The other side of interviews

[Trillgirl]

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I actually am going to be the interviewer, rather than the interviewee, this year.

Any suggestions for things I should ask? Big red flags I should look out for?

How do you think I should (help) pick the people I will spend the next two years with (I'm a PGY-2)? Who would make a decent OB/Gyn? How do I make sure they are not complete a**holes?

 

[PACtoDOC]

I actually am going to be the interviewer, rather than the interviewee, this year.

Any suggestions for things I should ask? Big red flags I should look out for?

How do you think I should (help) pick the people I will spend the next two years with (I'm a PGY-2)? Who would make a decent OB/Gyn? How do I make sure they are not complete a**holes?

This sure gives me great confidence in the interview process! No offense, but if you are going to use the input given to you by a bunch of anonymous strangers on this forum to determine the fate of someone's future, perhaps you are not the ideal person to be interviewing. My suggestion since you are not far removed from being an MS yourself would be to just "shoot the shi*" per se with them and see who you honestly like. If you have people skills yourself, you should be able to see through most of the smoke and mirrors and tell who really is cool to hang out with. And that is what really matters most anyway right? Leave all the academic stuff to the chairman and you just try to find a buddy!!

 

[fuzzyerin]

Whoa here PACtoDOC ~ no need to jump all over the OP. I think she's got a legitimate question. It's a good thing when programs allow the residents to interview the candidates and have a say in who's going to be in the program. It shows the program isn't hiding anything (with the residents, at least). Residents probably aren't given too much guidance in this area, and I for one would be interested in hearing from the other side - what the OP sees as strengths about a candidate and what not.

So anyway, here's my two cents. I'd rather have questions about who I am as a person and how I get along with others, what I do in my free time and why I want to be an ob/gyn. I don't want questions about "what color would your friends describe you as" and "if you could sit down to dinner with 3 people, who would they be" - because those questions aren't going to tell you much about me. I agree that small talk would be best and allow the interviewee to ask questions about the program (and you should answer them honestly - especially if there's a problem area). I think posing the exact questions to the interviewer (What do you think makes a good ob/gyn? How do I know you're not an a*hole?) are fair game. You might want to reword the last one though...

 

[Trillgirl]

Actually fuzzyerin was able to see the point I was trying to make...

We are given no guidelines about how to interview. And yes, I was in interview mode just a few years ago. I therefore remember what a load of crap it all was, with so much a**kissing on both sides it was hard to remember if you saw a person's face. Everyone is on their best behavior, all programs are perfect, etc.

I was just looking for ideas for innovative ways to cut through the BS and make an honest, and hopefully valuable, judgment as to who would work well in our program.

But since we are talking about honesty, PACtoDOC, all that anger makes you seem pretty "uncool to hang out with" and therefore you'd win a lower spot down on that pref list. But don't worry, I'm sure there is somewhere out there where you will find a buddy. Keep the faith...

 

[Diane L. Evans]

This sure gives me great confidence in the interview process! No offense, but if you are going to use the input given to you by a bunch of anonymous strangers on this forum to determine the fate of someone's future, perhaps you are not the ideal person to be interviewing. QUOTE]

Unless you are a practicing physician on an academic board you have absolutely no right to make such comments. This forum is designed for such questions. Please refrain from such hostility in the future posts.

RED FLAGS:
[1] Someone who has not done a MS4 elective in OB or had otherwise more experience than MS3 rotation
[2] Ask if they have applied to other residency programs besides OB
[3] Ask what they think intern year will be like if not solid answer they may decide to switch out
[4] Ask if you could not deliver babies would you still do OB? A firm no may mean the person may not know all the other avenues.
[5] How do you deal with defensive or aggressive peers. If the answer should be confront them and work out our differences.
[6] If there are 4 people in your intern year and one person gets sick/maternity leave etc.. how would you handel the extra workload.
[7] Who do you complain to, the answer should not be other residents.


Good luck