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In under a month, this year’s crop of residency applicants will be traveling to the CASRP CRIP residency interviews in Frisco, Texas. Soon we’ll be seeing those young, fresh, petrified deer-in-the-headlights faces standing outside the rooms in the CRIP hotel. Of all the memories I have in my years going to the interviews as student, resident interviewer, and now residency director, this is my one most pervasive memory: students peppering the hotel floors, standing in their dark grey and blue outfits, waiting to start their next interview, trying to look like they have it under control (all the while being totally freaked out). Yes applicants - we all know the truth because we’ve all been there.
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After a few hundred student and resident interviews (one of the “perks” of being an academic at one of the colleges), I have formulated an opinion as to what seems to lead to successful interviews, and what leads to disaster. Here, my residency applicant colleagues, is one podiatrist’s top 10 recommendations to make your interviews as successful as possible.
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Top 10 Recommendations For a Successful CRIP Interview
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Understand that you’re going to be nervous and move on – No one in their right mind would take these interviews casually. Think about it. Choosing a residency will likely affect, to at least some extent, the rest of your professional life and much of it hinges on interviews. That’s a big deal, and it creates a high-stress environment. However, you must demonstrate that you can survive and thrive in high-stress environments. You’re going to be a doctor for heck’s sake! Welcome to the real world. If you can’t survive CRIP, then how can you be a foot and ankle physician and surgeon? Understand that the stakes are high, take a deep breath, and use the stress to motivate you to succeed.
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Know your programs – Be certain to know who is who at the residencies at which you’re interviewing. If the residency leadership has done research, then read that research. If a residency has well-known specialists in something, then be ready to discuss that something. If you demonstrate thatyou know nothing about that program, then why should they think you’re serious about them?
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Appear the part – Be clean and well dressed. Shave your beard if you have one or make sure it’s well groomed if you don’t want to shave it off. Get a good haircut. Wear a nice suit. I don’t want to see anyone’s underwear. Men should not have a five o’clock shadow or a necktie that isn’t tightened to the collar. The collar should be buttoned. Leave the open collar for the next time you’re out clubbing.
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Act the part – Be the best version of yourself. Residencies are looking for people who are going to be good podiatric physicians. That means you should act like the doctor everyone wants you to be. Don’t be shy. Don’t look scared. Act like someone who has strength of mind and will to be able to make decisions that will affect another person’s life. Be decisive. Act like that person who is ready to advocate for their patients.
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Know your stuff – Podiatry interviews are not easy because many interviewers incorporate an academic portion. That means you have to know your podiatry. Be ready to show how much you know by having prepared well ahead of time. If you’re studying the night before interviews, then you’re not ready. You should be able to work up a case in an organized way, make assessments, discuss treatments, and manage complications. You should know EVERY surgical procedure you’ve learned over the past four years by name and intimate detail. You should be able to read radiographs and other imaging modalities and interpret them. The list goes on. Also, NEVER try to BS your way. Remember that it’s unlikely the interviewee is the most knowledgeable person in the room, and if you “fake it till you make it” your interviewers will always know it.
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Be friendly and NEVER argue – Your interviewers want to see that you’re an energetic, friendly person with whom they will be able to work over the next three years. Show in your interview you’re that person. I once had an interviewee argue with my team over how we asked a question. That was a mistake. My first thought was, “Thanks for showing me what you’re really like so I don’t have to find out later.” That person wasn’t ranked.
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Answer a question with a statement and not a question – If I ask you to name two medications for an MRSA infection, your answer should not be “Vancomycin and Bactrim?” Don’t answer with a question. Your answer should be a confident “Vancomycin and Bactrim.” While we’re on it, if you’re asked a question, don’t start to answer by saying, “That’s a good question.” Of course it’s a good question. If I thought it was a stupid question I wouldn’t have asked!
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Think out loud – Silence while you’re thinking of an answer is bad for you as an interviewee. You’ll get more nervous, and the quiet will increase that nervousness. Verbalize your thought process while answering a question. If you verbalize too much after coming to an answer, your interviewers will likely interrupt you to move on. This is ok, so don’t take it personally if they interrupt you.
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Have a thought process – You should have a clearly demonstrable thought process during your interviews. If asked to list all the bunionectomies you know then do it from distal to proximal (rather than jumping all over the place). If you’re asked to work up a diabetic foot infection then ask your questions in an organized fashion. Read your radiographs in a highly consistent manner. You may be asked to explain the why or how of a particular issue. For example, if I asked how does plantar fasciosis occur, you should be able to provide a clear, thoughtful biomechanical answer. If you’ve read recent journal articles about this, then mention this as part of your organized discussion.
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Every question has a purpose – Students are sometimes surprised by the questions their interviewers ask. There’s no need for this if you understand that your interview lasts for a very short time, and those interviewers have a lot to learn about you in that short time. That means every question must have a purpose. Maybe a program asks you to suture while answering questions to see if you can multitask. Maybe it’s to see how well you handle pressure. Questions can be asked not only to test your knowledge, but also to see many other aspects of your personality. You may never know if your answer was correct or incorrect, and it may not have mattered if it was. Understand this, and you can simply focus on answering the questions and not overthinking your interview.
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Regardless of whether you take my advice or not, consider this last suggestion. Try to get a full night’s sleep before the interviews and don’t cram study. Have your mind well-rested and ready to focus on the task at hand – getting a residency. Whether good or bad this is a (hopefully) one time event that you will look back on with (hopefully) fond memories. Good luck on your interviews, and I’ll see you at the CRIP.
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