Matching to a fellowship program through the NRMP® (National Resident Matching Program) or other means is a competitive endeavor. Even strong applicants can have difficulty getting positions in many subspecialties. Those that do match may not get their top choices, leaving them in suboptimal programs and locations.
Consequently, optimizing your performance during the fellowship interview is critical. But what are fellowship directors looking for during the interview process?
First, they are seeking someone distinctive. Your goal is to distinguish yourself from all of the other applicants by showcasing your accomplishments. Anyone can say s/he is intelligent or goal oriented. Fewer candidates can prove it.
Second, they want to ensure you are committed to their subspecialty and that you know what you are getting yourself into. Fellowship is difficult; training programs aren’t seeking someone who is ambivalent and might leave mid-year. Giving examples of your commitment through successful residency rotations and research projects can help.
Third, fellowship programs want to ensure you are reasonable. They want to see that you don’t have a problem personality and aren’t going to cause them embarrassment or extra work.
Fourth, they want to hear that you are particularly interested in their program. You can convince them of your enthusiasm by knowing specifics about the fellowship training program and city.
One would never take the Boards without practicing first and yet, countless applicants go to interviews without preparing. Consider working with a professional: Because applicants can unknowingly undermine their chances of success with poor interview skills, a qualified, personalized fellowship admissions consultant provides a great advantage.
Medical fellowship consulting companies come in a variety of forms. Some are bigger businesses that focus on admissions to several types of graduate programs – not just medicine. Others are smaller and provide a medical focus, but have a pool of consultants of varying quality. Finally, elite companies offer both the medical focus and a highly experienced consultant who works one-on-one with clients. These professionals are ex-admissions officers from highly respected medical institutions. They have the inside knowledge of how medical admissions work, providing individualized guidance to optimize applicants’ applications and interview skills.
When choosing a fellowship admissions consulting company, a candidate should verify the company’s references and research its consultants. Elite companies that offer both the medical focus and a highly experienced consultant who works individually with clients offer a large advantage for pre-fellowship applicants, especially during these competitive times.
