Just a reminder that the ERAS Medical School Performance Evaluation (MSPE) release is scheduled for today – October 1st – instead of November 1st, as in years past. Likely this will lead to earlier interview invitations at many residency programs.
If you are interested in mock interview assistance, please consider contacting me early, so you are not caught with a surprisingly early interview without professionally-guided practice.
I recently read this article in the New York Times regarding recruiting and keeping women at Google. Toward the bottom of the piece is something that is relevant to those applying to medical school, residency, fellowship, and dental school. Here’s the excerpt:
Google’s spreadsheets, for example, showed that some women who applied for jobs did not make it past the phone interview. The reason was that the women did not flaunt their achievements, so interviewers judged them unaccomplished.
My Mock Interview clients know that I reinforce that applicants must showcase their accomplishments fully. In the almost ten years I’ve conducted real and practice interviews, I’ve noticed that women and non-U.S. born candidates are more likely to be “overly modest” in interviews. Although modesty is an excellent trait, one doesn’t want to be overlooked because s/he is not highlighting important achievements. If you feel that it’s rude to “brag,” consider that you are really just stating facts when you speak to an interviewer about what you’ve done. Remember, too, that by understating your achievements you may be overlooked when others are skillfully showcasing successes.
For Mock Interview help, contact me. Please note: I am currently booking 2 to 3 weeks in advance.
I receive a lot of questions about interview attire; I have two rules to guide applicants:
1. Do not be noticed for your clothes. You want to be remembered for your accomplishments, not your attire. Years later, I still remember the applicant who arrived in a Bugs Bunny tie. (This might fly for a pediatrics interview, but even then, I wouldn’t recommend it.) I also recall the applicant who arrived in jeans. (He packed his interview clothes, checked his luggage, his bags were lost, and he had nothing else to wear for his early morning interview.)
2. Be comfortable. No heels that are so high you are in too much pain to take the tour. No coat so light – but stylish 😉 – that you can’t walk out of the building.
What you wear is really much less important than how you present yourself in interviews. For help, contact me. I’ve recently added some mock interview slots to my online calendar because of high demand.
Several years ago I helped a strong applicant who had been rejected by a top medical school. He thought he was a very good fit for this particular institution, so he called the school to make his case. Surprisingly, after the applicant’s phone call, the school granted him an interview, reversing their original rejection.
It was at this time when I met the applicant; we conducted a mock interview so he would be well-prepared.
Ultimately, after being initially rejected, this applicant was admitted to that top school.
Of course, this is an exceedingly rare occurrence. But to me, the moral of this story is that it is worth being assertive (not aggressive!) in the medical school and residency admissions processes: Send an update letter, call institutions (politely) to inquire about your status (if they do not expressly prohibit phone calls), and be proactive during your interviews.
You need to advocate for yourself in order to be noticed.
Here‘s a disturbing article in the Chronicle of Higher Education about a man who writes papers for students. (Even he is troubled by his work.)
I want to point out that I do not generate materials, and I am not a “secret weapon” for my clients. On the contrary, I am thrilled when applicants are forthcoming about my assistance. One of my clients was asked during her interview day if she had obtained professional help with her residency candidacy. When she said yes, the interviewer congratulated her on her initiative.
Contact me now for mock interview assistance. I have only a few slots left in December.
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
