Residency Interview Guide So you're about to head off on your first interview, A little nervous, are we? Not to worry, were here to help! First, remember some of the personal and professional traits they are looking for: Enthusiasm, motivation, initiative, communication skills, chemistry, energy, determination, confidence, humility, reliability, honesty, integrity, pride, dedication, analytical skills, and listening skills. Next, think of some of the questions that they might ask you - we've given you a head start by listing over a hundred questions you might hear on your interview, so click on the link below to download the list. ‘Now, what questions are you going to ask them? We've helped you out there too, Click on the links below to download the lists. ‘There you go - you're all set to impress! Be sure to check out some of the other interview resources we have on our medical student home page...and good luck Ask You Questions to Ask Residents Questions to Ask Faculty Questions to Ask the Program Director QuesTIONS THEY WILL ASK You 1. List three accomplishments of which you are most proud of and what each accomplishment indicates about you? 2. List three abilities you have that will make you valuable as a resident in this specialty? 3, What clinical experience have you had in this specialty? 4, Do you have any questions? 5, Teli me about yourself? 6. What three adjectives best describe you? 7, What might give me a better picture of you than I can get from your resume? 8, Tell me a story about yourself that best describes you? 9. If you were going to die in 5 minutes, what would you tell someone about yourself? 10. Of which accomplishments are you most proud? 11, Are there any hidden achievements or qualities that you are secretly proud of? 12, How have you changed since high school? 13, What are your strengths and weaknesses? 14, Tell me about your “secret identity” - The part of your personality that you don’t share with strangers? 15, Any skeletons in your closet you want to tell me about? 16, How well do you take criticism? 17, What's your pet peeve? 18, If you could change one thing about your personality what would it be? 19. If you could be any cell in the human body, which would you be and why? 20. Do you see yourself'as more relaxed/casual/informal or more serious/dedicated/committed?21. Which is more important, the ability to organize, structure, and prioritize or to be flexible, modify, change and make do as needed? 22. Which is more important, knowledge or imagination? 23. Strangest Halloween costuine you ever wore? 24. What do you value in your own life? 25. If you had unlimited money and (x amount of time) what would you do? 26. 3 wishes, what would they be? 27. What kinds of people are your friends? 28. Describe your best friend? 29. How are you similar and dissimilar to your bestfriend? 30, How woulld your friends or co-workers describe you? 31. Who are your heroes? 32. What is your favorite movie, book? 33. What is the last book you read? 34. What do success and failure mean to you? 35. What do you do in your spare time? 36, Favorite games/sports? Why? 37, Have you done any volunteer work? 38, How did you choose these outside activities? 39, If you had a completely free day, what would you do? 40. Describe for me your typical day? 41, What is the most bizarre thing you have ever done (in college, high school, etc)? 42, What is the most unusual occurrence in your life in the past (x amount of time)? 43. Which organizations do you belong to? 44, What are your plans for @ family? 45, If could not be a physician, what career would you choose? 46. Why choose to be a doctor? 47. How do you make important decisions? 48, Are you a risk taker ot safety minded? 49, What made you choose your undergraduate major? 50. How did you select undergraduate college and medical school? 51. What were the major deficiencies in your medical school training? How would you plan to remedy this? 52. If you could begin your schooling again, what would you change? 53, Have you ever dropped a class, why? 54, Have you ever quit or been fired from a job? 55. Biggest failures in life and what have you done to ensure that they won't happen again? 56. Have you always done the best work of which you are capable? 57. Which types of people do you have problems working with? 58. What qualities drive you crazy in colleagues? 59, Describe the bestworst attending with whom you have ever worked? 60. Do you prefer to work under supervision or on your own? 61. With which patients do you have trouble dealing? 62. How do you normally handle conflict? 63. How do you respond when you have problems with someone? 64. What do you do if someone senior tells you to do something you know is wrong? 65. With what subject/rotation did you have the most difficulty? 66. Why do you want to go into EM? 67. What would you be willing to sacrifice to become an emergency physician? ‘68. What is the greatest sacrifice you have already made to get to where you are?69, IFEM did not exist, what would you do? 70. How much did lifestyle considerations fit into your choice of specialty? 71, Why did you apply to this program? 72. What qualities are you looking for in a program? 73, What interests you most about this program? 74. What have you heard about our program that you don't like? 75. Are you applying here because itis a femiliar environment? 76, What will be the toughest aspect of this specialty for you? 77. How will you handle the least interesting or least pleasant parts of this specialty’s practice? 78. What qualities are most important in this specialty? 79. What kind of qualities does e person need to be an effective emergency physician? 80. Why should we take you over other applicants? 81, What can you add to our program? 82, What computer experience do you have? 83, Describe your ideal residency program? 84, What is your energy level like? 85, How many hours of sleep do you require each night? 86, How well do you function under pressure? 87. How do you handle stress? 88. Can you handle stress without the resources you are accustomed to relying on? 89. Teli me about the patient from who you leamed the most? 90. Most memorable experience in medical school/college? 91. Whet errors have you made in patient care? 92, Greatest fear about practicing medicine? 93. Where do you see yourself in 5-10 years? 94. How do you see the delivery of health care evolving in the 21century? 95. Is health care a right or a privilege? 96. What problems will our specialty face in the next 5-10 years? 97. What would you do if the house staff had a strike? 98. What do you think of what's happening in mid east? Congress? Economy? 99. Teach me something non-medical in 5 minutes? 100. Where else have you interviewed? 101, What if you don’t match? 102, Can you think of anything else you would like to add? 103. How do you deal/cope with failure, give example? 104, What was your favorite course in medical school? 4105. Describe a conflict you had with someone and how it wes resolved? 106, Describe something that was very difficult in your life, how you dealt with it, and what you eared from i 107. What needs to be changed in our health care system? 108, How can you do your job more effectively? 109. What is the most pressing problem in medicine today? 110, What is the most rewarding thing you have ever done? 111. Tell me some of your successes? 112, Tell me some of your failures? 113, How do you show your commitment to medicine? 114, Who is the most influential in your life? 115. What is the worst thing that has ever happened to you? 116, Whet do you do for fun? 117. When did you decide you wanted to be a physician?118. Where do you see yourself in 10 years? 119, What leadership roles have you held? 120. What are the biggest problems in medicine end EM? 121. What do you think of socialized medicine? 122. Do you know how hatd residency is? 123. Do you want research to be a part of your career? 124, What is your most important accomplishment? 125. What makes you different from everyone else? 126. What do you expect out of EM? 127, What is your most important lesson leamed from childhood? 128, What do you expect will be the hardest part of residency for you? 129, Who in your family are you closest to? 130. What makes you happy? 131, What makes you sad? 132. What makes you unique? 133. Is there anything else not in application that you want to tell me? 134, How do your friends describe you? 135. 3 people you would invite to dinner and why? 136, Describe important relationships you have had with people? 137. Anything else you want to tell me about yourself? 138, What was your most difficult challenge in life? 139. Why do you want to come here? 140, What are some challenges that will face this specialty? 141. What motivates you? 142, Why are you here? QuESTIONS FOR RESIDENTS 1, What contact will I have with faculty and how often? 2. What is the faculty ED coverage? (Single, double, triple?) 3. What is the faculty per hour per patient ratio? 4, How often do you want faculty input but find it’s unavailable? 5. Who teaches - senior resident, attending, both? Do you feel you have the opportunity to teach as a senior resident? 6. How much didactic time is there? How much time is spent in lectures, seminars, joumal clubs? "7, What has higher priority: Attending conference or clinical duties? 8, What are the types of clinical experiences I can expect? 9, Are there struggles between services for procedures? 10. Is it difficult to obtain consults from other services? 11. Are you boarding lots of patients in the ED? 12, Have graduates felt comfortable performing all necessary procedures by the time they graduate? 13, What type of ultrasound and hyperbaric experience is there? 14, Will I have time to read? 15, What type of support staff is available? Who starts IV, blood draws, clerical work, takes patient tox-ray? How often do you wheel patients to X-Ray? 16. What is the call schedule? Is it home call or hospital call? 17, What is the patient population like? (Indigent, insured, HIV, penetrating/blunt trauma?) 18, Do the residents go out as a group? Are the events for all residents or just those in the program? 19, How often do social events occur? Any activities of special interest to residents? 20. Are the majority of residents here married or single, any with kids? 21. Where do people live? 22. Is parking a problem? 23. What if there is a problem, will the program stand up for the resident? 24, How are shifts done? What is their length? Advance from days to evenings to nights? Time off? 25. Are there any away electives? Where? 26. Is there research time? How much and what is required? 27, What are the weaknesses of the program and how are they being improved? 28, What is the one thing you would improve at this program if you could? 29. Are you happy here? QUESTIONS FOR THE FACULTY 1, What types of non-clinical responsibilities are there? (Research, projects, writing, administrative) 2, What research projects are the faculty and residents currently working on? How is funding obtained? Who gets first authorship? 3. Is there time to do research? If you need to present at a national conference, will the department pay for your way there? 4. Is there training in administrative and legal aspects? Is there hands-on experience dealing with insurance, billing, contracts, hiring? 5, What are the population demographics? (Indigent, insured, etc) 6. Who does airway management and who does it in trauma? Does anesthesia come down? 7. Is there conference time? Is it protected time? 8, What is the pediatrics exposure and experience? 9. What is the underlying philosophy of the program? What is the mission statement for the program? 10. Are there any required/provided certifications? (ACLS, ATLS, PALS/APLS) 11, Are there any skills labs? 12, How are procedures recorded and credentialed? QUESTIONS FOR THE PROGRAM DIRECTOR 1, Where are your graduates? Geographic areas? Academic vs, community? 2, How have your graduates done on the board exam? Did all pass on the first time? How did theydo on oral exams? 3. How have residents done on in-service exams? 4, Any new faculty coming on? Any leaving? 5, Type of resident evaluations? How often? How is feedback supplied to residents? 6, What changes if any do you anticipate in the program’s curriculum? Why? 7. Have any residents left the program? Did they enter the same field elsewhere? Why did they leave? 8. Do you help graduates find jobs? How do you accomplish this - counseling sessions, faculty contacts? Will faculty review job offers with residents? 9, What are the weaknesses of this program and how are they being improved? 10, What are the strengths of this program? 11. Lam very interested in your program, what else can I do as an applicant? 12. What can I expect from you as a resident in your program? 13. What do you expect from me as a resident in your program? 14, What are your future plans and how long do you intend to stay here? 15, How are faculty chosen? What are their strengths, weaknesses, interests? 16. What is your accreditation status? 17, Has the program ever been on probation? If so, why? 18, How often are you reviewed by the RRC and when is the next review? 19, Do you support resident involvement in national associations? 20. How many national conferences do residents get to attend and when? 21. Does the program pay dues to ACEP/EMRA/SAEM? 22. What processes are in place to deal with issues for residents? 23. What is their policy on matemnity/paternity leave? 24, How are the residents treated by the ancillary staff?Residency Interviews Learn what to expect...and how to deal with the unexpected ‘The residency interview process is the next phase of your medical career. We're here to help you prepare for what is to come and to arm you with tools to help you succeed. ie IntenvieW Know what you bring to the table ~ if you don’t know what makes you a good potential trainee, it's hard so A Good convey that io other people. Ask people you respect to aK. . describe you in u few words. What are the things that vl Candidate make you unique and contributing? Then, take a deep Shows. breath and ask them where you could improve. Think about strategies you have used (or could use) to show how ‘you cope with areas of weakness. @® Conscious, informed choice ® ability to connect quickly 3 Firwith the specialty 7 concrete experiences A Potential as a trainee/colleague Research the school and program ~ duc to the competitive nature of residency applications, chances are that you may be applying to many locations. You will be expected to know something about the uniqueness of their program and why it fits you. Visit university and hospital ‘websites for facts and editorial opinions about facets of the program, Know the differences between programs. Leam how their residents do on exams, Try to talk to current residents. Build a list of questions that you have for the interviewer(s). Ask friends and family to give you feedback — on general impressions, nervous habits or gestures, speech punctuated by “ums” and “aahs”, Ask for information on the speed and tone of your voice, the logic of your explanations, the frequency of your eye contact. Perhaps record an answer a day on your answering machine. Listen to how clear you sound and whether there is any nervous rambling you would like to curb. Avoid credibility problems by reducing or eliminating “like” as fillers in your vocabulary. Stay away from “up talk” which tends to make every statement sound like a question, thereby undermining what you say. If you tend to speak quickly, slow down, Organize Your Travel Budget — you may have minimal notice to attend interviews out of town. Preparing for the extra cost the short timeframe can sometimes provoke (especially where air travel is involved) may help avoid surprises with your cash flow. If'you are traveling to another city, pethaps arrange to stay with friends to reduce costs. Be sure to allow for travel time during rush hour and bad weather. Give yourself enough time to not only getto the building but also to the interview area. Arriving approximately 10 minutes prior to the interview enables you to relax slightly and freshen up, It may also reduce the chance that you will spend too much time in the waiting room, stressing about the upcoming interview. Dress for Success ~ by wearing something professional, yet “you”. Suits are the most common choice for many interviewees but may not always be necessary. Do, however, dress with care and avoid an appearance that is too casual. Wear colours that make you feel confident. Polishing your shoes, brushing your teeth and using a lint brush are simple things you can do to help you present a tidy and competent image. Get lots of rest so you can think cleatly and communicate effectively during your interview. < > career Services, Queen's University, 2007 httni//careers.queensuca «613-533-2992 santas ole‘Although the interview process may feel different from program to program, there are some general strategies that can be applied anywhere, Whether you ere mecting with residents, attending physicians, program directors, or a panel with some ‘combination of all of these, the following items will help you. Control your first impressions — Itis said that in many instances, people form ‘an impression of you during the first ten seconds of contact. This can also be the time in an interview when you are at the peak of nervousness. Although interviewers will expect that you may be nervous, you have a chance to ‘overcome the jitters and begin a positive conversation. Simple actions like smiling, making good eye contact and standing tall when you walk in the room can all help to calm your nerves as well as form a positive impression with the interviewer(s) Introduce yourself - In many cases, the people you meet will be conducting many interviews, You need to help them differentiate you from the other candidates. It is wise to have a 30-second “blurb” about yourself at the ready. Hit the high points of who you are: perhaps what school you attend, a bit, about your recent activities, and a quick summary of how people describe you, Be yourself, Be positive and not too detailed at this point. Help the conversation get going. Remember to make eye contact and smile at everyone you meet (receptionists, people in the hall, waiting room, ete.), not just the interviewer(s). Think before you speak — In life, itis natural to compose your thoughts before you answer a question, however, in interviews, many candidates leap into answers before they think. Pause to reflect before you start speaking, ‘Sometimes it is helpful to communicate to the interviewer(s) that you need to think for a moment before answering. It is also fine to stop an answer that {sn’t going well to start again. This is not a ret, itis @ conversation. Help them get to know you — as a unique individual. Some programs refer to your application material during the interview while others will appear to start ‘with a completely blank slate. Bither way, you need to help them understand how you do things by using examples from your CV and past experiences. ‘The only thing that makes you unique from the other smart, well-rounded applicants is the individuality you give yourself simply by showing yourself through your experiences in life. Use your P-U-L-L Brainstorm experiences from the following areas of your life: Paid work Unpaid work Learning Leisure Using examples from these areas heles you: Show diverse experiences Show hite/workbatance Increase examples avaiable Convey tnformation from your CV and personal letter Give REAL answers, not “RIGHT” answers — There is often some anxiety associated with interviews and therefore, many sources of information about how you should conduct yourself. Filter the information (including this document!) through your own beliefs and personal communication style. Despite what many candidates hear through the grapevine, there are no right answers. Speak authentically ising your own words and specific examples from your life. Avoid generalities: (“I am a team player with a variety of experiences”) and naive statements: (“Being a surgeon requires patience, dedication and a thirst for learning. potential contributions to your specialty of choice and to their program. & corer Serfss, Queens Unversty, 007 nuk "), Tell suecinet but vivid stories that enable the interviewer(s) to get to know you and to see your a 013-8332002 Queensrview,- Types of Questions ‘The purpose of the residency interview is to help future colleagues or committees to gain additional information ebout your fit with @ future career a8 &..... ‘(€insert specialty here) and your ability to succeed during the rigours of the program, Types of questions may vary somewhat by school and by interviewer, but you may encounter some from this list: 1. Why do you want to be a ........(€insert specialty here)? 2. What do you think makes you different from other candidates? 3. Why did you choose your undergraduate degree? Would you choose it again? 4, What impresses you the most about our program? What would you change if you could? 5. What kind of future in this specialty do you see yourself having? 6. What's the greatest thing you will contribute to our group? 7. Tell me how you know that you are able to cope with the demands of a heetic clinical schedule, cell, long shifts, teaching responsibilities and still provide quality care to our patients? 8. Describe your greatest weakness. 9. What part of the (insert specialty here >), culture Tactics (lifestyle, personalities, work) has attracted you? 10, Do you have a partner? (Illegal question) How do they feel about your potential move to another city? 11. If you couldn’t do this specialty, what would you do i 12. Tell me about yourself. ‘Actions 13. Ifyou could change anything about the last four years, what would it be? 14, I notice that you have been involved in a fair amount of research while in Outline your step-by-step medical school. As you know, being a resident involves clinical work, oir cee research and educating of more junior students. Which of those areas inspires you the mos:? Results 15. What rotation did you enjoy the least while in medical school? Why? eeu Otani 16, Do you think you make 2 good bedside teacher? Why or why not? cues eens || 17. While a first year resident, you are asked to do a complicated procedure with limited training and supervision. How would you deal with this situation? What if the patient died under one such circumstance? 18. Who would you most like to work with here at ........+seeee (Institution X)? Who would you most like to meet during your visit here today? 19. What other programs have you applied to? What can we do to make you choose ours? Where do you think you will rank us? 20. What book are you currently reading? 21. Tell me a joke. 22, Do you think that user fees should be introduced into our healthcare system? 23, Teli me about a time when you have had to lead people through difficulty. 24, Tell us about a time when you made an error in the medical care you gave to a patient, What happened? 28. Sometimes in the course of the running of a hospital, conflicts arise. There is a situation in which you need e consult from a cardiologist. When you phone her, she refers you to the cardiac surgeon on call, ‘who argues that itis the cardiologist whose responsibility the consult is. Neither will budge. What would you do at the time? After the fact? 26, Tell me about a time when you have had a conflict with a co-worker. 27. Tell me about a time when you failed at something you tried. A great framework for answering questions Situation Briefly deserbaa specific situation you experienced Convey your rationale for dealing vith the situation - stead? career Services, Queen's University, 2007 tpi/eareers.queensu.ca 6135332092 B Queens SAREREYou do not have to answer illegal questions, but instead of getting flustered, you may wish to side step them by interpreting what is really being asked and answer that question instead, Usually there is no malicious intent with these questions, even though they are inappropriate, Example: “Do you plan to have children during your taining?” Possible answer: "My career is most important to me forthe next few years and | wil be Focusing on that” Example: “what other programs are you appiying to?" Possible answer: "This is a competitive process sol'm visiting a few places, but ry goal today Is to learn more about your program because I would love o come here.” op Ten Qual When I did it well When I wished I had done better Leadership Motivation Related experience Problem-solving Multi-disciplinary teamwork Decision-making Conflict resolution Self-directed learning Goal achievement ‘Maturity } Career Services, Queen's University, 2007 ttp//careers.queensu.ca ‘613-533-2992 oles