Interviewing is a skill, it is about having a presence without being overbearing, charismatic and charming without cheese, and having very high self-awareness and interpersonal skills.
In an interview you should be showing the best parts of yourself first, the missteps second. You must come to terms with yourself in very honest ways and be able to present that in a palatable way. I have always found these types of meetings to fit well in my wheelhouse since I have stage experience (both onstage and backstage) and the crossover has really helped me.
I am a DPM, graduated 2017, completed residency 2020.
Here I hope to translate my personal experiences onstage and on both sides of the interview process to help you crush your interview with a little flair and a lot of confidence!
The Countdown
2 months before
Choosing your programs
All your externships
A few “reach” and a few guaranteed (just like college)
Get advice from upper years who went to these programs
Ask a residency director- they know everyone!
Doing your research
If you did extern there:
go back to your logs and re-familiarize yourself with names of attendings, residents, or some key procedures you saw during your month
Contact a resident to see what’s up with that program
Do you want/need to meet new first years?
Do they require follow-up visit?
Express your distinct interest in that program
If you didn’t extern there:
Check out your must-haves list and see if this place is a good fit
Look at their website and dig out some contact info
Contact a resident to get your questions answered -the things you can’t find on a website! ***Good questions to ask are discussed later
Clean up your act:
Check your social media accounts and delete anything that does not make you proud
A good rule of thumb is: think before you speak or, think before you post
Everything you put into the digital world is permanent
Never post anything illegal: underage drinking, any drug use, etc.
Special issues: politics/opinions/of-age drinking/swimsuits/etc.
you must define for yourself what your professional comfort level is and what you deem appropriate for you.
If a program has vastly different standards than you do, ask yourself if you really want to be there.
1 month before:
Plan out or purchase your attire:
Women: suit or pants and blazer;
Suit jackets and blazers do not need to be buttoned, but I would opt for this
I would avoid sweaters
Skirts are tricky: There were too many questions, so that’s why I went pants.
knee length is a MUST,
Cut: straight down from hips, no flare and no pencil.
Shoes: kitten heel, 1” or under rather than a flat
Pantyhose/stockings/tights: flesh tone probably not a good idea, gray or black sheer would be best. Many traditional areas of the country would prefer professional leg coverings.
PRO-TIP! There are usually sales around holiday time (esp. close-outs after Christmas)
Shirt: show some style, but look professional- this is still a male-dominated field and you want to appeal in a business sense (“hire me”) rather than a fashion sense…
I had the advice that I am a girly-girl, so flowers and ruffles were not a good choice, and that I should stick to more muted tones.
Try not to wear pastels. It doesn’t say “grown-up”
Men: suit and tie
Top button should be buttoned on your shirt
If you don’t know how to tie a tie, then learn now! Practice until you cannot get it wrong.
Suit coat (not a sport jacket); may be 1-2 button front
Special concern: the “button-unbutton” of your suit coat
Colors:
White shirt may be too crisp looking if your suit is black
Black may be too harsh or just right depending on personal coloring
Explore color options for your shirt outside of blue…
Belt and shoes should match
Please up your formal game: black suit means black shoes. Gray is questionable for black/brown depending on the shade of gray.
Tie should look appropriate: patterns are okay if that is your style. Bow-tie is okay (in my opinion, but only if it is truly “you”)
HEM YOUR PANTS! Appropriately, go to a tailor if need be.
Cufflinks are too much
A tie clip may be utilized only if understated
The social gatherings:
This may be same day or 1-2 days later
Dress appropriately: you may not have a chance to go back to your room
Ladies: if you have a more “fun” business top, like a pattern or a bolder color, this is a good time.
Sweaters okay here
Ditch the blazer/suit coat
Gents
Okay to lose the tie, but keep buttons to one undone
Keep the jacket, but can change to a sport coat; buttons can be undone on the coat
Everyone:
Color choice is important: blue, gray, black are all classic business, however it is possible to branch out into (for men: light yellow, light green, deeper blues, potentially purple), (for ladies: jewel tone blues, purples, greens, or autumnal gold/dusky hues).
Shoes: this is podiatry, people! The shoes shouldn’t look painful.
Your shoes should match your outfit in some way.
You may show your personality in your shoes without being overly showy- DON’T draw attention to your feet!
Ladies: Consider socks or trouser socks/stockings
Men: You MUST wear full-length trouser socks. No ankle socks and loafers. No, you cannot “get away with it,” and yes, someone WILL notice.
Accessories: consider with caution
Watches are good, but this isn’t the place to show off wealth.
Earrings: tasteful
Tattoos: cover
Rings: no more than one per hand
Nothing that makes noise!!
Ladies: a purse- make sure it is a business bag in an understated color (a colored scarf would be the most I would add)
No chain handles, no bright colors
Lapel pins: only wear it if it means something to you: please don’t wear your society pins that they gave to everyone in your class- you aren’t impressing anyone!
Reminder: it is Texas, but it’s not warm outside. Check the temps before you go
PRO-TIP! No fiddling: everything on your outfit should be in place and not touched. Tape, pin, do whatever you have to do to keep everything in its assigned seat
PRO-TIP! You will never be faulted for looking better than expected, only for looking worse…
Book your HOTEL:
Are you sharing with people?
Does the hotel have a shuttle service?
Could you walk if you had to?
Book your flights (4-6 weeks ahead)
Schedule your interviews with space in-between (some will run behind)
Is this program East or West?
West is everything from about Ohio westward
Each year these flip-flop; Example: west goes for the first three days then east for the second 3 days with overlap on Saturday afternoon/evening.
Max 4-5 interviews in one day
Mixed jury on doing your favorites first or last: I say do your favorite in the middle, so you get into the swing of things without excess pressure. (practice without being burnt out)
2 weeks before: ** (more info in the day-of section)
Prep for cases
Plan your answer topics
Review a little discreet knowledge
1 week before:
Calm yourself
The day/night before:
Calm yourself
Scope out the area: go to the interviewing hotel (Embassy Suites at Frisco) to see the general layout
Embassy suites is one big atrium, with all rooms visible from many levels. You will see people freaking out or picking their nose or sitting unprofessionally, but don’t let it get to you! Remain confident and worry about yourself
You interview in hotel rooms: the rooms are suites so the person has just slept in the bed in the other room, then there is a living room in front where you do the interviewing (some residency programs bring everyone from their group and use a conference room)
PRO-TIP! Do NOT ask to use their restroom- it is hugely inappropriate!
Relax- spend time with friends
Get a good night’s sleep!
Even if you lie there and don’t sleep, studies have shown that lying still (without your phone) for 2 hours is equivalent to 1 hour of sleep, so don’t panic if you’re awake.
The day of:
What’s in my bag?
Copy of resume/bio/letter
Deodorant?
Mints (not gum!)
Powder or other makeup necessaries, gents- a hankie for some sweat beads
ID and a little cash (in case you don’t have time to get back to your room
PRO-TIP! Do not overstuff! Empty bags and pockets look cleaner and nicer
Grooming:
Ladies:
Nails neat, polish if worn should be understated and professional, no fake nails! You are a surgeon!
Hair should be as you prefer it:
Pin or tape any questionable attire elements
Makeup: to your comfort level, but generally natural and less product is a key.
Gents:
Clean fingernails
Deodorant- not cologne!
Groomed but not greasy hair
Check your collar!!
Be early
PRO-TIP! What happens if an interview runs long or I miss my time: contact the program and the interviewing committee: IMMEDIATELY
You’ve been sitting outside the room, sitting calmly
Avoid talking to other students! Some will come out overly confident and some will come out defeated, worry only about yourself.
Make sure your phone is on silent or OFF. Check your alarms and make sure they are all off!
Do you feel like you need to go to the bathroom? Do you have time? -The short answer is no. PRO-TIP! In a theater setting we say this is good luck right before you go onstage. Your body is just processing any other needs it thinks it has. You’ll be fine.
What you see when you enter the room:
Could be one person or many
People you know or don’t
Offer a handshake to everyone in the room, regardless of any prior experiences
Handshake
Firm and confident, 1-2 pumps (depending on personal knowledge) 1 hand only!
Gents: no bro greetings, this is a professional environment
Ladies: no fish hands
What if my hands sweat?
You have some time, but ultimately this is the worst super power so minimize as much as possible.
Are you nervous and have cotton mouth?
PRO-TIP! Lick your teeth and you’ll have something to work with (old theater trick!)
Smile and make eye-contact
Sitting:
Gents: Don’t sit with legs too far apart, this is not a locker room
Ladies: Don’t cross your legs in a skirt (ankles only are acceptable)
Shoulders back, but not rigid
Head high
Relax your hands in your lap, folded or not
PRO-TIP! Imagine you are on a date at a very fancy restaurant: you want to look relaxed but comport yourself with utter dignity and refinement
Speech:
Think before you speak: silence is okay!
Grammar matters!
Try not to say “um,” “like,” or “kinda”
Avoid “and stuff like that” or “Etc”
“Anyways” is not a word. It is correctly said “anyway”
Try not to end a sentence with a preposition (properly: “with which to…”
Speak in your normal tone and timbre
What does it mean to “sit” on your voice?
Extrovert or introvert: who wins?
If you are an introvert: try to project your voice, look up and smile
Be wary of group interviews: make sure you get your moment in the sun
If you are an extrovert: tone it down, don’t interrupt, clasp your hands if you must, don’t bloviate
Be wary of group interviews: make sure everyone gets their moment in the sun
What if I don’t know the answer to a question?
You can’t say “I’ll look that up later,” so instead say, “that’s something I need to learn more about”
Go to ALL your scheduled interviews, whether you want to or not
What you’ve all been waiting for: the actual interview:
Discreet knowledge: you know it or you don’t, answer and move on (it’s too late now so don’t stress)
If you have a guess, give it, this is not the time to be shy
Case workups:
Pay attention, look for the horses not zebras
DM foot workup
Hammertoes
Bunions
Ankle fractures
General trauma
SOAP note vs. admit note
Dictation (?)
Billing (?)
Work with what you know
Hand skills or alternate task:
Some programs like to see if you can tie a knot, or just if you can do two things at once (because that is what we do constantly in the OR).
Look up and smile while doing your task.
Social Interview:
Use your experiences and draw on them to answer these questions
Be thorough enough to get your point across, but concise enough to move on
More interviews these days are tending toward completely social
Know Yourself
You should know everything on your own resume- ex: if you did research, know the study and the outcomes
If you don’t want to talk about it, then don’t put it on the resume.
Joke
Have 1-2 prepared and memorized
Must be CLEAN!
How to “sell yourself” aka your “elevator speech”
A one-minute version
A 5 minute version
Discuss where you came from, how you got here, your short and long-term goals
Your future plans and goals:
Don’t pigeon-hole yourself: don’t say I only want to do ____. As a resident you must do it all.
The uncomfortable questions:
What if I have some educational missteps? (failed a semester, etc)
Explain why (not overly detailed, just be willing to admit failings and recognize why they happened)- IMPORTANT: blame no one else! Take this consequence by yourself
What if I have something going on in my personal life?
Ex: Death, divorce, physical/emotional/mental pain
It’s okay to admit these- we are all human- but please don’t linger. This is a highly professional interview, not a counseling session
The program asks: “Why didn’t you extern with us?”
Tell the truth, but always in a kind way
“I wanted to, but I didn’t have an open month”
“I applied, but wasn’t accepted”
“I didn’t have a chance, but I have been corresponding with residents!” or “but I visited and very much enjoyed my time”
Avoid terribly silly statements like:
You’re one of my backups…
What if they ask me where I am ranking Them?
PRO-TIP! This is technically illegal.
If you feel you must, or you want to answer, then answer honestly
“isms” such as Sexism, Racism, Ageism
Respond thoughtfully, but always professional, CALM and politely
Plan these answers ahead of time
Religion/Politics: don’t go there. Be neutral. If someone says something that offends you, respond professionally, without giving anything away.
**Questions to ask THEM:
Number of facilities covered?
Here you can glean the amount of driving, esp. important to ask about traffic if this is a city with which you are unfamiliar
Number of residents per year?
New first years?
Any new attendings?
# of attendings?
Who participates in clinic vs. inpatient vs. surgical cases only
Where do people typically end up after residency?
What is your relationship with Vascular teams? Ortho teams? Gen Surg?
Call schedule?
Is research required?
How much guidance is there/ what are the requiements
Are you a primary admit service?
Everyone will say their way is best…
How is the day structured?
Group rounds (typical in single-facility locations like a VA)
Independent (resident only)
Beck and call: all day long, whenever the attending beckons you
Clinic schedule?
How are surgeries divided?
By when do residents meet the required cases?
Who does the surgery? (resident with attending guiding or attending doing it all?)- ask a resident.
Are there special focuses to this program? (wound care, geriatrics, pediatrics, TARs, etc)
What is the population served in this community?
Would it be beneficial to speak another language as a provider in this area?
Didactics:
Type
Frequency
Who leads them?
CME stipend?
Is this on top of base pay or taken out of the base pay
Any food provided on campus?
Vacation time? (only ask a resident)
How is this distributed?
How are holidays divided based on call and seniority?
Health insurance provided?
1-2 weeks after
It’s okay to contact a resident to express your continued interest
Don’t reach out to the director if you can help it
Rank your programs:
This is the ONLY time in your professional LIFE that the ball is fully in YOUR court. The rankings favor student selections, not the program.
Special Concerns: What if we interview in COVID restrictions?
Have a professional mask (no distracting patterns) but again, maybe not black? (black fabric is quite severe on skin next to your eyes). Choose a neutral (light gray, tan, brown, dark gray, beige) that flatters your coloring
Smile with your eyes
Make eye contact
“sterile high five” ©Jo technique
Special Concerns: What if this year’s interviews are all virtual?
The same rules apply to preparedness, grooming, attire
Make sure your background is neutral (throw a sheet over some PVC if you have to)
No pets or children anywhere near you
Make sure you can talk at full volume without earbuds
Adjust your light to make you look good
Your internet must be stable
Turn off your phone
Log on early
Closing thoughts:
Be yourself. Programs are looking for someone smart, willing, and trainable. Be that person and go where YOU want.
Special thank you to Dr. Josephine Lyons, DPM.
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