Using personal notes while interviewing???

[Cody1MD]

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Is it professional to read and use notes that one has written down while interviewing??? The notes are regarding the residency program.

 

[Manicsleep]

I don't know if its unprofessional but it would raise some concerns.
What kind of questions would you not know about yourself that notes would help you answer?

If I was interviewing someone who needed notes about themselves, I would presume that its primarily because of difficulty in a stressful situation. I would probably make a statement like "I notice you keep looking at your notes" and see what they say. Just like SDN, the interview is probably not the best place to give advice on anxiety treatment so I am not and wouldn't offer such advice.

I would have serious concerns about that person's ability to present a patient and/or communicate in stressful situations. The other concern that would come to mind is that the things being told to me in the interview are being partially or completely fabricated.

 

[notdeadyet]

Agree with Manicsleep. Looking at notes in an interview (any kind of interview, not just residency) just isn't seen as professional.

I sympathize, because my memory isn't the greatest. What I have been doing is writing out some talk points or questions on an index card, which I carry around in my breast pocket. That way, I can give it a quick glance to refresh my memory before walking through the door of any interview session.

That said, I haven't actually felt the need to do so. But knowing I have the card probably gives some reassurance.

 

[OldPsychDoc]

Maybe if you were referring to something you'd jotted down in an earlier session of the interview day it might look appropriate--otherwise it basically just looks totally weird.

 

[peppy]

I used a similar technique to what notdeadyet did. It does help to have some brief talking points/questions as a quick refresher, but I definitely think it's best not to have to consult notes in front of the interviewer (even though you'll probably run into interviewers who have to consult their notes to remember what they wanted to ask you about 🙂 )

 

[Manicsleep]

I used a similar technique to what notdeadyet did. It does help to have some brief talking points/questions as a quick refresher, but I definitely think it's best not to have to consult notes in front of the interviewer (even though you'll probably run into interviewers who have to consult their notes to remember what they wanted to ask you about 🙂 )

True, the interviewers are very likely to have those notes. The notes in your pocket arent a bad idea. If you want to say something specific and want to say it exactly, you can always look at notes or something but let the interviewer know what you are doing and keep it to a minimum.

If you are worried that you will forget some vital part because there is so much to say in so little time, just rehearse to a friend, family member or someone at your medical school. The mirror and/or wall works really well. I did that before my oral boards because I couldn't stand the idea of the blank faces of the interviewers. So I presented to my wall several times, you may try presenting to someone that mimics a potential interviewer.