Tips for the Interview Season

Prior to the interview:

• Scheduling: make sure you make a feasible schedule. Note that interviews are during winter, so airport delays are considerations. Try to bunch interviews according to location, although that is very difficult to achieve.
• Research about the program: read their webpage and brochures. Know who these people are. Know what they say about the program
• Read about interviewers: do a Pubmed search to find their research interests. Ask the secretary how to pronounce their names.
• Be prepared to explain gaps in your CV:  especially failures and gaps.
• Know your CV well: especially research, if any.

During the interview:

• Be on time: nothing can be worse for you than being late. This will create problems for the secretaries, you will be late for other interviews, conferences etc. Plan ahead ! Get maps of the area, and clarify any questions you have about how to get there.
• Dress code: use clean, traditional clothes. The only thing that should draw attention about your clothes is how clean/net it looks. Anything else is negative. Do not abuse on jewelry, makeup, perfumes.
• Act professionaly:. No ticks, nail biting.
• Language: use professional language. No cussing, please.
• Be courteous to everyone: including non-medical staff.
• Thank the secretaries and coordinators for their work.

After the interview:

• "Thank you" letters: write letters 2-3 weeks after the interview. State how you would feel if you could train there. If you can, write a line in the end, just to make it more personal.
• Second look: if you are really interested, contact the program to see if you can come back for a second look. Maybe walk with a resident during the day, to see how the routine is. Attend a conference or two.
• Keep track with a spreadsheet: have a nice spreadsheet or cards where you write everything you got about the program: positives, negatives, who interviewed you etc. Keep that information until you Match.