NTERVIEW 

  TACTICS

          FOREWORD

     To me residency interview is all about making a story for urself, starting from the event(s)
that inspired u to b a doc n ur med school experiences   to ur aspirations for  future
growth(plans..fellowship) highlighting the fact  that this man is a self-motivated, totally
dedicated life-long-learner to whom medicine was not a matter of chance but of choice. your
inspiration towards medicine should be based on logical facts and events and through your
life in general, and especially during your medical school there (should be) were experiences
that strengthened your belief even further  making you realize how blessed you are to have
chosen this field.you should come up (or make em up) with tales (coz they"ll ask you)
showing that you are upto the task, having the right qualities and abilities that make you well-
suited for medicine..

All i am trying to say is that, they will throw all sorts of questions at you, y you chose
medicine/y u wish to b a doctor, y internal medicine/family medicine/peads etc, y did u apply
in our program , what sets you apart from the rest of the candidates/y should we choose you,
etc etc...its your duty to sit down and think..memorizing and telling wat your seniors hav
answered previously( a common practice ) during  interviews wont do u any good and will
make you look average to say the least...with all the growing competition , importance of
brain-work can never  be understated...take it seriously...

By the time you are ready for interviews , you will know all the questions they can possibly
ask ( hey ill tell you) but its your responsibility to contemplate logical answers making you
look a mature and professional doctor who knows wat he is doing...

There will be a lot at stake..a lot of physical ,mental , emotional and financial effort will go
into this long and tiresome roller-coaster ride to residency..so.. be prepared , be confident and
brace yourself for the worst in hope of getting the best that you truly deserve..

THE INTERVIEW

Once you get an interview call..you are half way through...calls are actually based on your
scores and us clinical experience...always remember that more or less..all those who hav bn
invited will hav equal chances, so interview has a definite role towards your selection...you
hav to make yourself unique (figuratively speaking)...

PREPARATION

1..try to sort out which states you ll be interviewing in first..like may be give first 10 days of
November to new York. next 10 days to Chicago..etc..does not actually happen this way but
interview planning should be well-organized...coz it will save you big bucks...

2..call the program coordinator..set up a date..ask em if u need(documents , passport etc) to

bring anything...thank em for giving you the opportunity and that ur looking forward to it...
3..if for whatever reason, u need to cancel your interview, do so in a timely manner, not a
night before..somebody else will and should get that chance and its professional
courtesy..something ull be remembered by..dont forget you are representing your medical
school and your country and any untoward behavior will take its toll on your juniors (this has
happened before) so call em up 1..extend your apologies 2..your appreciation for the
opportunity.

4..as already mentioned go through the list of questions which will be appearing later...your
answers should not only reflect your genuine personality but also they shud b different from
others..should not b as difficult as it looks once u start believing in the fact that each human
being is different from other and we are like mere pawns having their specific roles to play in
this great game of chess we call LIFE.(just making sure u understand the point).

5..go to the web site of the program (use freida..alternatively u can get the address from
eras) ...search it top to bottom..u should come up with at least 3-4 areas in which this hospital
is different from others n that’s y u applied over here..it could b because they offer electives
in field of your choice, they hav ongoing research which is the area of ur interest, they hav a
mentor program ensuring that residents hav a professional approach towards building their
careers , they hav fellowship that ur interested in..or it could be that u did an elective over
here n u really liked the atmosphere or u hav a friend who already is working over there n
who told u about the strengths of this hospital...or its their philosophy that doctors should not
only be taught principles of medicine but they should  also be well verse in the art of
communication and they should hav leadership skills,  is in tune with ur personality and thats
y its here that u see all ur dreams come true so u shud b selected...or u are impressed by the
large patient population ‘that the hospital caters to which in ur view is the backbone of
training...or ur impressed with the high achieving faculty...or their community programs like
sickle cell program or aids program.etc...visit the web site n ull know wat to say....  

6..develop a list of questions to ask the interviewer...can make alot of difference...ill give u
one but let me try to make one thing very clear..everybody will b repeating the same old thing
n if u can come up with something which is out of ordinary..bulls eye...hint..try to turn the
discussion towards a lighter topic or a topic which is a product of ur own thought process
...abdur rehman used to ask this question which not only made the interviewer be more frank
wid him but also make him realize that this guy is not a bookworm but has the skill to discuss
other topics and he is genuinely interested in our program..he used to ask how would people
react to me as a doctor knowing that i am a muslim..wat are the problems i mite face.u can
ask wat qualities i need to hav to perform better in your program...alternatively try to find
topic of mutual interest like khurram bhai in ohio uni  spent most of his time discussing  tom
Clancy who is a famous novelist by the way..or urs truly discussed y Dan browns da vinci
code is a controversial novel during one of my interviews...

7..make sure u knw which time zone u r in..

8..once in the city...or even prior to that u shud knw how to get there..u can google local
transport..can use google maps.com to get directions.. aslo can use www.hopstop.com...doing
a dry run is always good meaning try going there a day before...bottom line u dont  want to b
late...without a reason...
9..on the day of the interview if ur staying in a hotel ull hav to chek urself out..so u can leave
ur stuff with the reception desk or if u hav a carry-on luggage leave it with the program co-
coordinator...  

10..MOST IMPORTANTLY...think of atleast three things that u want ur interviewer to

remember about u...for instance i was the class rep of my class..i told em i hav leadership
skills n being a CR u r required to hav god communication skills to understand others n make
em understand ur point of view n also convince em to work for a single cause..sohail riaz was
a computer expert who had single handedly made class e book,a copy of which he carried
during his every interview n it almost earned him a residency in st louis uni..pd there was
really impressed with his computer skills and even copied e book on his computer..abdur
rehman revealed that he was a poet with a vision,he took his poems and articles n described
in detail his views that he had expressed in his writings thus giving himself an opportunity  to
mould the discussion in his favour...bottom line..if u are an artist or a writer etc..do let em
knw this n take ur articles or paintings or their pictures with u...

MATERIALS TO HAVE ON AN INTERVIEW

1..all ur board scores..copies of ur cv..passport..one picture..these things are not required.just

in case.

2.notepad...y....

   a..write ur interviewers name..e-mail

   b..write name of the residents u came across..for thank u notes later..

   c..to write down the impression u had of this program n how u did...ull b making ur rank
order list later where this will come in handy

3..money..

4..good pen..

5..directions..

DURING THE INTERVIEW

DRESSING

   1..boys usually wear black or grey 3 button single breast suits with ties n formal black
shoes..don’t "mousse abuse"..Save time to have a haircut....use lint brushes or tape to catch
the fuzz..

 2..from wat i hav seen, ladies wear dark suits with round neck blouses/long collar formal
shirts. closed front shoes with hair tied ,just a hint of lip-stick, clear/pastel nail polish and
subtle perfume..(keen observation is among attributes of a good doctor:)

3..be well-dressed, well-pressed n well-in-time...n dont forget ur mint gums...for some reason
halitosis seems2b a problem in us..i hav even seen consultants carrying mouth fresheners...
ETIQUETTE

1..be professional yet friendly..remember ur being assessed for both...

2..watever u do..donot..i repeat donot talk down ur country..ur medical school ,other medical
schools..other programs where u hav already interviewed...coz  they ll ask u which one is the
best medical school in Pakistan..wat problems did u face in medicine in Pakistan  etc..be
diplomatic..

3..donot complain about any travel troubles or accommodation even if u had em...

4..be positive and SHOW A GENUINE INTEREST IN THE PROGRAM EVEN IF IT

SUCKS..

5..thank the co-ordnator in person that it was mighty nice of her to set up ur interview...(she
will sure like it)

6..BODY LANGUAGE..OFFER A WARM HAND SHAKE...NOT SWEATY..NOT

FINGER TIPS AND CERTAINLY NOT BONE CRUSHING...

7..POSTURE..SIT UP STARIGHT WITH BACK FIRMLY AGAINST THE BACK OF

THE CHAIR FEET ON THE FLOOR AND CROSSED AT THE ANKLES..

8..LOOK YOUR INTERVIEWERS IN THE EYES WHEN YOU ARE TALKING OR

BEING SPOKEN TO(V.V.V.IMP)SHOWS YOUR CONFIDENCE LEVEL..

9. DONT FORGET TO SMILE....hold doors for those coming behind u...

10..write a letter of thanks to the person who interviewed u within one week  n later drop a
Christmas card n one letter at the end of season letting em knw u really liked the program n it
will b on top of ur rank order list..(applies to all programs even the ones u didnt like)..it
should look something like this..

Jan 17,2007

 2121 paulding ave

apt 2J Bronx NY

Dr LeAnn Coberly,MD,

 University of cincinnati,

Department of internal Medicine,

 Dear Dr Coberly,

 
 I had my interview with you on Dec,1 2006.I am writing this e-mail to express my gratitude
and appreciation for taking time out to talk to me and evaluate me.I was introduced to your
program by Dr falana, but the experience in actuality was better than hat I had imagined.I was
impressed by the programs commitment to urban health care and by the amount of pathology
your hospital gets from such a diverse population which is essential for clinical training.I was
touched by the warm welcome extended to us by the residents.I was told about the
opportunities to get hands on clinical experience and chances to make independent decisions
with faculty providing a facilitatory role

              My interview with you was a very pleasant experience.I felt very comfortable and
was given ample time to express my views and ask questions.I believe your program has all
the components I am looking for to start my resiency training and will feel myself very lucky
if I am given an opportunity to be a part of your team. Please let me know if you believe that
a second meeting, or any other information I can give, would be helpful to you. I can be
reached either by phone at (6463168916), or via email: ([email protected]). 
Thank you so much once again. I look forward to hearing from you.  Sincerely,

HAMMAD AHSAN BHATTI

AAMC ID 12585127

WHAT ARE THEY LOOKING FOR...

BOARDS AND GRADES...OF COURSE UR USMLE SCORES MATTER ALOT BUT AS

ALREADY STATED, once invited to the interview you have ,by theory equal opportunity to
get residency..of course if somebody has better scores and us clinical experience then he will
b the ready choice ,nevertheless one can never b too sure how things turn out to be.ppl with
average scores hav made it real big so while at it ,give it ur best shot ...

LEADERSHIP SKILLS/EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES are seen as evidence of

meaningful participation towards society and thus it shud be an essential part of ur portfolio
and u shud be able to relate to ur activities in a fluent flawless manner..coz they ll surely ask
u and any stammering will show that those activities were just cv fillers.

 RESEARCH is always a bonus along with all the other forms of us clinical
experiences..shows that ur methodical person believing in scientific inquiry and furthering ur
knowledge base....

MATURITY..wat program directors really hate is a figdety nervous ill-at ease guy who is
sweating and at loss of words when asked a question and who is not answering exactly wat is
asked...wat u need to do is listen carefully first, absorb the question, take ur time and then
reply in a comprehensible manner with great deal of confidence and poise....thats y it always
helps to practise with ur friends or in front of a mirror(give urself 7-10 days)....

COMMUNICATION SKILLS...this is perhaps the single most important factor playing a

detrimental role in deciding ur fate...and lets be honest about it, we are not born Americans
and it is always difficult to get their accent at such a short notice but still coz we hav done our
mbbs in English so that helps. at least we dont hav to translate medical terms like Chinese
doctors....my advise would be to write down ur answers(even if u r comfortable in spoken
English) and practice em before interviewing..also get hold of a thesaurus and try to learn
words that would allow u to describe the same thought in 3-4 different ways...not only it will
make u look different but also show ur command of language..at least for the time
being...Americans hav their own way of saying and doing things which u will learn as u
move along taking ur interviews..best thing u can do is start talking as soon as u land and try
to gain from people ,see how they express their thoughts...during the interview u shud b bz
like a bee..introducing urself to whosoever comes across  whether its a fellow interviewee or
pd or chief resident and u shud b able to share views ,jokes and lighter moments with ppl
around u...dont b quiet...they ll take a strong notice of u if ur seen siting alone all by urself..so
mingle with the residents and ur colleagues...don’t talk in urdu..even if ur with a friend..it
wud b better not to take interview on the same day as ur friend coz u 2 will b up against each
other and one will b ranked ....if at all ranked...

KNOWLEDGE BASE..ok alot of new york programs have this bad habit of asking clinical
questions and making u solve clinical scenarios..dont worry..try to use it to ur advantage..if u
are good which u shud b coz of all the viva voce training, then ull hav a great chance ,atleast
theyll surely rank u which itself is nothing short of an achievement..i believe one important
fact that led to my and sohail riazs selection was our handling of case scenarios...we had
recently took our step3 and as u knw a part of it consists of ccs cases which are computer
based simulation cases and if ur comfortable with em then ull b fine during the viva.ill b
posting a mnemonic that i made which deals with how one should approach a clinical case...

DONTS...

LET ME JUST QUICKLY GO THRU THINGS THAT CAST A NEGATIVE IMPACT ON

UR CANDIDACY AND MUST NOT BE DONE NO MATTER WhAT....

1. .failure to participate in activities during college/medical school days..

2.. no apparent career goals..

3.. overamphasis on money..

4.. failure to explain any blemishes like failed subject on ur record..u shud come up with a
plausible reason for ur poor performance...

5..poor scholastic record..

6..condemnation of medical school,other programs(they were asking clinical questions) ,past

professors.

7..unprepared for interview..asking questions that shud hav bn a part of your home work...

8..merely fishing around, beating about the bush with no real interest in the program..

9..too quiet,nervous ,ill at ease with fishy limpy hand shake not looking in the eye..

10..too hyper ,aggressive, conceited,know-it-all sort of guy with lack of courtesy..

11..lack of knowledge about the field and does not seem to b a self directed learner..
12..either unable to express oneself clearly with poor diction and grammar or giving
indefinite and inappropriate answers to questions asked...

13..unhappy in life with parents/partners overly controlling in life decisions...

QUESTIONS THAT THE PROGRAM DIRECTOR WILL ASK YOU

ILL BE DISCUSSING ONLY THE IMPORTANT QUESTIONS AND HOW I

RESPONDED TO EM..AGAIN DONT COPY WAT I SAID AND TRY TO TAKE IT AS
AN EXAMPLE/ GUIDING PRINCIPLE AND TRY TO COME UP WITH UR OWN
ANSWERS..

1...y did u choose medicine?...

i used to say that although it came as a natural choice to me because both of parents being
doctors hence my early introduction to this lifestyle however i was not forced instead it was
my own decision to join this profession..my inspiration was actually the respect and
satisfaction my parents had from treating their patients and then i told em i was part of the
medical camps my parents arranged for poor people, running small errands...ur inspiration
could be ur uncle or aunt or a doctors visit wen u were little or coz u were resident of a
distant village with no doctor at all..but it has to sound natural yet unique....

2..y did u opt for internal medicine/family med/paeds?..

ok as i applied in internal medicine so ill b sharing that ,nevertheless it will give u some idea
as to how ur reply shud b if u are applying in any other field...i used to say ...it is so because
of three reasons...firstly i strongly believe that i hav natural aptitude towards medicine which
i discovered during my medical school internal medicine rotations which started in 3 rd
yr..secondly i really like the thought process and intellectual stimulation involved in the
whole process of finding a cause for patients illness coz wen a patient comes to u, he has just
a complaint and now its ur knowledge and inquisitive mind that wud change that presenting
complaint into a diagnosis based on facts and clues following the logical steps of history,
Physical examination and labs....or u can say that that u like to think of urself as
Colombo/detective looking for hidden clues and signs that wud lead to the mystery behind
patients suffering....use thesaurus to allow ur self the liberty of expressing the same thought
in different ways...thirdly i used to say that..i think medicine is the field that gives u the
flexibility/freedom/liberty to

express urself and i explain how...most of the branches of medicine like

pulmonology/nephro/heam onc etc take their origin from internal medicine and once ur done
with the basic training u can join field of ur interest and taking the same principle still further
suppose u opt for gastro and during ur rotation u feel that u hav a natural tendency towards
hepatobiliary medicine or e.g heamachromatosis and u start intentionally short listing and
seeing those patients in ur clinic than naturally ull be picking signs and finding associations
that others dont hav the slightest idea about, you can conduct ur own research and be known
for the contribution u hav made towards existing pool of medical knowledge( noble prize
here i come)n thats y i opted for medicine to hav that flexibility and this fact really excites me
about all the opportunities one can come across...
alternatively u can say that ..to me internal medicine is a perfect blend of science ,arts and
philosophy...it is based on scientific method..and as one of my teacher once said that a doctor
has three duties..learn ..teach and add to the existing knowledge highlighting the importance
of research and philosophy because for example u hav a patient with incurable disease and
death looming around , you shud b able to counsel him about not loosing hope and how he
shud cope with his present issue and how he can stll be a useful member of society and his
meaningful contribution towards community can be source of inspiration for others..and i say
arts because although surgery wud a better way to explain that point but since i am interested
in medicine i feel that as we know there are different drugs to treat the same condition, but
which drug ,wat dose n which combination of drugs would be better suited for the given
scenario at hand is an ART that comes with clinical experience and takes time to develop....

3..y did u apply in our program./wat do u knw about our program../wat benefit will u hav if u
train with us../how are we different...???

i hav discussed this point earlier on , u need to visit their website ..go through it and try to get
as much info as u can about the program, program director, ongoing clinical trials, faculty,
and especially about their goals and aims and philosophy and try to match it with ur
aspirations during the interview ...there is definitely a good impact if u knw somebody who is
already working in their program (senior/friend), it shows that ull take lesser time
adjusting...they also ask if u hav any relative in the city..ppl usually respond that they hav
some uncle or friend doing business etc...seniors working in the same program can be only
helpful if he has a good impression otherwise it can be counterproductive....then u can always
say u like the city,that u love the life of a big city or a suburban city for that matter..compare
it to ur native city and say that u hav a homely feeling abt it...tell em because there are so
many programs thus the competition is tough and bar is raised making it a conducive
environment to strive higher....

4...wat qualities will u be bringing into this program/tell us ur strengths/y should we choose
u/how do u describe urself...???

ok now ppl wud be saying i am honest and professional and hard-working and active and
down-to-earth and wat not...wat they want to ask is that how that good quality would help u
to b a good doctor and how this has helped u so far(prove it... any story..event etc..)  

i used to say... to select or not to select is a decision that rests wid u however i wud like to
take his opportunity to tell u about my personal attributes which i believe hav enabled me to
be a well~suited candidate for this profession and ur program...i am a very efficient
person...and if u are efficient u tend to do these little things that matter alot like for example u
reach hospital 10-15 mins earlier than ur supposed to b  and in addition to ur routine work u
study ur cases thus allowing urself not only to answer questions when asked but also to ask
intelligent questions and we know that consultants are flowing rivers of knowledge and it
would take one good question to get their attention which would contribute a lot towards
distinguishing urself from others but also enhancing ur knowledge base....and then i used to
go on telling em that through out my life this quality has made me a high achiever and
allowed me to do more in lesser time...then i used to say that i hav leadership skills and an
essential part of which is communication skills...i can convince ppl ..negotiate with em ..in a
hospital  u hav patient issues where u hav to counsel em thru their difficult times ..then u hav
physician issues where one can be like a bridge btw administration and ur colleagues helping
to resolve any problem that surfaces...also as a leader u shud b able to make other ppl work as
a team for example you are running a code(CPR)...for the whole process to b swift and
organized it is imperative that u shud know strengths and weaknesses of each member of ur
team so that u r   able to decide who is the right man for which job..who will manage
airway ,who will do the cpr,or who  will be quick enuff to take the i/v line and who is skilful
at passing endotracheal....and the same principle applies wen u reach a certain position in ur
career where ur given the responsibility as a program director to conduct interviews and
assess and induct ppl who are the deserving candidates to be trained by ur program..and i hav
no doubt that i hav these skills ...and then i used to describe that i was the college headboy
and later became CR of my class and how i used to ensure participation of whole class in
different events that i used to organize like theme days , class-trip, class fuction etc..they used
to ask me then wat is theme days and thus the discussion was steered towards an area which
was my comfort zone...u will be given ample time to say wat u hav to say..so u shud hav
enuff material n topics to keep them attentive...BOTTOM LINE>>so if u are saying im
honest or humble,, u shud be prepared with a story signifying ur quality...

5..where do u see urself in 10 years....??

ppl say that a rule of thumb exists in this matter..if in a community program ul say ....i want
to be a hospitalist(after ur 3 rd yr u join a hospital ) because that wud allow u to b a part of an
academic environment helping u to keep abreast of all the new drugs and techniques being
introduced in medicine n also because ur interested in teaching...wen in a university program
ull go on to tell em the fellowship u want to do....

I never bothered abt this rule..where ever i went i told em about the fellowship i intended 
do...i leave the choice upto u...

my response was that i want to do pulmonolgy n critical care because...there is a dire need of
pulmonologist in a country where smoking is a common habit n where we hav few
community programs running for the prevention of its consequences...and critical medicine
because for me it is one of those branches where u see the wonders of medicine being done at
their very best..it is something very divine although  life and death is a decision that rests
with the GOD ALMIGHTY but u hav bn given knowledge by GOD to do ur best and save
the suffering humanity..the results are quick and thats y they are more than satisfying....also u
can say that again there are very few trained ppl in pakistan but repeating the same thing over
and over n that too in a way against ur country is not  advisable.....

6..wud u be staying in us or going bk to pakistan...??

again watever is the part of ur story..just let em knw that...whether u plan on staying for
sometime after ur fellowship or u want to leave as soon as ur done...watever it is ,be
straightforward...u can never tell if a program likes u to leave usa or not..they mite be of the
opinion that after training u shud serve US or in  other case they may hav opinion opposite to
it..so ur best bet is to let em knw honestly wat ull be doing and it shud be in synchronization
with the rest of ur story...

7..tell me something about urself...?

give an introduction of urself ,ur medical school,ur birth place..talk a little about ur parents,
siblings..n then maneuver the discussion towards ur stronger points like tell em ur
hardworking dedicated person ,..that ur very dynamic in terms of always wanting to do
something constructive and also in terms of always wanting to learn more about different
topics in medicine..that ur very calm cool collected customer who thrives under pressure and
some of ur best scores and achievements hav bn wen u were really pushed to the limit... or
that u r a born leader and time n again u hav found urself in that role where alot ppl were
looking up to u...or u are a good teacher..they mite ask u to teach em a topic ,,sort of give em
a presentation ..be prepared for that especially if u hav mentioned something in ur cv that u
did case presentations in conferences...last yr one of our college fellow got his residency just
because he gave an excellent presentation on a topic that he mentioned in his cv although his
scores were average... 

8..what are ur weaknesses..???

ok this is a tricky question and u hav to show ur strengths AS ur weaknesses...begin by

saying...

i am a very emotional person and its difficult for me to tolerate if somebody lies to me or
decievs me...i knw in actual world u come across all sort of ppl and one shud develop the tact
to deal with all of em...or u can say...

i am sometimes so much focused at the job at hand that it becomes difficult for me to take
time out for myself...u knw how medicine is even if one wants to go out with friends or play
golf..one simply cannot because..duty comes first:)..or u can say...

sometimes not always i become a bit too critical towards those around me because i am
always striving for the best and want others to share the same enthusiasm...i ought to give
everybody their space ...i am working on it ..or may b u can say...

I am a very sensitive person really feel the pain if I come across somebody clenched in the
jaws of an illness…

i need to improve my physique ..perhaps a little more exercise:)(well..u get the point)

DON’T GIVE EM ANYTHING

9..how do u spend ur leisure time...??

i like to ring up old friends ..ask em how they hav bn..lets meet up...spend time together..go
to the movies..i like talking to ppl and making new friends...(communication skills;)

10..do u hav any interest in research...???

dont just say that ...yes sir i do...that means nothing...u shud b able to prove that u do...if u
hav already done research n got experience then well and good ,otherwise u shud be able to
come up with topics or areas that come under field in which u want to do fellowship...

as i was interested in pulmonology n critical care..i used to say that earlier in an ICU patients
of sepsis were treated with broad spectrum antibiotics with not a great deal of success but
recently something new has popped up..zygress..which focuses on inhibiting protein
C...mediator of inflammation and its effect on outcome of sepsis is an area i like to spread my
wings as a researcher...how did i get that info...easy..go to pubmed.com..look for topics by
date and focus on recent topics...ull knw wat to say....

11..what motivates u to put forth ur best effort..??(SENSE OF RESPONSIBLITY..give

examples) 

12..how do u define success...???(its the path that u follow with a clear focus in ur mind and
not the rewards u reap)

13..qualities of a good doctor..??(keen observer ,good listener, excellent communicator, sober

counselor)..

14..describe wat relationship shud exist btw attending and those reporting to him..??(we shud
all b like a closely-knit one big happy family sharing moments of happiness and sorrow
together, with the attendings playing a fatherly role)...

15..wat do u think ur attitude towards nurses shud b..??? (good terms wid em are
imperative...u learn many little things of tremendous importance from em...

16..describe an interesting case that u came across..??? this actually will show whether ur
experience in Pakistan is original or fake...they dont expect u to tell em management of
hypoglycemia or ventricular fibrillation...instead ur story shud be based on actual events and
how a small mistake or a small effort made u realize that little things matter n became a
clinical pearl for u and a source of enlightenment  for others..u need to think hard for this...i
used to describe a case where ppl were trying to figure out y a 70 yr old lady with cough n
chest pain was having these symptoms by lookig at the x ray and thinking on the lines of
interstitial lung disease or bronchopulmonary aspergillosis..wen i the hero of the day came
into the scene and saved the day by declaring how foolish of em to not honour the time tested
dictum of taking history n concentrating on the chief complaint as taught to us by our worthy
teachers..her main complaint was chest pain n which was due to a a rib fracture (visible on x
ray but not being looked for)...

alternatively a burn victim started complaining of seeing girls in his crib(hallucinations)4

hours after the incident while being managed in our burn unit, which my seniors found rather
amusing and it was my inqusitive mind which took upon itself the task of unveiling the
mystery behind that boys rather preposterous claims...i did abgs..n low n behold...hypoxia
was the reason y that boy was hallucinating which later was confirmed by a chest x ray that
showed signs of ARDS n my timely intervention (BY THE GRACE OF ALMIGHTY) saved
the boy from his dreadful fate...hence the imporatnce of taking ur patients seriously was
highlighted...when i told the program director(the program where i hav matched) this
(true)story...she said a rather similar thing happened to her once wen she was a an intern ..one
night a CLD patient starting screaming there are cockroaches in my room...everybody
thought may b she is drinkig again n thats y hallucinating..so they treated her for delirium
tremens...the next night she had the same complaint n the night after that...interestingly it was
found that she wasnt hallucinating at all..there were actually cockroaches in her room...bug
control had to b called....
17..do u think ur scores/grades are a good indication of ur academic capabilities...??(yes sir
they are..explain in detail how u ahv bn doing all throughout ur medical school ,also
mentioning the room for improvement which is always in the back of ur mind)...

18..did u do any mistake during ur internship..??(begin by saying ...my consultant used to

say..if u havnt done any mistake means u havnt done enough n u havnt learned enuff... .they
will be assessing how u handled the situation and dont forget to tell em wat u learned from
it...e.g i told a patient he needs to do saline dressing for a recently done skin graft instead of
bactigrass or polyfax`dressings which resulted in his graft loss..i admitted my mistake and we
did the procedure all over again...(no I didnt)

19..what criteria are u using to rank programs...??fellowship..electives..img friendly...cordial

working conditions...didactic teaching...exposure to a wide patient population...opportunities
for scholastic activities , research etc..)

20..wat if u dont get a residency position..??(i wud like to start by pondering over my short
comings and then i wud make every effort to correct em and come back strong next yr.for
example if i am lacking us clinical experience..i wud get that etc...)

21..teach me something interesting in 5 min ,outside medicine...??( had ibn asked that
question i wud hav replied...sir ill b teaching u breathing exercise for relaxation..close ur eyes
and imagine u r walking along the shore line with cool breeze gentely caressing ur face ,
listening to ur favorite music..now take a deep breath with open mouth..hold it for 5
sec..slowly release it thru pursed lips..i want u to do three sets of 5...u can answer the same
thing if ur asked how u handle pressure...

22..wat type of criticism upsets u..??(which is not constructive and is intended to tease and
not to correct...like how someone dresses and wears his hair..it should be constructive with
suggestions on how to improve...be ready with a story)

23..how do u make important decisions of ur life..??(i begin by gathering as much info as i

can from different sources about the matter at hand..then i go over the benefits i would
achieve by making that decision and the risks involved like to take advice from ppl especially
those who hav already walked that path coz u learn a lot from other ppl`s experience...thats
how i do it..)

24..how does medicine in Pakistan is compared to USA???? (we are a developing nation,
medical facilities are not available at distant places hence the delay in reaching a tertiary care
center n opportunity to see advance pathology n as patients are poor so cost effective
management is done meaning only those tests are ordered which are really
indicated...research has a big role in medicine in usa and each day new drugs and protocols
are being put forth e.g evidence based medicine)...

QUESTIONS U WUD BE ASKING FROM THE PROGRAM DIRECTOR....(ASK 3-4

QUESTIONS OR MORE IF U WANT...NOT ASKING IS A SIN)

1.wat kind of research opportunities do u offer...

2..do u give dedicated time for research/conferences to ur residents..

3..do u ur residents get any teaching opportunities..

4..where are ur graduates now and how many of em made t to competitive fellowships...

5..wat qualities are u looking for in a residency candidate..

6..how do u evaluate ur residents..

7..wat kind of hand on experience is required by ur residents to master during first yr...

8..wat are the strengths and weaknesses of ur program..

9..as a program director wat has bn ur greatest source of accomplishment///frustration....

10..how do u feel i compare with rest of the candidates...

11..any plans for future growth...

QUESTION TO BE ASKED FROM RESIDENTS...(ASK AS MANY AS U LIKE)

1..how has experience bn for u in general...

2..are u happy..over all do u feel you are treated fairly..

3..wat is ur daily routine like..

4..wat is the team structure like on a typical floor...are u supervised..

5..wat is the average number of patients u r responsible for...

6..wat is the call schedule/clinic schedule like..

7..give me an idea about the amount scut work that one has to do...does the hospital provides
i/v lines and blood drawing teams...

8..wat made u sell urself to/choose/rank this program..

 9..wat do residents do for fun/how do they get along..

10..wat kind of academic input is required as a first yr resident...

QUESTIONS U WILL NEVER ASK..(coz u hav done ur homework by visiting freida n

website of the hospital)
1..PGY-1 rotation structure..

2..starting salary..

3..moonlighting allowed or not..

4..vacations..

5..sick leave info...

6..do they accept imgs..

7..wat visa do they offer..

8..prematch..u shud knw they offer it or not...if they do n u r really interested ..tel em u are
interested in an out of match position...if they dont offer..its better not to bring up the topic...

9..how many hospital are in this program and which medical school is affiliated....

10..insurance benefits..

11..pda given or not....lunch tokens..etc...

LAST WORD OF ADVICE

During ur entire interview u r being assessed for one simple thing...will he b able to work
with us and be a part of our team?..will he b able to gel in..?does he has the required clinical
and communication skills to deal with his patients and interact with his colleagues.......give
em every reason that u do....

PRACTICE...think of yourself as a bridegroom practicing his vows or better still ,as president
of united states mastering his speech to be delivered to the rest of the world and u need to
take the same level of confidence into ur interview in order to be triumphant...

take one question at a time and think wat ur response shud b..

ull only make a good impression if watever u say comes directly from ur heart...no matter
how out of ordinary or outrageous ur view point is..it shud look natural...

read this post at least twice and once each time before ur interview incase u forget anything...

GOOD Luck