When I was at Harvard, we interviewed a residency applicant about whom I was enthusiastic, but when we sat down to talk about the candidate’s credentials, one of my colleagues put the kibosh on the applicant’s prospects. As it turned out, the candidate had made it clear (at least in my colleague’s eyes) 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 institutions will like you, keep in mind that institutions want to see that you are serious about them as well.
There is a psychological principle called Reciprocal Liking: People tend to have positive feelings for those whom they perceive have positive feelings for them. Apply Reciprocal Liking to institutions when you interview. Be so familiar with the school/program that you implicitly convey you are excited and sincere about spending the next several years there. Know details about the institutional priorities, extra clinical opportunities, location, and associated hospitals. Make sure to have specific questions for your interviewer, ones that demonstrate your intimate knowledge of the institution and your belief that you could be a contributor and leader.
