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Anybody have any insight into what kind of questions you will get asked on a pedi interview? Have my first one on Friday and am a little nervous! 😀
Questions you get on an interview
- Thread starter UTMed2008
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UGH.
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and dont forget the favorite...
"what do you think your weaknesses are?"
"what do you think your weaknesses are?"
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exactly
Some interesting ones from Friday in addition to why you, why us:
What would your friends say your biggest weakness is?
What would your enemies say your biggest strength is?
I also actually got some role-playing to test communication skills with potential parents, and hypothetical situations.
I was pretty surprised at being hit with question after question all in one setting.
What would your friends say your biggest weakness is?
What would your enemies say your biggest strength is?
I also actually got some role-playing to test communication skills with potential parents, and hypothetical situations.
I was pretty surprised at being hit with question after question all in one setting.
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Can you tell us more about the role playing? Did the interviewer pretend to be a patient or parent and see how you would handle it?
Exactly. Irate parent--what do you do?
jimmybee
Internal Medicine Hospitalist, formerly med/peds
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The most common question by far is: "What questions do you have for me?"
Have some. It is harder than you think. By that time, all of your questions have been answered by the residents the night before. Your interviewers don't realize this.
Have some. It is harder than you think. By that time, all of your questions have been answered by the residents the night before. Your interviewers don't realize this.
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You can always ask a question again to someone else.
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I agree. One thing I've learned on interviews - TALK! Ask questions, especially anything you're curious about. You should definitely write down a couple just in case you can't think of any during the welcome portion of the interview.
Some questions I've been asked:
Why did you choose an osteopathic school over an allopathic school? (asked by a MD in a non-condescending way; his son's pediatrician is a DO)
Why pediatrics?
Where do you see yourself in 5 years?
What are you looking for in a program?
Are you limited in your preferences? (as in location due to marriage, children, family obligations, etc) and then
Why New York over New Jersey? (because of what I said in the previous question)
Tell me about a case that impacted you.
What do you bring to our program?
So what kind of person are you at social events? Are you the girl that's holding up the wall, the one sipping her drink and observing/interacting with people at the bar, or the one getting down dancing in the middle of the floor? (I personally loved this question).
Honestly, interviews are only hard when its your first one; afterwards, you learn to love them for what its worth: the only time you're appreciated in a hospital until you're an attending 😀 I think
Good Luck guys, I've met some amazing people on my interview trail so far (too bad I can't remember everyones' names).
Some questions I've been asked:
Why did you choose an osteopathic school over an allopathic school? (asked by a MD in a non-condescending way; his son's pediatrician is a DO)
Why pediatrics?
Where do you see yourself in 5 years?
What are you looking for in a program?
Are you limited in your preferences? (as in location due to marriage, children, family obligations, etc) and then
Why New York over New Jersey? (because of what I said in the previous question)
Tell me about a case that impacted you.
What do you bring to our program?
So what kind of person are you at social events? Are you the girl that's holding up the wall, the one sipping her drink and observing/interacting with people at the bar, or the one getting down dancing in the middle of the floor? (I personally loved this question).
Honestly, interviews are only hard when its your first one; afterwards, you learn to love them for what its worth: the only time you're appreciated in a hospital until you're an attending 😀 I think
Good Luck guys, I've met some amazing people on my interview trail so far (too bad I can't remember everyones' names).
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I'll throw in a few that I've gotten:
-What would your family say is special about you?
-What was the exact moment your realized you wanted to go into pediatrics?
-Tell me about the best experience you had as a student and tell me about the worst experience you had as a student
Anything on your CV is fair game and you should be prepared to talk about it.
Most importantly make sure you can answer the question: why do you want to come here?
-What would your family say is special about you?
-What was the exact moment your realized you wanted to go into pediatrics?
-Tell me about the best experience you had as a student and tell me about the worst experience you had as a student
Anything on your CV is fair game and you should be prepared to talk about it.
Most importantly make sure you can answer the question: why do you want to come here?
I was wondering what you guys thought of places that ask you to present a case or pimp you on medical topics. What about asking you to do a H&P on a hypothetical patient? Do these programs ask these questions because they doubt the skills of the applicants to their programs and consequently have problems with their residents?
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Honestly kef, anyplace that want to pimp me on clinical knowledge is not a place I want to be at. Not because they're pimping me on materal, but because they could be asking me tougher questions about myself, my weaknesses, my life; I wouldn't even mind the role-playing. Anyone can spit out facts, but I want a program where I feel at home, and if you're pimping me on my first day, I don't want to think what you'll be doing to me throughout residency.
So I'd probably go and find a resident or two and find out about that program and faculty; remember, you got to go with your gut feeling. You do not want to screw yourself at the end.
So I'd probably go and find a resident or two and find out about that program and faculty; remember, you got to go with your gut feeling. You do not want to screw yourself at the end.
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Nothing too unexpected or bizarre so far:
"What adjective would you choose to describe yourself?"
"What adjective would you least want used to describe you?"
"Which volunteer experience was most meaningful to you?"
Lots of questions about my parents' influence on my career interests, probably because I wrote about them in my personal statement
I did enjoy the interviewer who said to the assistant who brought me to his office: "And what should I do with her?" 😱
Also heard this one from a friend: "Tell us about a dysfunctional team that you were a part of and what you did to improve the situation"
"What adjective would you choose to describe yourself?"
"What adjective would you least want used to describe you?"
"Which volunteer experience was most meaningful to you?"
Lots of questions about my parents' influence on my career interests, probably because I wrote about them in my personal statement
I did enjoy the interviewer who said to the assistant who brought me to his office: "And what should I do with her?" 😱
Also heard this one from a friend: "Tell us about a dysfunctional team that you were a part of and what you did to improve the situation"
thanks angeleyez, that's what i thought too. they should be getting to know about me, and the rest will follow. I was just curious what others thought of it.... other questions i heard,
"what is your favorite antibiotic and why?"
"What is the last thing you read?"
"If you could be any fruit, which fruit and why?"
Most just wanted to know about me and what questions I had. And honestly, I would ask the same questions to all of the interviewers to get some different answers....
"What attracted you to this institution?"
"What are some of the weaknesses of the program?" (but be careful with this one, it did backfire on me once and then the interviewer asked me what mine are too! but that's a pretty basic question that will come up....)
"What is the fiscal health of the program?"
"Do you see any major changes happening to the program in the near future?"
"what is your favorite antibiotic and why?"
"What is the last thing you read?"
"If you could be any fruit, which fruit and why?"
Most just wanted to know about me and what questions I had. And honestly, I would ask the same questions to all of the interviewers to get some different answers....
"What attracted you to this institution?"
"What are some of the weaknesses of the program?" (but be careful with this one, it did backfire on me once and then the interviewer asked me what mine are too! but that's a pretty basic question that will come up....)
"What is the fiscal health of the program?"
"Do you see any major changes happening to the program in the near future?"
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This was a funny one :
'If I gave you a plane ticket to any place in the world, where would you want to go ?'
And this one :
'So, tell me about IMG's applying in California...' (I thought that was a bit rude.)
And then the usual :
'What are your career plans ?'
'Why do you want to come here ?'
And also:
'Tell me about something non-medical you learnt from your volunteer experience.'
And a bunch of questions about my CV.
'If I gave you a plane ticket to any place in the world, where would you want to go ?'
And this one :
'So, tell me about IMG's applying in California...' (I thought that was a bit rude.
)And then the usual :
'What are your career plans ?'
'Why do you want to come here ?'
And also:
'Tell me about something non-medical you learnt from your volunteer experience.'
And a bunch of questions about my CV.
"Did you learn anything on your trip to India?"
"Where do you see yourself in 5-10 years?"
"Won't you miss (insert unique characteristic about my medical school here) if you come to our program?" I got asked this question a few different times in a few different ways on one interview and I thought it was a little weird.
So far it's been pretty enjoyable. No pimping, everyone is so nice and most interviews involve me asking all the questions... mostly prompted by "Do you have any questions?" 🙂
--mcp
"Where do you see yourself in 5-10 years?"
"Won't you miss (insert unique characteristic about my medical school here) if you come to our program?" I got asked this question a few different times in a few different ways on one interview and I thought it was a little weird.
So far it's been pretty enjoyable. No pimping, everyone is so nice and most interviews involve me asking all the questions... mostly prompted by "Do you have any questions?" 🙂
--mcp
