Blog Archives

Do Interviews Matter?

Residency Application and Residency InterviewYes!
For residency candidates: The NRMP Program Directors’ Survey makes it very clear that interviews matter a lot, which was also my experience as an Assistant Residency Director. I recall very robust conversations about even small comments candidates made during their interviews, some of which affected their ranking on our Match list.
For medical school applicants: Although there is controversy over how much college interviews matter, even skeptics acknowledge that graduate school interviews make a difference in the application process. In this NYT piece, two former interviewers strongly advise conducting mock interviews and being prepared for “curve ball” questions.
Remember: If you’re well-prepared, once you get your foot in the door, you can make a strong impression about the worthiness of your candidacy.
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NRMP Rank Deadline Approaching

 

Residency Application

Please remember that on February 25 your rank list must be certified by 9pm EST, and changes cannot be made after that time. The NRMP will not enter a list; add, delete or move programs; or modify a rank order list.

Every year I see applicants making changes to their lists at the last minute. Please take some time to consider your decisions, and submit your rank list well before the deadline.

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“All-In” Policy

I recently received an email from an applicant who was offered a slot outside the Match. Although there are situations in which this type of overture is legitimate, please make sure you understand the NRMP’s All-In Policy to ensure that any offers you receive are valid.

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Guru on the Go®

Last admissions season I rolled out a series of under-one-minute, stop-motion-animation videos for applicants. I’ve had several thousand views, and I even got a shout-out from the NRMP® itself. (They tweeted, saying they agreed with the advice in the clip, “NRMP® Ranking to Avoid a Spanking.”)

For those of you who’d like to take a look at the videos, check out (and subscribe to) my Youtube channel or look at my website here. Timely ones are “Dine Don’t Whine,” “Stars are Made Not Born,” and “No Ring, No Thing.”

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2014 NRMP Program Director Survey is Now Available

Every two years the National Resident Matching Program® (NRMP) publishes a current program director (PD) survey which focuses on two main questions: 1) What factors do PDs use in deciding whom to interview? 2) What factors do PDs use in deciding whom to rank? Results of the 2014 Program Director Survey is available here.

So, as you approach interviews, if you’re wondering what PDs want, here are your answers.

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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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Listen to Dr. Finkel’s interview on The Visible Voices podcast: 

 

Listen to Dr. Finkel’s interview on the White Coat Investor podcast:

Listen to Dr. Finkel’s interview on the FeminEm podcast: