“The greater the difficulty, the more the glory in surmounting it.”
~Epicurus
Today was our last day of interviews. The rank list is done. The more I am involved in this process; the more I realize that it is not that scientific process. It gets difficult when you get to the last few applicants. What I have learned this year?
As I previously posted, I asked all of the applicants the same group of questions. In most of my interviews, these questions an provided the opportunity for further conversation. A couple of interviewees fell flat. I don't mean that the answered wrong or poorly, just that were flat. It is like a girl who likes a guy. She gives him every opportunity to "impress her," and he misses the cues. You know what I mean? All in all, the questions went pretty well.
For my first question, I asked, "in one sentence, tell me who you are outside of medicine?" To this question, the common themes were:
- hard working
- loves outdoors
- loves being with friends and family
- easy going
- loves sports
- I am a geeky girl from the midwest.
- I am a father, husband and friend, that loves music and the outdoors.
To the third group of questions, favorite song/album and artist/group, the answer was not as obvious. Most had multiple choices from Country to Indy rock. U2 and the Beetles where probably the overall winners. Groups like Shane and Shane were new to me. GNR and metallica were also popular choices. Lupe Fiasco and Tupac came out of no where from one application. I liked that.
Overall, I think the questions did what I wanted. They initiated conversation made most feel comfortable. I learned a non-medical side of the applicant. I got a glimpse into their psyche. It surprised me that no applicants in their review of our program prior to coming found my blog with the questions. Oh well, I tried to give a heads up.
I do think I will use these again next year. I may change them a little. May be I will ask what ringtone they would give to my phone number. Maybe they would use the Imperial March from Star Wars, like I use for all of my partners (other attendings).
One of my residents just told me he tagged my number with Pantera's Walk. That was FFT.
Pantera's - Walk
Avenged Sevenfold's - Walk cover
May be I will ask what CD's are in their car or songs on their IPOD's recent played list? Or may be I will ask what their ring tone is? I will continue to search for ways to assess an applicants past the USMLE and grades. I look forward to this next year.
“What is not started today is never finished tomorrow.”
~Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
That's interesting how you went about interviewing and the questions you chose and why. My phone has bewitched when it rings. Wonder what that says? (rhetorical question)
ReplyDeleteThis is from anon#2
ReplyDeleteThank you for your immediate response, you definitely lowered by blood pressure a few points. I definitely am in awe of the work that you're putting into this. And I'm not just saying that b/c I want to do ortho like nobody's business :)
I think a good interview question for you to use in the future would be "if you were stranded anyway, where would it be, and what would you bring?" or, if there was one thing that you wish you could do better, but only could do that, what would it be?
I like that. And I agree with your idea to interview the person. Everyone is the same on paper.
emily: love the question of the day
ReplyDeletein general conversation, we have talked about what son we would have play when we where on the floor rounding. obvious choice, "Big Pimpin"
who would play me, Vin Diesel. cause we look similar. an his guns are almost as big as mine :).
cartoon character? hmmmm ... marvel hero wolverine (just cause he is a cool, anti-establishment rebel). may be Jack-Jack 'cause he's so cute, but he has a dangerous side :)
anon#2: the stranded question is a good one. it has been used.
i really like the "if there is one thing you wish you could do better" question. it shows if the applicant has personal insight.
yeah, and you know you have to interview the person. CV's are hard to teach. they are a little full of themselves and tear easily under pressure.
from anon#2
ReplyDeleteWell, easy to break through someones BS on a CV, no doubt. We'll see what happens though. Perhaps we'll meet in the interview arena and I'll be 'pimped' realtime.
although, I doubt that will happen. I hear that a lot of ortho programs are very home-state friendly, meaning they don't like to take people from other states, but that could just be a rumor. Who knows, do you?
I guess I should finish. I read the book and did send him a postcard but never heard back. I matched a place lower on my rank list as well. Oh well.
ReplyDeleteMy song for board turnover with the residents would be "Pimpin' aint easy". Seriously, I was frustrated with interviewing applicants who very painfully wanted to be in our residency, but who, for whatever reason, didn't seem to be a very good fit.
ReplyDelete