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No, I Can’t Fix Your Computer

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My husband spotted a man wearing a t-shirt with that saying on it, and we have ever since jokingly referred to it when someone in the house is having a tech problem. 

As we all probably know, there is usually someone in the extended family who is the “computer person.” 

Well, we could use that individual now. While I am a big fan of the virtual interview for medical school and residency (see my upcoming Doximity article on the topic), I do worry about technical glitches. A client recently wrote me that her asynchronous, recorded virtual medical school interview had a problem, leaving her with one question unanswerable. (I counseled her to inform the school.) I’m crossing my fingers that this is an anomaly and not a reflection of what’s to come this cycle.

As always, make sure to practice for your interviews; you wouldn’t go into a standardized test without a lot of preparation, and the same should be true for interviews. 

Contact me here for help. 

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The Virtual Medical School Interview: What to Expect when You’re Expecting… An Unconventional Format

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In the late spring, to its credit, the Association of American Medical Colleges® (AAMC) recommended that all medical school, residency, and fellowship interviews be done virtually this cycle. Formats may vary, but interviews should not be in-person.

One configuration that seems to be emerging for medical schools (at least) is a two-part model: asynchronous and synchronous. The former involves a recorded session in which a computer platform – without a live interviewer present – provides questions to applicants who then have a set time to record their answers. The synchronous session is a live, remote interview.

The advantage of virtual interviews – beyond obvious health benefits and cost containment – is a standardization of the process, but mastering the new, remote processes may be difficult and anxiety-producing. 

To get help with this new world of virtual interviews, contact me. 

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AAMC is Encouraging Both a Systemic Virtual Medical School Interview and Virtual Residency Interview Policy During the COVID Pandemic

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There is no time like the present to plan how you’ll practice for your virtual medical school interview: Last week the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) announced that they are strongly encouraging medical schools and teaching hospital faculty (that’s you, residency programs) to conduct all interviews with applicants in a virtual setting. In an additional, reinforcing announcement on away rotations (see below), the AAMC specifically addressed the residency cycle for this coming year saying that they recommend that all residency programs commit to online interviews and virtual visits for all applicants for the entire cycle. The AAMC suggests “that the medical education community commit to creating a robust digital environment and set of tools that will yield the best experiences for programs and applicants.” I applaud the AAMC for their willingness to be proactive, encourage public health, and decrease medical school and residency applicant anxiety. 

Assuming there are no in-person interviews, this medical school and residency application cycle will look completely different with no applicant visits to institutions or face to face conversations with current students/residents and faculty. Schools and residency programs will be left with quite a burden to make their institutions looks distinctive and to select qualified applicants.

For the latter, be prepared to strategically handle a virtual medical school interview. Consider getting my help. For the virtual residency interview, get my help here. 

On the same date that AAMC announced the recommendation regarding the virtual medical school interview, they also announced that for the 2020-21 academic year, because of COVID, away rotations should be discouraged and that ERAS’ opening be delayed. The latter has already come to fruition: While ERAS will open on September 1 for candidates to submit their applications, residency programs will not being reviewing applications and MSPEs will not be released to residency programs until October 21 this year (compared to September 15 and October 1 last cycle). Of note, ERAS did not announce a change in Match Day yet. 

There are a lot of changes afoot. To keep up, check this web page, which AAMC has been updating regularly. 

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Medical School Interviews: How to Strategically Confront and Address Weaknesses

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Not everyone has a 3.99 BCPM or a 99th percentile on her MCAT. In my recently-published Student Doctor Network article, you’ll learn how to acknowledge your candidacy’s deficiencies, while providing persuasive evidence that you’ve overcome obstacles. These techniques work well for residency and fellowship interviews also. 

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Mom and Dad May Think You Have Good People Skills, But That’s Not Enough When It Comes to Interviews

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Every year I am hired by re-applicants for medical school and residency who tell me that the year before they received multiple interview invitations, thought they performed well on interview day, but then were left with no offers in the spring. 

This is the truth: Interviews are hard. You need to strategically respond to criticisms of your candidacy, showcase the strengths of your application, be prepared for awkward or even – sometimes – illegal questions, all while seeming fresh and enthusiastic.

There are applicants who spend months studying for their MCAT or Boards, but don’t spend even an hour practicing for their interviews. It’s a naive disconnect. 

If you can mock interview with someone who has been on a medical school admissions committee for years or a faculty member who has strong experience with residency applications, go for it. If not, check out my mock interview services here. Don’t rely on a friend or family member with no experience.

Here is a funny, less-than-one-minute, stop-motion video to guide you on this topic. 

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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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