improving your residency interview skills 2009
TRANSCRIPT
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Improving Your Residency Interview Skills
Gregg BlachfordMcGill Career Planning Service (CaPS)www.mcgill.ca/caps 514‐398‐3304
Dr. Pierre TellierDirector, Student Affairs, Faculty of Medicine
www.medicine.mcgill.ca/careerplan
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OverviewOverview
1 What are interviewers looking for?1. What are interviewers looking for?
2. What are you looking for?
3 i f h i i3. Preparing for the interview
4. The elements of the interview:• What you say
• How you say it
• Physical appearance & dress
• Your body language
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What Are the Interviewers Looking for?
• You’ve already been screened for your skills in medicine, so ou e a eady bee sc ee ed o you s s ed c e, sothey are looking for EVIDENCE of:
• “Soft” skills – ability to communicate
– analytical thinking
– willingness to learn
– ability to judge
– hard worker
– initiative, adaptability, accountability, teamwork & ti
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cooperation
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What Are the Interviewers Looking for?
A “ d” lit t fit i ith th i t• A “good” personality to fit in with their team
• A sense that you really want to come “with a passion” to their hospital and their program
• PLUS they want to feel that “what they see is what y ythey get”
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What Are You Looking for at the Interview?
• That the hospital and the program represent aThat the hospital and the program represent a good fit with your career aspirations– That the city is one you would want to live in– That the city is one you would want to live in
• The chance to demonstrate your effective two way communication skillstwo‐way communication skills– And to demonstrate your strengths and achievements without “bragging”achievements without “bragging”
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Preparing for the Interview #1Preparing for the Interview #1
• Know yourselfKnow yourself– Your “soft” skills
Your passions and interests– Your passions and interests
– Your career target for the medium term
Y t h id t b k• You must have evidence to back up your claims– Be ready to “tell stories”
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“Telling Stories”Telling Stories
• Evidence of your skills/interests is bestEvidence of your skills/interests is best illustrated with stories about your achievementsachievements– Stories can come not only from your academic work & rotations, but also paid jobs, volunteerwork & rotations, but also paid jobs, volunteer work and extra‐curricular activities
• Include stories about interactions withInclude stories about interactions with patients, residents, nurses, staff, etc.
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“Telling Stories”Telling Stories
• Consider using the “P A R ” Formula:Consider using the P.A.R. Formula:– “P” – state the problem you faced
“A” describe the action you took– A – describe the action you took
– “R” – explain the results of your actions– In terms of % $ #’sIn terms of %, $, # s
• BUT, make yourself more believable by having some stories that show your vulnerabilitiessome stories that show your vulnerabilities and/or weaknesses
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Preparing for the Interview #2Preparing for the Interview #2
• Know about the city the hospital the specialtyKnow about the city, the hospital, the specialty, the program, their research and the profession as a whole – how?as a whole how?
• Websites; literature
• Current residents, program director, residency secretary, p g , y y
• Prepare “intelligent” questions for the interviewer from your researchinterviewer from your research
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About Your QuestionsAbout Your Questions• Ask questions about the teaching program, not about things
• Your questions should reflect a strong interest in learning and should not reflect an aversion to work
• Don’t ask questions in which you’re not interested in hthe answers
• Don’t “cross‐examine”
• You may want to ask different questions to staff and residents
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Now That You’ve Prepared, Onto the Interview…
• What are the main elements of an• What are the main elements of an interview?
• A: What you say
• B: How you say it• C: Physical appearance & dress• D: Your body language
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A: What You SayTypical Interview Questions
• Chit‐chat:Chit chat: – Show your personality, but be professional; don’t be too familiar; you are always being interviewed – even at the so‐ll d “ l” l h d th tcalled “casual” lunch and on the tour
• Behaviourial based on past experiences: – “Can you tell me about a time when you led a team toCan you tell me about a time when you led a team to achieve a goal?”; “What was your biggest clinical mistake?”
• Behaviourial based on how you might act in the future: – “what would you do if a patient said they wanted to see a ‘real’ doctor?”
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More Interview QuestionsMore Interview Questions• Questions to get a sense of your knowledge of the profession/program/specialty/medicine/ hospital:profession/program/specialty/medicine/ hospital:– “What led you to pick this specialty?”– “Why are you applying here? To this specialty?”
• To get a sense of your self knowledge:– Why do you think you’ll be a good ….. ?– Who are your heroes?– Who are your heroes?– With which types of people/patients do you have trouble working?
H i t th ti t• How are you going to answer these questions at your second and third choice places/programs?
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Other Possible QuestionsOther Possible Questions
• What are the challenges facing our profession at g g pthe moment? (political and social issues)
• What would you do if the house staff had a “job y jaction” or strike? (ethical issues)
• Tell me about a time when you learned from a ypatient; when you advocated for a patient (“customer” service)
• How do you explain… (low grades?, leaves of absence?, poor clinical narratives?)
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Difficult Interview QuestionsDifficult Interview Questions
• Please tell me about yourself• Can you tell me why I should let you do your residency here?
• What area of weakness do you recognize in yourself that you are working on to improve?
• Any questions about your age marital status sexual• Any questions about your age, marital status, sexual orientation, religion or political views– What are your plans for a family?
• Tell me about the resident that you least liked to work with during a rotation?
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B: How You Say ItB: How You Say It
• Check your volume tone and speedCheck your volume, tone and speed
• Enunciate carefully
id fill “ k ” “ ” “ d hi• Avoid fillers: “you know”, “um”, “and things like that”, “sort of”
• Allow silences to occur – take time to organize your answers
• Avoid slang and informal language
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C: Physical Appearance & DressC: Physical Appearance & Dress
• Role – Resident Physician – a confident, neat, ratherRole Resident Physician a confident, neat, rather conservative individual– Wash!
– Shave or trim beard
– Use deodorant, but not perfume or cologne
– Clean nails
– Breath freshener
NO GUM CIGARETTES– NO GUM or CIGARETTES
– Clothes clean and pressed
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Dress the RoleDress the Role
• Men: • Women– Suit (two piece and a dark
color)– Grey trousers and blue blazer
– A suit or a skirt with jacket– A blouse in a matching but
subdued color with long – A white or pale colored shirt– A tie (silk, no animals)– Socks that match the suit
sleeves or turtleneck– Blouse buttoned up or a scarf
around your neckP h– Shoes conservative, polished
– Belt matching the shoes
• Jewelry
– Pantyhose– Sensible shoes matching or
complementing the outfitM k t l i lJewelry
– Less is more, none is better– Eyebrow piercing and tongue
stud?
– Make‐up: natural, sparingly
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stud?
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Dress the RoleDress the Role
• The Briefcase/PortfolioThe Briefcase/Portfolio– CV x 3
– Personal statement
– Material not included in application
– Pen/paper/PDA to take notes – but not during the i iinterview
– Instructions/maps
Material that is given to you– Material that is given to you
– Wallet, etc
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Dress the RoleDress the Role
• If you are travelling ‐If you are travelling – You’ll be travelling in winter, so have coat and boots
– Don’t travel in your interview clothes
– Change when you get there
– Once you are dressed correctly, forget about it
– Use carry‐on baggage ‐ if possible
– Always carry important papers, money, etc on you
A i i ht b f if ibl d t d t– Arrive night before ‐ if possible – and get good rest
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D: Body LanguageD: Body Language
H d h k• Handshakes
• Posture: “walk/sit tall”
• Hand gestures – yes? no?
• Facial expressions – smile!Facial expressions smile!
• Eye contact – make it!
Sh fid b t b “ t l”• Show confidence, but be “natural”
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Finally…Finally…
• After the interview: assess your performanceAfter the interview: assess your performance to improve for the next time
• Optional: write a short thank you note to the• Optional: write a short thank you note to the interviewer (and secretary) referring to something you learned during the interviewsomething you learned during the interview
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Final NotesFinal Notes• Be yourself! Don’t lose your personality! But be your “self aware” selfyour self‐aware self
• Be honest! But don’t put yourself down
• Be passionate! But don’t overdo it; avoid superlatives
• Be genuine! Don’t try too hard to figure out the “right” answersg
• Sell yourself! Give them the evidence to allow them to justify selecting you
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them to justify selecting you
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Additional HelpAdditional Help
• Mock interviews are available in December and January at CaPS and at the Medicine Career Planning y gOffice
• Check out the CFMS (Canadian Federation of Medical Students) site: www.cfms.org
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