Interviewing Suggestions?
I start interviews next week! Getting very pumped. Wanted to see if any of my blogging colleagues out there (especially you Emergency Medicine folk–I’m looking at you, Panda, Nick, GruntDoc, Dr. Whitecoat, Ten out of Ten, Shadowfax, etc) had suggestions for questions they would’ve asked on their residency interviews that they might not have thought of in my position. I’ve been brainstorming things I’d like to know about the programs (in addition to the obvious stuff) but anything that you don’t realize until you’ve started residency already would be great to know. Thanks!
How do they deal with sickness or emergencies when a doc can’t cover a shift? Is there back up call?
How is scheduling completed? Do residents have any input on the days they work?
Have they had any problems with their attendings teaching the residents?
Are there opportunities to moonlight?
Is moonlighting allowed?
How is a resident’s progress monitored? What steps are taken if a resident is having difficulties?
Have any residents left the residency in the last few years? Why? Can you contact them?
What opportunities do they have for rotations outside their facility? Is there enough trauma at their facility to make the experience worthwhile?
Ultrasound training?
Do they have a procedures lab?
These are all just a stream of consciousness off the top of my head. E-mail me if you want more ideas.
Make sure you get to speak to at least a few residents and, if you’re in the hospital, try to talk to a couple of the nurses in the ED also.
And I probably wouldn’t mention your blog …
Hey Graham! Good luck with the interviews. As a third-year student, I’d love it if you could compile some of the best questions you get into a new post. Thanks!
What do third year resident duties entail other than just being a “smarter, faster” resident. Administration? Education? Supervision of the department?
Ask the residents how they feel about their program director…and listen VERY CAREFULLY to the answers. Few will tell you straight up “oh, he sucks” but you may be able to get a tone…and that tone may be in contrast to the image presented to you on interview day.
email me and we’ll see if you’re coming out my way…
What they said.
Ask the residents if there’s a “(facility) way” to do procedures, or if you’re being taught different ways to do procedures. (It’s a nice way to look into inbreeding in teh faculty).
Before you interview, look up the faculty’s pubs; not just to make an impression, nut to see if their research programs are active, publishing, and are interesting to you.
I’ll assume you’re looking at some 4 year programs, though they’re getting rare.
I cannot second the ?do you see enough trauma? question enough. We had EM residents from another good Cal EM program [coffstanfordcoff] rotate with us to get more hands-on trauma experience. The residents will tell you more than you think, but you have to be abe to interpret.
Lastly, we train in trauma centers/ivory towers, and most of the jobs are elsewhere. Ask about whether there are formal rotations at community hospitals (I could do trauma in my sleep, but my cards was initially deficient: it all went to the nice hospitals, so we never saw it).
Good luck!
I need to proofread. And spell check. Sorry.
Hey Graham,
Well you’ve got some great advice above. Best of luck on the trail, and no matter where you end up you’ll get good training.