Re:Any Interviews?
bingousmle - 09-18-10 00:10

which specialty have you applied for?

Re:Any Interviews?
haward - 09-23-10 00:47

HI Adonis, (I am sorry guys to post my concern here but this forum is slow in posting). so please Adonis could you provide me with a suitable materials for IV.

Re:Any Interviews?
bingousmle - 09-23-10 06:32

yeah haward, but if you see a forum is a place which grows if everybody shares his/ her knowledge.. would be happy if everybody contributes..

Re: Any Interviews?
adonis123 - 09-27-10 02:23



Here r the 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: Any Interviews?
haward - 09-27-10 02:39

Many Thanks Adonis .

Re: Any Interviews?
bingousmle - 09-27-10 13:15

thanks a lot adonis for the information.. i am basically concerned about the dinner part.. does it looks rude if one declines the offer?

Re: Any Interviews?
adonis123 - 09-27-10 14:23



Ye, it will really look rude if not decines the offer.One can attend the dinner and respectfully choose to eat only his/her food of choice.
Good Luck!

Re: Any Interviews?
bingousmle - 09-27-10 15:53

okay.. thanks for your advice.. i was in a fix about this issue? how does one dress for this occasion? is it formal or informal attire preferred?