(From www.ryanportermd.com/interviews)
- Try to read about the program before you arrive. Read everything on the website and literature that they send you. I printed off the website information so that I could read it on the plane before the interviews.
- Also, read about the city where the program is located. Is this somewhere you could live for 5 or 6 years? Be able to argue a reasonable case for moving if you have lived in one area for most of your life.
- Try to read about each professor/interviewer before you arrive—where they trained, what they enjoy outside of the hospital, their clinical interests, and their research interests. Most faculty members have their CVs published online. If things get quiet in the interview, ask them about something that you have in common.
- Know what the program offers. Are the faculty members fellowship trained or experts in their fields?
- My personal minimum requirements were that the program had excellent training in all of the major sub-specialties (general ENT, sinus/rhinology, head and neck oncology, otology, facial plastic surgery, peds). It is surprising that some programs do not offer solid training in those major sub-specialties. Other sub-specialties to consider are microvascular surgery, neurotology/skull base surgery, laryngology/professional voice, otolaryngic allergy, sleep surgery, and trauma).
- Are there fellows? Do they take cases from the chief residents, or do they help teach?
- Is call in house or from home? How often is call? If call is from home, do the residents ever make it home? What PGY levels take call?
- Do residents have their own clinics?
- What is the OR supervision like? Are attendings present for every case? Do junior residents get to operate very often?
- Are the residents present to talk to during the interview day? If not, where are they?
- Do residents get food allowance, book budges, funding for research presentations and/or travel?
- If you want to do research, is it easy to be connected to a mentor? Is their funding?
- Is the chairman/program director someone the residents feel they can talk to?
- Is the Otolaryngology group its own department or is it a division of General Surgery? If it is a division, how does that affect the group and its residents?
- Will you be doing PV surgery, CV surgery, and colorectal surgery during your whole PGY-1 year, or will you be doing rotations that are pertinent to your future career in otolaryngology (i.e. plastic surgery, oral surgery, neurosurgery, anesthesia, occuloplastics, otolaryngology, etc.).
- How much dedicated research time is scheduled during your residency? Are there research requirements?
- Do you have to drive to different hospitals during a typical workday, or are all of the hospitals located within walking distance? Does the program have a VA? A county hospital? A private hospital? A dedicated children’s hospital? A level one trauma center?
- Does the program comply with residency work hour requirements? How have they helped make this possible? Have they added nurse practitioners and physician assistants? Home call?
- Many interviewers ask about faculty members from your home program. “Oh, you’re from [your program here]! What is Dr. [your most notable faculty member] up to these days?” Try to be abreast on what is going on in your home program. It helps immensely with small talk, and you do not want to make anything up. If you know one of your faculty members is from a program you are interviewing at, ask them what they know about the program. The program will probably ask you about them.
- Try to meet EVERY resident and attending at every program. Many programs allow each staff member one equal vote. If you do not know someone, it is unlikely that he or she will be strongly in your corner when it comes time to vote. I have heard that some voting members have been put off when applicants do not even take the time to introduce themselves. At the same time, spending quality time with some committee members is better than just trying to say your name to everyone. This whole process should not feel contrived. Most programs help facilitate introductions on interview day.
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