agree with humabot and notdeadyet. Since your CV represents you and your interests accurately, then 'be yourself ' is the best advice I can give. If I find evidence that you've misrepresented yourself then you get dinged. If I find evidence that you're saying what you think I want to hear, you get dinged.

But the great equalizer is that this is all about fit. If you are yourself and we ding you, then you probably don't want to be in our program anyway.

Any way you look at it, the optimal interview strategy is: be yourself.

-AT.

 

[DrMed2009]

Make a list of questions YOU wanna ask the program people but first look on their website to make sure none of those answers are on there. If you ask things that they have on their website, then it would look like you didn't prepare and know nothing about the program and makes you seem like you are not really interested.

 

[medc]

thank you all for the great answers!

 

[a winner is you]

Don't get too drunk the night before. Don't be a dick. Don't be psychotic.

 

[coup de chance]

What happens if you can't make the pre-interview dinner ???

(due to schedule conflict, no flight available, unexpected delay, anything else)



Is it not worth going to an interview in the event that you can't go to the pre-interview dinner?

(if not going to the dinner for any reason means that the program automatically will not rank you. Or the residents have votes. Etc.)

 

[gutonc]

What happens if you can't make the pre-interview dinner ???

(due to schedule conflict, no flight available, unexpected delay, anything else)

This happens. Tell the Prog Coord that you're sorry you can't make it for whatever reason (assuming it's a good one...I got drunk, passed out and missed my flight won't do) and that you'd like the opportunity to meet with residents either in the afternoon after your interview or maybe even a one-on-one dinner that night.

Is it not worth going to an interview in the event that you can't go to the pre-interview dinner?

(if not going to the dinner for any reason means that the program automatically will not rank you. Or the residents have votes. Etc.)

Are you drunk now? No, that's crazy talk. Going to the dinner is always (unless you're an alcoholic sociopath) better than not going to the dinner. But you won't get black-balled for not being able to make it to the dinner the night before.

 

[coup de chance]

Thanks for your answers. But what is the extent of the damage done by missing the pre-interview dinner (due to circumstances beyond your control)?

And suppose one has a connecting flight to interview dinner with program #2 in a different city the same afternoon after interviews end for program #1 -- and one can't make up meeting with the residents at #1 that afternoon/evening -- what is the extent of the damage?

This happens. Tell the Prog Coord that you're sorry you can't make it for whatever reason (assuming it's a good one...I got drunk, passed out and missed my flight won't do) and that you'd like the opportunity to meet with residents either in the afternoon after your interview or maybe even a one-on-one dinner that night.



Are you drunk now? No, that's crazy talk. Going to the dinner is always (unless you're an alcoholic sociopath) better than not going to the dinner. But you won't get black-balled for not being able to make it to the dinner the night before.

 

[atsai3]

Thanks for your answers. But what is the extent of the damage done by missing the pre-interview dinner (due to circumstances beyond your control)?

Your chances of matching at that program are reduced by 12.74%.

And suppose one has a connecting flight to interview dinner with program #2 in a different city the same afternoon after interviews end for program #1 -- and one can't make up meeting with the residents at #1 that afternoon/evening -- what is the extent of the damage?

Post-interview get together counts a little more. So your chances of matching at that program are reduced by 13.9%.

-AT.

 

[notdeadyet]

Those percentages are based on a Friday interview. If the interview is on a Tuesday, they'd be slightly higher.

 

[oxytocin]

Since we are talking about preparing for interviews, I figure attire would be appropriate question to ask here too.

Danskos- yes or no?

Suits- what's another option rather than suit for females?

Thank you ahead of time!

 

[DOCplucinski]

should we bring copies of our CV or anything else to the interviews?

 

[babel]

Since we are talking about preparing for interviews, I figure attire would be appropriate question to ask here too.

Danskos- yes or no?

Suits- what's another option rather than suit for females?

Thank you ahead of time!

There are threads about interview attire every year, though I see no harm in starting a new one at some point. For now, search and ye shall find. Here's one from last year that will probably answer your question:

http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=450725&highlight=interview+attire

My personal opinion is no on the Danskos. You're looking to step things up a notch in your interview attire, and since Danskos are worn so often to the hospital, they fall into the more everyday/business casual etc. realm. And, you really do want to wear a suit - pant or skirt, your choice. So for shoes, probably a low heel, flats, or if your doing pants (as I plan to), nice boots can work as well (still have mine from med school interviews).

 

[ieatmop]

should we bring copies of our CV or anything else to the interviews?

Most of the other applicants I met (in fact, maybe even all of them?) carried those black leather notebook things with their own fancy pen and copies of their CVs. I didn't bring anything. No pen, no copies of my CV or personal statement, nothing. I would recommend bringing a pen. I did my best to stay relaxed and socialize with everyone--the other applicants, the secretaries, absolutely everyone. Just be positive and be enthusiastic. The most surprising thing of all was how much the programs wanted to talk about themselves (rather than listen to me talk about myself). Only about 20% of the interview was me talking about myself. Oh, big piece of advice: come up with some really solid questions, because most of the interview will be "So what questions do you have for me?" And you MUST have some questions. Come up with some good ones and just re-use them for every interview. Lame questions will get lame answers ("Our program is a balanced mix of pharmacology and therapy and adheres strongly to the biopsychosocial blah blah blah").