Second interview at the same program as last season...any advice?

[Mo_117]

I'm an IMG looking to get into surgery. I had two interviews last ERAS season but didn't match. Fast forward a year and I've added a bunch of research, some publications, and a letter of recommendation from a university program faculty to my ERAS application. One of the programs I interviewed at last season just invited me for an interview this season. It seems I'm not the bottom of the barrel this season as they invited me a month in advance and gave me more than one date to choose from whereas last year they invited me 5 days in advance and offered only one date like 10 days before the rank order deadline. Any advice on how to approach such a situation? Will they have it on record that they've interviewed me before? Any expected questions I should expect? Should I bring up that they interviewed me before or approach it like a first-time meeting until they bring it up? Any and all feedback is appreciated

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[gutonc]

There's no "record" other than what the PC, PD and faculty have printed out and kept (highly unlikely) or remember about you (more likely, but still unlikely).

What you need to talk about there is the same thing you talk about at all of your other interviews this year (hopefully >2). Why you think you didn't match last year and what has changed about you and your application this year that makes you a good candidate.

If somebody says "hey Mo...I remember you from last year", that's the only time you should discuss being there previously specifically.

 

[Mo_117]

There's no "record" other than what the PC, PD and faculty have printed out and kept (highly unlikely) or remember about you (more likely, but still unlikely).

What you need to talk about there is the same thing you talk about at all of your other interviews this year (hopefully >2). Why you think you didn't match last year and what has changed about you and your application this year that makes you a good candidate.

If somebody says "hey Mo...I remember you from last year", that's the only time you should discuss being there previously specifically.

Great advice! Thanks!