Blog Archives

Thank You Notes: A Plug for the US Postal Service

I was recently asked by a client about the best way to send post-interview thank you notes – email versus snail mail. This client said he had read conflicting advice online.

As a former Harvard admissions decision-maker who used to receive thank you notes, I can tell you that I strongly advise sending your thank you notes by good old USPS. The reasons are twofold:

1) Email may be viewed as lazy. Hand-written thank you notes take more time, which shows.
2) To put an email thank you note in your file, the receiver needs to take the time to print out your email. You don’t want any barriers between you and your good impression.

I do recommend getting those handwritten thank you notes in quickly. The night after you’ve completed your interview or the next day is a good time to write and send.

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You Never Get a Second Chance to Blow a First Impression

I receive a lot of questions about interview attire; I have two rules to guide applicants:

1. Do not be noticed for your clothes. You want to be remembered for your accomplishments, not your attire. Years later, I still remember the applicant who arrived in a Bugs Bunny tie. (This might fly for a pediatrics interview, but even then, I wouldn’t recommend it.) I also recall the applicant who arrived in jeans. (He packed his interview clothes, checked his luggage, his bags were lost, and he had nothing else to wear for his early morning interview.)

2. Be comfortable. No heels that are so high you are in too much pain to take the tour. No coat so light – but stylish 😉 – that you can’t walk out of the building.

What you wear is really much less important than how you present yourself in interviews. For help, contact me. I’ve recently added some mock interview slots to my online calendar because of high demand.

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Being Repetitive… Again and Again and Again

In writing their personal statements, many applicants ask me if it’s okay to include their accomplishments. After all, they say, their achievements have already been noted in the application, dean’s letter, and letters of recommendation. Think of the medical admissions process as an onion. Your application (AMCAS, ERAS, post bacc CV, AADSAS) and letters serve as one layer of that onion, albeit a thin one. In other words, your accomplishments are conveyed simply and succinctly there. The personal statement is your opportunity to apply a thicker layer, one in which you flesh out your achievements, thus persuading the reader of your distinctiveness. Finally, the interview is your chance to add on the thickest peel. Discussing your accomplishments in detail can seal the interviewer’s positive impression of you. So yes, you are going to be redundant throughout the application process, but each part serves a different and additive purpose. If you do not include your achievements in your personal statement, how will you be viewed as distinctive? Remember: Who you are is what you’ve done… and what traits and skills you’ve gained accordingly.

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Interviews: What to Wear

Applicants ask me whether they can wear this-or-that suit, and I’ve seen entire articles written on interview attire.

But this is an easy one: Don’t be noticed for your clothes. Don’t wear the cartoon tie (even if you are a pediatrics residency applicant), and don’t wear the orange tights in honor of Halloween. You want to be noticed for your accomplishments, not your appearance.

Email me at insidermedical@gmail.com for mock interview help.

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Compulsive Email Checking

I don’t usually recommend compulsive behavior, but it’s worth checking your email once a day to see if you’ve received interview invitations. Out of courtesy, an invite should be responded to quickly, and the sooner you contact the institution, the more likely you are to get a slot that you want. Ensure your email account is reliable and that messages aren’t going to spam. (I’ve heard some horror stories.)

Contact me for help with Mock Interviews.

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About Dr. Michelle Finkel

Dr. Michelle Finkel

Dr. Finkel is a graduate of Stanford University and Harvard Medical School. On completing her residency at Harvard, she was asked to
stay on as faculty at Harvard Medical School and spent five years teaching at the world-renowned Massachusetts General Hospital.
She was appointed to the Assistant Residency Director position for the Harvard Affiliated
Emergency Medicine Residency where she reviewed countless applications, personal statements and resumes. Read more

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