Below is an excerpt of a piece I wrote on how to make the best impression during your medical school and residency interviews. Knowing the institution you’re at makes a big difference during the interview process.

When I was at Harvard, we had a residency applicant about whom I was very enthusiastic, but when we sat down to talk about the candidate’s credentials, one of my colleagues put a kibosh on the applicant’s prospects. As it turned out, the candidate had made it clear that he did not want to leave California. “If he’s not interested in us, why should we be interested in him?” my colleague asked.

Although you hope that schools will like you, keep in mind that institutions want to see that you are serious about them as well. There is a psychological principle: People tend to like those who like them. Apply this idea to schools when you interview. Be so familiar with the institution that you convey to the interviewer that you are excited and sincere about spending the next four years there. Know details about the school’s curriculum, extracurricular opportunities, location, associated hospitals, and students. Have very specific questions to ask your interviewer that demonstrate your intimate knowledge of the school and your belief that you could be a contributing member of the class.