A very brief list of rules to interview by:

1) Be on time (or reasonably early).

2) Look professional (bathed, clean-shaved if applicable, suited). Your appearance
should be generally unremarkable (but well put-together). You are being judged from
the second you meet the Program Co-ordinator/Chief resident in the morning.
3) Avoid checking bags (it costs money on most airlines anyway). People show up suitless every season because of this. They really do. Yes, it actually happens.
4) Be warm and pleasant. Be excited. Look people in the eye. Smile frequently (your
cheeks will ache, be strong).
5) Be someone you would want to work with. Dont be a sycophant, however.
6) Do not complain. Ever. Be nice to all residents and ancillary staff.
7) The program coordinator is one of the most powerful people you will interact with. At
some places, THE MOST IMPORTANT!
8) Have a repertoire of standard I am interested questions. You will be asked for your
questions by every person you meet. Dont be combative in how you ask them.
9) Ask nitty-gritties to the residents and not to faculty: call schedules, moon-lighting,
benefits, etc.
10) Do not ask questions that are answered on the website or in the Powerpoint talk. It
means youre lazy or fell asleep or both.
11) When possible, research the program ahead of time and have specific
questions/discussion points.
12) Go to the dinner the night before (dont drink too much!) if you can. It is an
excellent time to meet residents. The residents are what you will probably base your
decisions on (along with location and reputation; not the Powerpoint). Do not fail to
RSVP to the interview dinner if one is requested, and do not no-show without
notification if you then cant make it. Some applicants do this, and the programs always
notice. Its rude.
13) The residents will tell you that the dinner is a safe space. It is not if youre an ass.
An ass with a 265 is still an ass.
14) Trust your gut.

15) Last but surely not the least. Do NOT try to prove that you are the smartest from the
cohort interviewing with you by being the only one asking questions, interrupting others
while they are speaking, speaking out of turn, showing excessive enthusiasm, boasting
about how you have 20 publications etc. etc. They want a team player. Someone who
gels well with everyone. Trying to show your competitive side while interacting with
residents/Program Co-ordinator/Ancillary staff makes you a douchebag. Don't be one!!

WHICH QUESTIONS ARE ASKED MOST COMMONLY?

IS THERE A LIST FOR ALL THE QUESTIONS ASKED IN GENERAL?
Overall, the take home message is this: if you have a bad experience on interview daywhen both
you and the program are putting your best face forwardmaybe that says something about the
likelihood of a good residency experience. Here is the list of questions arranged in the likelihood of
being asked!
1) SINGLE MOST PAINFULLY COMMON QUESTION ON THE TRAIL:
What questions do you have for me?
2) EVERY SINGLE TIME->Prepare these 1st!
Whats your story?
Tell me about yourself
What kind of things do you like to do for fun?
Tell me about [random thing on your CV]
Ten years from now, what do you see yourself doing?
How did you become interested in medicine/psychiatry/pediatrics/fm/surgery?
When and how did you decide to become a [blank]
What are you looking forward to the most in residency? The least?
Most memorable patient?
Why this program?
What are you looking in a program (cue list of programs description)
What fellowship do you want to do? Why?
Greatest weakness? (This has become way more common than greatest strength!)

3) BRAIN-BUSTERS (TIME FOR SOME BS):

What has been your biggest disappointment in medicine?
How do you think the changes in health care policy will affect you in the future?
Describe a disappointing event in your life and how you coped with it?
What did you find hard during medical school?
What would you say is your greatest strength?
Tell me about a time when you made a choice that ended with a good result.
Tell me about a time when you made a choice that ended with a bad result.
What accomplishment are you most proud of thats non-academic?
When you look back at your career, how will you be able to tell if you were successful?
What person have you met in medical school who has inspired you?
What do you want me to know about you that didnt fit in your application?
Tell me about a situation in which you have had to work with someone you didnt like. How did you
handle it?
Tell me about an ethical dilemma you experienced as medical student.
What do you think we should look for in our applicants? (I think this is actually a really good question)
Tell me about your best and worst residents.
What do you think is the biggest health issue in America today?
What do you want me to remember about you at the end of this interview?
How would your best friend describe you?
Describe your ideal day.
Tell me about a time someone on your team was not pulling their own weight?
If you were chief resident on a service and one of your interns forgot to or just didnt place an order
which compromised patient care, how would you handle the situation with the faculty who expects
the order to be completed, and how would you address the intern?
4) EXTREMELY NARROW:
If you could have dinner with any 3 cardiothoracic surgeons/insert random celebrity, dead or alive,
who would they be and what are their greatest contributions to the field?
How do you know that you have the hand skills to be a good surgeon/physician/psychiatrist?
ICU/Emergency is a very busy service. How are you sure you can handle it?
Who is Brad Aust/insert random celebrity?
5) AWKWARD OR OBNOXIOUS OR BOTH:
What is your class rank?
Tell me about medicine in your country.

What is something unique about you that will help me remember you amongst the other applicants?
Can you explain any small problems on your application that could bring you down on our rank list so
that I can explain it to the committee?
Tell me your impression of this program
Are you ready to move away from [X]? (clearly entertaining the idea)
What is one thing you do not like about this city based on what you know? (city was not Baltimore,
haters)
What are the CXR findings in heart failure?
Tell me you how you work up a GI bleeder/patient presenting with dementia etc. (Community
program attending like tp play around with such questions!)
Describe the technique for putting in an arterial line.
Tell me how you would work someone up for chest pain.
A colectomy patient becomes tachycardic the night after the operation. All other vitals are normal.
What is your immediate workup and differential?
You are interested in [X] research. We dont have any active projects like that. What are your
research plans if you come here?
What do you plan to do with your MPH? (nothing of course, I just like collecting degrees!)
6) UNAPOLOGETIC MATCH VIOLATIONS: I have been asked all of these and answered them
diplomatically. Never said no.
Where you going to rank us?
Tell me what you thought about program X.
Would you really come here?
Which other places have you interviewed at or are you going to interview?
A few female friends from India were asked:
Why are you wasting your parent's hard earned money?
You are a spoilt brat. Aren't you?
You should have been married early so that you don't come to US!
You are not married? Your parent's have failed you.. They should have gotten you married when you
were bornYou will NEVER EVER match. Not this match. Not next match! Never!! Don't bother
applying.
You look like a patient in mania. Do you want to be a psychiatrist or need one?
These last few questions are meant to throw you off. Almost never asked but when asked can make
you cry. They are testing how much can you take. Don't get thrown off. Don't get angry. Stay calm
and confident and don't let them rattle you.

Go from 1 to 6 sequentially. Answer every question, first without preparing and then after preparing
using all possible sources that you know. Then you will know the difference that preparation makes!
Hope this helps! Good luck All the best
:)

:)

PS: Next post will be about the best books to read for interview prep!!

PRE-INTERVIEW DINNER
The setting offers the interviewer the chance to see you in a non- interview (and therefore more
natural) setting, to observe your social graces, and to consider you as a whole person. Here, topics
that would be impossible to address in the traditional office setting will surface, often with virtually no
effort on the part of the interviewer. The slightest slip in front of that wily old pirate (thinly disguised in
a Brooks Brothers suit) could get your candidacy deep-sixed in a hurry.
To be sure that he remains as attentive to the positive points of your candidacy as possible, lets
discuss table manners. Your social graces and general demeanor at the table can reveal as much
about you as your answer to a question. For instance, over-ordering food or drink can signal poor
self-discipline. At the very least, it will call into question your judgment and maturity. High-handed
behavior toward waiters and busboys could reflect negatively on your ability to get along with
subordinates and on your leadership skills. Those concerns are amplified when you return food or
complain about the service, actions which, at the very least, find fault with the interviewers choice of
restaurant. By the same token, you will want to observe how your potential employer behaves. After
all, you are likely to become an employee, and the interviewers behavior to servers in a restaurant
can tell you a lot about what it will be like on the job. Here are some specific tips:
Never speak with your mouth full.
Order something that is easy to eat, as you are there for talking, not eating.
Do not change your order once it is made, and never send the food back.
Be polite to your waiters, even when they spill soup in your lap.
Dont order expensive food. Naturally, in our heart of hearts, we all like to eat well, especially on
someone elses tab. But dont be tempted. When you come right down to it, you are there to talk and
be seen at your best, not to eat.

Eat what you know. Stay away from awkward, messy, or exotic foods (e.g., artichokes, long pasta,
and escargot, respectively). Ignore finger foods, such as lobster or spare ribs. In fact, you should
avoid eating with your fingers altogether, unless you are in a sandwich joint, in which case you
should make a point of avoiding the leaky, overstuffed menu items.
Dont order anything with bones. Stick with fillets; there are few simple, gracious ways to deal with
any type of bone.
Checks and Goodbyes: I know an interviewer whose favorite test of composure is to have the waiter,
by arrangement, put the bill on the interviewees side of the table. She then chats on, waiting for
something interesting to happen. If you ever find yourself in a similar situation, never pick up the
check, however long it is left by your plate. When ready, your host will pick it up, because thats the
protocol of the occasion. By the same token, you should never offer to share payment.
When parting company, always thank the host for her hospitality and the wonderful meal.
Strange interview situations can arise at any time during the interview cycle, and in any public place.
Wherever you are asked to go, keep your guard up. Your table manners, listening skills, and overall
social graces are being judged. The question on the interviewers mind is: Can you be trusted to
represent the program gracefully and with a professional demeanor?

TELEPHONE INTERVIEWS. Few thoughts!!

Programs use the telephone as a time-management tool. It is quicker and easier to weed out
candidates on the telephone than in person. On the other hand, your goal is to turn a telephone
interview into a face-to-face meeting, so you need to convince the interviewer that he will not be
wasting time in meeting with you in person.
THE PHONE CAN RING WHEN YOU LEAST EXPECT IT. TELEPHONE interviews happen in one of
following ways:
You have arranged a specific time for a telephone interview.
A program/PD calls unexpectedly

Odds are that you will experience at least 1 telephone interview during your season. No matter how
that conversation happens, you must always be prepared to think and act clearly, so that you can
turn the call into a face-to-face meeting. Perhaps the most important consideration with a telephone
interview is that the interviewer can only judge you with his ears. With that in mind:
If the call comes unexpectedly, and screaming kids or barking dogs surround you, stay calm and
sound positive, friendly, and collected: Thank you for calling, Dr. Patel. Would you please wait for a
moment while I close the door/go to a silent place? You can then take a minute to calm yourself, pull
up the program website on your screen, and get your paperwork organized without causing offense.
If you need to move to another phone, say so. Otherwise, put the caller on hold, take a few
controlled, deep breaths to slow down your pounding heart, put a smile on your face (it improves the
timbre of your voice), and pick up the phone again. Now you are in control of yourself and the
situation.
If you are heading out the door for an interview, or if some other emergency makes this a bad time
for an unexpected incoming call, say so straight away and reschedule: Im heading out the door for
an appointment, Dr. Best. Can we schedule a time when I can call you back? Beware of
overfamiliarity: YOU SHOULD ALWAYS REFER TO THE INTERVIEWER BY HIS SURNAME UNTIL
INVITED TO DO OTHERWISE.
Ive found that standing for the interview calms my adrenaline rush a little, helps my breathing, and
allows me to sound confident and relaxed. It might work for you, too, so give it a try.
PRACTICAL CONSIDERATIONS OF USING THE TELEPHONE
Always speak directly into the telephone, with the mouthpiece about one inch from your mouth.
Numbered among the mystical properties of telephone technology is its excellence at amplifying
background noise. This is excelled only by its power to transmit the sounds of food and gum being
chewed, or smoke being inhaled and exhaled. Smokers take note: Nonsmokers instinctively
discriminate, and they will assume that even if you dont actually light up at the interview, youll have
been chain-smoking beforehand and will carry the smell with you as long as youre around. They
probably wont even give you a chance to get through the door once they hear you puffing away over
the phone.
Understanding someone over the telephone can sometimes be a challenge, so if you didnt hear or
didnt understand a question, ask the speaker to repeat it. If you need time to think about your
answer and that is quite acceptable say so: Let me think about that for a moment. You should

take notes when possible; they will be invaluable if the interviewer is interrupted. You can jot down
the topic under discussion, then when she gets back on the line, helpfully recap: We were just
discussing This will be appreciated and show that you are organized and paying attention. Your
notes will also help you prepare for the face-to-face meeting.
CLOSING THE CONVERSATION
In closing your conversation, take care to ascertain the correct spelling and pronunciation of the
interviewers name. This shows your concern for the small but important things in life and it will be
noticed, particularly when your interviewer receives your follow-up thank-you note.

Behavioral Interview Techniques The STAR Approach

Credits: Wayne State University
Situation or Task
Describe the situation that you were in or the task that you needed to accomplish. You must describe
a specific event or situation, not a generalized description of what you have done in the past. Be sure
to give enough detail for the interviewer to understand. This situation can be from a previous job,
from a volunteer experience, or any relevant event.
Action you took
Describe the action you took and be sure to keep the focus on you. Even if you are discussing a
group project or effort, describe what you did -- not the efforts of the team. Don't tell what you might
do, tell what you did.
Results you achieved
What happened? How did the event end? What did you accomplish? What did you learn?
Use examples from internships, classes and school projects, activities, team participation,
community service, hobbies and work experience -- anything really -- as examples of your past
behavior. In addition, you may use examples of special accomplishments, whether personal or
professional, such as scoring the winning touchdown, being elected president of your Greek
organization, winning a prize for your artwork, surfing a big wave, or raising money for charity.
Wherever possible, quantify your results. Numbers always impress employers.
Remember that many behavioral questions try to get at how you responded to negative situations;
you'll need to have examples of negative experiences ready, but try to choose negative experiences
that you made the best of or -- better yet, those that had positive outcomes.

Here's a good way to prepare for behavior-based interviews:

Identify six to eight examples from your past experience where you demonstrated top behaviors
and skills that employers typically seek. Think in terms of examples that will exploit your top selling
points.
Half your examples should be totally positive, such as accomplishments or meeting goals.
The other half should be situations that started out negatively but either ended positively or you
made
the best of the outcome.
Vary your examples; don't take them all from just one area of your life.
Use fairly recent examples. If you're a college student, examples from high school may be too long
ago.
Accenture, in fact, specifies that candidates give examples of behaviors demonstrated within the last
year.
Try to describe examples in story form and/or PAR/SAR/STAR.
To cram for a behavioral interview right before you're interviewed, review your resume. Seeing your
achievements in print will jog your memory.
In the interview, listen carefully to each question, and pull an example out of your bag of tricks that
provides an appropriate description of how you demonstrated the desired behavior. With practice,
you can learn to tailor a relatively small set of examples to respond to a number of different
behavioral questions.
How to Behave in a Behavior-Based Interview
Lombardi, who earned a master's degree in industrial organizational psychology from West Chester
University, wrote his thesis on behavior-based interviewing. Now he's a college relations specialist at
Kulicke &
Soffa Industries Inc., based in Willow Grove, Pennsylvania, and he says his background has helped
him understand an interviewing technique that has become increasingly popular and, according to
both his research and popular opinion, more effective than traditional techniques.
"It seemed like the more structure and the more thought that was put into an interview, the better it
was," he says.
Lombardi says behavior-based questions are generally designed to determine if a candidate
possesses certain "key competencies."
"When I start any behavioral interview, I explain the process," Lombardi says. "I say, 'I'm going to be
asking you for specific examples. I will be asking you for details, including names of people, dates,
and outcomes.' I really like talking to people about lengthy projects they've had to do--how their role
evolved, how they handled time deadlines, pressures, and unexpected situations, and especially how
they handled any adversity...Everyone's got that kind of experience."
Lombardi says that the best way for students and new graduates to prepare for a behavior-based
interview is to dig up old research papers, to think hard about any difficulties encountered in summer
and part- time jobs, and to recount the steps it took to successfully complete school projects and
projects that were part of internships or co-ops.
"What I would recommend is for them to just kind of think through situations that have occurred,
projects they've worked on, specific experiences they've had," he says. "They should be able to talk

about that in detail and be very specific. They should reread that term paper...A lot of it is just
common sense."
Following is a list of typical behavior-based questions, courtesy of Lombardi and The Ultimate Job
Search Kit. Competencies sought by the interviewer are listed in parentheses:
Describe a situation in which you had to use reference materials to write a research paper. What was
the topic? What journals did you read? (research/written communication)
Give me a specific example of a time when a co-worker or classmate criticized your work in front of
others. How did you respond? How has that event shaped the way you communicate with others?
(oral communication.
Give me a specific example of a time when you sold your supervisor or professor on an idea or
concept. How did you proceed? What was the result? (assertiveness)
Describe the system you use for keeping track of multiple projects. How do you track your progress
so that you can meet deadlines? How do you stay focused? (commitment to task)
Tell me about a time when you came up with an innovative solution to a challenge your company or
class was facing. What was the challenge? What role did others play? (creativity and imagination)
Describe a specific problem you solved for your employer or professor. How did you approach the
problem? What role did others play? What was the outcome? (decision making)
Describe a time when you got co-workers or classmates who dislike each other to work together.
How did you accomplish this? What was the outcome? (teamwork)
Tell me about a time when you failed to meet a deadline. What things did you fail to do? What were
the repercussions? What did you learn? (time management)
Describe a time when you put your needs aside to help a co-worker or classmate understand a task.
How did you assist them? What was the result? (flexibility)
Describe two specific goals you set for yourself and how successful you were in meeting them. What
factors led to your success in meeting your goals? (goal setting)
Companies that employ behavioral interviewing have predetermined the skill sets they require for a
particular position. These skill sets could include: decision making and problem solving, leadership,
motivation, communication, interpersonal skills, planning and organization, critical thinking skills,
team building and the ability to influence others. The company determines the skill sets by doing a
detailed analysis of the position they are seeking to fill. Job seekers also must go through this same
process. To conduct a job analysis the job seeker should ask questions such as:
1. What are the necessary skills to do this job? 2. What makes a successful candidate?
3. What would make an unsuccessful candidate? 4. Why have people left this position previously? 5.
What is the most difficult part of this job?
Once you have landed the interview, keep in mind the following points.
Be detailed and specific. You should have developed three stories that illustrate your past
performance. Remember that the interviewer will be operating under the premise that "past
performance in a similar setting is the best predictor of future performance."
The best way to accomplish this is to use the three-step STAR process or

1. Situation or Task
2. Action
3. Result or outcome
For example, you might recount a time when communication within your work group had broken
down (situation). To resolve the problem, you organized informal lunch meetings for people to
discuss relevant issues (action). Morale then improved, as did the lines of communication (result).
Using this three step STAR process is a powerful way for you to frame your experiences and
accomplishments for the interviewer.
Limit rambling and tangents. While you can't control what is asked, you can control what you say.
Listen carefully to each question. If you are unsure, rephrase the question and ask for clarification.
When you respond, be sure to recall your past accomplishments in detail.
Practice your behavioral stories using real-life examples. It is very difficult to make up behavioral
stories, which is why behavioral interviewing is becoming more popular. By practicing, you will be
able to recall with confidence your past accomplishments.
Communication
Give me a specific example of a time when a co-worker critized your work in front of others. How
did you respond? How has that event shaped the way you communicate with others?
How do you ensure that someone understands what you are saying?
Tell me about a time when you had to present complex information.
Tell me about a time in which you had to use your written communication skills in order to get across
an important point.
Decision Making
Give me an example of a time you had to make a difficult decision.
Describe a specific problem you solved for your employer. How did you approach the problem?
What
role did others play? What was the outcome?
Give me an example of when taking your time to make a decision paid off.
Initiative
What did you do to prepare for this interview?
Give me an example of a situation that could not have happened successfully without you being
there.
Planning and Organization
Describe a situation when you had many projects due at the same time. What steps did you take to
get them all done?
How do you determine priorities in scheduling your time? Give me an example. Flexibility
Describe a time where you were faced with problems or stresses that tested your coping skills.
Describe a time when you put your needs aside to help a co-worker understand a task. How did
you
assist them? What was the result?

Leadership
Tell me about a time when you influenced the outcome of a project by taking a leadership role.
Give me an example of when you involved others in making a decision.
Time Management
Tell me about a time when you failed to meet a deadline. What things did you fail to do? What were
the repercussions? What did you learn?
Tell me about a time when you were particularly effective on prioritizing tasks and completing a
project on schedule.