Residency Interviews

10 Tips & FYI for US Residency candidates

A) Personal Statement

1. BS in your personal statement can lose your spot, even if your USMLE scores are high

2. Even if you made up your personal statement, people will read it and ask you about the incidents.

3. Your misery and suffering is not going to secure you a spot, so don't make it like a Hallmark movie.

4. If you worked in an overseas third world country, it is OK to write about it. But as you are going to work in the USA, most of those adventures are going to be wasted. So save the ink.

5. You don't have to start your essay with a quote of Aristotle or even Gandhi.

6. Don’t plagiarize essays.

7. Don't buy personal statement from online vendors. You have to know that interviewers had the misfortune of reading similar essays on the same day from two or more candidates

8. Have a beginning and end nicely.

9. The essay should reflect who you are than who you would become

10. Spell check and make sure that you have not made any mistakes in cut and paste.

Good luck

B) Applying

1. Get a nice picture, not just a bland looking passport or ID photo.

2. Don’t make yourself look like a fashion model or glamorous #*#*

3. Remember that your picture can be projected on screen during the final selection meeting. You don't want to get the nick names of "serial killer” or "Charlie Chaplin”

4. Smile in the pictures.

5. Be nice to the staff who receive the applications. They get hundreds of applications. Your life is not their priority, so don't pester them with phone calls. They don't work for you, but your life depends on them.

6. It is your responsibility to have the USMLE scores ready before the interviews. Be prepared to submit documents misplaced if needed.

7. Make sure that you get references uploaded well in advance

8. Be flexible in travel and interview dates.

9. If you are an international medical graduate, you may need much higher scores to get interview calls

10. No one can predict the criteria for interview calls. Apply early and remember that well-known places have more applicants.

 Interviews Dos and  Don’ts.

 1. Interview dates are usually made months in advance.  Requests for someone to change their slots as you have another interview may not be usually accommodated. You should give another valid reason (test, wedding etc.).

2. Arrive well in advance. Many times, there will be a meeting with the residents for the dinner before the interview day. This is not primarily to feed you, but to assess your personality traits. Even if the senior residents go for second drink, resist the temptation of drinking alcohol. Just be a decent social person, avoid unnecessary comedy and critical comments about your experiences at other places.  Remember that the program will solicit feedbacks about you from their residents. Be very nice to them and act respectfully, even if you think that they have less experience and knowledge than you.

3. Do not indulge in food you have not tried, you may get into trouble if that makes you go to toilet many times next day. Don’t use the chargeable items in the hotel room if they provide you hotel room. Don’t stay up late; you will miss your good night’s sleep. Get up and be fresh and neat for the interview day

4. The people who take you for facility tour are not just tour guides. They have also been assigned to give feedback about you. So be gentle, engaged and complimentary always. You don’t have to treat them with extra artificial showers of respect.  Be just nice. Again if they ask you “How was the interview with Dr. X? I know she is very demanding/intimidating/condescending etc. “ , don’t fall into the trap. Say “It was great/ really nice etc.” Don’t fight with other candidates to ask questions like media people around politicians.

5. Be real you, cut down acting like being over confident. Even if the interviewer treats you like your old friend, remember that your body language should be that of a residency candidate, not that of a detective, pool player, party goer or beer buddy. Handshake should be just firm, not like a wrestler or like a dead fish. Look at the person in the eyes while talking and have a smile. Do not yawn even if the interviewer put you to sleep (I do).

5. Ask questions. But try to distribute it evenly throughout the 15-20 minutes of the time. Questions show that you have interest in their program. It will be awkward, if you said “I asked all questions earlier” or “I don’t have any more questions”.

6. Avoid asking questions when you know that they cannot answer, or it will make them uncomfortable. Try not to insist on a clarification of your doubt, because you are like a “Dog with a bone”. If they are not giving the answer you are looking for, stop the question there and change the topic.

7. Try again to be nice, unless they offered voluntarily, don’t ask for the telephone number or email from the interviewer for further contact.

8. Interviewer will ask you about the places you are having interviews. This will give them an idea about your selection and suitability of you matching with theirs. Be cautious, try to convey a feeling that this is the program fits your aspirations (you should be prepared to elaborate if asked)

9. Even if you don’t like the program, match works on the algorithm. Show your interest till you leave the place. Don’t say bad things about the program or the place you interviewed to casual contacts or other candidates. World is very small, the person you found in the next seat in a plane miles away, or the passive listener next to your best friend could be a significant other of someone from the program, they may not tell you.

10. It is nice to send an inexpensive “Thank you” card to the people who interviewed you. That will improve their memory of you during the selection committee meeting, but don’t send more than one email, that will put them off.