Residency InterviewsPart 1

Georgette Dent, MDGeorgette Dent, MDRobert Dixon, MDRobert Dixon, MDAugust 29, 2014August 29, 2014

G100 Bondurant HallG100 Bondurant Hall

Today’s Three Goals:

Understand and prepare to approach Understand and prepare to approach the residency interview as a the residency interview as a communication eventcommunication event

Identify specific behaviors to avoid and Identify specific behaviors to avoid and to employ during the residency to employ during the residency interviewinterview

Learn your target number of interviewsLearn your target number of interviews

*From “Job 99 Outlook,” http://www.jobweb.org/pubs/joboutlook/report.htm

Your record only tells part of the story

The rest is COMMUNICATED during the interview

Pre-interview Dinner

Be careful with alcohol!Be careful with alcohol! Everyone is evaluating you: secretaries, Everyone is evaluating you: secretaries,

staff, maybe even the janitor!staff, maybe even the janitor! Residents typically have some inputResidents typically have some input Dress business casualDress business casual You can ask house staff questions you You can ask house staff questions you

might not ask faculty might not ask faculty

Pre-Interview Preparation

• Read up on the program• Only take in 1 item (not a clipboard)• The magazine on the stand is a “prop”

– do not read the magazine or book • Be prepared to have a high handshake • 70% of communication is non-verbal

It All Starts With a Handshake

• Do have a “warm-western” full handshake; where the webs of the shakers hands meet;

• Do have a high and semi-firm handshake

• Do not have a short fingered handshake; this type of handshake is quick and less casual

What Does the Interviewer Want to Know About You? Can you do the job? (ability/skills)Can you do the job? (ability/skills) Will you do the job? (motivation)Will you do the job? (motivation) Are you “promotable”?Are you “promotable”? Will you fit in to the organizational/program Will you fit in to the organizational/program

culture?culture? Will you work well with others?Will you work well with others? Are you sincerely interested in this job?Are you sincerely interested in this job? Do you have adequate background in the field?Do you have adequate background in the field?

Questions Interviewers Ask:• What would you like to know about my program?

• Could you tell me about your strengths and weaknesses?

• Why are you applying here?

• Wrong answer: referencing personal motive or benefit• Good answer: Flattery about the school; the quality of the educational

program

• Cases: if you are asked a question about a particular case and what you would do; go as far as you can, or know how THEN SAY…. “I don’t know” … but ….

The Interviewer That Has NOT Read Your Record

• Be prepared for the interviewer ask you open an ended question: “Tell me about yourself”

• (They may be taking 15 seconds to read your file and get a feel on how the interview will go)

• Understand this type of interviewer has a lot on their plate• Enter this situation with an understanding & forgiving mind• Your record is NOT that important to them• His job is to interview you, while a committee makes the final

decision• Some estimate that 30% of interviewers have not read your

application!

Insightful questionsfor you to ask

What is your patient population?What is your patient population? What subspecialty services are available?What subspecialty services are available? What is the conference schedule?What is the conference schedule? Is attendance at national conferences encouraged?Is attendance at national conferences encouraged? What changes in the residency program are likely in the next What changes in the residency program are likely in the next

few years?few years? Is there exposure to private practitioners and office practice?Is there exposure to private practitioners and office practice? Where are your graduates? (private practice, academics, local Where are your graduates? (private practice, academics, local

area, etc.)area, etc.) You can ask about opportunities for research or for teaching You can ask about opportunities for research or for teaching

medical students, depending on your interests.medical students, depending on your interests. Don’t ask faculty about vacation, call, salary, insurance or Don’t ask faculty about vacation, call, salary, insurance or

benefits!benefits!

Men’s Business Attire

Yes

NoYes

Women's Business Attire:

A suit in a dark color. A suit in a dark color. Black, charcoal, or navy are most common.Black, charcoal, or navy are most common.

If you choose a suit with a skirt, watch the hemline. Your If you choose a suit with a skirt, watch the hemline. Your skirt should be at least knee length when standing.skirt should be at least knee length when standing.

Conservative blouse or shell under your suit jacket.Conservative blouse or shell under your suit jacket. Closed-toe dress shoes, with a 1-1 3/4 inch heel.Closed-toe dress shoes, with a 1-1 3/4 inch heel. Hose-NO RUNS! Bring an extra pair with you, just in case.Hose-NO RUNS! Bring an extra pair with you, just in case. Minimal jewelry, perfume and makeup.Minimal jewelry, perfume and makeup.

Women’s Business Attire

Women’s Business Attire

Women’s Business Attire

General Tips for Women Keep makeup conservative and professional.Keep makeup conservative and professional. If you wear perfume, be conservative.  Some people are sensitive to If you wear perfume, be conservative.  Some people are sensitive to

odor.odor. Your jewelry should be minimal and professional.  Nothing that could Your jewelry should be minimal and professional.  Nothing that could

create a distraction.create a distraction. Hair should be neat and groomed.Hair should be neat and groomed.

Nails should be neat and well groomed.Nails should be neat and well groomed.

Your purse should be simple and match your shoes.Your purse should be simple and match your shoes. Watch your hemlines too much skin is not appropriate.Watch your hemlines too much skin is not appropriate.

Rank Order List TargetsRank Order List Targets

MMUU

Family MedicineFamily Medicine 88 55 Internal MedicineInternal Medicine 99 44 NeurologyNeurology 10 10 55 PathologyPathology 99 55 PediatricsPediatrics 10 10 77 PsychiatryPsychiatry 99 44

M=Matched applicants, U=Unmatched applicants

Charting the Outcomes of the Match 2011

Rank Order List TargetsRank Order List Targets

MM UU AnesthesiologyAnesthesiology 1313 44 Emergency MedicineEmergency Medicine 1111 55 Obstetrics/GynecologyObstetrics/Gynecology 1111 55 PM&RPM&R 1111 44 RadiologyRadiology 1111 44

Charting the Outcomes of the Match 2011

Matched applicants, U=Unmatched applicants

Rank Order List TargetsRank Order List TargetsHighly Competitive Highly Competitive Specialties Specialties

MM UU DermatologyDermatology 9 9 33 General SurgeryGeneral Surgery 1111 66 OrthopedicsOrthopedics 1212 66 Plastic SurgeryPlastic Surgery 1111 77 Radiation OncologyRadiation Oncology 1111 44

Charting the Outcomes of the Match 2011

M=Matched applicants, U=Unmatched applicants

If you do not have enough interviews…

Depending on specialty & program, should be on your way Depending on specialty & program, should be on your way to having enough interviews by late mid-October to early to having enough interviews by late mid-October to early NovemberNovember

If not, contact programs you are most interested inIf not, contact programs you are most interested in This can also be an opportunity to share new information This can also be an opportunity to share new information

with them, e.g. Step results, abstracts, papers, etc.with them, e.g. Step results, abstracts, papers, etc. Depending on circumstances, may need to deploy your Depending on circumstances, may need to deploy your

plan Bplan B

Remember to “Thank You”

Send a thank you note to the program Send a thank you note to the program director director No consensus on format – e-mail (with

or without picture), typed, hand written

Probably not necessary to send one to Probably not necessary to send one to each interviewereach interviewer But if you do, they should be a little

different because they may end up in the same file

Online Resources Careers in Medicine Careers in Medicine

https://www.aamc.org/cim/https://www.aamc.org/cim/

Brandeis Hiatt Career CenterBrandeis Hiatt Career Centerhttp://www.brandeis.edu/hiatt/http://www.brandeis.edu/hiatt/select grad students “interviewing tips”select grad students “interviewing tips”

College Grad Job HunterCollege Grad Job Hunterhttp://www.collegegrad.com/intv/http://www.collegegrad.com/intv/

Charting Outcomes of the Match 2011Charting Outcomes of the Match 2011

NRMPNRMP http://www.nrmp.org/match-data/main-residency-match-data/http://www.nrmp.org/match-data/main-residency-match-data/

UNC-CH Career ServicesUNC-CH Career Serviceshttp://careers.unc.edu/students/interviewinghttp://careers.unc.edu/students/interviewing