Proper Interviewing for md/phd

[Moonlightstory1]

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I am starting to think about interviews (and hopefully anticipating actually receiving some..😳) but I am wondering how to address research.

Is it better to discuss a project and give as much data as possible, or give less data but more background/explanation of the project to show that one understands the experiment?

how do ya'll feel about the use of "i"? is it recommended when discussing one's own project? i've heard mixed reviews on this.

Here is to hoping many of us start hearing about about interviews and this thread becomes very useful 😍😍😍

 

[uniqenam]

I am starting to think about interviews (and hopefully anticipating actually receiving some..😳) but I am wondering how to address research.

Is it better to discuss a project and give as much data as possible, or give less data but more background/explanation of the project to show that one understands the experiment?

how do ya'll feel about the use of "i"? is it recommended when discussing one's own project? i've heard mixed reviews on this.

Here is to hoping many of us start hearing about about interviews and this thread becomes very useful 😍😍😍

Personally, I would talk more about background/explanation to demonstrate understanding. Interviewers can always question more in depth about specifics.

I would highly recommend using "I". I know for a near-certainty that in one of my interviews I was not aggressive enough in taking credit for things that I did and ideas that I had, and it cost me an MSTP slot. Interviews are the time when you get to brag a little bit, which is something that most people aren't used to...just be careful not to make it sound like you ran the whole lab, or that you think you deserve a Nobel prize already. 😀

 

[Moonlightstory1]

Personally, I would talk more about background/explanation to demonstrate understanding. Interviewers can always question more in depth about specifics.

I would highly recommend using "I". I know for a near-certainty that in one of my interviews I was not aggressive enough in taking credit for things that I did and ideas that I had, and it cost me an MSTP slot. Interviews are the time when you get to brag a little bit, which is something that most people aren't used to...just be careful not to make it sound like you ran the whole lab, or that you think you deserve a Nobel prize already. 😀

Thanks for your advice! It's so awkward using "I" because I think of research as a team effort, even on independent projects

 

[OCDOCDOCD]

On a related note, do they ask you about specific projects, or do they literally just say "tell me about your research" and leave it at that? I ask because I've got 7 projects I could talk about, 3 of which have first author publications associated with them and 3 of which are currently on-going. I can't imagine an interviewer wants to sit there listening to me ramble for the time it would take to thoroughly describe each project. Should I just quickly list off a very basic, quick description of each project as a sort of menu for the interviewer to then choose from, pick the most recent, completed project, or pick the best ongoing project I'm working on?

 

[Maebea]

Use "I" when you did the work, "we" when someone else did it.

If given the choice, stick to one project (ideally the one you believe best demonstrates your ability to do independent research), and be able to talk about it with authority. However, be prepared to talk about anything in your application. You should re-familiarize yourself with the project you worked on 3 years ago. There may have been an interesting finding since you worked on it, and it is less impressive if your interviewer is aware of it by you are not.

 

[Moonlightstory1]

Use "I" when you did the work, "we" when someone else did it.

If given the choice, stick to one project (ideally the one you believe best demonstrates your ability to do independent research), and be able to talk about it with authority. However, be prepared to talk about anything in your application. You should re-familiarize yourself with the project you worked on 3 years ago. There may have been an interesting finding since you worked on it, and it is less impressive if your interviewer is aware of it by you are not.

Thanks for your advice! Do interviewers focus on your latest research lab experience or the previous lab i may have worked a few years ago?

 

[Microglia]

Thanks for your advice! Do interviewers focus on your latest research lab experience or the previous lab i may have worked a few years ago?

Honestly this usually ends up under your control (where you steer the convo). The only time I talked mostly about my old research was when it lined up with the interviewers in some way.

 

[mTORC]

I am starting to think about interviews (and hopefully anticipating actually receiving some..😳) but I am wondering how to address research.

Is it better to discuss a project and give as much data as possible, or give less data but more background/explanation of the project to show that one understands the experiment?

how do ya'll feel about the use of "i"? is it recommended when discussing one's own project? i've heard mixed reviews on this.

Here is to hoping many of us start hearing about about interviews and this thread becomes very useful 😍😍😍

During one of my interviews, I was told to start using "I" instead of "we" because he wanted to know what I did and did not care for political correctness. Makes me wonder about my research essay, where I used "we" a lot, even though all the work in that essay was done by me. Oh well! Live and learn.