I got an interview and did terribly. I had just come from burning man (where I had been for 2 weeks on a build crew) and was going immediately back so maybe I was a bit out of it. The interview was a 3 person panel. I expected questions about medicine or science or surgery or something, but I thought the questions were really horrible. I am not just saying this because I did poorly, they asked solely questions like "What would you do if you won $10,000 in the lottery?" or "What would you do if you waiter brought out your steak well done when you ordered it rare?" Not a single question about myself or the program. I have heard mixed reviews from friends who have done it, some said it was cool, some said it was very time intensive and not worth it. I would have liked to do it I think, I hear it can be a great networking opportunity with the docs.
The interview is...rough, tbh. They essentially only ask questions which require you to come up with a meaningful anecdote relating to their topic within a few seconds.
😱 However, I'm honestly not sure how much of an impact the interview could have had given how many people they invite. At some point, you have to think that they've got things a bit more narrowed down pre-interview than they admit to
The program itself? Amazing. I am absolutely and utterly glad that I participated. Are they unnecessarily annoying about their rules at times? Absolutely. Sometimes it feels as if they substitute strictness for prestige, as if by making things more difficult to deal with, they somehow lend themselves an air of exclusivity. Even the residents at times find the program rules over the top. HOWEVER...that is a small bone to pick with what is the most useful glimpse of medical training you are ever likely to get until you're
in it.
I saw surgeries from almost every specialty. I've sat at and watched an operation through a Da Vinci workstation. I have seen the bypass machine in action and was able to quiz the tech on how it worked. I've watched an operation go south, with rapid blood loss, and then saw the attending calmly bring it back on track. I've seen a resident perform their first solo cholecystectomy while the attending watched on the monitor. I've seen a resident get kicked out of the OR after failing to correct their (minor sounding, but what do I know?) mistakes too many times. I've seen traumas, amputations, etc. I've attended clinic, Grand Rounds, M&M, specialty-specific lectures and journal club, and even surgery school (teaching program just for the residents). I've seen the med student present patients to residents and attendings, each with completely opposite advice and requirements, and get hammered by the second guy for doing exactly what the first doc told them to do! I've been called up for an anatomy pop quiz in the OR. I've seen a gorram human brain,
in a living person, for pete's sake! I have a better idea of what medical training entails now than I could have imagined a year ago. I've spoken to attendings, residents, and med students, with varying backgrounds and different goals, and it has been incredibly educational.
The homework in the program is minimal at best, and easily graded. The shifts are only 7hrs 1x/wk if you want, but they're
the entire point of doing the program. Why would you short yourself on that? The weekend workshops are usually completely valuable. I was commuting from hours away and still did not feel that it was an overwhelming time burden (fwiw, I was also working 2 jobs at first, which was a bit tight, but with only 1 other job it was no issue.)
Most of the people who I saw in the program getting 'bored' or saying it wasn't worth it...didn't put a lot into it. It can be tricky, sometimes, to figure out how to politely worm your way into the docs' good graces in the OR. Sure, if you stand in the corner staring at scrub caps it can suck. But if you're proactive and willing to (tactfully) put yourself in position to see what you can, hear what you can, and catch those question-asking opportunities, you will be noticed. You will be shown things, explained to, offered standing positions or chart reviews, allowed to follow the attending on clinic day, etc.
TL;DR the app process is annoying, but it's absolutely worthwhile given the incredible experience!
