This fun piece from the Harvard Medical School (HMS) alumni magazine is worth a read. The article, “Stress Fractures” by Dr. Jules Dienstag, a member of the HMS Admissions Committee, briefly chronicles a history of the “stress” interview at HMS, specifically whether a well-known professor Dr. Daniel H. Funkenstein used the dubious tactic. The famous nailed-shut window story is explored.
Blog Archives
Understanding How the Match Works is Critical for Succeeding in the Process
Improving written materials and interview skills is important, but all of that work can go to waste if applicants do not understand basic strategies for the Match. This month the NRMP published an article called, “Understanding the Interview and Ranking Behaviors of Unmatched International Medical Students and Graduates in the 2013 Main Residency Match” in the Journal of Graduate Medical Education. The data is especially important for IMGs who represented the majority of unmatched candidates.
Sadly, the authors found that some applicants made strategic errors including the below:
– Not attending all interviews, thus failing to capitalize on every opportunity to market themselves.
– Declining to rank all programs at which they interviewed or not ranking all programs they would be willing to attend.
– Misunderstanding the Match and ranking programs at which applicants did not interview.
– Failing to rank programs based on true preferences or ranking programs based on the perceived likelihood of matching.
It kills me to read about these mistakes :(. If you do not understand how the Match works, it is absolutely critical that you learn about it to avoid destructive errors.
Tags: Interviews, Match, Medical School Rankings, NRMP
Hand-Written Thank You Notes: Easy for You to Do and Can Make Them So Happy
I get asked by clients about the best way to send post-interview thank you notes – email versus snail mail. I strongly advise sending hand-written notes. Email can be viewed as less labor-intensive or thoughtful.
You can still get the notes in quickly: Put them in the mail the morning after you’ve completed your interview. I’ve even had applicants tell me they bring blank thank you notes to the interview day, complete the cards after their interviews, and leave them with the administrative assistant.
Do Interviews Matter?
Yes!For residency candidates: The NRMP Program Directors’ Survey makes it very clear that interviews matter a lot, which was also my experience as an Assistant Residency Director. I recall very robust conversations about even small comments candidates made during their interviews, some of which affected their ranking on our Match list.
For medical school applicants: Although there is controversy over how much college interviews matter, even skeptics acknowledge that graduate school interviews make a difference in the application process. In this NYT piece, two former interviewers strongly advise conducting mock interviews and being prepared for “curve ball” questions.
Remember: If you’re well-prepared, once you get your foot in the door, you can make a strong impression about the worthiness of your candidacy.
Tags: Interviews, Medical School, NRMP
Being Reclusive
I’m giving a shout out to those of you who are avoiding Internet sites with posts from medical school and residency applicants. Good for you!
Even the most competitive candidates get nervous when they see others boasting about their plethora of interview invites. Who knows if those posts are true? And even if some are, how does reading them change your strategy?
I’m recommending staying offline to keep your nerves under control.
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
