Questions for interviews

[QuackaDO]

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So I'm sure somewhere there is a good thread on this (feel like I read something once) but searches didn't pull up what I was looking for, soooo...
In interviews you're always asked "Do you have any questions?" and I think we all know the answer is "yes!". The thing I want to hear is what kind of questions you all that have interviewed asked when it came to this point or if you're an attending on the receiving end, what were some of the best questions you have gotten? I'm aware you ask anything about the program you want to know... I'm going more for those kinda "go to" type questions that work for just about any place when you don't really have any program specific questions to ask. A couple of the good ones I've read in the few threads that came up when I researched...
1. "What significant changes do you see coming to the program in the next 3-5 yrs?"
2. "How are residents evaluated, both on a per shift basis and on a monthly/rotation basis?"

Obviously you don't want to ask questions that can or are answered on the website so what do you guy have in your bag o questions??

 

[RustedFox]

"What is the biggest challenge that the department faces ?"

 

[WannabeEM]

"In your opinion, what is the greatest strength of your current residents?"

If an interviewer gets excited and wants to brag about the personalities/cohesiveness/teaching or procedural skills/diversity of his/her residents (and not just about the curriculum/location/etc.), that's a big positive in my book.

 

[JediZero]

I tend to ask, "what kind of resident thrives here?" Or some variation of that.

Specific to my interests (and possibly yours, OP) is how 'osteopathic' the program is. If you're not interested in OMM, it tells you if they're just doing their AOA-obliged gesture at psychopathic training. If you're like me, it tells me if they support the use of OMT in the department and/or offer extra training during residency.

Other questions include general stuff that might not be included in the sales pitch or brochures: moonlighting, working with medical students, 4th year/intern teaching shifts, etc. These should not be the first question you ask, though- they're very short answers, and don't allow you and the program to learn about each other very much.

 

[namethatsmell]

"If money/time/politics/etc were not an issue, what's the one thing you would add or change in your program?"

This gives an interviewer a chance to comment on perceived weaknesses in their program (without you bluntly asking) but can also give you an idea of the more lofty program goals or some of the challenges they face in general.

For example, I heard "I'd love to get rid of our internal medicine month but we can't due to politics" at a few places...doing a month of IM is not the end of the world, but it's not a sign of strength if EM can't make changes they want to.

By the same token, any PD that said "I wouldn't want to change or add a thing, my program is perfect" lost points in my book. No program is perfect and it'd be lame to be at a place where the leadership wasn't constantly innovating or trying to improve.

"In your opinion, what is the greatest strength of your current residents?"

If an interviewer gets excited and wants to brag about the personalities/cohesiveness/teaching or procedural skills/diversity of his/her residents (and not just about the curriculum/location/etc.), that's a big positive in my book.

This is a great question, and one that's fair to ask every interviewer you meet.

 

[QuackaDO]

I tend to ask, "what kind of resident thrives here?" Or some variation of that.

Specific to my interests (and possibly yours, OP) is how 'osteopathic' the program is. If you're not interested in OMM, it tells you if they're just doing their AOA-obliged gesture at psychopathic training. If you're like me, it tells me if they support the use of OMT in the department and/or offer extra training during residency.

Other questions include general stuff that might not be included in the sales pitch or brochures: moonlighting, working with medical students, 4th year/intern teaching shifts, etc. These should not be the first question you ask, though- they're very short answers, and don't allow you and the program to learn about each other very much.

I think the first question is very similar to the "what's the greatest strength of your current residents" but is a decent variation of it. As for the osteopathic one... I'm only interviewing ACGME so I hope the answer is "not at all, at least in the training", lol!

"If money/time/politics/etc were not an issue, what's the one thing you would add or change in your program?"

This gives an interviewer a chance to comment on perceived weaknesses in their program (without you bluntly asking) but can also give you an idea of the more lofty program goals or some of the challenges they face in general.

For example, I heard "I'd love to get rid of our internal medicine month but we can't due to politics" at a few places...doing a month of IM is not the end of the world, but it's not a sign of strength if EM can't make changes they want to.

By the same token, any PD that said "I wouldn't want to change or add a thing, my program is perfect" lost points in my book. No program is perfect and it'd be lame to be at a place where the leadership wasn't constantly innovating or trying to improve.

I like it and I'm gonna incorporate that in!

This is a great question, and one that's fair to ask every interviewer you meet.

I actually asked this question to the PD and APD at my interview yesterday. Interestingly, they both had the same answer... teamwork/ team players. I think that's a pretty good sign 👍

 

[jim17]

I've received a formal interview invitation from a program, which you schedule youre interview through interview broker. Since all dates are filled I'm currently waitlisted, so my question is does interview broker notifies you once you are confirm? What happen if nobody cancelled?

 

[Dr.CCM]

I've received a formal interview invitation from a program, which you schedule youre interview through interview broker. Since all dates are filled I'm currently waitlisted, so my question is does interview broker notifies you once you are confirm? What happen if nobody cancelled?

Yeah, I had this happen as well. So you pick a waitlist date. Once that date becomes available and assuming no one is in front of you, you'll get that date. However, I'd suggest taking daily via interviewbroker to see if any other dates pop up because interviewbroker only automatically schedules you for that specific date if another one drops, it won't notify you.

 

[jim17]

Yeah, I had this happen as well. So you pick a waitlist date. Once that date becomes available and assuming no one is in front of you, you'll get that date. However, I'd suggest taking daily via interviewbroker to see if any other dates pop up because interviewbroker only automatically schedules you for that specific date if another one drops, it won't notify you.

so when you automatically get the date interview broker notifies you via email? what if nobody cancels?

 

[e30ftw]

"where do you see the program going in the next 3 years?"
"if you could change one thing about the program, what would it be?"

those were mentioned earlier but were my standard questions on the trail 2 years ago and I thought they went over well. It shows you're not a lamb for the slaughter and I found PD's/APD's appreciated it..

plus after getting grilled with "If you could take 3 historical figures to a desert isle, who would they be and why?" and "tell me about your biggest weakness and how they have hindered you so far in medical education." for multiple days in cities all over the country it was nice to ask the interviewer a semi-thoughtful question.

 

[Dr.CCM]

so when you automatically get the date interview broker notifies you via email? what if nobody cancels?

I'm assuming they do. If no one cancels, you may want to call PC and ask about it.

 

[Dr.CCM]

so when you automatically get the date interview broker notifies you via email? what if nobody cancels?

I'm assuming they do. If no one cancels, you may want to call PC and ask about it.

 

[QuackaDO]

"where do you see the program going in the next 3 years?"
"if you could change one thing about the program, what would it be?"

those were mentioned earlier but were my standard questions on the trail 2 years ago and I thought they went over well. It shows you're not a lamb for the slaughter and I found PD's/APD's appreciated it..

plus after getting grilled with "If you could take 3 historical figures to a desert isle, who would they be and why?" and "tell me about your biggest weakness and how they have hindered you so far in medical education." for multiple days in cities all over the country it was nice to ask the interviewer a semi-thoughtful question.

Chance or not, in all my interviews so far the PD has actually answered these 2 questions in the morning briefing before the interviews began. I don't know if it was just the places I've been or if they have gotten used to hearing these questions but the are incorporating the answers into their opening remarks so if you ask them during the interview it actually comes off as a negative and that you weren't paying attention. Will see if the trend continues...

 

[red10]

Anyone else running out of Qs to ask residents by the end of the interview day? After we've had dinner the night before, talked to 3+ interviewers about the program, talked to the residents who stop by throughout the day to say hi, go on the tour and have another meal with the residents I'm all questioned out.

 

[QuackaDO]

Anyone else running out of Qs to ask residents by the end of the interview day? After we've had dinner the night before, talked to 3+ interviewers about the program, talked to the residents who stop by throughout the day to say hi, go on the tour and have another meal with the residents I'm all questioned out.

My favorite one I used yesterday... "Yes. What's the best question to ask when I've asked all of my questions but I'm asked if I have any questions?" It got a laugh, lol... and the answer was parking 🙂