What to bring to interview?

[fuzzywuz]

Hey all,

Aside from the stuff they list in the email, I'm trying to get an idea of what I need to bring. Do people bring a bookbag, folder, resume portfolio thingy, pen, pencil, paper, etc etc etc?

I'm a guy and it will be my first interview. I don't want to look out of place

Any ideas?!

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[iA-MD2013]

well...it's up to you. most guys bring some kind of a portfolio/folder. bring a pen and something to write on. you may want to jot down your interviewer's email address or some random info during the interview day.

 

[Law2Doc]

well...it's up to you. most guys bring some kind of a portfolio/folder. bring a pen and something to write on. you may want to jot down your interviewer's email address or some random info during the interview day.

Yeah, a folio with pad and pen is good. I also suggest a breath mint/binaca/breath strips in case the interview is after lunch, and a toothpick or piece of floss for the same reason. No bookbags -- they don't look professional. If you are a gal you can bring a purse.

 

[fuzzywuz]

Yeah, a folio with pad and pen is good. I also suggest a breath mint/binaca/breath strips in case the interview is after lunch, and a toothpick or piece of floss for the same reason. No bookbags -- they don't look professional. If you are a gal you can bring a purse.

Since I'm a guy, I can't bring a purse. It wouldn't be awkward walking around with a resume folder thingy right? haha

 

[iA-MD2013]

Since I'm a guy, I can't bring a purse. It wouldn't be awkward walking around with a resume folder thingy right? haha

no not at all! about 80-90% of interviewees have one with them...you should be fine

 

[RoadRunner17]

Certainly. Just have a pen with you. They'll usually give you a folder full of medical school paraphernalia, with enough paper to write stuff down on the back somewhere. My style has been to bring a pen, and a map/directions sheet in my jacket, and I'll write down notes on the back of that sheet. That'll be that.

 

[dienekes88]

Manners, confidence, humility.

Seriously.

 

[LossForWords]

I didn't bring a portfolio to my interviews, but there were people at each that did. The schools give you a bunch of papers usually in some cheap folder, so I can see how it would be helpful.

I also stuck some tissues, cough drops, and mints in my pockets. I only ended up using the mints (after the morning coffee and lunch), but one of the other interviewees had a coughing fit and I got to help her out. Seemed worth it to me.

 

[rockydoc]

There's a good thread about this in the "08-09 applicant sticky thread" called "reminders of what to pack for OOS interviews" or something like that. It has a pretty exhaustive list and I consult it to make sure I've got everything packed each time I go on an interview.


Oh, and my 2 cents is that pad folios are uneccessary. A lot of other people bring them to interviews, but I've never seen anyone use one much. But its just preference.

 

[PandaBrewMaster]

I like to bring a padfolio/portfolio/notepad thing just to write stuff down. They almost always give you a folder with papers in it and you can write on the back of those but i still like to have that pad.

Also, during the interview, I kinda like to have something there in front of me so my side of the desk isn't totally empty. I dunno it's really just a personal preference thing. Then again the other purpose of having the portfolio is cuz I usually bring copies of my published papers to my interviews so as to more easily talk about them and reference them when necessary.

A pen is pretty much a must, youll inevitably have to write something down.

People who talked about breathmints and toothpicks is also a good idea, you dont wanna have bad breath and you dont wanna have food in your teeth.


More importantly than any of this.....just bring knowledge and confidence. Yeah.

 

[DrJD]

All the people I saw with portfolios didn't write down anything in them... Or if they did it was something just so they could look really intent...

(them writing.) Dean says they have high board scores...

That actually happened...

I second roadrunners, bring a pen and then if you need to take notes you can do it on the stuff they give you! G'luck!

 

[KSDeacon]

i only brought a pen to mine, and actually felt a little out of place, since everyone else had some form of notebook. I ended up not even writing anything down so it wasn't a big deal...

 

[fuzzywuz]

Thanks for the replies everybody. Great suggestions!