Interview Day TABLE 11-1 Possible Areas Highest Priority to Soe Extras Wards (or emergency room for _—-Emergencyroom Surrounding city Emergency Medicine interviews) “ancy > cafeteria Fitness faciities cu Lbrayleomputer Child care Surgical suites (fr surgical felds) resources facilities Call rooms oF resident lounges portunity to ask questions and expect more candid, realistic responses from current house office. ‘+ Lunch with residents or faculty. For those who may have missed the prein: terview social events, lunch ean be a chance to get to know the residents and geta better feel for the program, Use proper table manners and don’t eat too such, You don’t want to suffer a postmeal crash in the middle of afternoon INTERVIEWING In almost all studies on resident selection, the interview is judged to be one of the most important factors influencing house staff selection. Indeed, specific studies from most disciplines rank the interview at the top of the list or second only 10 rade point average. Applicant characteristics felt to be important in the inter: view include compatibility with the program, the ability to articulate thoughts and goals, the ability to work with a team, maturity, and hard work. It should also be noted that medical students find the interview process to be an extremely important element figuring in theie selection decisions, “Perceived happiness of ‘current residents” is one of the most important considerations for students, and this assessment is generally made during the interview day. ‘Try to artive 10 to 15 minutes early om the day of the interview. If possible, ‘make a trial rin tothe interview location the night before so that you don't get lost or delayed the next day. Punctuality is eritical as a resident, and you don't want to make a bad impression to start off your interview day. If there is an interview social event the night before, ask the current residents in attendance about the ‘best way to teach the interview location; they will give you great pearls on how not to get lost If you drink coffee regularly in the morning, help yourself to your usual cup (most programs will provide breakfast); but be careful not to over-caffeinate, especially ifyou are jetlagged. Your interview day isno time to make yourself more jittery orto ind yourself needing to use the bathroom continuously. You should also recognize that programs seldom attempt to standardize in. terviewing techniques from one faculty member to another or even to ask similar CHAPTER 11 Watch what you say to whom. Assume everyone you meet will have a hand in ranking applicants.258 a Table Manners 101: Always place your napkin in your lap, don't talk with your mouth full, and use utensils, not your fingers. Apathy is the kiss of death at interview time. Interview Day questions. Instead, incerviews are usually quite informal, However, most will re- sult in some type of quantitative rating that will be included in an overall point Generally, during the interview day the entire group of applicants gathers in a conference room and then waits to be called into individual interviews. This is good time to lear the pronunciation of your interviewer's name from the departmental secretary or the interviewer's administrative assistant. [t may help allay anxiety to remember that interviews often run behind schedule and that experienced interviewers are aware of this tendency. If you ate running late, your subsequent interviewer will understand when you explain that your previous inter- view has just concluded. When you meet your interviewer, introduce yourself and offer a firm, confident handshake. Remember to smile and conduct yourself with confidence and poise. After you are invited into the office, do not sit down until the interviewer takes a seat or invites you to do so. During the interview, maintain fairly constant eye contact with the inter- viewer. Do not let your gaze or attention wander, especially when the interviewer is speaking directly to you. Do not take notes during the interview; instead, re- member to write them down later. Try to project a high energy level even if this is yout fifteenth interview. Lack of enthusiasm is the most common mistake students make. Many students complain that the most difficult interviews are those with faculty members who lack enthusiasm. In fact, this will be the student's greatest challenge, Answer questions fully, bur do not ramble; if che interviewer wants to know mote about a particular subject, he or she will ask. Speak clearly and use proper grammar. If you ean, steer the interview toward your strong points, but do not pressure the interviewer or dominate the dialogue, Never look at your watch ‘even if you know that the interview is running overtime. When the interview is finished, thank the interviewer, shake hands again, and leave gracefully. POPULAR INTEVIEW QUESTIONS AND THE RIGHT ANSWERS! While the interview conversation could wind its way through many topics, there ate certain questions that are relatively universal across specialties. Iisa good idea tw jot down some notes on how you would answer these questions. In doing so you will be more prepared and feel confident, avoiding any momentary deer-in-the- headlights look when these questions are asked. 1, TELL ME ABOUT YOURSELF. This is perhaps the most common and most universal opening question during residency interviews. [ts an opportunity for you to tell the interviewer what you feel is important to know. It is also a way for the interviewer to understand what excites you and what experiences have shaped you. Do not simply share historic or biographical data. The key isto focus your answer, be succinct, and use the op- portunity to share something unique or expand upon what the interviewer already knows, One way to answer this question, isto briefly outline the motivation thatInterview Day brought you frst to medical school, then to apply in your specialty, and finally, why you applied to that particular institution. Through this you could highlight several of your strengths or interesting experiences. For example, you could men: tion intemational work you did that motivated you to go to medical school, re search you performed that inspired you to apply in that specialty, or a particularly meaningful patient interaction that steered you towards your field. You could then conclude with some of the reasons you applied to that institution and that area of the county. A major problem with answering this question is the potential to ramble. Be- cause the question is so open-ended, applicants may feel overwhelmed and try to answer too much at once. Instead, choose one simple strategy from the endless op tions. The interviewer may be interested to learn some aspect about you that isnot shared in your file. Alternatively, you may choose to use your answer to redirect your interviewer back to an important part of your file—tell your interviewer about an interesting activity in which you participated and expand upon what is written in your CV, This isa great time to highlight your intetests outside of medicine and share your well-rounded nature 2. WHY HAVE YOU CHOSEN THIS FIELD? ‘Thisis the mother ofall questions, and you should have prepared a response before ‘you even began the interview season. Programs seck to fill their positions with highly dedicated individuals who are likely to complete theit residency training. They do so in the knowledge that ifa resident decides he or she does not like sur- gery, it will be relatively dificult to find a second-year person to fill that resident's slot. Thus, ist and foremost to many residency program directors isthe student's commitment to and enthusiasm for the specialty, Program directors are especially concemed about students who have applied to more than one specialty in the Match, For these reasons, this is not a time to express indecision, even if the choice ‘was difficult. Instead, review your personal statement, as itis likely to hold the answer to this question, Reflect on the original reasons you chose your specialty and the answers you had to questions such as those listed in Chapter 3. Lifestyle and salary are not good reasons fora specialty choice. If this was a factor in your decision, i's better to keep that to yourself. A radiologist in a small town may take calls every night, and an internist may work in a clinic from eight to five. Few ‘emergency room physicians feel they have chosen a career with an easy lifestyle, although many students may have been told otherwise. Although the right answers to this question lie largely with the individual, they ate likely to include enthusiasm for a particular type of science or service as well as positive experiences in clerkships or electives. You may be able to shate stories of interesting patients you've treated within the field and who have inspited ‘you to choose a particular specialty. For some, the choice can be very personal, such as having a family member who suffered from a particular disease, which led ‘you to be interested in the related field of medicine. Long-standing interest in a field is reassuring as well, as would be the case for a physics major that chooses radiation oncology, a psychology major choosing psychiatry, or a family physickan CHAPTER 11 Lifestyle and money ‘are shallow reasons for entering a specialty. Stress philosophies and goals also shared by the programFr ras IF asked, always choose a weakness that you can cast In a positive light. f Interview Day with a long-term commitment to rural areas. If you've completed research within your specialty or ina related field, cis isthe perfect chance to highlight your work, as it both underscores your interest and dedication to the specialty and directs the interview to an important aspect of your application. 3. WHY ARE YOU APPLYING TO THIS PROGRAM? ‘Although this question is simple and obvious (much like “Why do you want this job?"), many students find themselves unprepared for it. There is, of course, an explanation. Students may be applying to 25 programs, or perhaps they are just beginning the interview process. A program may even have been chosen primar- ily for geographic reasons or asa fallback. However, this is obviously not what a program director wants to hear. Instead, you must be prepared to enthusiastically describe why che program for which you ate interviewing fills your needs. Toward this end, you should be able to find shared philosophies and goals. To do so, how- fever, you must first be familiar with the strengths of the program. It is certainly acceptable to state that “I ike this city," “I was bom here,” or “I have family here,” but such responses are not enough; something more specific about the program itself must be included in your response. Forming a response to this question is one of the main reasons you must do your homework before the interview day. Be sure you understand the curriculum, the goals of the program, and any unique features of the program, such as elective options, types of hospical affliated, or internacional opportunities. Highlighting the ways in which you feel the program is unique will help you answer this ques- tion satisfactor 4. WHAT ARE YOUR STRENGTHS AND WEAKNESSES? Strengths are easy to describe; afterall, you are an elite scholar who was admitted to medical school and is close to graduation. So be prepared to articulate the ways in which you have grown to take pride in yourself and in your work. Ifyou are rot sure what your strengths are, try asking some of your friends or classmates to describe what they perceive as your strengths. Sometimes having someone else's perspective can be helpful. ‘A potential pitfall, however, isto just rattle off alist of your great qualities, This can sound boastful and trite, Instead, try naming a quality and giving an example of when you have exhibited it. For example, you might state that you are organized and harcworking, and then go on to describe an event or experiment you planned that required a lot of organization and hard work. Or you might say that you are outgoing and form connections with patients easily, and then go on to desctibe a meaningful encounter you had with a patient and his or her family Addressing your weaknesses is somewhat trickier. Do some soul searching, or perhaps ask some close friends for their input before you try to answer it. You should always be truthful. However, you do not need to ai traits that you think ‘would compromise your job prospects, and the interviewer does not expect this of you. The purpose of this question is to see how you go about answering difficult questions and to get feel for your character more so than to learn actual new in-Interview Day formation, Irs false, and arrogant, to state that you are unaware that you possess any weaknesses at all. One good way to answer the question isto give a weakness that that can have a positive aspect as well; for example, I sometimes work too ‘much or spend too much time in the hospital and do not keep a good work-life balance; lam a perfectionist and sometimes get bogged down in details and have to take a step back to remind myself of the big picture. However, these answers ‘can frequently sound clichéd and shallow, So be prepared with an example if they ask you to elaborate. Another option is to present a weakness that you have alteady or are taking steps to overcome. Here are some examples of issues that most people, including your interviewer, can probably relate to: ‘+ “Lenjoy spending time with my patients, which means it sometimes takes me a Tong time t0 do a history and physical. However, by observing some great role models, 'm leaning how to be more efficient and concise, while still develop. {ng a bond with my patients” + "T sometimes lose track of everything I have to do when there is lot going oon, 30 [bought a PDA notepad and have started keeping track of my to-do list and carrying it around with me wherever I go. That has really helped me to prioritize tasks and get things done more efficiently.” ‘+ “Latill got nervous sometimes when I have to present at morning rounds. To get over this Ihave started quickly running through the presentation in my head beforehand, and keeping a bulleted lis of the important points that need to be communicated. Asa result I have leamed to stay organized and on point, and have also developed more confidence.” Most importantly, do not take and use one of these stock examples if they are ‘not true for you! Just asin the rest of the application and interview process, you rust be completely honest and genuine. A phony interviewee can be spotted a mile away. This is a Match process, and while goal number one is getting into a residency in your specialty of interest, ic is critically important that you enroll in a residency that isa good fit for you personally. 5. HOW/WHERE DO YOU SEE YOURSELF TEN YEARS AFTER RESIDENCY? Given that this is often one of the frst questions posed in the interview, students should be prepared to discuss both their career goals and other interests. For exams ple: “While my interests may change as I gain more experience during residency, at present hope to do a cardiology fellowship after my residency and spend part ‘of my time teaching residents and fellows.” Or: “After my pediatrics residency, I hope to do a fellowship in endocrinology and ultimately work in an underserved area.” If your long-term plans are not yet well established, however, it is better to state as much. Instead, you may generally explain the type of clinical setting you hhope to work at, whether you would like to be affliated with a teaching hospital for residency program, or highlight that you are open to the opportunities at & particular residency and may choose a fellowship based on required or elective rotations. Some residency directors may be concemed if interviewees state plans CHAPTER 11 Strength and weakness questions give the interviewer a sense of your introspection ‘ond self-awareness.cred ras f Interview Day that are too concrete, such as: "I want to do general surgery and then become a transplant surgeon.” Their concem is that the resident may not have a high level of interest and enthusiasm while on other services. So balance your true desires and plans without appearing too single-minded. Interviewers will sometimes use this question as a way to get to know an ap- plicant’s interests and aspirations. Its also a way to understand how well an appli- cant understands a particular specialty; for example, it may bea good way to gauge whether the applicant understands wat fellowships may exist within a specialty or what life as an attending will be like. This is a perfect opportunity to refocus the interviewer's attention on your application. If you've somewhat answered the question in your personal statement, yout can reiterate and expand upon those comments. If you hope to one day work as a faculty member and have done re- search, you ean direct the interviewer's attention to your work and highlight your interest in academic medicine. 6. WHAT ARE YOU LOOKING FOR IN A RESIDENCY PROGRAM? As with the question, "Why did you choose to apply to this program,” residency program directors pose this question because they want to find students who will be happy in their program. You will earn respect by seeking to ensute that the teaching, patient cate, and residents are ofthe highest quality. Excessive concer about salary or work hours will not be seen as positive, If you ate going into a pri- rary care field, you will also want a program that has a great continuity clinic. If you are entering a surgery feld, you should be concemed about case mix. You will also likely want programs with good track record of theie residents finding the fellowships or attending positions that they desired. Good morale is also key to a successful residency program, so finding a place where the residents are happy with the program is important, OTHER POTENTIAL INTERVIEW TOPICS 1. DESCRIBE AN INTERESTING CASE! Ie is not common for students to be asked to present or discuss cases, since mast faculty members recognize that such questions will make the student uncomfort- able and undermine the rapport between student and interviewer. Furthermore, testing medical knowledge on the basis of one case is not productive when grades, USMLE scores, and other data are available. Nevertheles, itis possible that you will be asked to present a case that had a significanc beating on your education, so be sure to have a case prepared! Be ready with a brief presentation and a les- son learned. Presentation skills are especially relevant in certain specialties, such as emergency medicine or surgery, where multiple patients must be presented in short periods of time, so interviewers may be more likely to ask for interesting cases during these interviews. You should be able to provide the key aspects of a patient's initial presentation, past medical history, and physical exam findings in 1 few succinct sentences,Interview Day Should you have a case presented to you, sce if tis intended to rest a basic lesson. For example, that lesson might be to not believe every lab test, to ask the patient a question that was missed, to check the physical exam again, or to take the history and do the physical yourself. We do know of some cases that have been presented to students with the goal of testing basic approaches to a patient. If you're put in the position of discussing a very specific disease or treatment modal- ity that you are unfamiliar with, don’t panic and instead take a moment to think through the problem presented. As with most parts of medicine, chere will not always be one cortect answer to a case presentation. Instead, it's important that ‘you can explain your approach to a patient and demonstrate your reasoning using evidence-based medicine. 2. DISCUSS THE POLITICS OF HEALTH CARE. Although we have not found this copie to be a significant area for student in- terviews, today. Department chairs and residency program directors will be concemed about i is imporcant to be aware of the challenges health care providers face hhow medical education, especialy as it pertains to their specialty of interest, will change in the future. They will be concermed about how faculty ean generate their own salaries while still finding the time to teach effectively and do research, They will want to provide indigent care but will recognize that academic medic eal centers cannot care forall patients who lack health insurance. They will seek reform in the medical malpractice process. Be engaging but not overly political in your discussion of these topics. In general, expect interviewers to stay away from topics that require you to reveal partisan Ieanings or that test your own political alfiliations. Ifyou find an issue to be overly polarizing, take the judicious route of ‘explaining both sides ofthe argument and your understanding of the reasoning for ‘each side. Ifyou feel very comfortable and knowledgeable on the topic, you may choose to take sides, but always acknowledge and be understanding ofthe fact that ‘your opinion is not shared by all 3. DESCRIBE A CHALLENGING SITUATION OR ETHICAL DILEMMA YOU FACED ON THE WARDS AND HOW YOU DEALT WITH IT. Incerviewers will sometimes be interested in learning about how you approach challenges and what problem-solving skills you use. Inevitably during third year you've had to deal with difficult patients or been placed on teams where the dy: namics did not work well. These are perfect examples to use when answering the question. Interviewers will not be interested in learning about all the details of why the situation is challenging or hearing you complain about what problems you en: countered. Instead, they will be more interested in hearing a short summary of the situation and what you did to overcome it. For example, if you had to deal with a patient who exhibited drug-seeking behavior, focus on the fact that you were able ‘to treat the patient's pain at the same time as working with a social worker to help the patient discuss isues of addiction, CHAPTER "1cary ras f Interview Day Interviewers will be intetested to learn that you understand what resources are available in both che hospital and outpatient settings. They will want to under- stand your approach to a situation and what teamwork skills you employ during those encounters. Focus on specific exaraples, rather than generalities. Describe sisuations that ended positively and in which you were able to bring your team together to truly improve the situation, 4. WHERE ELSE HAVE YOU APPLIED? Applicants are sometimes thrown off when program directors or other interview cs inquire about where they have applied. Most often, this question is asked as a general conversation topic, as a way to learn more about the applicant, oF as a ‘way co gauge the types of programs an applicant is interested in, [tis nat asked in order to find what programs the director might contact to gossip about you, and it should not be used by an interviewer to highlight negatives of other programs. If that occurs, you should be somewhat skeptical ‘You should feel comfortable answering the question honestly and may choose to answer by naming specific programs or by being more vague and describing the geographic regions to which you have applied. Sometimes, this question can be a great segue into explaining what you are looking for in a program. By giving ‘examples of the types of programs you applied to, you can describe what common ‘themes led you to apply—perhaps the programs al include research opportunities or they are all associated with county hospitals seeing urban populations—and it allows you to highlight how the program at which you are interviewing is particu- larly attractive to you. However, do not use this as an opportunity to be overly negative and bash other programs. You should instead highlight the positives of the program you ate visiting. 5. DISCUSS CONCERNS OR AN INCONSISTENCY IN YOUR APPLICATION (EG, DIFFICULTY WITH A SPECIFIC COURSE, ROTATION, EXAM). Rarely, a faculty member or program ditector may bring up a specific issue with your application. Ifthis occurs, ou should stay calm and consider tas an opportu- nity fora clear explanation. Your immediate response may be to become emotional or overly defensive; instead, you should not take the question personally, and you should try to take full responsibility for any specifi difficulty that you had. Identify what che confounding situation was (eg, family member illness) and state what you learned from this that will help you the next time a si In addition to the common questions discussed in derail above, below are a list of questions gleaned from residency directors, departmental chairs, and inter- viewers in a number of fields. Some are straightforward, some are off the wall, and others require some thought, preferably forethought! lar situation atises. 1. Describe a patient wich whom you had a particularly meaningful interaction, 2. What was the first job or the most interesting job you have had? 3. What is your favorite activity outside of the hospital? Or what do you do for fun?Interview Day 4. Do you feel comfortable working with patients ofall ages? 5, What is your leadership style? 6. What will you be considering or thinking about when you make your rank lise? 7. What would you do if you did noc ga into this particular specialty? 8. If the field of medicine did not exist, what profession would you have chosen? 9. Do you enjoy working under pressure? 10. What is the last specialty you would choose, and why? 11, What would you choose as your personal theme song? 12, What will be most important to you in ten years? 13, What is it thar separates you from the other interviewees and applicants? 14, Ac the end of your life, what would you like to be able to say about yourself and your life? 15, What do you think is an important unanswered question in medicine, and how would you design a research project to address it? 16, What would you like to talk about? ‘There are also numerous Web sites and online resources that contain com: mon interview questions, tips and techniques, and examples of how to answer the “hardball” questions. Many of these resources are not tailored specifically to residency interviewing, othe field of medicine for that matter, but they do often contain useful general principles and answers for general questions. One large da~ tabase can be found at [Link], a Wiki ste, which catalogs common job in terview questions and “answers” ([Link]/Q/FAQ/1869). Keep in mind, however, that this is a public site that contains unverified information, so take answers with a grain of sat. Student Doctor Network also contains a useful column ([Link] netfcategory/medicalfinterview-secrets/) about common interview questions and pitfalls. This resource is more tailored to the Match, ILLEGAL QUESTIONS ‘Questions considered illegal in employment sereening are those that deal with race, sex, age, body habitus, marital status, family plans, or physical disability. 1f you ate asked an illegal question, don't be defensive, Many faculty may be new to interviewing and may not realize that their question is inappropriate In response to an illegal question, you may choose co: 1. Answer. This isthe safest course. You may be open or vague. For example, if asked about plans to star a family, you might answer, “Ihave no plans to do so until after I complete my training.” Another answer could be, "My education is my priority right now.” CHAPTER "1Frey ras f Interview Day 2, Defleet. You can sidestep the question by saying something like, “That is an interesting question. I haven't really thought about i" Or “I would have to think about that more before [could answer.” 3, Decline to answer. You could remind the interviewer that his or her question is illegal and poitely refuse to comment. This isa high-risk tact. If you find yourself feeling uncomfortable during an interview because of an obvious or egregious “illegal question,” and you feel that it may affect your over- all review during the selection process, itis permissible to discuss the situation with the program director after the interview. Be sure to recall the name of the interviewer and the specific situation that made you uncomfortable. While i often difficult to approach your potential employer about the incident, the process should be made fair for everyone. After the interview day is over or during a break in interviews, politely ask the administrative assistant to talk with the program director, Altematively, you can call the program dizector after the interview day is over—often, it isn’t until a day or two later that you truly feel chat your perfor- mance may have been affected. Explain the situation and ask if there is anything yout can do to rectify what happened. The program director may simply make note of the situation and take chat particular interview with a grain of salt, or may offer you another chance to interview. More often than not, you'll find that the inter- viewer will not have realized that anything was weong and that your review would not have been affected either way INTERVIEW PITFALLS. Given all the time, expense, and adrenaline that enter into your program inter- views, you don't want to hurt your chances for success with an ill-considered an- wer of comment, Some of the problems that students face during the interview day are as follows: ‘+ Underestimating the importance of first impres 8. Before you ever open ‘your mouth to answer a question, you are sending a message to your inter- viewer. Proper appearance, confident posture, a smile, and a firm handshake are key. You may be nervous, but this is not the time to let it show. + Blurting out responses. Ifyou are blindsided by a difficult question, it’s okay to pause for a moment and think before you answer. Silence during an interview may feel long and awkward, but raking a few moments to collect yourself ean pay off with a smooth answer. ‘+ Rambling, Interviewers probably hear enough poorly constructed medical stu- dent presentations as itis, so try to focus your responses. If rambling is just a nervous habit for you, the problem should dissipate as you gain experience and become more comfortable with the interview process. If this is not the case, however, you should make a conscious effort to provide complete yet focused anowers. You may find that practice sessions with a friendly classmate ean help you overcome this tendency.Interview Day Not knowing anything about the program. No one will ever expect you to know their program through and through, but you should at least know the basics of each one. Interviewers do not want to waste the time allotted for the interview going over information that is ateady availble in their printed materials Focusing on the program’s weaknesses. I's true in a philosophical sense that you are interviewing the program as much as they are interviewing you. But be practical; don’t put the interviewer on the defensive by concentrating on the program's weaknesses, If these problem spots are of paramount importance to you, save your concems for the house staff or raise the issue in a friendly, rnonconfrontational manner, Inconsistent/evasive answers. Answers that don’t match up with what you wrote on your application will place interviewers on the alert as will answers that are incomplete. Emphasize your strengths as well as the clinical and aca- demic interests you share with the interviewer. At the same time, do not exag: erate le, or otherwise distort facts. Interviewers expect applicants to be open and honest. Displaying an eccentric personality. The interviewer is trying to picture you as a junior colleague with whom daily interaction will be necessary. So if you come across as domineering, uncooperative, oF temperamental, you will hurt your chances of selection even if your grades and other scores are good. Pejorative comments about other programs. Negative statements (especially unsolicited or unsupported digs) about other programs or your own school will be noted as indiseretions and will reflect badly on you. Interviewers will won: der what you might say about their program atthe next stop on your tour. You should also remember that the academic community is tight, and the inter viewer may have colleagues and friends at the programs you just put down, Poor interactions with administrative staff or current residents. Rudeness or lack of consideration for administrative personnel will be relayed to the resi- dency selection commictee and will end up as a strike against you. Always be on your best behavior and remember your manners in all of your interactions throughout the interview day. It's important to be polite to everyone, not just your interviewers. Not rehearsing answers. As discussed earlier inthis chapter, several interview questions are quite common, and you should have practiced the right answers before the big day. Avoid fumbling by participating in a mock interview session {speak with your advisor), However, ty to vary the structure of your answers a little so that you don’t come actoss as rehearsed. Not promoting key assets. Before you begin interviewing, you should prepare a list of key points that you would like to get across during the course of your interview. You will not have complete control over what is asked of you during the interview, but by knowing heforchand what information you would like to convey, you can work it into your answers. CHAPTER "1rrr ras You have put ¢ lot of work into interviewing, Don't cut yourself short by being unprepared. Don't get lured into criticizing other programs f Interview Day Zoning out. Now is the time to focus and show that you have good listening skills. If you have adequately prepared for your interview, you won't need to think of how you are going to answer a question while the interviewer is still speaking. Avoid the embarrsment of not addresing a question propetiy by ‘concentrating on what your interviewer is saying. Selling yourself short. You should avoid rambling, but never give 3 “yes" or “no” answer to an interviewer's questions. Always follow up with something that emphasizes your strengths as an applicant. When in doubt, you ean always lead the interviewer back to some aspect of your application, whether it isan activity, research, or your personal statement. Sticking your foot in your mouth, A litte silence is okay during the inter- View. Ifyou finish answering a question and are met with a blank stare, don't panic, The interviewer may be taking a mental note or thinking of what to ask younnext, or he oF she may be trying to make you nervous, Avoid the tempta- tion co change your answer or say something stupid. Minding your manners—to the extreme. It is important to be polite and formal, but not to the point that you avoid making a connection with your interviewer, Don’t be so focused on professionalism char you come across as rigid and distant, Relax a lcte and enjoy getting to know your interviewer, Being apathetic. People who volunteer to interview do so because they are ‘excited about their program and their specialty. They are looking for applicants who share the same enthusiasm. Ifyou ate jet-lagged, feeling blue, or having a slow morning, pur that aside and focus on being the animated, energetic petson that they might want to work with some day. Lacking confidence. If you have made it to the interview, you are past the hurdle of being considered acceptable, Don’t let the stress of the interview day or the competition get the best of you, Remind yourself of how far you have come, and go on your selling points. Projecting poise requires more than speaking confidently. Remember nonverbal cues as well: be certain to stand tall, smile, offer a frm handshake, don't fidget, and maintain eye contact. Lacking interest. Even if all your questions have been answered a hundred times over, never say no when an interviewer asks if you have any questions. Ik is always of benefit to get different perspectives on aspects of the program, and not asking a question could lead the interviewer to think that you are not very interested in the program. You can always tum the tables abit and let the interviewer do the talking by asking something like: "What made you choose this particular field/programleicy/” Ending on a low note. The end to the interview should mirror the beginning, Eye contact, a smile, and a firm handshake, together with thanking the inter- viewer for his or her time, are critical for a memorable finish,Interview Day WHAT DO | ASK THE INTERVIEWER? Toward the middle or the end of the sesion, your interviewer will invariably ask you, “Do youhave any questions?” As the interview season rolls on, you will begin ‘to get tired of this repetitive question, However, on every interview you attend, be prepared in advance with at least one or two questions that demonstrate your interest, as Jong as they are appropriate to the interviewer and to the program. Faculty members can fcld more philosophical and broad-based questions such as the ones listed below. An deal question to ask is one that the interviewer will enjoy answering, thus lending a positive tone to the encounter. Remember that you ate still the person under observation and evaluation, so do not harp on the program's weaknesses Also avoid asking questions about salaries and benefits, vacation, moonlighting, call schediles, and other aspects of day-to-day program operations. These ques- tions will be answered by the program director during the presentation portion of the interview day. Also, you can save these practical concems for the house staf, and keep your interview questions friendly and benign. Appropriate questions for faculty interviewers ate as follows 1, Where have your residents gone after graduation! 2. What process do you have for improving the residency! For evaluating rota- tions? Do you anticipate any changes in the residency program! 3, Have you ever done surveys of your graduates? What do they tell you! 4. What research opportunities are available? What isthe availability of funding for research? What kind of mentor support is available ftom the faculty? In what direction do you see the chair (or residency director) taking the pro- ‘gram! Do you believe that he or she will remain here during my residency training? 6. What opportunities are available to attend regional and nationsl conferences and seminass? How well do residents perform on board certification exams? 8, What is the structure of the last years of residency? Does the program offer elective time! Mini-fellowships? Time and opportunity to work abroad? 9. Is there training relating ta the business and legal aspects of the specialty? 10. How does the faculty support residents, and is there a formal mentorship pro- ‘gram within the residency? 11, What attracted you to join the faculty ofthis program, and what changes have you seen during your time here? CHAPTER 11 The questions you ask can be revealing to the interviewer.Interview Day WHAT TYPES OF QUESTIONS SHOULD I ASK THE HOUSE STAFF? ‘We have compiled a list of questions that you might ask house staff while you ate visting the program, Most of these questions deal with the daily operation of the residency. A few questions, however, ate sensitive ones that you might not feel comfortable asking all house staff members you encounter (eg, chief residents steeped in the program’s “party line"). These are ideal questions to ask at interview day social events, lunch with residents, or during the tour. Given that any question you ask could potentially make it back to the selection committee, always exercise discretion, especially with touchy topies. GENERAL QUESTIONS 1. Ate the residents happy? What featutes ofthe program do they like or dislike? 2, Would the residents choose the same program again? LOCATION 1. Is the program located in a safe part of the city? If not, what is the security system like? 2. What do residents do for fun around here? 3. What advantages are specific co the location (eg, unusual patient population, cultural opportunities, climate, low cost of living)? 4. How do residents commute to the hospital? Is there a useful public transit sys- tem in the city? 5, Where do most residents live? Do they rent or buy housing? REPUTATION 1, Do graduates ofthe program have problems finding jobs? 2, How diffcule is it for residents to get a good fellowship? EDUCATION 1. Is the program fully accredited? For how long? 2. How are the residents evaluated? By whom? 5. Is there an organized curriculum? What is its emphasis? 4. How many conferences are there per week? Do conferences emphasize practical knowledge or state-of-the-art research? 5. What is the quality of the attendings? What are their responsibilities? Do they get along?Interview Day 6. How interested ate the faculty in the education and welfare of the house staff! 7. What proportion of attendings ate private! 8. Are there medical students on the wards? What school(s) do they represent? ‘What are the residents! teaching responsibilities to the students? 9. What research opportunities are there? Are faculty research preceptots readily available? WORK ENVIRONMENT 1. Whats the patent load lke? ‘What are the typical admissions diagnoses? Hiow many cases are treated by the average resident? Is the caseload sufficiently varied? How much autonomy do residents have to manage patients? What is the patiene population like? Ethnicity/language? Sacioecanomic sta- us? Is there continuity of cate for patients afterdischarge? What is the extent and quality of the ambulatory experience? How strong is nursing support? Consult services? Radiology? Pathology? Emer- gency services? 10. How much “seut work" is done by house staff! Are there blood-drawing/IV 11. What is the typical call schedule? 12, How does the work environment vary fom service to service? From hospital to hospital? 13. How busy ate call nights? How much sleep do you usualy get? 14, How available are the attendings? Can you call hem at night? 15, Is there backup available when you'ee on call! Is there a night floa system? 16. How many hours do you work each week? Do the residents ever exceed the 80-hour workweek eap? 17. How much time do you get off each week! 18, Is there a fair backup or “jeopardy” system in case a resident isill or has afar ily emergency? How often is this system used? SALARY 1, What isthe starting salary for an intern? For an R2? 2. What about cost of living in the area? 3. Is moonlighting permitted? If so, how does it work around here? CHAPTER "1272 ras f Interview Day BENEFITS 1, What health benefits are available (eg, medical insurance, dental plan, vision plan)? Ate spouses covered? 2, What is the maternity/paternity leave policy? 3. Is life insurance available? Disability insurance? 4, Is parking provided? Is subsidized housing available? What is the vacation schedule setup? Ifyou havea chance, you may also want to speak with senior medical students at the institution you are visting. They can provide additional insight and per- spective into the institution and area QUESTIONS FOR THE DEPARTMENT CHAIR AND THE PROGRAM DIRECTOR Department chaits see the residency program as lying somewhere in a list of pri- orities. They are also responsible forthe overall budget, and their generosity may rake the difference between going to a conference or staying home; whether or rot an away elective is possible on the basis of funding issues; or whether start-up funds are available for a resident research project. Similarly, chairmen will know what changes may be imminent in a program or whether a program is likely to grow or get smaller, They will aso be responsible for helping recruit the best possible teaching faculty. Questions about these objectives—eg, whether additional faculty are being recruited or whether residents are encouraged to do research—will give the chair an opportunity to discuss his or her role in the residency program. ‘The residency program director is the most important person with whom you will interview. It is therefore key to determine if he or she appears to have a genuine concer for residents. If the program director does not demonstrate the personal qualities to treat you well on the interview, the situation will be worse when you arrive for work, Ask about the directors plans forthe future, ideas about curricular change, assessment of the quality of the graduating residents, and ap- proach to board preparation, WRAPPING UP THE INTERVIEW DAY If you ate serious about a program and want to learn more about it, speak to the departmental secretary or a house staff member and get the contact information for one or wo of the residents with whom you developed a good connection. This ray be helpful if you have additional questions or need advice. You can also ask about whether the institution allows or recommends second visits. A second visit allows you to spend more time on rounds, in clinic or surgery, in conferences, andInterview Day in che surrounding neighborhood. It also gives you an opportunity to confim or ‘modify your initial impressions of the program. However, do not feel obligated to return to a program, and do so only if you are truly interested in leaming more. “Many institutions discourage it, a it takes a great deal of work to set up shadowing ‘opportunities and second-look visits. Also, returning for a second visit will have ‘no beating on your rank position with the program. Be sure to jot down your impressions of each program while they are still fresh in your mind, After you have visited four or five programs, the details will start to blur. To help keep your facts and impressions straight, write down all your thoughts about a program as soon as you can at the end of the day. Use the Pro: ‘gram Evaluation Worksheet provided in Appendix B if you need help organizing ‘your thoughts. You will thank yourself later when you can rank your programs with detailed notes while your classmates are banging their heads against the wall try- ing to remember which program had the deluxe call rooms with the well-stocked reftigerators and HBO. ‘Also make a point of evaluating your own performance during the interview. If you were surprised by a question, review how you might give a more polished answer. If you had any dificulties, review the “Interview Pitfalls” section and take steps to ensure a hetter interview atthe next program. FOLLOW-UP LETTERS Unless your interviewer explicitly ells you not to do so, write a letter to thank ‘the program for its hospitality as well as to express your continued interest. In ‘general, you can write one letter addressed to the program director who invited ‘you to interview. This letter should be composed and mailed no more than a few days after the interview, while memories of the interview (both on your part and theirs) are still fresh. A sincere follow-up letter can help solidify the impression you left on the interviewer before itis washed away by subsequent interviews, If you also happened to click individually with one of more interviewers, you might choose to write them a brief thank-you note as well, Alternatively, you can men- tion that you enjoyed interviewing with those particular faculty members, and ask the program director to whom you are writing to extend your thanks to the other faculty. Personalize your leter by mentioning a specific topic that was discussed during the interview. Ifyou recently received any honors or awards itis perfeetly okay to tse your letter to update your application file, Do not be shy in describing why you liked che program and in stating that you will be ranking it highly, but only ifyou plan todo so (see Figure 11-1). Itshould be noted, however, chat follow-up letters carry limited weight, as many applicants choose to follow up on all the programs in which they interviewed and will often tell every program they will be ranked highly Ir should be reiterated that program directors do not ake follow-up leters into consideration when making their rank lists. CHAPTER 11 Have follow-up letters in the mail within 1-2 days of the Interview,a Specific reference to ——} your interview Explain your interest ——+ in honest terms. Express enthusiasm ———t without committing, Interview Day January 15, 2010 Dear Dr. Alpha, +> | would like to thank you and the entire surgery program at Best University for the opportunity to interview and for making my visit so pleasant. | especially enjoyed our discussion regarding health care reform, and am curious to see how the current debate will be resolved at a national level L, | was very impressed by your program's commitment to urban health care. The house staff and faculty whom | met were clearly enthusiastic and de sted to the residency program. Please also pass on my thanks to Drs. Beta and Delta for taking time out of their busy schedules to interview me. +> | plan to rank your program highly, and would be very happy to become a part of the Best Surgery Residency Program next year. If you have any other questions about my application, feel free to ‘e-mail or call me at 203-555-5555, Sincerely, Jane Gamma FIGURE 11-1. Example of a follow-up note.