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Residency Interviews 2018
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Every year, as the CRIP Residency Interviews approach, I write an editorial giving advice to our young student colleagues. I generally provide a list of recommendations, and these are available in back issues of the Practice Perfect editorials on the www.podiatry.com website. In observance of this auspicious time in all podiatric students’ lives, let’s give some advice to the Class of 2018.
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In addition to providing a few important recommendations in preparation for the interviews, I’d like to focus a bit more on one other consideration: considering what the residency programs want.
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Let’s start with the main advice:
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Study - If you don’t know your podiatry by now, you’re in trouble. In the time left, focus your studies on those pathologies most likely to come up during interviews: infections, wounds, trauma, pes planus, complications, etc. Consider the most common complaints such as heel pain, bunions, hammertoes, etc. You should know everything about them and demonstrate you’ve not only been studying common sources such as Pocket Podiatry but also have read journal articles so you have a comprehensive knowledge of the field.
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Know the programs to which you’re applying - Research who runs the program, the attendings, the residents (whenever possible), and the type of program it is. If you tell an interviewer how interested you are in their program, then you should expect the next question to be, “Tell us what you like about our program.” If you can’t answer because you didn’t take the time to research the program, you’ll look pretty bad.
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Stay calm - This is an incredibly stressful process with a lot on the line. Everyone knows that and everyone has been through it. We all have our stories about “The CRIP.” During interviews breath, smile, relax, and do the best you can. Don’t freak out. Don’t cry. Answer questions the best you are able and know you have absolutely no control over what happens. The only thing you can control is your attitude. Make that attitude calm, happy, and confident.
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The other suggestion I’d make is to run through a mental exercise. Ask yourself this question: “If I were a residency program, what would I want in a new resident?” What does the program director want? What do the residents want? What do the other attendings and the training institution want? The answers may be different depending on the type of program and who is asking the question.
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Ask yourself, “What would YOU want in a new resident if you were conducting the interview?”
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For example, a residency program with a super busy in-patient aspect will want a certain type of new resident versus a program with a super busy outpatient component. The busy in-patient program will want a mule, a resident who can handle a lot of patients on rounds and get the job done.
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Some residency programs have a strong sense of collegiality and just want a person who will fit into their social milieu and be one of the gang. Other residency programs will be driven by academics, in which case having a strong knowledge base and being publishable will be important.
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I can tell you that most residency educators at the attending level want someone pleasant, with whom they can work, someone who is receptive to teaching and doesn’t talk back with a lot of negative attitude. No one wants to work with that resident who needs incredible amounts of handholding and also needs a dad or mom to coddle them through residency. We all want to have fun with our trainees. We want to watch you grow, succeed, and become our peers after graduation.
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Going through this exercise for each program you designate to interview will help you know both the residency programs and also yourself that much better. Good luck with residency interviews!
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