Interview Screen?

[KitesurfDaEarth]

What do programs look for when they give out the invites? Is it just a numbers game?

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[earboy]

What do programs look for when they give out the invites? Is it just a numbers game?

Well, as a rough range, a program will get between 200 - 400 applications and offer between 30 and 70 or so invites. How would you propose they pick whom they will interview? For the majority, yes, it's simply a numbers game. Some are lucky enough to have a connection. Some have done research or an away rotation at said place and get offered an interview for that reason. They are in the minority....most will have to pass numbers screens initially.

 

[Leforte]

While I agree that numbers do come into the initial screen for interviews, there are many other attributes, too. At our program, all applications are looked by at least two faculty who rank the overall application. Areas evaluated are board scores, grades, research experience, etc (there have been numerous topics on this). The program director then selects which to invite for an interview based on these results. We have interviewed people with 220's to >260 and all are considered equal once they interview.

There is also a regional preference, too - someone from California may not rank a Southern/Midwestern/Eastern program high if given the choice to stay in CA, and programs want to interview candidates who would actually want to spend 5 years with them, versus someone who is just applying to get an interview. A program wants to interview people who are truly interested in becoming part of their taem.

When deciding on where to apply and eventually interview, look at what you want in a residency - surgical volume, research opportunities, depth of field, fellowship vs private practice placement, close to home/spouses family, etc. Nearly all ENT residencies offer great training, just be sure you're happy with everything else.

 

[resxn]

At my residency, the screening process was pretty much straightforward. The residency program coordinator reviewed each chart and chucked all the low numbers out (the bottom line varied between 220-230). Period.

The chairman then reviewed all the remaining charts (could be hundreds, could be less depending on the year) and then picked the ones to interview (ballpark 45).

Once interviewing, everyone was essentially a wash, but if it boiled down to 2 qualified candidates who interviewed well, I often saw the higher numbers get a higher rank.

 

[galen08]

At my residency, the screening process was pretty much straightforward. The residency program coordinator reviewed each chart and chucked all the low numbers out (the bottom line varied between 220-230). Period.

The chairman then reviewed all the remaining charts (could be hundreds, could be less depending on the year) and then picked the ones to interview (ballpark 45).

Once interviewing, everyone was essentially a wash, but if it boiled down to 2 qualified candidates who interviewed well, I often saw the higher numbers get a higher rank.

regarding numbers, would you say that a step 1 of 260 is considered to be markedly better than a 245, or is it strictly a cut-off for interviews?

 

[earboy]

regarding numbers, would you say that a step 1 of 260 is considered to be markedly better than a 245, or is it strictly a cut-off for interviews?

you will not get interviews at every program even if you have a 260. i had above 260 and still didn't get interviews at 4 or 5 places. nor will it guarantee that you will match. there was a guy ahead of me in med school who scored in the 260's too, interviewed fairly widely, didn't match. wanna know why? he was immature and abrasive and no one could ever like him in person. he took a year out, did research, reapplied, still didn't match. same reason. he's now a neurosurgeon.

if your score is above 230 or so and you can pass the initial screening, alot of the other factors of your app come into play -rec letters, personality, regional preferences, away rotations, research, etc. start to matter. so a 260 ain't that much better than a 245. BOTH will get you past an initial numbers screen. when we pick our rank lists at my program, the only time it will matter is when comparing two individuals who are pretty much equal. maybe then, the higher score will win.

Don't forget also that some of those above reasons will also land you a residency spot despite a low Step I score. It's unlikely, but it definitely does happen.

 

[resxn]

completely agree with earboy. Once you get the interview--the difference between the 245 and the 260 really only makes a difference when everything else about 2 candidates is even. That never happens because there is always a person whose personality matches to a program better than another.

Once you were interviewed in our program, the personality match was a much bigger deal than research, USMLE scores, or the color of your underwear.

 

[galen08]

X

 

[resxn]

is there a large element of pre-ranking involved before a program makes its final rank list? the reason i ask is that while there is a pretty large range of people numbers-wise invited to interview at a particular place, almost everyone i've met on the trail seems pretty normal and i don't know how much an interviewer can assess from a 15 minute interview that consists of "tell me about yourself" and then "do you have any questions for me?" i have heard that in some other specialties, your rank is essentially defined before the interview and while you can move yourself way down by saying dumb stuff, its pretty difficult to move up. any comments on this?

To be very honest, I stand by what I said above at our program, that it was essentially a wash once you got an interview, everyone was a good candidate. Now some attendings did put more weight on the paper candidate. Our chairman for example loved research and high board scores. But most of the admissions committee could not have cared less and were more interested in the person and the personality and whether it was someone we could stand working with for 12 hours/day.

When there was a great CV I always had higher expectations for the candidates, but it wasn't like I had a preset rank list in mind. Nor did anyone in our dept have a pre-interview rank list off of which we started. We only started to rank people after the interviews were complete.

You'd be amazed at what you can learn from a person in a 15 minute interview. I pretty much could tell what kind of person they were in 5 minutes. At least what kind of person they were in a stressful situation in 5 minutes.

You can tell a lot from body language (posture is a big one--too stiff, slouchy, laid back, etc), pace of speech, vocabulary of speech, facial expressions, enthusiasm, ego, and on and on.

All of that comes through very quickly.

 

[resxn]

I should add this too about those first impressions.

In residency, I saw a lot of times people defined for their entire residency based on how they were in their first few months. The attendings often seemed to pick their punching bag very quickly and unless that particular resident worked their tail off and someone else really blew it, they were the punching bag for their whole residency. Totally unfair, but true. That's how it seemed to be in my program and I've heard that from many others from other programs as well. We had 3 per year and every year there seemed to be one goat who just seemed to take the brunt of wrath. Usually it was the resident who was the perceived laziest, least bright, or most difficult in those first weeks. And it really took an monumental effort to overcome it.

The interviews are a microcosm of the same thing--very quickly in that interview we know whether we like you or not. It's very much based on the first impression. Strong handshake, genuine smile, eye contact will get you a fighting chance. Fish handshake and a nervous smile and I was immediately turned off.

Take that for what it's worth. First impressions, both as a candidate and as a resident mean a lot more than you might first think.

 

[drfunktacular]

w/r/t numbers screens:

Let's say, hypothetically, that I have a 251 and no research experience.

Will the 251 be enough to get me an interview, number barrier-wise, without having any research? Or will a lack of research be enough to nix an interview offer at most places?

Or will not having any research just be a negative when comparing me to other interviewees who have research experience?

Thanks!

 

[drfunktacular]

Further query:

What is the prime ENT interview season now that ENT is regular match? I am trying to figure out my 4th-year schedule so I can start scheduling some aways,but I want to make sure I have them done by the time I am doing most interviews.

Thanks again!

 

[resxn]

w/r/t numbers screens:

Let's say, hypothetically, that I have a 251 and no research experience.

Will the 251 be enough to get me an interview, number barrier-wise, without having any research? Or will a lack of research be enough to nix an interview offer at most places?

Or will not having any research just be a negative when comparing me to other interviewees who have research experience?

Thanks!

No, hypothetically no research with a 251 will not be a deal-breaker in getting you interviews--just have a real good reason why you didn't do research at your interview. Now having a 220 and no research could quite possibly prevent you from getting an interview whereas if you have fantastic research and a 220 you might get more several more.

The only litmus test that I have seen to interview or not interview is Step I scores. I'm sure there are a couple that use research, but I don't know of any for sure.

I'm too far removed from the interviews now to be the best to comment on timing of aways, but from what I've seen, most of the interviews start in late Oct and go through early January. I'd schedule my SubI's to be in Aug and/or Sep based on what I've seen but I'll let more recent candidates comment on that.

 

[ceberzof]

I am currently going through ENT match process. Most people do aways and home ENT rotations in July and August. You can do one in September, but you may not be able to get a letter done in time if your writer procrastinates a little. Most of my interviews are the first two weeks of December and all of January. One school notoriously interviews early in October and November, but one or two days should not be a problem in your scheduling. Hope this helps.

 

[TheThroat]

w/r/t numbers screens:

Let's say, hypothetically, that I have a 251 and no research experience.

Will the 251 be enough to get me an interview, number barrier-wise, without having any research? Or will a lack of research be enough to nix an interview offer at most places?

Or will not having any research just be a negative when comparing me to other interviewees who have research experience?

Thanks!

I never saw an interviewee at my program who had done no research. Most likely a bias of my program. That said, a guy interviewed AND matched who had a low Step I score and had done a year of research at our program and had made a lot of connections.