Residency Interview Questions

[ortho07]

How about we start a new thread on questions that can come up at an interview? I am applying to Ortho this year, and I have not gone through the interviewing process yet. Maybe some of the more experienced applicants can share their experiences? Here are some of the very basic ones I have thought of that some interviewers may ask:

Why do you want to be an orthodontist?
Why did you apply to our school?
What are your non-dental goals for the future?
Tell us about your research experience?

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[indeep]

Can we also have answers to those questions posted as well?

I'd hate to have to think for myself when I'm interviewing and having provided answers would make it so much easier.😉 😀

 

[TKD]

Can we also have answers to those questions posted as well?

I'd hate to have to think for myself when I'm interviewing and having provided answers would make it so much easier.😉 😀

Haha...precisely.

 

[capisce?]

Can we also have answers to those questions posted as well?

I'd hate to have to think for myself when I'm interviewing and having provided answers would make it so much easier.😉 😀

ditto. i was going to come in and say something to the effect but nice job.

Why not wait until your interview? That way you won't sound like a robot with memorized answers. Prepare for the obvious...3 strengths, weaknesses, hobbies, blah blah blah. You were interviewed for dental school, right? repeat.

 

[ortho07]

Its not that I am trying to memorize answers, but some schools ask very strange questions. For example Childrens in DC says "For the next 15 minutes I want you to tell me about yourself." Thats not a typical question if you ask me, but its good to prepare yourself from the experience of others.

 

[capisce?]

Its not that I am trying to memorize answers, but some schools ask very strange questions. For example Childrens in DC says "For the next 15 minutes I want you to tell me about yourself." Thats not a typical question if you ask me, but its good to prepare yourself from the experience of others.

The whole point of off the wall questions is for them to be just that....off the wall. It's not so much the answer, but moreso how you handle yourself. Obviously they ask those questions for a reason, and you knowing them ahead of time defeats the purpose. If you're smart enough to apply for ortho, then you should be smart enough to understand that.

I'm curious as to how a random person on an messageboard is supposed to tell you how to answer the question "you have 15 minutes to tell me about yourself". If you can't answer that one for yourself, you are in some big trouble. Maybe mom can come with you and talk about your childhood.

 

[ortho07]

Why dont you READ the post before you comment. The post was asking what common questions interviewers may ask at an interview. Others could share their experience if they wanted to. I didnt ask for the answers to the questions. Duh captain obvious.

 

[setdoc7]

They want to see you think on your feet. I do the same thing at interviews. There is no right or wrong answers. Nothing is worse than a blank stare.

 

[EnjoyOMFS]

the hardest question I had was:
"What is love?".

I looked around and thought about it. I said
"I love.... rug"
but then realized
"I love lamp."

 

[Jediwendell]

The questions that really made me the angriest were the obscure art and history questions, such as "when did Mozart die?" "When was Napoleon defeated at Waterloo?" I wasn't a history major in college and it had been four years since I had even had a history course. Hard to come off sounding like anything but an idiot in those scenarios.

 

[gary_ruska]

Gary Ruska here,

GR's interesting interview questions were:

Interviewer: Well, GR, I was wondering why you referred to yourself in the third person in your personal statement.

GR: That's not a question, interviewer.

Interviewer: Moving on...[notices GR staring at picture of interviewer's family on desk]...See anything you like?

GR: Your daughter has a face like a moose.

GR did not get into said program.

 

[vorosvirag]

I must say, most of my interviews were extremely straightforward. I was asked questions about my hobbies, where I was from, what my future plans were, etc. Only at Baylor did I get odd-ball questions. I'm trying to remember some of them, but may need some time. Everywhere else, it seemed the folks sincerely (maybe they were faking it) hoped to get to know the interviewees by asking normal questions.

Also, nearly every school asked me where else I had received an interview. A few schools (Iowa is notorious for this.) ask you to tell them how you plan to rank them and the rest of the programs. Against the Match rules, but done.

 

[Dr. Dai Phan]

Here's two that I hear everytime I go on job interview. Just heard them last week:

1. What are your weaknesses?
2. Why should we accept you?

People with "Gung Ho" attitutes and not be humbled (thinking they are God )will stump on question 1. You should be ready to answer question 1 rather than ... Uh... uh.... well let's see I... uh.... that makes you look bad. DP

 

[vorosvirag]

I was only asked question #2 once. Never did anyone ask #1. I expected many people to ask 'em, but they didn't. They know your weaknesses, but obviously think enough of you to interview you from the 100s of applications.

I'm telling you, most of the time they ask "easy" questions to get to know you. In many cases, they may already know (or at least have a good hunch) who they'll rank high, anyway. So, they may as well keep it relaxed for all involved.

Phan may be correct w/ Pros or at least his interviews for a job, but I didn't feel drilled anywhere. Baylor and a few other schools asked strange ?s, but you just do your best.

 

[toofache32]

The questions that really made me the angriest were the obscure art and history questions, such as "when did Mozart die?" "When was Napoleon defeated at Waterloo?" I wasn't a history major in college and it had been four years since I had even had a history course. Hard to come off sounding like anything but an idiot in those scenarios.

"When was the War of 1812?"

 

[gryffindor]

double post

 

[gryffindor]

Go to the bookstore and open up any book on interviewing. Adapt those questions to ortho/dentistry and you will have plenty of stuff to practice from.

And I disagree that the point of the interview is to think on your feet about yourself (although I think this argument has already been played out on some prior thread). 👎 It doesn't hurt to have some ideas floating in your head before hand so you don't stutter & stumble. Not all of us are finessed at the art of BS.

I got asked the "3 strengths/3 weaknesses" many times. Other favorites include:
Why should we pick you?
Why would you want to move so far away to come to our program?
Have you ever even been to this part of the country/state?
Where else did you apply & why?
Why do you think you haven't gotten in already?
What will you do if you don't get in?
What are the qualities of a good orthodontist?
Tell us something not on your resume.
If you hadn't gone to dental school, what would you have done?
What do you do to relax?
What are your hobbies?
Where do you see yourself in 5 yrs? 10 yrs?
Where do you want to practice?
Do you want to do ortho b/c of the money?
How would you address the faculty shortage?

Program specific favorites included:
What have you heard about our program?
Why did you apply here?
What is a positive/negative of our program?
Like vorosvirag said about Iowa, Harvard asked me some version of "Where will you rank us?"