How to evaluate an institution: Notes and vibe

A few applicants have asked me how to keep track of the institutions at which they interview. I do think taking notes immediately after your visit is worthwhile. Writing down your initial thoughts can be very helpful when you have to make decisions months later.

But I have to emphasize that I'm a firm believer in "vibe." Once you've narrowed down your list by geography and quality and once you review your notes, the decision you'll be making will be based primarily on how you felt about an institution. If this sounds too touchy-feely remember that intuition is not a magical assessment; it's based on major and minor facts that you consciously and subconsciously analyze.

For individualized help with your interviews contact me at InsiderMedicalAdmissions.com .

The blog will take a short hiatus over the holiday and the beginning of next week. Have a happy Thanksgiving!

Health care costs: Causes

There's an interesting article by economist Reinhardt that was published last week in the New York Times about what factors drive up health care costs. You'll notice that doctors' salaries are not mentioned; please see Reinhardt's 2007 article for the reason for this intentional omission.

Interview Strategies: Don't be intimidated

I've had two med students recently tell me that they felt intimidated after reading postings from other applicants on the student doctor sites. In general these web sites can be very helpful; but please don't take other people's braggadocio to heart. If you think the comments are affecting your confidence take a break from reading them. You want to approach your interviews with self-assurance.



For help building confidence for your interviews through practice with an experienced professional, contact me at insidermedical@gmail.com or InsiderMedicalAdmissions.com .

How to handle illegal interview questions

When I was interviewing for residency, a committee member asked me, “Do you have a boyfriend?” I found out after my session that he had asked the same question to all of the women interviewing at the program that day. (Apparently, soon thereafter he was disinvited from the admissions committee.)

Unfortunately, the occasional medical school, residency and fellowship interviewer will pose illegal questions about a candidate’s personal life. If you do not want to answer such a question (as most people do not) this is my suggestion:

Most interviewers do not really care about your personal life. They are asking you inappropriate questions (“Do you plan to have children in the next few years?”) because they are attempting to assess the likelihood of their accepting you to their program only to have you quit to manage personal obligations. Therefore I recommend allaying their underlying concern. Here’s an idea for an answer:

“What I think you’re gauging is whether I might leave my training. Let me assure you that if I were accepted at this institution I would absolutely complete my full tenure because I am very enthused about training here and pursuing my career.”

Wala! You’ve avoiding answering the question, calmed the interviewer and... not lost your temper.


For one-on-one interview practice contact me through InsiderMedicalAdmissions.com or at insidermedical@gmail.com. A comment from a client about her recent mock interview, “Highly recommend it. Well worth the money.”

Positive reinforcement in medical training: A very novel concept

Here's another Pauline Chen MD article worth reading. This one concerns the predominance of punishment over positive reinforcement in medical training and one researcher's novel approach to counter this phenomenon. It's another bittersweet essay but worth a read.

Quick tip: Be nice on the interview trail

It can be super stressful on the interview trail: You're worried about your performance and your travel details. Perhaps you haven't slept much. But I would recommend being at your best with two groups of people you might not have considered:

1. Secretaries/administrative assistants. These people often have tremendous power. When the administrative assistant used to tell us someone was rude to her on the phone we listened and it affected that person's candidacy. In fact, I even recommend sending thank you notes after interviews to the secretaries, assuming they helped you directly.

2. Other applicants. You will see some of these people again. It may be immediately or in a few years, but remember that one day the candidate who is sitting next to you might be able to help you when you have a scheduling emergency or family issue.

For one-on-one practice for your interviews contact me through InsiderMedicalAdmissions.com . Remember that I am scheduling two to three weeks in advance.

Interview Strategies: What (not) to wear

A lot of clients ask me what to wear to medical interviews: Your principal goal is not to get noticed for your clothing at your interview. I would generally recommend avoiding the following:

1. Clothes that are casual. Semi-formal attire is appropriate.
2. Clothes that are goofy. Avoid cartoon ties, outlandish stockings, silly hats.
3. Clothes that are revealing. (Enough said.)
4. Clothes that are uncomfortable. It's not smart to wear heels that will keep you from focusing on the hospital tour. Avoid the temptation despite the cosmetic appeal.
5. Clothes that don't fit the weather. Your interviews will be inside, but you may have to travel outside to get from one interviewer to the next.

For individualized help with your interviews please check out http://www.insidermedicaladmissions.com/. See testimonials from my clients' regarding their enthusiasm with the interview assistance I offer.

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