The worth of an interview

[livewires]

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I can't help to wonder just how much weight the interview has. I have heard that it is a way for programs to confirm there top choices and filter out those they "don't" want, rather those they do want...kind of like the personal statement. This scares the crap out of me because I am applying with average board scores and am relying on my interview to make me shine as an applicant. Thus far, I have interviewed for two transitional spots and each time the program has offered me a position in their program before the interview has even ended. I happen to be blessed with great interviewing skills and am hoping this will do wonders for me at my top aneshtesia picks. Does anyone know if it's possible to go from an average applicant to a top prospect based solely on an interview?

Thanks guys.

 

[MedicinePowder]

I can't help to wonder just how much weight the interview has. I have heard that it is a way for programs to confirm there top choices and filter out those they "don't" want, rather those they do want...kind of like the personal statement. This scares the crap out of me because I am applying with average board scores and am relying on my interview to make me shine as an applicant. Thus far, I have interviewed for two transitional spots and each time the program has offered me a position in their program before the interview has even ended. I happen to be blessed with great interviewing skills and am hoping this will do wonders for me at my top aneshtesia picks. Does anyone know if it's possible to go from an average applicant to a top prospect based solely on an interview?

Thanks guys.

awesome that your blessed with great interviewing skills; maybe you can post some advice for us less articulate folks!

i can only speak for one anesthesia program--i spoke to one of the head haunchos and he said that the interview is the most important aspect in ranking applicants. surprisingly, he said letters of rec really don't play much if any influence as he said that all letters only have good things to say about applicants so you can't really weed out there.

bottom line, he said that after weeding through applications, those invited look equally good on paper and the interview will guide the decisions.

 

[Noyac]

Does anyone know if it's possible to go from an average applicant to a top prospect based solely on an interview?

I say yes. Maybe not a top prospect but you can bump some of those applicants that have better scores than you by interviewing well. When I was on the other side of the interview process and doing the interviews, I and many of the others would make our decisions based largely on the interview. They would not have granted you an interview if they were not willing to accept you based on your application.

 

[Idiopathic]

I believe that you are ranked based on all factors, with the interview being probably one of the top two most important factors. Obviously if they choose to interview you (especially this interview season) then they would probably take you in their programs, even with interview skills being average. Don't blow the interview and you get ranked, get ranked at enough places and you match. Find your top choice and blow them away and you likely match there.


My thoughts.

 

[VolatileAgent]

if you are offered an interview, you are pretty much on equal footing with every other applicant. now, if the ones with better pedigree, board scores, lors (etc) do as well (or better) than you during the interview, you're screwed.

bottom line is that patients don't interact with your credentials. programs feel that it's their job to teach you what you need to know to become a consultant in anesthesia provided you meet that minimum criteria. (hint: if you got the interview, you meet the minimum criteria.) they have a much harder time, on the other hand, teaching someone not to be a prick.

 

[DrDre']

Although I like to believe this equal footing business S/P interview invite, I am just not sure I buy it.


I have talked to at least 3 faculty at 2 different progs that have said that scores and such are still in play.

In my mind, the interview screens for jerks, asocials and some other personality dysfunctions.

ASSUMING, the above are not present, then all candidates are "equal" in their performance during the interview and then it reverts back to cold, hard numbers....


Hope I am wrong but I wonder...

 

[Idiopathic]

Im beginning to think, in this age of accreditation and inservice performance, that board scores carry more weight in the final decision than some would like to think. Maybe its just my thought process.

 

[DrDre']

Mr. 258,
I agree. I have had many people in administrative positions mention this type of thing. They know you will always be taking tests. You passing your written boards the first time looks good for their program.

 

[Idiopathic]

I really hate to say that, because it makes it look as though I am rationalizing my own 'worth' to a program with my board score, but in all honesty, when i see those evaluation pages with the items lined up for review, 'boards' looks better than 'extracurriculars' and even 'LOR'. Its so beautifully objective.



Of course, it still cant overcome 'DO', apparently, when dealing with certain programs.

 

[DrDre']

What I have seen in the interviews thread in your posts has been interesting.

Obviously, for most schools your mle is AWESOME.

But, u r right, with some, it appears that DO trumps your awesome mle.

It's all BS! You will get a great prog though! Those with lower scores and DO are the ones that get slighted the most. 🙁

 

[livewires]

This really gives me some motivation. I am a DO student with average COMLEX I scores but I have honored all of my clinical rotations and have been told that I have great LORs. I also have 6 first-author publications in Emerging Infectious Diseases and the Journal of Clinical Microbiology and worked as a laboratory fellow in a prestigous program at the CDC. I am also an English major and have a kick-ass personal statement. All this said...I am still a DO with average COMLEX I scores. This really cut me down for interviews but I have some at great programs and I wanna turn them into believers. Hopefully it will work out. I do appreciate everyone's take on this issue. I'm sure there are some commonalities amonst programs but I'm also sure that the improtance of the interview differs on a program to program basis.

Good luck guys...maybe I'll run into you on the trail. My trail is more like a path though...a very short path. 🙂

 

[Idiopathic]

PM me with where and when, if you want. Maybe we'll catch up with each other.

 

[adleyinga]

Coming from the drivers seat here guys

As mentioned programs are getting 500-1000 applications. Only way to sift through all of them is board scores.
NO BODY reads all 1000 applications.

If you meet minimum board requirement then application gets reviewed and other factors come into play.

Once you get interview- then level playing ground (sort of) and the interview is heavily weighted

DO YOUR BEST ON THE INTERVIEW-EVEN IF IT IS YOUR 40TH PERSON YOU ARE SEEING AND EVERYTHING IS BLENDING

GOOD LUCK

 

[davvid2700]

This really gives me some motivation. I am a DO student with average COMLEX I scores but I have honored all of my clinical rotations and have been told that I have great LORs. I also have 6 first-author publications in Emerging Infectious Diseases and the Journal of Clinical Microbiology and worked as a laboratory fellow in a prestigous program at the CDC. I am also an English major and have a kick-ass personal statement. All this said...I am still a DO with average COMLEX I scores. This really cut me down for interviews but I have some at great programs and I wanna turn them into believers. Hopefully it will work out. I do appreciate everyone's take on this issue. I'm sure there are some commonalities amonst programs but I'm also sure that the improtance of the interview differs on a program to program basis.

Good luck guys...maybe I'll run into you on the trail. My trail is more like a path though...a very short path. 🙂

DUDE..

so what you have average grades... remember just a few years ago all you needed really was a pulse and you were in.. They needed bodies otherwise the residencies would close down... so the standards were still t here but they bent them a bit.. and a bunch of residencies DID close down..


IF you have an interview remember be positive... Wear the best possible threads.... shave and get a haircut for the interview.. act interested.. and look your best.. I did not believe in the interview for a long time. thats why i was not getting my first pick in anything.. I have since become a believer.. IF you are interviewed that means you could get in there.. so use it to knock their socks off..

BUT.. I still believe in, " if you look like you know what you are doing.. you probably dont know what youre doing..