Re: About Interview Prep Materials
adonis123 - 09-27-10 03:56



A Sample Interview: Q's/A's:


Here r some sample Interview Questions and Answers.These r meant to give an idea about how an interview takes place i.e.,how it starts and how it ends.Please don't just memorise these answers.These answers r only for yur guidance.Good Luck!


PD-
Hello, come on in! Have a seat. How is it going so far?

U-
Hello, thank you for asking. It's going well .Everybody has been very nice and I am very impressed with the hospital.

[Sit down.Say thanks and wait for them to ask.]

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PD-
Good to hear that. ( Picks up your file). Okay, tell me about your self. Why you are here today?

U-
Well! As you know my name is Dr. U. I am a graduate of XYZ medical college. After graduation, I wanted to pursue a residency in USA so I passed all my steps with ___ scores. I moved to the United States in year ____, and since then I have been working at ________ hospital as an _______. I am here today because I am interested in your program for residency. I have had some friends of mine who have done residency here and based on their feed back as well as what I have heard about your program from other sources including Dr. XYZ ,I have been working with, I was very keen to visit your program. I am glad I made that decision.

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PD-
What are you applying for though?

U-
I am applying for Family Medicine.

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PD-
Why are you interested in Family Medicine?

U-
My interest in Family Medicine goes back to my medical school years. When I was doing rotations in US, I happened to get familiar with Family medicine. I knew I had an interest in it but I wanted to make sure that this is what I want to do for the rest of my life. To find a definite direction, I opted to work with a Family Physician. It was a very interesting experience as every day I got to see different aspects of this specialty. I still have very vivid memories of a man I met with (this is the time for an interesting case).. After that experience, I knew for sure that this is what I want to do and enjoy it at the same time as well. "


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PD-
Interesting! What difference did you see in medical practices here as compared to your medical school?

U-
As there are geographical differences between the two areas, so the medical practices as well as disease prevalence is quite different as well. Our hospital was one of the biggest hospital in the country with all the modern equipment. I did observe some differences though. Back home, we rely more on our diagnostic skills and as diagnostic tests are not heavily used in our setting. It was very interesting to see the role of diagnostic tests and imaging in medicine here in the US. In our system over there, medical care is not very distinguished as it is here. Physicians have a very wide scope of practice as compared to US where different teams take care of patients at different levels of care.

[Your medical school was the BEST!! Your system was as competitive as any system out there. YOU MUST PROVE THAT. You must prove that you are as competitive as rest of their American candidates.]


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PD-
Very interesting! Tell me about something that motivates you as a physician? Something which has helped you all this time?

U-
What motivates me as a physician is that in medicine you never stop learning., and I love to keep learning. Also , I will be able to practice in area of great need as the one I live in.

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PD-
What do you think are the draw backs of medical system in USA from your perspective"?

U-
I have come from a different system. I have seen some amazing advancements in US medical system. I am very impressed by the quality of research that is being done here in different field. US has a diverse patient population, now that number of immigrants is constantly increasing. Physicians here have a broader range of experience. The only draw back that I see in the system is lack of health care for all. I think we as physicians have very limited privileges to help the entire community from all socio-economic levels.

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PD-
How do you think you can be a productive member of our residency program?

U-
I can bring a hard working, honest and dedicated resident to your program who does not shy away from his responsibilities. I get along well with everyone and as a resident I have the ability to work in a team as well as on my own. I am obsessed about learning new things every moment of my life through books and my surroundings. I have a very sharp observation and that helps me make tough medical decisions if I have to. Your program has certain strengths that perfectly match with my qualifications. As it is a busy residency program with high patient load, my back ground in Medicine will help me fit in very quickly without much time needed for training. I have been living in the US for a while and I am familiar with ethics and dynamics of medical practices here. Geographically, your program is in an area with a diverse population. My ability to communicate both in English and Spanish,Urdu,Hindi,etc. gives me an edge over other applicants. I am sure you have a very competitive pool of applicants, but based on my background and qualifications, I am sure I will be a very productive member of your staff.


TIPS:
[ This is your TIME when you are asked this question. This is like the final deal. What can you bring to the program. The answer should start with your strengths.

Strength 1, one word
Strength 2 , one word

After that you can tell them what their program is all about.

[Program quality One= matches your strength]
[Program quality Two= matches your strength]

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PD-
What will you change in yourself if you had a chance to do so? Any regrets in your life?

U-
I have some regrets in my life as I believe no human being is perfect. But rather than crying over it, I like to take actions to correct them as much as I can. My biggest regret is not taking my USMLE exams when the time was right. I think I was hasty about these exams, had too much over-confidence in my abilities.If I could go back in time and correct something, I would have taken my usmle exams at a time when things were a little better in my life and there were not too many distractions. I did fail my exams because of my hasty decisions, but I didnot let it pull me down. I tried again with all my hard work and I passed it with ___ score. I am very proud of myself that I can bouce back after failures and my life does not stop there.

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PD-
Why should we hire you and not some other candidate with better credentials than you?

TIPS:
[Since PD already has asked about your strengths. So you don't have to be defensive at all.]

U-
Well, I know your program is a very good program and you will be getting many excellent candidates who will be interested to do their residency in this program. I have told you about my strengths already. If you want me to go over them again, I can do that as well. But I really can't comment on why you should hire me? I trust your experience and judgment. I am sure you will select the best candidate.

[Because I am a better fit for your program. Yes,high scores certainly look good on paper but I am an excellent clinician and I work very well with communicating with people and along with my ability to speak English as well as Spanish,etc it is more important ,in my opinion, than having very high grades on the usmle. When it comes down to it , a patient wants a doctor who is understanding , who they feel comfortable with and this is me.]

*If he has not asked about your strengths, then the answer will be different.

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PD-
Ok , Dr.---, tell me about an interesting case from your medical school?

U-

Describe any Interesting case.

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PD-
Let's say a patient comes to you during your internship and you think he should be prescribed certain medication. You discuss this with your senior resident and he disagrees. He asks you to prescribe another medication. You go back, check the literature and you find that this medication can cause arrhythmia in this patient. You go back to your senior resident and he still argues to give the patient that medication. What will be your next plan of action in this situation?

U-
Well, the safety of the patient is always first so in a polite way I will say that I have just read that this drug can cause harm to this patient. I think it's a better idea that we do not give him/her this drug.
[If the resident still insists, you will take the advice from an attending. You will never be in trouble if you intend to cause no harm to the pt.]

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PD-
Do you have any questions about the program that you want to ask me?

U-
You can ask something like this.
1) How much supervision do you provide for residents in their first year?
2) How accessible is the faculty for their residents?
3) What is the best way to learn in your program?
4) What are your expectations from your residents?
5) What do your residents do usually after residency?
6) How much opportunity do we have as residents to present cases in case conferences?
7) What is your educational structure for Grand Rounds etc.,
8) Is there anything you are working on to improve in your program?
9) If I am the right candidate for your program, what can I expect from now on? (Indirectly asking for prematch)
10) How much autonomy do we have in managing patients?
11) How accessible are the faculty?
12) What do you expect of your residents?
13) What do you think of these questions?

TIPS:

[1-Always prepare at least 5-6 questions that u want to ask.

2-You donÂ’t want to ask about typical day because u already witnessed that before your interview. That is a question for lunch break.

3.What if they already "KNOW ME"?

Don't mention or act as if you know anything about the program already. Just add phrases like "I have seen this but I would love to ask...." . "I know this happens this way but I am really interested to know....."

I have seen already that the residents enjoy independence and individuality in this program. Do you think the faculty overall believes in supervision or autonomy for the residents?"
After that, when he answers this question, you may want to jump to another question like,

You have a very competitive pool of residents here. What are your expectations from your residents generally?".
Once he answers that, you ask him:

Dr. XYZ, I have done my rotations here. I am sure you have excellent candidates willing to get into your program but out of all of them, I am the only one who has worked with you(someone else) in a clinical setting. You/He have seen my interaction with patients and you/He are(is) well aware of my clinical skills. I want to take this opportunity to ask you very honestly, what should I expect from this point onwards?"]

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PD-
Tell me something about yourself that your friends don't even know?

U-
Usually my friends know pretty much every thing about me but the only thing that they might not know is that I do a lot of volunteer work. I usually don't like to talk about it but this question compels me to do so. I make sure that I spend atleast one weekend in a month doing some kind of charity work in our mosque,etc. or free clinics around the city.

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PD-
Are you sure you will be happy here knowing that you will be far from home and friends?

U-
My family fully supports my decision to join your program. They can visit me anytime. Infact my mom and dad/ wife and kids/ girl friend or boy friend is planning on moving with me here when I start my residency. So, I have no problem making this decision.

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PD-
Where do you see yourself in 10years?

U-
I see myself as a faculty in your program, teaching medical students and residents. I will be also doing my research projects and may be do some research fellowships.

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PD-
If your chief resident is studying for his exams and makes you do all the work, what are u going to do?

U-
Although I dont mind working hard and helping out my colleagues. I would love to help him out . At the same time, I believe in open communication. So , I will communicate openly with him . If at any point I feel it is too much of a burden, I will let him know.

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PD-
How do you handle conflict?

U-
I've found that when conflict occurs, it helps one to fully understand the other personÂ’s perspective.So, I take time to listen to their point of view, then I seek to work out a collaborative solution.

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PD-
U have had yur training experience in specialty 'a' and now interviewing for specialty 'b' . Why would u want to change after years of experience in other specialty.

U-

TIPS:

[First of all interviewer's impression would be that you either got bored, burnt out, or lost interest because either the schedule was very hectic, you did not like certain aspects of your specialty like insurance or taxes or you can't handle it any more because you dont have the same circumstances that favour that.

If you have spent a specific time in that specialty, you can just talk about the negative aspects of that specialty at the level of policies and structure. Something that makes it sound like you enjoyed it when you started , but over the time certain changes happened in the over all structure of the specialty that kind of repelled you.

You can also mention some personal situation that compels you to change specialties like kids, relationship problems due to your hectic schedule.

If the other specialty is closely similar to the one you are leaving, you must mention from the above ones the former than the latter. If there is a dramatic difference, you want to go for the latter.]

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PD-
‘One PD made me PD and asked to design a residency program?’

U-
Being unique is an advantage. I will design my own program making sure it makes sense!

TIPS:
[I mean depending on the situation, in USA it is always better to just disagree very diplomatically to certain questions and this sometimes impresses the interviewer that this person has an opinion of her/his own. You are not required to say, Yes Sir, all the time. You can be unique and different than the rest of the crowd. I will give you an example. One of the PDs an applicant interviewed with asked him about his weaknesses. He said, "I am a perfectionist". PD made a comment " surprisingly all the others I interviewed were also perfectionists. We have a very perfectionist pool of applicants this year". It was embarrassing to the applicant . He should have rather said, I think I have a lot of them but can't think of any specific one right now or I simply have none. Its always good to be different and unique with your answers. Just be honest!!!! You will never get into trouble if you are honest]

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PD-
What are your weak points?

U-
1-I think my English wasn't as fluent as it is required to practice in USA so I took a course recently and I feel I have improved a lot"
,or
2- I feel sometimes I give attention to too much details and that kind of slows my overall performance but I try to prioritize my work now paying attention first to most important then to least important. That helps me finish my task more productively".

TIPS:
[What they want to know is what is your weak point and what you are doing to correct it.]

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PD-
What errors have you made in patient care?

U-
I believe medicine involves learning through out one's professional life and learning through my mistakes is what I believe in. Although I have not made any error that has caused any harm to any of my patients but I remember one incidence when I forgot to page my attending during my medicine rotation and tried to make decisions on my own. I was over enthusiastic when I was a medical student and had over confidence in my knowledge and ability. Never the less, I learnt through my error and now I realize that every procedure should have a structured protocol. In a hospital setting, documentation and proper relay of information through the chain of supervision is essential for proper patient care. I am glad I learnt it the hard way!!

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PD-
What is the greatest fear about practicing medicine?

U-
My biggest fear in practicing Medicine is emotional attachment with my patients. As medical students we are taught persistently to be somewhat insensitive to make tough medical decisions. I come from a different culture. Our culture is based on emotions and sensitivity. I find it hard not to relate to my patient's pain and suffering. I feel this is my weakness and I must work on it to be a better physician in the real world."

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PD-
Biggest failures in life and what have you done to ensure that they won't happen again?

U-
Failures are small obstacles that help us move in the direction of our success. I have had many moments when I didnÂ’t achieve what I intended to do but I donÂ’t regret those moments for once. For me, my biggest failure has been my inability to perform well on the USMLE exams. Having said that, if I look back at my life, I feel this failure has made me stronger and even more motivated to do everything possible to get decent USCE and work hard to overcome this obstacle.( I will mention my USCE in detail here). If I had not failed in getting good scores in the first step, I had not learnt the meaning of working hard for my goal that ultimately is to get into your program. I am not at all embarrassed or ashamed of my scores. I would rather like to look at where I am right now and what I have achieved after that."

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PD-
What were the major deficiencies in your medical school training? How would you plan to remedy this?

U-
I have graduated from the top Medical school in my country. If you look through the rank list from my country, you can verify this information. I don't think my school had any deficiencies in their teaching or what so ever. The only difference might be the that it is not USA so the diseases prevalent in that part might be different. We were taught everything in English. To get myself familiar with the medical system in USA, I have done so and so(talk about your USCE). I find myself very confident about my medical knowledge and my USCE has overcome any deficiencies that I may have being a foreign medical graduate. (Remember your school is the best!!!!!)

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PD-
How should you explain the gap in your CV?

U-
I completely agree that there are certain periods when I was not doing anything significant in my professional life but I have an explanation for that and I am sure you are interested to know about that. (You explain whatever the reason was. A personal reason always works best. A family member's illness, change of location, health reasons). Try to be honest about this question because honesty here will bring substance to your answer. I have answered very honestly during my interviews" I didnÂ’t get any opportunity but as soon as I got one, I grabbed it and now I am working at such and such hospital."

Q-
Tell me about a time you didn't perform to your capabilities.

( This question forces the candidate to describe a negative situation. Do so in the context of an early career mistake based on inexperience; then demonstrate the better judgment you now have as a result of that learning experience.)

A "The first time I had to give a presentation to our research team, I failed to anticipate some of their questions. I was unprepared for anything other than what I wanted to discuss. After that my research adviser and I brainstorm all the what-ifs in advance."

Q-
Will you take a drug test?

(Often the willingness to take a drug test will be proof alone that you are drug free and an actual
test may or may not be given. To be appointed to a residency program some employers want people who are drug free and can work without the negative and harmful effects of drugs.)

A-The only answer is yes, a very big positive yes.

Q-
If you are asked a question that you do not know the answer to, how do you find
the answer?

TIP-
Be prepared for this type of question by researching the program website (ex-links to protocols, “uptodate” websites) and other relevant materials granted you will not know all the answers but you will have a pretty good idea about it. Remember previous hospitals where you practice may have had entirely different policies, protocols and procedures.

A [Ex]-
I do spend time researching the program website and depending on how much material
they have out there; I will have a pretty good idea and I would always go to my senior or faculty supervisor with any questions I may have.


Q-
What color is your brain?

TIP-
Be aware that you'll probably be asked zany questions. The point is not to stump you, but to find out what makes you tick. When the standard interview questions are asked, people are prepared, and it's harder for the interviewer to get to know the real person. There is no right or wrong answer to this type of question. In fact, the interviewer won't even really care what your answer is. The point is to see how fresh and creative you are with current medical information and how you think and even your personality. Be sure to explain why you answered the way you did.

A [Ex]-
My brain is red because I'm always hot. I'm always on fire with new and updated clinical information

Q-
Was there a course that you found particularly challenging?

TIP-
The interviewer will want to see how well you respond to difficult situations. Demonstrate that you won't fold in the face of difficulty, and that you're willing to put in the extra effort to meet a challenge.

A[Ex]-
"Initially I was completely overwhelmed by the [any particular subject/course] that I took last year. No matter how hard I studied, I seemed to be getting nowhere. I got just above average for the first test. So I tried a new approach. Instead of just studying by myself, I asked a friend who's a [related to the particular subject/course] to help me with my studies. I also began to seek help from the professor after class. And I found that more time I spent [the new approach you had] was critical. I ended up with a A-plus in the last term course and thought I achieved a solid understanding of the material. More than that, I learned that tackling a new [particular subject/course] of study sometimes requires a new approach, not just hard work, and that the help of others can be crucial!



Q-
Why didn't you participate more in extra-curricular activities?

TIP-
The interviewer may be worried that if you don't have many outside interests, you may eventually suffer from burnout. Employers like candidates who are well rounded and have interests outside of work. If you didn't participate in formal extracurricular activities in college, you still may want to talk about some of your interests, such as reading or exercising, that you may have a passion for running even if you weren't on the college track team.

A [Ex]-
I wanted to give as much effort as possible to my studies. I came from a high school in a very small town/your country, where I received a lot of A's/good grades, but this didn't prepare me well for higher studies/college. So I studied hard. I have, however, found time to explore the new things/city and make new friends, and I do socialize formally on the weekends.

Q. How do you see the delivery of health care evolving in the 21st century.

a. Numerous changes are inevitable, not only on how it is practice, but also the way it is funded and managed. Newer discoveries, newer drugs, and radical changes in treatment protocol as a result of new emerging evidences are inevitable. Immunopharmacology including monoclonal antibodies are the hot topics of the new era of medicine. Gene Therapy might be the next hot topic as a solution for many diseases.
b. In US, with President Obama pushing forward the universal healthcare, healthcare will become more affordable. We might see major changes in the role players in the commercial healthcare market, with more autonomy to individuals as to which healthcare plan to endorse. I hope the no of uninsured population will go down, and everybody realizes that health is a basic human right. But this will put a lot of strain on the existing hospitals and physicians in the country. Publicly mandated health insurance for all will be developed, and this will increase the workload on the existing healthcare infrastructure. We are going to need more primary care physicians.
c. We will probably see More focus on preventive medicine; in view of the rising healthcare costs.


Q. What is the biggest challenge facing health care delivery?

a. The steeply increasing cost is the biggest challenge facing the health care delivery system. Health care has become more and more profit oriented.
b. Physicians are practicing more and more defensive medicine, sending unnecessary investigations. This has made health care in the US 4 times as costly as in other developed nations of the world.
c. Plus the gargantuan overhead/administrative cost related to the hundreds of insurance companies and HMOs is causing less money to actually go into the health care of the people. US spends almost 15% of its GDP on health care, highest among all developed nation, and 30% of that goes to overhead cost. Due to this, the health outcome of the population is far worse compared to other countries, with IMR, Quality of life index and DALY comparable to middle eastern and African countries.
d. Pharmaceutical companies are gaining a huge and ugly profit by selling medicines invented 50 years ago, on the name of patent rights.
e. To control this, govt should set a limit on the profit margin that pharmaceutical and insurance companies can achieve.
f. Single payer health system, like the universal health care talked of so often by President Obama, and like NHS of the Great Britain, might decrease the overhead costs associated with management.
g. Tort reform to curb litigation on physicians would also decrease the unnecessary investigations that doctors do to defend themselves against any lawsuit.

Q. What do you consider the positive and negative aspects of this specialty?

a. The positive point, especially of primary care, is that we can manage the patient as a whole, with help from other specialties. We are in charge of everything that is going on in our patient, and we have to coordinate with different specialties. This is a very appealing prospect of medicine. Plus if we ever decide to specialize, there are a vast majority of subjects we can choose from, from interventional cardiology to interventional nephrology. We get to sit down and think and not rush around all the time like in Emergency medicine or surgery, which is why this specialty interests me so much.
b. The negative aspect is probably the multiple subspecialties that this specialty is divided into. Superspecialisation is like a double edged sword. On one hand, it makes us good in a particular field, but on the other hand it takes us farther away from the patient. It makes us into mechanistic beings who are taking care of one aspect of the patient or the other, without any regard for the total well being of the patient. But I guess that is what the primary care physicians are there for.
c. We have a busy and stressful life, with limited time for personal and family life, compared to say radiologists, pathologists or dermatologists. But I guess if we can manage our time well, we can have a pretty decent personal life. And I am ready to sacrifice a part of my personal life for the sake of a clinical career. Clinics is just too addicting to leave.

Q. What differences do you see in the health care system between your and this country?

a. In our part, the motto is doing the greatest good to the greatest no of people. Hospitals and ER are very crowded and stressful, so are the floors. So pt rarely gets individual attention from the doctors. Here, patients are cared for individually by doctors, which is nice.

b. Definitely we are low tech in our part of the world, no interventional radiology, no fancy drugs like imatinib and rituximab. Only drugs which are being used for a long time are available, and we have to make do with them. No new investigative technologies like MUGA or PET scanning, ie no any radionuclide imaging.

c. Even those treatment and investigations available cannot be afforded by many, so we have to rely on our clinical judgement more than anything.

d. The doctor to patient ratio is very low, workload is high.

e. We don't have electronic record keeping system, and no way of coordinating care between 2 centers.

f. We have less fear of litigation in our part, so doctors don't practice defensive medicine like here. In our part, whatever doctors say is the ultimate, patients don't question that. That's one of the reason healthcare is very cheap in our part of the world.

g. The education level of general public is also not enough for patients to be proactive for themselves, so doctors have to decide on the best course of treatment most of the time.

h. There is mostly no concept of healthcare insurance, so patients all pay their own bills, but the good part is that the cost of treatment, atleast in public hospitals, are very low and significantly subsidized by the government.

i hope this doesnt make our country look too bad.


Q. What if you don't match?
a. I wont give up. I Will still try for same speciality next year, and will do some volunteering, externship and research in the meantime. Medicine is the dream of my life, and I wouldn't leave that for anything.
,or
a. I believe with my current qualifications I will match but if I do not match I will try to find more venues to gain professional growth like find new externships, participate in research and find more events to volunteer and make a difference.

Q. What would you do if the housestaff have a job action, aka a strike?
a. Depends on if the issue directly concerns me or not- if it does, then I would have to show solidarity/unity by joining the job action; if it doesn't then I wouldn't waste my time, I will just go on working.

Q. How do you see the health care delivery system of the country evolving?
a. With the universal health care pushed by President Obama, I think we will see radical changes in the way we provide healthcare, and the way it is funded. There is a huge impetus for making a public health insurance mandate, which will increase the insurance coverage to all citizens. That way the workload of the hospitals is going to increase, and we might have to shift our focus towards greater good for greater no of people. We might have to prioritise our resources, and use them efficiently. Defensive medicine might have take a downturn, and we might be able to practice more efficient healthcare without worrying about litigations. Next big issue is how to curb the rising health care cost. Again if physicians don’t have to worry about litigations, and if government puts a limit on the profit margin that any pharmaceutical company or insurance company can accrue, I think that will atleast halt the growing healthcare cost.

Q. What problems will our speciality face in the next 10 years?
a. With govt pushing universal health care, and medicare already going into bankruptcy, with the elderly population growing day by day, especially due to the baby boom generation, I think we will face a major lack of fund in treating elderly population in the days to come. It will be tough for hospitals to get reimbursement for their services from the Medicare, so that they might have to drop physicians, or the services they provide, and this might also hamper the amount of innovations and research that is going on in geriatric medicine.

Q.WHY DID YOU BECAME A DOCTOR ?
a. I had been a very good student throughout my childhood. I thought medicine would be intellectually challenging. So I got into the top medical school of my country after a very competitive entrance examination. Plus the satisfaction that comes with solving peopleÂ’s problem is priceless. Also you get a good respectful life in return of all the hardships you endure, which is a fair compensation I think. During the first 2 years of medical school, my inquisitiveness about the human body kept me going. But after entering clinicals, then this profession really pulled me in. There is nothing that beats the charm of a clinical career.


Q.What might give me a better picture of you than I can get from your resume?

tell him- i guess working with me is going to give you a better picture. .lol. no seriously, there is no other answer to that.

Q.How do you feel to start as an intern ?

tell him how the rotatory internship back home is different than the internship of residency over here. so there is no question of any 'pinch' effect.

Q.how do you keep yrself updated?

Easy answer- name some journals (and that's why you should make a habit of regularly reading atleast one journal, preferably JAMA or NEJM- most of their content is available free.)

Q.Have you applied to other specialities ?

That's a yes/no question, and i dont believe in lying. But justify why you did that. Many PD do understand. Even AMGs do that, so dont worry.

you can draw a parrallel among FM/IM and peds, they are almost the same thing. Say you have a good grasp of pathophysiology, and you are more of a thinker, say you never really felt like surgery related field was yr cup of tea, and anything apart from that has always interested you.

Q.Describe your learning style?

a. First i prioritise what to read, I get together good resources, then I scour the material once for a general overview, after that I highlight important points as I read again, and then make a shorthand note of the important points to make it easy to revise again.

When it comes to learning skills, I first learn by watching, then I practice the skill on a dummy if it's a procedure or on a normal person, like a friend, if it is a clinical skill. Then , after a couple of trials with the dummy, i give it a try under the supervision of somebody who is adept in that procedure.

Supervised autonomy and self directed learning are the core of my learning technique.


Q. How do you make decisions? Are you a risk taker? What was the most difficult decision you had to take in your life?
a. I take very calculated decisions. I m not much of a risk taker. Probably the most difficult decision was whether to stay in my country or come to US for my further studies. My own country, is afterall, my own. But, there were so less opportunities for further studies, and not many opportunities for superspecialisation that I decided to come here.

Q. What kind of patient do you have trouble dealing with?
a. Yes , there are certain personality types that are difficult to handle, especially patients who don't respect the rush we are working in and always want everything to be done there and then , have a lot of time pressure, and don't realize there are other patients under our care too.
b. But , I try to act professionally with all of them, and put extra effort to make them comfortable -after all , I understand everybody becomes selfish and stubborn when they are sick- it's like a defense mechanism.


Q. How do you normally handle conflict? How do you handle disagreements with colleagues or attending? How do you handle criticism?
a. I don't have problem handling criticism these days, because many criticisms can be constructive. I state whatever is in my mind, and then say I will think about it. That's it.

Q.What is the toughest aspect of medicine for you ?

b. Toughest aspect will probably be doing the right thing, and keeping abreast of all the developments in EBM(Evidence Based Medicine) that is changing the way we practice medicine day by day. Keeping track of new recommendations, like PPI improving COPD patients, and those unrelated and seemingly weird things, that is quite a challenge for a clinician. The standards and the recommendations keep on changing, and to be at the top of my game is really a challenge for us all.


SIMPLE Q's to make you RELAX, BUT don't make a MESS.

WRONG responses:

1
Q-How are you today?
A-So, so. I'm rather nervous actually.

2
Q-Did you have any trouble finding us?
A-As a matter of fact it was very difficult. I missed the exit and had to return via the highway. I was afraid I was going to be late for the interview.

3
Q-Isn't this great weather we're having?
A-Yes, it's wonderful. I can remember this time last year. Wasn't it awful! I thought it would never stop raining!


CORRECT Responses:
(The BEST way to respond is in a short, friendly manner without going into too much detail.)


1
Q-Interviewer: How are you today?
A-I'm fine, thank you. And you?

2
Q-Did you have any trouble finding us?
A-No, the office isn't too difficult to find.

3
Q-Isn't this great weather we're having?
A-Yes, it's wonderful. I love this time of the year.


Good Luck!

Re: About Interview Prep Materials
adonis123 - 09-27-10 03:59



Tips for Residency Interviews:


Getting a medical residency interview call is a great feeling. All the hard work you had put in towards the residency application process and the ERAS / NRMP system has finally paid off. However, this is not the time to relax. Much work needs to be done for the Residency interview. Residency interviews can be very expensive trips. Try to plan ahead by calling the medical residency programs and arranging for interview dates. Airfare is usually cheaper midweek and if booked 3-4 weeks in advance. Some good online discount travel sites include Orbitz , Expedia , and Sidestep . For hotel rooms, you cannot beat the prices you get by bidding on Priceline .


Preparing for the residency Interview
When you get a residency interview call, you should plan to schedule your interview so that you can complete all residency interviews in a specific geographic area within a 5 to 10 day period. This saves you time, energy and money. However, if you are looking at a specific residency program, visit it ASAP.
You should plan to attend your medical residency interviews during the months of November and December. If a particular residency program interests you, schedule a second visit for a closer look.
Research about the residency program you are going to. Visit the residency program's website, read their brochure and take down notes for reference later. This helps you prepare to ask appropriate and intelligent questions at the medical residency interview.
We recommend dressing professionally and conservatively. You should wear clothes that fit you well and make you feel comfortable. This will help you endure the long day and project an image of confidence.
Once you receive the schedule for your medical interview day, read about the areas of interest of each residency interviewer and look up some medical research papers published by them. This will impress them and keep an intelligent conversation going. You can search for research papers by entering author names at www.pubmed.com .
Practice pronunciation of difficult names of interviewers, so that you can get it right at the residency interview.
If you have any unexplained gaps in your work experience or it has been a few years since you finished your medical school, be prepared to give an explanation.
If you had to take any qualifying USMLE exam more than once or if your USMLE scores are low, be prepared to explain.
Most residency programs invite candidates to dinner, the day before the residency interview. Even though it is optional, it is in your interest to attend this social event with your spouse. This is the time for you to show your social skills and score points with the residents, fellows and other candidates.
Make a list of interview questions to ask and carry a folder to give yourself the professional look.
Network with your friends and other residency applicants to find out details about specific medical residency programs, their interview questions, patterns, and their impressions.
Even though asking medical questions at residency interviews has fallen out of vogue, you should nevertheless, be prepared for it.
Expect to be asked in detail about your medical research project.


During the residency interview
Plan to arrive early at the medical residency interview center. Greet and introduce yourself to the residency program's secretary and make some polite conversation.

· Introduce yourself and chat with other residency applicants. This will help you relax and make you look like a team player.

· Use mouth fresheners after coffee and lunch to clear bad odor.

· During the residency interview, the residency program directors are assessing you on three main areas. Personality, communication skills and if you will fit in the residency program and be a good team player.

Your personality is given away by your body language and actions. During the residency interview, sit with your back straight. Avoid slouching. Maintain eye contact. Do not cross your arms or legs. Do not play with your tie or twiddle your fingers. Present a confident image. Remind yourself that this residency interview is to hire physicians, not medical students. So act professionally and show maturity. During the course of the day, your demeanor, and facial expressions will influence their perception of your personality. Keep smiling and crack a couple of jokes if you can.


Your communication skills are assessed by the way you answer the residency interview questions. Be precise in what you are trying to convey. Talk slowly and clearly, especially if you are an International medical graduate (IMG) or have an accent. A common mistake is speaking softly. While it is polite to do so in several foreign countries, it may project an image of lack of self-confidence and timidity, besides requiring the use of hearing aids by the residency program's interviewer.


Being a good team player requires flexibility, camaraderie, and the ability to be a part of the "chain of command". Your ability to socialize and fit into the medical residency program is assessed here.

· Sell yourself. Find ways of conveying your good qualities and skills to the residency program's interviewer. Answer questions in short sentences and to the point. You can lead the medical interview into a specific direction if that is to your advantage.


· Say positive things about their residency program. All residency program directors like to hear good things about themselves. However, keep it sincere. Safe areas to comment include.


The residency program's website and how informative it was
Electives, conferences and teaching
Ongoing medical research
How happy the residents and fellows looked
This specific residency or fellowship program was recommended by your friend
· Show interest in their residency program by asking questions. If you don't, they may think that you are not interested.

· Don't ask questions about information already on the residency program's website. Instead start by talking about the website and ask a related question. This will impress the residency program director and show him that you have done your homework.

· During the residency interview process, indicate your interest by letting them know that you would be very happy to join their residency program.

· Lunch is your opportunity to ask and get all the nitty gritty details from the residents and fellows. However, remember that whatever you say may be conveyed to the residency program director.

· Most residency programs get input from residents and fellows when deciding on the candidates. So be friendly to the house staff and play it safe.

After the residency interview
When you are done with your residency interview, meet the residency program's secretary and express your appreciation for her help in arranging the interview day and thank her.

· Once you get home, write down all the positive and negative points about the residency program. Put down your personal thoughts about the residency program and community. Give each residency program a score, based on your personal criteria. This will refresh your memory at the time of preparing your rank order list for the ERAS / NRMP match.

· Don't forget to write individual "thank you letters" to all interviewers and the residency program's secretary. Letters to the residents / fellows is optional.

· If you were impressed with the residency program and are giving it serious consideration, we would recommend that you visit the residency program again for a second look. Plan to spend a full day following the residents, as they go about, doing their daily hospital routine. This helps you decide about ranking the residency program, besides improving your chances of getting a position there.



Preparing for the Interview
Solid interview preparation will provide you with added confidence, sharpen your focus, decrease stress, and allow you to be more relaxed.

What Interviewers Look For
The interview process is the program's chance to get to know you first-hand rather than through written materials. You have to sell yourself. Interviewers are interested in your:
• Motivation for medicine and for their specialty
• Communication, analytical and listening skills
• Personality
• Self-confidence
• Ability to handle the interview process itself
• Level of energy, determination, reliability, honesty, integrity and how you
might respond to criticisms and the stresses of training
• Ability to fit in with their current residents and staff
• For IMG candidates, they are especially interested in your English
language skills and your understanding of the residency training process.

Know Yourself
• Make a list of your top strengths, goals, values, accomplishments, and
abilities to use as a general reference for all interview questions. This will
provide answers for a majority of the questions you will be asked.
• Review your own medical school file before the interview
• 'TOP 5 PLAN' - go into every interview with 5 key things you want a program
to know about you. What makes you a good candidate? What makes you
unique?

Know the Program and Specialty
Learn as much as you can about the particular program and the specialty so that you arrive prepared to ask thoughtful and specific questions about what they have to offer:
This helps you demonstrate interest in their program.
It also helps you evaluate one program against another once you've had your interviews.
Review the packet of information about their residency training process that they have sent to you.
Look at the information on the web site for the program or itÂ’s affiliated hospitals. Detailed site-specific faculty research activities and clinical programs unique to that program/hospital are often available on these sites.
Ask for an interview schedule ahead of time, if it was not included.
Ask the program what to expect and what materials to bring for the interview day.
Find out about the faculty, particularly any interviewers (Do a Medline search, web search).
Speak with any graduates in the program, or others you might know.
Know About the Specialty's Culture

• What do practitioners in the field do?
• What types of procedures do they perform?
• How are they perceived by other specialists?
• Do they have opportunities for subspecialty training?
• Specialty board exam requirements?
• What do they value or view as important as a specialty?




Practice Interviews

Practice will make you calmer, more organized, and help you better express yourself during the actual interview- practice with friends, classmates, colleagues etc.
Mock Interview – Ask friends, colleagues, a physician/resident you know, or staff of a public employment agency to conduct a mock interview for you.
Prepare as if it were a real interview - review your answers to specific questions.
Carry copies of your CV, personal statement and transcripts, the list of questions you wish to have answered, and a note pad with you as you would for your interview.
If possible, dress as you would for the real interview.
What to Wear to the Interview
“In the first seven seconds, interviewers make decisions based on your visual cues: your clothes, grooming, walk, stance, etc. After that they begin evaluating you through your verbal skills.”
Iserson points out that there is a ‘uniform’ for residency interviews: “ the proper dress for residency interviews is essentially identical, no matter where in the country your are applying. Appropriate dress can help you a little. The wrong outfit will destroy you.” (Iserson’s Getting into a Residency: A Guide for Medical Students, K. Iserson, 2000)

Medicine is a conservative field; dress should be conservative, tasteful, neat and comfortable. Have the appearance of a successful physician.

Example of conservative clothing:

- Clothing for Men: a suit, navy or gray, solid or pinstripe; white or pale-blue shirt; conservative tie: solid, stripes, or small pattern (red or navy); black or dark brown shoes (shined); calve length socks that match your suit; plain dark leather belt with a small square buckle; keep jewelry to a minimum; avoid aftershave; have a good haircut.
- Clothing for Women: a suit (skirt or pants) in classic, solid colors: gray, medium to dark blue, or black; simple white or cream or pastel blouse; Simple, comfortable shoes. Keep jewelry to a minimum; Make-up and perfume to a minimum.

Tips

Before the Interview:
• Consult someone from the specialty about common questions in their
interviews.
• Do a mock interview.
• Drive by the location the day before the interview, so you have
parking, busses, length of time to get there, exact location of the building
and so on, worked out in advance.

Day of the Interview:
• Arrive early for the interview.
• Be professional and polite to everyone you meet.
• Carry copies of your CV, personal statement and transcripts, your list
of questions you wish to have answered, and a note pad.
• Appearance/Grooming: Dress appropriately for the interview (see suggestions
above); use breath mints; avoid strong perfumes and aftershaves.

During the Interview:
• Don’t ramble. Answer the question that was asked.
• Listen to the question - make sure you understand what is being asked.
DonÂ’t be afraid to ask for clarification if you need it.
• Don’t answer a question they did not ask, or add too much loosely related
information.
• Be sure to give examples in answering questions, not just generalities.
• Be comfortable with pauses (silences) - stay poised and confident.
• Sound fresh every time - be prepared to answer the same question many
times throughout the entire interview process.
• Don't make negative comments about other programs in the specialty or
about any other specialty area.
• Be honest.
• Don't try to impress an interviewer by exaggerating your credentials or
past experiences.
• Emit confidence and self-worth without being arrogant.
• Ask questions that show interest.
• Body Language: Don’t slouch, don’t fidget, sit straight, have appropriate eye
contact, keep your arms unfolded, shake hands firmly.
• Speech: speak clearly and with appropriate volume and intonation (i.e., not
too quiet or monotone)
• Smile! Often forgotten when nervous and tense.
• Always send a thank you letter after an interview with special thanks to those
who went out of their way to be informative or kind. Mention specifics that
make their program particularly attractive to you.



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Typical Residency Interview Questions


General Questions
• How are you today? (There are no "innocent" questions)
• Tell me about yourself. Start with a short presentation about yourself. This is expected, regardless of how uncomfortable you may feel about bragging about your qualities or qualifications. Keep it to a brief few sentences focusing for example, on your education and experience. It is a quick snapshot of who you are; your chance to shine. Carefully prepare a summary of the things you want to say. Your answer should be around 1.5-2 minutes long and should be spoken in an interesting tone of voice so it is not monotonous and keeps the interest alive throughout. Prepare your presentation beforehand and have a friend or mentor listen to it. They may be able to find weak points that you might miss.
• What are your greatest strengths? Emphasize your strong points without sounding pretentious.
• What is your greatest weakness? Use this question to show that you are aware of your imperfections and shortcomings, do not use clichés like, "I am a perfectionist" or "I work too hard". These answers have been over-used. Always indicate how you are working to improve your weakness – for example if a weakness is that you are not bilingual, you can indicate if you are taking classes to improve your French. See Job Interviews.
• What to do think about what is happening in.…..? (a non-medical current event question)


Medical & Educational Experience

• Have you had first-hand experience with the US medical system?
• What are some of the qualities a good physician should possess? Do you possess them?
• With what subject or rotation did you have the most difficulty?
• How do you see the delivery of health care evolving in the years ahead?
• What problems will our specialty face over the next five (ten) years?
• Why did you decide to go into medicine in the first place?
• What were the major deficiencies in your medial school training?
• Comment on your academic record.


Adjusting as an IMG

• As an IMG will you find it difficult to step into the role of a resident after having practiced as a physician in your country for five years?
• What will you do if you don't match in this specialty?
• If you could no longer be a physician, what career would you choose?
• How well do you feel you were trained to start as a resident?


Your Future Plans

• Where do you see yourself five/ ten years from now?
• What are your practice-plans after finishing residency?
• What will you do if you don't match in this specialty?
• Do you have research interests? Plans to pursue fellowship training?


Program Related

• What aspects of our program are you most interested in? Concerned about?
• Why are you interested in this specialty? (#1 question asked)
• What other specialties did you consider?
• Why did you apply to this program? The answer to this question will show how much or how little your really know the program. If you have done some research and reading, you should be able to come up with several good answers.
• What will be the toughest aspect of the specialty for you?
• What are you looking for in a program?
• Why should we choose you over another applicant? What can you contribute to our program?
• What do you think about...the current and future state of healthcare, this specialty, etc.?
• What was your most enjoyable clerkship? Least enjoyable?
• How would you make your least enjoyable clerkship better?
• What was your most difficult experience with a faculty member and with a medical school student peer during your medical school years?


Personal

• What do you do in your spare time? (looking to see if you have balance in your life – not only focused on medicine; i.e., interested in sports, music…)
• How would you describe your personal style?
• What books have you read recently?
• In what situations are you most efficient and effective?
• What will be the toughest aspect of the specialty for you?
• What is your energy level like?
• How well do you feel you were trained to start as a resident?
• Describe your learning style.
• What were the major deficiencies in your medial school training?
• How do you explain your…….(leaves of absence, low grades…)?
• Have you always done the best work of which you are capable?
• How would someone who knows you well describe you in detail?
• With which types of people do you have trouble working?
• How do you make important decisions?
• To which organizations do you belong?
• How do you normally handle conflict?
• How well do you function under pressure?
• Teach me something non-medical in five minutes.


Documentation/CV Related

• It says on your CV that…..
• Tell me about....item(s) on your CV or transcript, past experience, time off, etc.?
• Can you tell me about this deficiency on your record? (Do not discuss if you are not asked).


Clinical Experience/Approach

• If a patient just stabbed your best friend, and you were treating the patient…… (ethics scenario)
• Description of a patient care dilemma is given, followed by… What would you do at this point?
• What would you do if you knew one of your more senior residents was doing something wrong? (i.e., filling out History & Physicals without doing the evaluations…..and other ethical questions.)
• Present an interesting case that you had..……as if you are in clinic.
• Family Medicine Questions: What do you think community medicine means and why do you want to put yourself in that position? Where do you fit into the “scheme” of family medicine? Describe a Family Medicine Residency as you would design it. Contrast life as a rural Family Physician with life as a Family Physician in a larger city. What aspects of family medicine are you most interested in? How do you plan to draw boundaries for yourself when balancing personal and professional life in a small town?
• What was your worst clinical experience?
• Tell me about a patient encounter that taught you something.
• Tell me about the patient from whom you learned the most.
• What error have you made in patient care? What mistakes have you made and how did you learn from them?
• How would someone who knows you well describe you in detail?
• Which types of patients do you work with most effectively? (least effectively?)
• With which types of patients do you have trouble dealing?


Ending the Interview

• Do you have any questions? (yes…) Ask questions that show your genuine interest in the program as well as the specialty. The research you do beforehand will help you.
• Can you think of anything else you would like to add? (yes...)

Questions Not to Ask
• Salary
• Benefits
• Vacation
• Competition
• Maternity leave arrangements
Most of this information will be in the packet they send you, or covered in an introductory meeting. If not, it is better to contact the institution's Graduate Education office, rather than ask about them in the interview.

"Illegal/Improper" Questions
The following types of questions from an employer are considered improper.
• What are your plans for a family? Are you married? Do you have children?
• How old are you?
• Questions about your, race, national origin, disability, religion, etc.
It certainly places the interviewee in a difficult dilemma when these questions are asked since they must decide whether or not to confront the interviewer on this issue.

Your Options:

1) Refuse to Answer: State that it is improper to ask such a question and none of the interviewerÂ’s business. Although this may be perfectly legitimate and correct, it is likely to ensure that you will not get a residency position at the site.
2) Finesse the question: Ask the interviewer whether such a question is really pertinent to obtaining a residency position. This gives the interviewer, who probably has been poorly prepared to do this type of interviewing, a chance to back off and save face at the same time. However, finessing a question must be handled with skill. Smile and be very pleasant while you ask these pointed questions. If you handle it correctly, you will still be a viable candidate for the program.
3) Answer the question: Most applicants take this approach. You can either use direct or indirect answers. For example, if asked about plans for a family and children, the direct answer might be: “I plan to have children near the end of my residency.” An indirect answer might be, “My training comes first”. These answers usually will not jeopardize your chance of obtaining a training position.


Good Luck!

Re: About Interview Prep Materials
bingousmle - 09-27-10 14:06

thanks a lot adonis for this information it is really helpful in reducing some anxiety related with the interviews..keep them coming :)