Residency Interviews Part 1

1. Residency InterviewsPart 1 Georgette Dent, MD Robert Dixon, MD August 29, 2014 G100 Bondurant Hall

2. Today’s Three 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 • Learn your target number of interviews

3. 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

4. Pre-interview Dinner Be careful with alcohol! Everyone is evaluating you: secretaries, staff, maybe even the janitor! Residents typically have some input Dress business casual You can ask house staff questions you might not ask faculty

5. 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

6. 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

7. 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?

8. 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 ….

9. 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!

10. 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!

11. Men’s Business Attire No Yes Yes

12. 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.

13. Women’s Business Attire

14. Women’s Business Attire

15. Women’s Business Attire

16. 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.

17. 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

18. 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

19. 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

20. If you do not have enough interviews… Depending on specialty & program, should be on your way to having enough interviews by late mid-October to early November If not, contact programs you are most interested in This can also be an opportunity to share new information with them, e.g. Step results, abstracts, papers, etc. Depending on circumstances, may need to deploy your plan B

21. 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

22. 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 • http://www.nrmp.org/match-data/main-residency-match-data/ • UNC-CH Career Services http://careers.unc.edu/students/interviewing