how much do residents know about the applicants to their program? do they have access to all of the applicant's stats or is this just for the admissions committee? just wondering considering we have dinner with residents the night before our interviews.
residents & admissions committees
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I can't say it's universal, but this question came up tomight at the dinner we had with the resients. At this residency, at least, they don't ever see any of our scores. They have a say in who gets a spot in that they do rank all the applicants.... but the attendings and director have the final say on everything. Their input really just shows the program how well they get along with the applicants. They really know next to nothing about us.
However, it could be different at other programs.
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Now, are you asking about the residents that go to the pre-interview dinner or the residents that may interview you during interview day? I think either way, this depends on the program and even the specialty that is in questions. I know last year when I was a prelim in an IM program, I was asked to interview applicants. Usually this would be during my work day and so I wouldn't have too much time to see the application of the person that I would be interviewing. Usually, I'd come into the PCs office and take a file... then look through it for a few minutes to get the basics of the applicant (i.e. school, scores, LORs, publications, interests) and then go in and ask the person questions for a 10 minute interview. At the end we'd fill out a questionare and put in our input on whether this applicant should be ranked highly, low, not ranked at all. I'm not sure how important or if at all were the resident's comments used.
Still, I think that usually, the residents that are present during the pre-interview dinner or during the lunch during interview day have little say on whether an applicant gets in. Mainly I think they're asked if the applicant in question seems like someone that they can work with and is generally a good person to be around. Still, if you act weird or say something that you're not supposed to to the residents, I guarantee that it will get back to the PD.
Still, I think that usually, the residents that are present during the pre-interview dinner or during the lunch during interview day have little say on whether an applicant gets in. Mainly I think they're asked if the applicant in question seems like someone that they can work with and is generally a good person to be around. Still, if you act weird or say something that you're not supposed to to the residents, I guarantee that it will get back to the PD.
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At what level do residents start interviewing candidates (I mean the 10 minute face to face interview that you have described)? I thought only the chief residents would do that...will be good to know.
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My program did things a bit differently as many of the residents were asked to interview candidates. I've never interviewed at a program where the prelim IM residents or other interns interview candidates. It's usually chief residents or at least senior residents.
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When I interviewed candidates as a resident, I was privy to every aspect of their application...as a matter of fact, it was photocopied down to the last LOR for my review a few days before the interview.
As junior residents, we could look through the pile of applications, checking for people we knew, hot guys/gals
, etc. but the PC didn't really like it if you were hovering in her tiny office doing so. I highly doubt anyone took more than a quick gander so most of the juniors didn't know much if anything about the interviewees.
As junior residents, we could look through the pile of applications, checking for people we knew, hot guys/gals
, etc. but the PC didn't really like it if you were hovering in her tiny office doing so. I highly doubt anyone took more than a quick gander so most of the juniors didn't know much if anything about the interviewees.At my program you have access to all the applicants files...you can look at them if you want.
The residents don't have a vote in the rank but if you really hate someone you can "blacklist" them. If you don't want them there they are off the list.
The residents don't have a vote in the rank but if you really hate someone you can "blacklist" them. If you don't want them there they are off the list.
I give my residents a thumbnail biosketch of all the applicants and hope that helps stimulate conversation and discovery of shared interests. I also give the applicants a thumbnail biosketch of our residents. At my program, a PGY 3 resident will interview all of the applicants and those scores will average with the faculty interviews. The PC and all of the residents who interacted with an applicant in any way are expected to give a general score and comment which are also averaged and compiled. At the final selection meeting both the faculty and resident average scores are considered, and candidates with a significant disparity will drop lower on the rank list.
You are in an interview situation 100% of the time, and every interaction matters.
You are in an interview situation 100% of the time, and every interaction matters.
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I was rotating through a department, and here is what they did:
Residents went to the dinner. Afterward, they would fill out a brief form about their interactions with a candidate. If they really liked a candidate, that could be beneficial. If someone made a bad impression, then they did not get ranked most of the time.
Another pitfall is falling asleep during morning report... that can cost you too!
For the interview --> probably more important what you don't do, then what you actually do.
Every department is going to be different. Remember, residents are reasonable people and are looking for some future colleagues they want working with them!
Residents went to the dinner. Afterward, they would fill out a brief form about their interactions with a candidate. If they really liked a candidate, that could be beneficial. If someone made a bad impression, then they did not get ranked most of the time.
Another pitfall is falling asleep during morning report... that can cost you too!
For the interview --> probably more important what you don't do, then what you actually do.
Every department is going to be different. Remember, residents are reasonable people and are looking for some future colleagues they want working with them!
