Effective Residency Interviews A (brief) Session for Medical School Students

1. Effective Residency InterviewsA (brief) Session for Medical School Students Georgette Dent, MD Kevin Biese, MD, MAT, FACEP Robert Gwyther, MD, MBA October 18, 2013 G100 Bondurant Hall

2. Today’s Two Goals: • Understand and prepare to approach the residency interview as a communication event • Identify specific behaviors to avoid and to employ during the residency interview

3. Rank Order List Targets M U Family Medicine 8 5 Internal Medicine 9 4 Neurology 10 5 Pathology 9 5 Pediatrics 10 7 Psychiatry 9 4 Charting the Outcomes of the Match 2011 M=Matched applicants, U=Unmatched applicants

4. Rank Order List Targets M U Anesthesiology 13 4 Emergency Medicine 11 5 Obstetrics/Gynecology 11 5 PM&R 114 Radiology 114 Charting the Outcomes of the Match 2011 Matched applicants, U=Unmatched applicants

5. Rank Order List TargetsHighly Competitive Specialties M U Dermatology 9 3 General Surgery 11 6 Orthopedics 12 6 Plastic Surgery 11 7 Radiation Oncology 11 4 Charting the Outcomes of the Match 2011 M=Matched applicants, U=Unmatched applicants

6. Your record only tells part of the story The rest is COMMUNICATED during the interview *From “Job 99 Outlook,” http://www.jobweb.org/pubs/joboutlook/report.htm

7. What Attracts Us to People in Our Everyday Lives? • Attractiveness(Do I like the way he looks?) • Similarity(Do I share anything with her?) • Reciprocity(Does this person seem interested in me?) • Exchange(Can I get something from him?) • Competency(Can I learn from her? Is he interesting/knowledgeable?) • Disclosure(Is he being open with me? Can I trust her?)

8. What Does the Interviewer Want to Know About You? • Can you do the job? (ability/skills) • Will you do the job? (motivation) • Are you “promotable”? • Will you fit in to the organizational/program culture? • Will you work well with others? • Are you sincerely interested in this job? • Do you have adequate background in the field?

9. 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)

10. 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

11. Traits that create a positive impression during an interview • Appropriate responses to questions • Enthusiasm • Maturity • Confidence • Emotional stability • Intelligence • Language fluency • Initiative • Controlled energy • Clear career goals He is so confident... but not arrogant. And so emotionally stable! I am confident but not arrogant. I am emotionally stable. **from research conducted by J.Cox & D. Schlueter, Baylor University, as cited in J.M. Farr’s The Quick Interview and Salary Negotiation Book, 1995, p. 169.

12. Questions Interviewers Ask: • What would you like to know about my program? • Dependent on location; sometimes it’s more applicants than positions available for filling; or sometimes it’s more positions than applicants interested • It’s all about supply and demand • ***sometimes being a UNC applicant springboards you, due to the quality of education received • DO NOT obsess over 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 ….

13. The Interviewer That Has NOT Read Your Record • Be prepared for the interviewer who has not read your record • Understand this type of interviewer has a lot on their plate • Enter this situation with a understanding and forgiving mind • Understand your record is NOT that important to them; his job is to interview you, while a committee makes the final decision • 30% of interviewers have not read your application

14. Side Notes: • If your interviewer is interested in you; they will ask engaging questions • Keep a positive engaging attitude • If the interviewer ask you open ended question: “Tell me about yourself” just know they are taking 15 seconds to read your file and get a feel on how the interview will go

15. Insightful questionsfor you to ask • What is your patient population? • What subspecialty services are available? • What is the conference schedule? • Is attendance at national conferences encouraged? • What changes in the residency program are likely in the next few years? • Is there exposure to private practitioners and office practice? • Where are your graduates? (private practice, academics, local area, etc.) • You can ask about opportunities for research or for teaching medical students, depending on your interests. • Don’t ask faculty about vacation, call, salary, insurance or benefits!

16. Some Advice From the Field • What things have residency interviewees done that DON’T HELP them to be ranked highly by an interviewer? • What things have residency interviewees done that DO HELP them to be ranked highly? • What suggestions do you havefor fourth year medical students? From e-mail survey of 35 UNC-CH and Seattle-area doctors who interview prospective residents and represent family medicine, dermatology, pediatrics, surgery, etc.

17. Behaviors to Avoid • Demonstrating little knowledge or enthusiasm about the hospital and program • Being unprepared and disorganized • “who [would] you want to work with at 2:00 a.m.?” • Providing brief answers • “…the interviewer shouldn’t have to work too hard to get information from the candidate” • Spending too much time talking about what YOU want • e.g., call schedule, time off, etc.

18. Behaviors to Avoid • Giving evasive responses about “red flags” in record • Acting pompous or cavalier • Interviewing just because of location • “…never give the impression that [you] are only here because [you] were in the ‘neighborhood’” • Arriving late • “…impresses nobody” • Being demanding • “Don’t bug the office staff with lots of requests…you may come across as a complainer/difficult [to deal with]/not someone we would want on the housestaff”

19. Behaviors to Employ • Acting genuinely interested in program • “Residency programs are interested in candidates who are interested in them” • Demonstrating that you have prepared to interview with THISprogram • “…they have done their homework! They have conveyed to me why they really want to come to our program.” • Conveying an understanding of and enthusiasm for the practice of pediatrics, surgery, etc. • “Be ready to explain why you chose this specialty.” • Talking about something interesting you have done • “…some interviewees just seem to ‘shine’ during their interviews and others are lackluster” • “…have at least one interesting patient to talk about.”

20. Behaviors to Employ • Asking insightful questions • Communicating humility but also self-assurance • Smiling, laughing…showing a sense of humor • Dressing appropriately but comfortably

21. Men's Business Attire: A suit, preferably in a dark color (navy, dark gray, or black) Long sleeve dress shirt A tie (classic looking silk tie, avoid trends) Black or dark brown dress shoes Match belt to your shoes Dark socks to complement your suit

22. Men’s Business Attire No Yes Yes

23. Women's Business Attire: • A suit in a dark color. • Black, charcoal, or navy are most common. • If you choose a suit with a skirt, watch the hemline.  Your skirt should be at least knee length when standing. • Conservative blouse or shell under your suit jacket. • Closed-toe dress shoes, with a 1-1 3/4 inch heel. • Hose-NO RUNS!  Bring an extra pair with you, just in case. • Minimal jewelry, perfume and makeup.

24. Women’s Business Attire

25. Women’s Business Attire

26. Women’s Business Attire

27. General Tips for Women Keep makeup conservative and professional. If you wear perfume, be conservative.  Some people are sensitive to odor. Your jewelry should be minimal and professional.  Nothing that could create a distraction. Hair should be neat and groomed. Nails should be neat and well groomed. Your purse should be simple and match your shoes. Watch your hemlines too much skin is not appropriate.

28. Remember to “Thank You” • Send a thank you note to the program director • No consensus on format – e-mail (with or without picture), typed, hand written • Probably not necessary to send one to each interviewer • But if you do, they should be a little different because they may end up in the same file

29. Closing Advice “Interviewers want to see your intelligence, your work ethic, your sense of balance, and your sense of humor. They want to know how you work with others, how dependable you are, whether you will be a team player on their team.” “I have been on the interview committee for (several) years. I do not think there is any one ‘best’ way to interview. The most effective way is to be polite, interested, not too jovial nor too subdued. I think those qualities anyone can fit into.”

30. Closing Advice (cont.) “Be confident (not arrogant) and interested (have questions about the institution and be prepared to keep an interview going, preferably with questions that can lead you back to your strengths).” “Be yourself and answer questions naturally. We are looking for people that MATCH best. We have already weeded out those who cannot do the work before the interview.”

31. Take Home Message • Getting an interview means the judgment has been made that you have the credentials to succeed in the program • Be nice to absolutely everyone! • Be prepared for the extremes • Person who knows your application in detail • Person who has not looked at your application • Learn as much as you can about program and be prepared to ask appropriate questions • You can ask house staff questions you might not ask faculty and vice versa

32. Online Resources • Careers in Medicine https://www.aamc.org/cim/ • Brandeis Hiatt Career Center http://www.brandeis.edu/hiatt/ select grad students “interviewing tips” • College Grad Job Hunter http://www.collegegrad.com/intv/ • Charting Outcomes of the Match 2011 • NRMP 2013 Main Residency Match • UNC-CH Career Services http://careers.unc.edu/students/interviewing