Comprehensive Interview Prep Material
Comprehensive Interview Prep Material
Note: Friends the below material is from FB USMLE 2012 forum. Work of many US residency Note: Friends the below material is from FB USMLE 2012 forum. Work of many US residency aspirants. I just compiled them for you all (All TN Medical Colleges USMLE aspirants). I tried my aspirants. I just compiled them for you all (All TN Medical Colleges USMLE aspirants). I tried my best, in my limited time, to make it reader friendly. Plz make it better and pass it on to future best, in my limited time, to make it reader friendly. Plz make it better and pass it on to future aspirants. Feel free to update with ur experience.
aspirants. Feel free to update with ur experience.
Always have this thing at ur face "SMILE" Always have this thing at ur face "SMILE" Honour
Honour
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Time, Place and Person Time, Place and Person InterviewingInterviewing
When should I interview? When should I interview?
Most students block out several weeks sometime between November and February for interviewing. Most students block out several weeks sometime between November and February for interviewing. How important is the interview?
How important is the interview?
Once you have been offered an interview, you can pat yourself on the back because the program Once you have been offered an interview, you can pat yourself on the back because the program considers you a competitive candidate for their
considers you a competitive candidate for their residency program. Realize, however, that your workresidency program. Realize, however, that your work is not done.
is not done. Surveys of residency proSurveys of residency program directors hagram directors have revealed that the interview is the mosve revealed that the interview is the mostt important criterion used in the selection of residents. So do not take the interview lightly because a important criterion used in the selection of residents. So do not take the interview lightly because a poor interview will seriously damage the candidacy of even the most qualified applicant while an poor interview will seriously damage the candidacy of even the most qualified applicant while an outstanding interview can significantly strengthen your
outstanding interview can significantly strengthen your application.application. How much time off should I
How much time off should I take to interview?take to interview? The
The amount amount of timof time you e you need to need to interview interview varies varies depending depending upon the upon the number number of residof residencyency programs you are applying to. Other factors such as the location of the residency programs also programs you are applying to. Other factors such as the location of the residency programs also plays a role. For example, if you are not restric
plays a role. For example, if you are not restricting yourself to a certain region of the counting yourself to a certain region of the country, try, youyou may be
may be travelling to travelling to all parts all parts (East c(East coast, oast, West CoaWest Coast). st). You will haYou will have ve to facto factor this tor this in.in. Do programs wait to schedule interviews until
Do programs wait to schedule interviews until all application materials are received?all application materials are received?
This varies from residency program to residency program. Many programs will not offer interviews This varies from residency program to residency program. Many programs will not offer interviews until all compone
until all components of the ants of the application have pplication have been received while othebeen received while others will begin schers will begin schedulingduling interviews even
interviews even before before they have they have received soreceived some parts me parts of your aof your application such pplication such as the Deaas the Dean's letter.n's letter. Since it is difficult to know how the residency programs you are interested in operate, it's in your Since it is difficult to know how the residency programs you are interested in operate, it's in your best
best interests to stay interests to stay on top of your aon top of your application.pplication. On what days do
On what days do programs interview?programs interview? Again, this varies from program
Again, this varies from program to program. Some to program. Some programs have programs have set aside several days set aside several days out ofout of every week for the entire interview season to interview applicants while others only offer interview every week for the entire interview season to interview applicants while others only offer interview dates once or twice a mont
dates once or twice a month. When you are offered an interview, try to accept h. When you are offered an interview, try to accept one of the dates thatone of the dates that has been given to you. Try not to make
has been given to you. Try not to make any special requests such as setting up an interview on a dayany special requests such as setting up an interview on a day when the program is not
when the program is not planning to interview applicants. The program may view this planning to interview applicants. The program may view this negatively.negatively. Where should I interview first?
Even before
Even before interviewing, yointerviewing, you will have u will have some some thoughts as thoughts as to which to which programs programs are mare more or lesore or lesss desirable. Schedule your early interviews at less desirable programs. This will allow you to ease desirable. Schedule your early interviews at less desirable programs. This will allow you to ease yourself into the interview process. As your confidence grows with experience, you will place yourself into the interview process. As your confidence grows with experience, you will place yourself in a position to shine in your later i
yourself in a position to shine in your later interviews.nterviews. How should I prepare for the interview?
How should I prepare for the interview? Preparation is the key to i
Preparation is the key to interviewing well. Try to anticipnterviewing well. Try to anticipate questions you mate questions you may be asked ay be asked so thatso that you can give some thought as to
you can give some thought as to how you will answer them.how you will answer them. Questions that interviewers commonly ask interviewees include
Questions that interviewers commonly ask interviewees include the following:the following: Why did you cho
Why did you choose ose this specialty for ythis specialty for your career? Whour career? What do you like mat do you like most ost about this speciaabout this specialty?lty? What do you like least about this specialty? Why did you apply to this residency program? What are What do you like least about this specialty? Why did you apply to this residency program? What are you looking for in
you looking for in a residency program?a residency program? Where
Where do you see yourself in five years? Ten yedo you see yourself in five years? Ten years? What are your greaars? What are your greatest strengths?test strengths? What are your
What are your greatest weaknesses?greatest weaknesses? A
A very useful way to prepare for the interview is to participate in a mvery useful way to prepare for the interview is to participate in a mock interview. Many medicaock interview. Many medicall schools offer mo
schools offer mock interviews. If your school doeck interviews. If your school does s not, ask your advisor if he or she would be willingnot, ask your advisor if he or she would be willing to play the role of an interviewer.
to play the role of an interviewer.
When should I arrive for my interviews? When should I arrive for my interviews? Make every effort to arrive in your intervi
Make every effort to arrive in your interview city on the day before ew city on the day before the interview, preferably in thethe interview, preferably in the morning or afte
morning or afternoon. Arriving early will ofrnoon. Arriving early will offer you some fer you some flexibility should somflexibility should something unforeseenething unforeseen occur (
occur (e.g., e.g., bad webad weather). ather). You will You will also also have have a cha chance tance to visit o visit the institutiothe institution so n so that that you cyou canan familiarize yours
familiarize yourself with where elf with where you need to gyou need to go to start o to start your interview dayour interview day. Also keep in y. Also keep in mind thatmind that some
some programs programs invite applicainvite applicants to an innts to an informal dformal dinner on the evinner on the evening before ening before the interview dathe interview day.y. You certainly don'
You certainly don't t want want to miss this oto miss this opportunity to mepportunity to meet faculty and hoet faculty and house staff.use staff. Should I ask the
Should I ask the interviewer questions?interviewer questions? At some
At some point in the interpoint in the interview, your interviewview, your interviewer is likely to ask er is likely to ask you if you hayou if you have ve any should neveany should neverr answer "no" beca
answer "no" because this is essentially sause this is essentially saying that ying that you have you have no interest in the prograno interest in the program, which mam, which mayy or ma
or may not y not be true. be true. Prepare Prepare questions questions beforehand beforehand but mbut make ake sure sure that that the quethe questions ystions you ask ou ask areare appropriate. Questions about vacation, call schedules, and benefits are appropriate questions for appropriate. Questions about vacation, call schedules, and benefits are appropriate questions for house officers but will not put you in the best
house officers but will not put you in the best possible light with faculty.possible light with faculty. Questions that
Questions that you may wish to ask fayou may wish to ask faculty include the following:culty include the following: What didactics a
What didactics are offered re offered by the departmentby the department?? Do the
Do the residents residents have have protected protected time stime so that o that they can they can attend attend the didathe didactic sessioctic sessions? Whans? Whatt percentage of the residents go on to
percentage of the residents go on to pursue fellowship training?pursue fellowship training? How have
Even before
Even before interviewing, yointerviewing, you will have u will have some some thoughts as thoughts as to which to which programs programs are mare more or lesore or lesss desirable. Schedule your early interviews at less desirable programs. This will allow you to ease desirable. Schedule your early interviews at less desirable programs. This will allow you to ease yourself into the interview process. As your confidence grows with experience, you will place yourself into the interview process. As your confidence grows with experience, you will place yourself in a position to shine in your later i
yourself in a position to shine in your later interviews.nterviews. How should I prepare for the interview?
How should I prepare for the interview? Preparation is the key to i
Preparation is the key to interviewing well. Try to anticipnterviewing well. Try to anticipate questions you mate questions you may be asked ay be asked so thatso that you can give some thought as to
you can give some thought as to how you will answer them.how you will answer them. Questions that interviewers commonly ask interviewees include
Questions that interviewers commonly ask interviewees include the following:the following: Why did you cho
Why did you choose ose this specialty for ythis specialty for your career? Whour career? What do you like mat do you like most ost about this speciaabout this specialty?lty? What do you like least about this specialty? Why did you apply to this residency program? What are What do you like least about this specialty? Why did you apply to this residency program? What are you looking for in
you looking for in a residency program?a residency program? Where
Where do you see yourself in five years? Ten yedo you see yourself in five years? Ten years? What are your greaars? What are your greatest strengths?test strengths? What are your
What are your greatest weaknesses?greatest weaknesses? A
A very useful way to prepare for the interview is to participate in a mvery useful way to prepare for the interview is to participate in a mock interview. Many medicaock interview. Many medicall schools offer mo
schools offer mock interviews. If your school doeck interviews. If your school does s not, ask your advisor if he or she would be willingnot, ask your advisor if he or she would be willing to play the role of an interviewer.
to play the role of an interviewer.
When should I arrive for my interviews? When should I arrive for my interviews? Make every effort to arrive in your intervi
Make every effort to arrive in your interview city on the day before ew city on the day before the interview, preferably in thethe interview, preferably in the morning or afte
morning or afternoon. Arriving early will ofrnoon. Arriving early will offer you some fer you some flexibility should somflexibility should something unforeseenething unforeseen occur (
occur (e.g., e.g., bad webad weather). ather). You will You will also also have have a cha chance tance to visit o visit the institutiothe institution so n so that that you cyou canan familiarize yours
familiarize yourself with where elf with where you need to gyou need to go to start o to start your interview dayour interview day. Also keep in y. Also keep in mind thatmind that some
some programs programs invite applicainvite applicants to an innts to an informal dformal dinner on the evinner on the evening before ening before the interview dathe interview day.y. You certainly don'
You certainly don't t want want to miss this oto miss this opportunity to mepportunity to meet faculty and hoet faculty and house staff.use staff. Should I ask the
Should I ask the interviewer questions?interviewer questions? At some
At some point in the interpoint in the interview, your interviewview, your interviewer is likely to ask er is likely to ask you if you hayou if you have ve any should neveany should neverr answer "no" beca
answer "no" because this is essentially sause this is essentially saying that ying that you have you have no interest in the prograno interest in the program, which mam, which mayy or ma
or may not y not be true. be true. Prepare Prepare questions questions beforehand beforehand but mbut make ake sure sure that that the quethe questions ystions you ask ou ask areare appropriate. Questions about vacation, call schedules, and benefits are appropriate questions for appropriate. Questions about vacation, call schedules, and benefits are appropriate questions for house officers but will not put you in the best
house officers but will not put you in the best possible light with faculty.possible light with faculty. Questions that
Questions that you may wish to ask fayou may wish to ask faculty include the following:culty include the following: What didactics a
What didactics are offered re offered by the departmentby the department?? Do the
Do the residents residents have have protected protected time stime so that o that they can they can attend attend the didathe didactic sessioctic sessions? Whans? Whatt percentage of the residents go on to
percentage of the residents go on to pursue fellowship training?pursue fellowship training? How have
Do you anticipate any changes in the residency program over the next few years? If so, what Do you anticipate any changes in the residency program over the next few years? If so, what changes? Do
changes? Does the residency pres the residency program assogram assist residents in finding ist residents in finding jobs after jobs after residency?residency? When should I
When should I send send thank-you nothank-you notes?tes? Thank-you notes or le
Thank-you notes or letters should be sent tters should be sent to each of your interviewers ato each of your interviewers as well as the residencys well as the residency program
program director. director. They shoThey should be uld be sent sent within 72 within 72 hours hours of of your interview. your interview. In your In your letter, be letter, be sure sure toto thank
thank them for them for the opporthe opportunity to intertunity to interview at view at their progratheir program. Don't m. Don't forget forget to thank to thank them for them for anyany food or
food or lodging assistalodging assistance they providnce they provided.ed. Some questi
Some questions and ons and some some sample ansample answers i have swers i have found..found.. (not very well
(not very well sorted and lots sorted and lots of repeated qof repeated questions but i uestions but i guess you gguess you guys can muys can make ake out). .dont out). .dont useuse them exactly as lots
them exactly as lots of people read the of people read the same same samples.. .. It also contains masamples.. .. It also contains many people's personalny people's personal experiences posted online
experiences posted online Any interesting
Any interesting patients patients that that you myou might haight have ve seen?seen? Why did you choo
Why did you choose se Internal medicine, oInternal medicine, or FM, PSY, Or r FM, PSY, Or Pathology as Pathology as a career? a career? Tell me about yoTell me about yourur weaknesses?
weaknesses?
Tell me about your strengths? Tell me about your strengths? Tell me about one thing
Tell me about one thing you could change about yourself?you could change about yourself? why you cho
why you choose ose this prograthis program?m?
Although above
Although above mentioned questions are the comentioned questions are the core questions but interview starts with somere questions but interview starts with somethingthing like this...(from
like this...(from what what i have hi have heard)eard) -did you ha
-did you have ve any trouble any trouble getting here? getting here? or any troor any trouble finding uble finding this place?this place? -how do you like weather here?
-how do you like weather here? -was there any traffic on your
-was there any traffic on your way here?way here? -how do you like this city?
-how do you like this city? Although the
Although they r not y r not that that important, important, if they r if they r answered weanswered well it can ll it can set positive set positive tone tone for rest for rest of theof the interview.
interview. You dont have
You dont have to whine or complain aboto whine or complain about anything like "i dont like the weather here" out anything like "i dont like the weather here" or "it wasr "it was troublesome for me to get here"
troublesome for me to get here" Even answer to "So, how
Even answer to "So, how are you feeling today?" are you feeling today?" should be like this "i am should be like this "i am feeling great" or "i amfeeling great" or "i am excited to
excited to be here". be here". Dont whine like Dont whine like "i am f"i am feeling tired" eeling tired" or just reply or just reply "OK""OK" Tell me about yourself?
I would start by telliing them about your education background and your current employment or past employment and discuss positive and strong points of your work.... .during this conversation you need to show the interviewer the positive and strong background of your character. ..like, work hard , motivated, can work alone or with other, good communication skill with some example to reinforce those statements. ...for example, working directlly with physician and medical professional or you can say i was part of a team or team leader or committee to evaluate turn around time for ER admissions or part of CQI where we implement some guidelines and recommendation to evaluate for the next few weeks.. ... you need to address that these characters what you will bring to the program.. ... etcc.. ..
What are you looking for in a training program?
I am looking for a program that has a healthy balance of hands-on training and didactic curriculum. Specifically a program that values teaching. In addition I would like to join a program that encourages research endeavors while valuing close communication with residents and attendings. Patient diversity and good exposure to ambulatory care is also important
A friend suggested to me and worked perfectly: Call to PC like a few weeks before the interview date to ask your IV itinerary. They will disclose it readily. Not only you get the correct spelling of the names of the people you will meet but also you will have time to study research, clinical and educational interests of those people.
Another example
What is your greatest strength?
•My ability to work with all different kinds of people. I enjoy learning from everyone I meet.
•My greatest strengt
h is my ability to focus on the job at hand. I'm not easily distracted from the big picture.•My organizational skills are my greatest strength. I'm capable of keeping many projects on track at
the same time.
I believe that my greatest strengths are 100% commitment to whatever I do and my problem solving skills. I am capable of communicating effectively at all levels of the organization.
My greatest strength is that I never give up when there are obstacles in my life... I always look for solutions.my self confidence, motivation and ability to work as an individual and in a group.
How do you handle conflict?
Answer: I am a very friendly and easy going person and I normally do not get into conflicts with my co-workers. But in case if a conflict do arise, I would first examine if my behavior or action might have potentially contributed to the conflict. If that i so I would rectify myself and apologize to the person concerned. In case if the conflict i due to the other persons behavior, then I would try to resolve it in a friendly, open manner by explaining to him or her about the issue and asking suggestions how to avoid similar issues in the future. If we couldn't do it ourselves, I would seek the advice of my mentor for possible mediation.
Do you have any question for me? this is when the PD or who ever you interviewing ask you if you have any question about this program
Answer : I went through the program website and also had discussion with the residents here. I was able to get all the info that I needed. I do have one question.
Could you describe how the residents are evaluated during the residency training? Is there a periodic evaluation of the performance? Will I be having a mentor to advise me during my training?
What are your strengths?
Answer: I am a hard worker. I am very focused on my goals. I persevere during difficult times. I am also analytical, thinking about all aspects of a given situation before making a decision. All these strengths have helped me so far in life. The fact that I am considered in this reputed program even though I am a FMG is a testimony to my strengths. I am very confident these qualities will help me in future is becoming an excellent doctor.
What are your future Plans?
How do you want to look yourself in 10 years time?
Briefly explain an interesting case you have managed in your career? Why did you choose our program to apply?
Why should we choose you as a resident in our program? What is your experience in research? If present explain briefly. What is your greatest strength? A few good examples:
Your ability to prioritize, Your problem-solving skills, Your ability to work under pressure, Your ability to focus on projects, Your professional expertise, Your leadership skills, Your positive attitude Give some example of those positive aspect or situation .
Sb asked me for the list of interview questions. i have tried to incorporate every possible questions you might face. some are more high yield than others. If you want to discuss any question, we can discuss here.
1. How much do you know about our program 2. Tell me about yourself?
3. What motivates you?
4. Which three adjectives best describe you? 5. What are Your qualities you are proud of? 6. What are your strength and weaknesses?
7. How well do you take criticism.
8. If you could change one thing about your personality, what would it be?
9. What differences do you see in the health care system between your and this country? 10. What do you think are the draw backs in medical system in USA from your perspective"? 11. Why did you choose to be a physician
12. What are the three achievements or qualities that you are proud of? 13. What do you think are the most important traits in a clinician
14. Why do you want to go into this speciality? Why did you choose internal medicine? 15. In what subspeciality would you like to go.?
16. Why did you apply to this program. ?
17. What do you think you will contribute to our speciality/ program 18. Present an interesting case.
19. What errors have you made in your patient care.
20. What was the most memorable experience in your school.
21. How would you change the health care delivery system of the country? 22. What is the biggest challenge facing health care delivery?
23. How do you see the delivery of health care evolving in the 21st century. 24. Tell me about the patient from whom you learned the most
25. What do you think of hospitals that refuse admission to patients without insurance?? 26. How well do you see yourself adapting to the American Health System?
27. What do you consider the positive and negative aspects of this specialty? 28. What are your expectations regarding this program?
29. How do you see the health care delivery system of the country evolving? 30. How have you changed since high school?
31. What are the major deficiencies in your medical school training? How do you plan to get over those?
32. What medical school course or class interested you the most. 33. What problems will our speciality face in the next 10 years?
34. What sacrifice are you willing to make to become a specialist
35. Where do you see yourself in ten years from now? As an academician or as a community physician??
36. How do you think socialized healthcare will affect medical progress? 37. How will you as a physician try to curb the rising cost of health care ? 38. What has shaped you the most and got you where you are at today
39. What was the most difficult and trying time in your life. How did you handle it? 40. What was the most important event in your life
41. How do you think you can be a productive member of our residency program?
42. Why America and not your own country? Don’t your countrymen need good doctors?
43. How does your roommate describe you?
44. If you could be any cell in the human body, which would it be? 45. What is more imp, knowledge or imagination.
46. You are organized and structured or flexible? 47. Are you serious and dedicated or relaxed?
48. If your house was burning, what are the three objects you would save ?
49. What are your three wishes? If you have unlimited money, what would you do. 50. What is the most important thing in your life.
51. If you are deserted on an island, what would you take with you? 52. What kind of people do you get along with?
53. Describe your best friend. 54. Who are your heroes
55. What is the last book you read? a. The God Delusion by Richard Dawkins 56. How do you define success
57. f you could accomplish only one thing in your life, what would it be? 58. What physician characteristics do you admire the most?
60. What do you do in your spare time. , if you had a free day, what would you do? 61. Have you done any volunteer work
62. What is the most bizarre thing you have ever done 63. Where have you travelled.
64. What nonmedical magazines do you regularly read
65. What would you do if you found out one of your colleague is using drugs/ alcohol? 66. In which situation are you most efficient?
67. To which organization do you belong?
68. Would you have any trouble working in this predominantly catholic hospital How important is family for you?
69. If you could no longer be a physician, what career would you choose?
70. Biggest failures in life and what
have you done to ensure that they won’t happen again?
71. How will you incorporate your research interest into your residency and future career? 72. How do you make decisions. Are you a risk taker?
73. What was the most difficult decision you had to take in your life. 74. What motivates you to study?
75. What have been the biggest failures in your life? What have you done to ensure they don’t
happen again
76. Which type of people do you have trouble working with. 77. Describe the worst attending you ever worked with 78. What kind of patient do you have trouble dealing with.
79. How do you normally handle conflict? How do you handle disagreements with colleagues or attending.
80. How do you handle criticism.
81. What subject or rotation did you have the most difficulty. 82. What has been your greatest challenge
83. How much of lifestyle considerations fit into your choice 84. What qualities are you looking for in a program?
86. can you stand for a long time. Are you willing to do graveyard shifts and all weekends for a month. ??
87. Why should we take you in preference to other candidates? What makes you unique 88. What Is your energy level like?
89. How well do you function under pressure. 90. How well do you handle death?
91. What is managed care? HMOs? PPOs? Capitation? Prepaid medical system? Deductible, copayment.
92. What does a cross cultural approach to healing mean?
93. What recent newsworthy medical event would you like to discuss? 94. What do you think is the no 1 issue facing our specialty now?
95. If a patient just stabbed your best friend, what would you do? 96. What would you do if the housestaff have a job action, aka a strike? 97. Should physicians be involved in active euthanasia?
98. What do you think about using animals in medical research and teaching 99. Is health care rationing ethical?
100. What would u do if a colleague wanted to keep a therapeutic error secret from the patient? 101. What clinical experience have you had in this specialty?
102. Why is medicine called an art, or a practice? 103. What do you think of physician advertising.
104. Why are beer cans tapered at the top and the bottom? 105. Why are manhole covers round and not square?
106. How do you weigh a jet plane without dismembering it? 107. Tell me a joke.
108. Where else have you interviewed?
109. What is your stand on abortion and cloning?
110. What if you don’t match?
112. What is the greatest fear about practicing medicine? 113. Anything else you would like to add?
114. If you were offered a position today, would you accept?
115. What would you do after your residency? Will you go back to your country?
116. Tell me one important research article you have read recently in a medical journal. SHOULD PHYSICIANS BE INVOLVED IN ACTIVE EUTHANASIA ??
a. Well there are different types of euthanasia: active, passive, assisted suicide and voluntary refusal of food and fluids. Passive euthanasia, ie withholding treatment for patients who have a gleam hope of recovery, including persistent vegetative state, is already practiced everywhere. Voluntary refusal of food and fluids (VRFF) or Patient Refusal of Nutrition and Hydration (PRNH) is practiced in states prohibiting active euthanasia.
b. Some forms of euthanasia, like assisted suicide( but not active euthanasia) are legal in Oregon and Washington, and europian countries like Luxemburg, Belgium, Netherland, Switzerland and also Thailand. I saw a documentary of a very pathetic story of a man with ALS who had to be moved from London to Netherland just for euthanasia. It was a very moving sight for me.
c. When it comes to active euthanasia, its very controversial. Every patient has a right to his own body and what he wants to do with it, so if a person with MND and no hope to recover any function decides to die, mightbe we should respect his decision. Or a person or locked in syndrome, or painful and terminal cancer. But on the other hand, assisting in suicide does sound very unethical. I guess the best way out is to define some criteria to fulfill before the patient is approved for euthanasia, so that it is not indiscriminately overused.
IS HEALTHCARE RATIONING ETHICAL ?
It depends on what basis the rationing is being done. Health care rationing according to necessity, with sicker people getting better treatment, what we call triage, and less sick people getting less intense treatment, is plausible. While on the other hand if health care rationing occurs according to the patientâ
€™s ability to pay, or race, then it is definitely unethical. For example, studies have
shown that physicians preferentially treat white population better than black, with more investigations, and more use of drugs. This is unethical. Also people who cannot pay and are treated in the state funded safety net hospitals get less investigations and less intense treatment, which is unethical. Having said that, certain procedures for cosmetic purpose , or treatments in trial which havent yet been proved effective, and are very expensive, might well be rationed for those who can pay, so as not to overburden the system
WHAT DO YOU THINK OF PHYSICIAN ADVERTISING ?
On one hand, advertising increases the patient’s awareness about the treatment optio
ns available, while on the other, physician advertising is a conflict of interest on the part of physician. He is trying to do the best for the patient, but is also enticing patients to come to him, when that might not be the best option. Also US is the only country where controlled drugs are advertised on national media. I was amazed to see advertisements for drugs like aripiprazole and ropinirole onlocal and national television channels, and daily newspapers. Pharmaceutical companies are trying to make a dirty profit by brainwashing the minds of common people, who will think they have the disease and need that medication. It really makes the work of the physician very hard too,
explaining why they don’t need the treatment that is be
ing advertised. In fact they say the condition called restless leg syndrome is invented by the pharmaceutical industry to sell theirropinirole and pramipexole. Its ridiculous seeing adds that say ‘Are your legs restless at night?
Then you might have restless leg syndrome. Go see your physician now, and ask him for
ropinirole.’ I have never seen pharmaceuticals as profit oriented as over
here. WHAT ARE YOUR VIEWS ON ABORTION AND CLONING ?a. Well abortion can be for medical reason, or as a personal choice. All agree that abortion for a medical reason is not to be questioned. As for abortion as a personal choice, there is no easy answer. On one hand a woman should have complete authority over her body and what to do with it, and should be able to discontinue her pregnancy if she so wishes, on the other hand
terminating a perfectly viable and normal pregnancy sounds unethical. There’s no easy
answer. Still I think the mother should be given complete authority to make the decision about her fetus. b. There are different kinds of cloning. Therapeutic cloning in stem cell research by way of somatic cell nucleus transfer (SCNT) is well accepted, andshouldn’t be opposed by anybody, as stem cell
research holds great promise in treating diseases as far and wide as DM to MS to phenylketonuria. Reproductive cloning, on the other hand, is again successfully done for sheep to camel to abradors
and particular breeds of horse, and I don’t see
any reason to object on that. Cloning extinct and endangered species might be a good idea too. But cloning human beings is probably too dangerous, as it raises a question on the genetic identity of the individual itself. Its like the nightmare envisioned in Aldous Huxley’s Brave New world.
WHY IS MEDICINE CALLED AN ART, AND A PRACTICE ??
a. Medicine is a science, but there is more to it than that. Unlike other sciences, where the subject under study always behave the same under similar
circumstances, humans don’t. Patients with
same disease can have such different presentation and natural course of illness that nothing can be predicted in medicine. A single presentation can be a result of many diseases, and vice versa. So the clinical judgement of a physician is very important. No matter how sound our knowledge are,
humans cant be tested in a lab, or be expected to operate along certain principles. That’s why it
needs a human to
fix a human, and that’s why medicine is
an art rather than science. Physicianspractice this art, that’s why it’s a practice.
WHAT QUALITIES ARE YOU LOOKING FOR IN A PROGRAM ?
a. Good teaching learning activity and moderate workload (don’t say this in BarnabasïŠ)
b. Moderate level of stress, helpful ancillary staff, close contact and supervision from the attending, ie supervised autonomy.
c. opportunity for direct patient care, supervised autonomy, self directed learning and friendly working atmosphere
MOTHER OF ALL QUESTION: TELL ME ABOUT YOURSELF
Well, I am a medical graduate from xxxxxx, a country in Asia. I graduated in 2008. Before graduation, I completed one year of compulsory rotatory internship in different departments of our hospital., including 3 months in internal medicine. During that period, I used to see patients independently in the outpatient clinic and the emergency room, admit patients under the supervision of seniors and take care of them in the floor, and perform different procedures like lumbar puncture and pleurocentesis under guidance from my seniors. I am a real hardworking and self motivated kind of person.
ii. I am also very efficient when working in a team. I worked as a team leader in a 3 month long residential outposting in a remote area of our country that we had to complete as a part of our public health curriculum. It was a good learning experience for me on how to work as a team.
iii. After graduation, I worked as a teaching assistant in a reputed medical university in xxxxxxx for one year. I used to teach pathophysiology to the undergraduate students. There I got to interact with people from different cultural backgrounds, from middle east to asia to Africa. It made me culturally competent- I can get along with people from different kind of cultures. I also developed deep interest in the teaching profession.
iv. After that, I prepared for my USMLE steps, and passed with good marks. After coming here, I worked as a volunteer in the Internal medicine department of xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx for one and a half month. It helped me familiarize myself with the healthcare delivery system of the States, including doctor patient relationship, patient privileges, informed consent, effective communication skills as well as giving me a glimpse of what residency in US would be like. I participated both in the outpatient clinic and the different activities in the floor including conferences and teaching learning sessions. I saw how the residents and the interns handle stress in a busy environment, which was quite inspiring. I think my experience over there will definitely help me work more efficiently as an intern in your program.
v. I have also co-authored a couple of books on medicine, and I was granted a research fund for an independent research proposal I submitted to the health research council of our country.
c. Considering all these, I think I can really be a good candidate for your program. I can bring all that experience to your program. If you would consider me capable enough for your program, then I will try to meet your expectations to the best of my ability.
d. Dedicated, thorough and hard working, (perfectionist, intelligent), can handle criticism well. WHAT ARE YOUR STRENGTH AND WEAKNESSES ?
Strength: I am a hardworking and self motivated kind of person. I used to take care of patients independently in the OPD and ER of our hospitals. I am also very efficient when working in a team. I used to take care of patients under the supervision of my seniors in the floor of my hospital. I have also worked as a group leader in 2 research projects. I have a good grasp of pathophysiology of diseases, and the multisystem effects each disease can have.
Teaching pathology in a reputed university of xxxxxxxx for one year really strenghthened my knowledge of pathophysiology. I have also worked with people from different cultural background, which has made me culturally competent.
b. Weakness: I cant stand people being shabby in their work. I try to do the best I can in any job, and I expect the same from others, so I really cant tolerate people who are casual, tho they might bring out the same results as me. (its better to avoid this hackneyed answer)
c. I used to be very critical of others. I can handle other people’s criticism, but I am also critical of
people who are shabby and casual in their work, esp if we are on the same team.Probably that was because I always tried to judge people my way. But I have learnt to do better- I have learnt to be tolerant, to give people space, let them be. Afterall everybody has their own strong points and weak points.
d. I used to be very intolerant with patients who don’t
comply with the treatment. But lately I have realized that there is always a reason behind their noncompliance, and that it is as much my responsibility to ensure compliance as is theirs, perhaps even more on my part.e. I have to finish all my work before I take a rest. I cant relax with jobs pending, but I guess I will have to develop that habit.
WHAT IS SOCIALISED MEDICINE ?
Keeping it short, Socialized Medicine is government-funded health coverage, with the funds derived mostly from taxes and all people have financial access to the doctors and health services. Examples of such systems are UK
The Health system in the United States has been a combination of social and capitalistic elements. Medicare and Medicaid form the socialistic component - while Employer-provided health insurance coverage and self-paid coverage forms the capitalistic element, if you will, since it depends on people's ability to pay.
Medicare coverage starts for citizens only after age 65 - while Medicaid covers the poor and qualifying children. And for the rest of the people, if the employer does not cover health insurance, people need to pay out of their own pockets - which is not affordable to many. As of 2007, America has about 47 Million people that are uninsured, either due to unaffordability or by choice. Employers are slowly starting to drop coverages too - you will begin to understand why when you read about how General Motors
lamented that it spends about $1525 on health insurance per vehicle produced in comparison to $201 that Japanese Toyota does. Phew ! and its another story than Japan tops the list of the most long-lived people.
1. Get bankrupt when a medical condition wipes out all savings (Medical bills can mount to $200, 000 in heart surgeries!)
2. Do not see physicians for problems at all, allow problems to reach a complexity that's more expensive to treat.
3. Use unproven, risky off-the-shelf cheaper alternative medicines 4. Fly overseas to India, Thailand - i.e.medical tourism
5. or worse - simply pile up on Emergency centres of hospitals to take unfair advantage of the EMTALA act, which says hospitals are required to cover basic treatment for any person wanting care, irrespective of their ability to pay
6. As the number of uninsured increase, the insured Americans have to pay a greater premium to generate the big pot of insurance money. "The healthy discount the sick"
A huge section of the American population now believes a lot of these problems can be solved if health insurance coverage was made compulsary, private health insurance was dissolved and the government covered everyone through taxes, which will bring down premium rates and and make health care cheaper. [As of 2007, America speands more than 18% of GDP of Health care !!]
But given the shocking profits that private health insurance plans make and the 10-20 Million Dollar salaries that insurance CEOs make, it's gonna be tough to break their heavily-funded political lobby and replace them by a socialistic model.
Hope this gives all of you guys enough food for thought and good arguments to put forth, when asked that question on the residency interviews :-)
WHAT WOULD YOU DO IF YOU FIND YOUR FRIEND IS USING DRUGS/ALCOHOL
If a colleague is concerned that a physician has an SUD, AKA substance use disorder that is
impairing his or her functioning, it is that colleague’s
ethical duty to act immediately to intervene. The best approach is usually to contact a Physicians Health Program (PHP), rather than the state medical board, and to report the suspected addicted physician. "So How about first Confronting and confirming from the Physician himself before taking it to the authorities?
"Contacting a PHP can be done anonymously and is usually better than trying to confront the individual directly since most addicted physicians have high levels of denial and are usually not receptive to interventions from colleagues."Hmmm..
Note that PHP does not punish the physician, rather works with the physician to resolve the issue while allowing the physician to keep practice license. Punitive actions, license revoking, etc. after reporting the physician to the State Medical Board were the old days, the new ideology is to treat the physician for his ailment rather than punish him/her for it. Why not ? When addicted, the person is unable to control him/herself to abstain from it ..and that exactly is the ailment - and punish for a disease ? Interestingly, the highest incidences of Substance abuse amongst physicians are seen amongst the Anesthesiologists and Emergency Medicine
Since many IMGs wrote about being asked this question on the Residency interviews in primary care specialties Family Medicine and Internal medicine, it is apt to discuss this here. Besides its good for IMGs to know what mess are they getting into ;-) LOL
TELL ME ABOUT YOUR WEAKNESS
1. "I have rather found myself impatient when it comes to teaching others - especially junior medical students. However I realize that teaching is an excellent way to reinforce my own memory. I now look for opportunities to teach as and when possible, the latest opportunity I had was when I held a rapid midnight tutorial on managing diabetic ketoacidosis for medical students who accompanied me while on call. I hope I will have ample teaching chances at your program"
2. "I usually find myself nervous and anxious while talking to a large group of people. But I have realized that sharing information on conferences is how doctors and researchers advance the science of medicine. It is an important skill to have and I have been taking every opportunity to make presentations in class, conferences, observerships. etc. I think I am getting better and more comfortable :-)"
3. "I have had a problem being organized when there are too many deadlines to meet, so I have been using my iPhone / PDA / written memos / to-do lists to keep myself on top of things. ..which has surely made me a better performer" A more mature and sincere reply might be "I am short-tempered when stressed, and now I exercise during my lunch hour to reduce my stress and control my emotions." Albeit, this is more risky, but also more interesting and insightful than the watered-down version
4. "I have not been able to focus my academic interests on any single medical area, I find too many areas fascinating, which I think is a weakness that can potentially keep me from being an effective contributor. This has made me a little reluctant to decide on one choice of a specialty, though I do know that i like being in a research environment and would like to do a dedicated fellowship"
1. One terribly cliched answer that you should stay away from = "I am a workaholic...causes an imbalance in my personal life". Someday I might get to be faculty and interview the hell out of you fellas and if I hear this 'workaholic' reply, I am gonna give you the most sarcastic grin you ever saw and say - Oh Really !
HEALTH CARE DELIVERY SYSTEM IN THE STATES: Highlights
- The most money spent on biotechnologies, with 80 % spent by private sector in R&D - NIH funds basic research only
- Highest health care spending per GDP, yet highest infant mortality
- 30% goes to hospital, 20% to physicans, 23% to diagnostics, 10% to pharmaceuticals. - In 2007, the U. S. spent $2.26 trillion on health care, or $7,439 per person
- The highest-spending 5% of the population accounted for more than half of all spending
- Acute hospital care accounts for over half (55%) of the spending for Medicare beneficiaries in the last two years of life, tho it was found that this
doesn’t improve life expectancy
- prevention does not produce significant long-term costs savings. Preventive care is typically provided to many people who would never become ill, and for those who would have become ill is partially offset by the health care costs during additional years of life.
- without health insurance coverage at some time during 2007 totaled about 15.3% of the population, or 45. 7 million
- almost 82% have insurance, 56% provided by employer, and 8% bought individually, rest by govt institutions
- dental and vision care are bought separately and not covered
- COBRA and HIPAA regulate insurance companies; (consolidated omnibus budged reconciliation act), allows employees to have health care even after they leave the employment. Same for Health insurance portability and accountability act.
- providers (hospitals and doctors) can refuse to accept a given type of insurance, including Medicare and Medicaid. Low reimbursement rates have generated complaints from providers, and many hospitals have stopped taking Medicare patients.
- Masachussetts, new jersey and san Francisco, Connecticut, have charity care to those who cannot afford.
- EMTALA: emergency medical treatment and active labor act: cannot refuse emergency treatment, but
ER treatment is costly than urgent clinic care
- Most employee health is covered today by managed care organization, like HMO or PPO; aka health maintenance organization and preferred provider organization respectively, which negotiate with care providers and pay low prices than out of pocket prices. There is copayment or deductible involved.
Capitation is the amount paid to provider every time the patient uses his care, no matter how much- this is the incentive system to persuade the provider to give less care. Primary care provider acts as a gatekeeper to decide if specialist is required. Likewise, any costly procedures usually need a second opinion before being approved. Pts going out of the network are charged extremely high. - PPOs have edged out HMOs. It is common today for a physician or hospital to have contracts with a dozen or more health plans, each with different referral networks, contracts with different diagnostic facilities, and different practice guidelines.
- The first HMOs in the U.S. , such as Kaiser Permanente in Oakland, California, and the Health Insurance Plan (HIP) in New York, were "staff-model" HMOs, which owned their own health care facilities and employed the doctors. They focus more on preventive aspect.
- Govt run community clinics, and certain county hospitals provide free care. Child health insurance program for those who earn too much to qualify for Medicaid, but too less to buy insurance themselves.
- There is no taxation on employee health service, which distorts the whole system, bcoz people who buy their own care have to do so after tax cut from their income
- Medicare enrollment is increasing due to baby boomers
- Health savings account is also tax exempt, but it benefits rich more than the poor
- 15% of 300 million population is without care of any kind. Some say 30%. They usurp 30 billion of uncompensated care
- Massachusetts has adopted a universal health care system through the Massachusetts 2006 Health Reform Statute, Health Safety Net Fund for those who cannot afford insurance
- In July 2009, Connecticut passed into law a plan called SustiNet, with the goal of achieving health-care coverage of 98% of its residents by 2014
- Federal Medicare and Medicaid rules forbid private healthcare providers from setting their own rates for these programs. physicians are not allowed to "opt-out" if they provide services at any healthcare facility that accepts these programs
- McCarran Ferguson act allows states to control insurance policies without interference from federal government.
- survival rates in the U. S. for a broad range of cancer types are the highest in the world,
- the proportion of low birth weight babies may be affected by factors other than health care like Teen motherhood
- mortality gap between the well-educated and the poorly educated widened significantly between 1993 and 2001 for adults
- 1% increase in the unemployment rate would increase Medicaid and SCHIP enrollment by 1 million, and increase the number uninsured by 1.1 million
- Many primary care physicians no longer see their patients while they are in the hospital. Instead, hospitalists are used. This fragments care.
- There are hundreds, if not thousands, of insurance companies in the U.S. This system has considerable administrative overhead, far greater than in nationalized, single-payer systems, such as Canada's
- numerous causes of increased utilization, including rising consumer demand, new treatments, more intensive diagnostic testing, lifestyle factors, the movement to broader-access plans, and higher-priced technologies
- cost shifting- due to low embursement by medicare, hospitals charge higher to private insurance companies, thus increasing the overall cost.
- A lack of mental health coverage for Americans bears significant ramifications; The Paul Wellstone Mental Health and Addiction Equity Act of 2008 mandates that group health plans provide mental health and substance-related disorder benefits
- An estimated 5 million of those without health insurance are considered "uninsurable" because of pre- existing conditions; people seeking to purchase health insurance directly must undergo medical underwriting. Insurance companies seeking to mitigate the problem of adverse selection;
- minority groups have higher incidence of chronic diseases, higher mortality, cancer incidence rate among African Americans, which is 25% higher than among whites, DM, HIV, IMR, and cardiovascular disease
-
black Americans received less health care than white Americans —particularly when the care
involved expensive new technology.
- EMTALA is the key element in the safety net for the uninsured, but the cost is never fully reimbursed by the federal or state govt to the hospitals.
EMTALA is an unfunded mandate that has contributed to financial pressures on hospitals in the last 20 years, causing them to consolidate and close facilities. emergency room visits in the U. S. grew by 26 percent, while in the same period, the number of emergency departments declined by 425. Some hospitals make pt pay by fee per service system, but many cant pay, and go into bankruptcy when hospital sues them.
- the majority of the cost differential arises from medical malpractice, U. S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulations
- an FDA ruling went into effect extending protection from lawsuits to pharmaceutical manufacturers, even if it was found that they submitted fraudulent clinical trial data to the FDA - many other countries use their bulk-purchasing power to aggressively negotiate drug prices, governments of such countries are free riding on the backs of U.S. consumers. US consumers are thus effectively subsidizing cost for other
nation’s
consumers, so the lobbyists of the pharmaceutical companies say.- Bush passed an act to prohibit drug price negotiation for Medicare, thus giving power to companies to profit off the Medicare.
- Democrats prefer universal health care, whil
e Republicans don’t
- the lack of health insurance among the self-employed does not affect their health, a study has shown
- Advocates for single-payer health care often point to other countries, where national government-funded systems produce better health outcomes at lower
- in 1973, the federal government passed the Health Maintenance Organization Act, which heavily subsidized the HMO business model. The law was intended to
create market incentives that would lower health care costs, but HMOs have never achieved their cost-reduction potential.
- Around 7500 per head per annum is spent on health care
- High drug cost in the states is due to lack of government price control, and implementation of intellectual property right.
- Health care cost of Medicare are rising steeply
- uninsured are unfairly
billed for services at rates far higher—305% in some areas of
California—than are the insured; USA Today concluded that
"millions of [uninsured patients] are forced to subsidize insured patients
- 44, 800 excess deaths annually in the United States due to Americans lacking health insurance; and almost 100,000 due to lack of medical care
- Clinton signed Medicare Prescription Drug, Improvement, and Modernization Act which included a prescription drug plan for elderly and disabled Americans.
Befor
e that, medicare didn’t cover prescription drugs.
- Barack Obama called for universal health care. His health care plan called for the creation of a National Health Insurance Exchange that would include
both private insurance plans and a Medicare-like government run option. Coverage would be guaranteed regardless of health status, and premiums would not vary
based on health status either. It would have required parents to cover their children, but did not require adults to buy insurance.
- HIPAA includes electronic data interchange schemes like EDI Health Care Claim Transaction set, EDI Retail Pharmacy Claim Transaction (NCPDP national
council for prescription drug programs)
- Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health Act (HITECH Act), - HIPAA has affected research adversely.
- Proponents of health care reform argue that moving to a single-payer system would reallocate the money currently spent on the administrative overhead
required to run insurance companies in the U.S. to provide universal care
- Malpractice liability has resulted in defensive medicine. Tort reform act are suggested as a way out. - Massachusetts' law forcing everyone to buy insurance caused costs there to increase faster than in the rest of the country
- Eliminating the profit motive will decrease the rate of medical innovation and inhibit new technologies from being developed
- Healthcare rationing- acc to age by medicare, acc to economic status by Medicaid, acc to employee status by EHS, acc to preexisting illness. And acc to how much you can pay. Other countries, by contrast, ration healthcare acc to need. In America, this rationing means there is no triage by need. Physician gatekeepers are also key in rationing.
WHAT ARE THE BIGGEST CHALLENGES FACING HEALTHCARE DELIVERY ?
a. The steeply increasing cost is the biggest challenge facing the health care delivery system. Health care has become more and more profit oriented.
b. Physicians are practicing more and more defensive medicine, sending unnecessary investigations. This has made health care in the US 4 times as costly as in other developed nations of the world. c. Plus the gargantuan overhead/administrative cost related to the hundreds of insurance companies and HMOs is causing less money to actually go into the health care of the people. US spends almost 15% of its GDP on health care, highest among all developed nation, and 30% of that goes to overhead cost. Due to this, the health outcome of the population is far worse compared to other countries, with IMR, Quality of life index and DALY comparable to middle eastern and African countries.
d. Pharmaceutical companies are gaining a huge and ugly profit by selling medicines invented 50 years ago, on the name of patent rights.
e. To control this, govt should set a limit on the profit margin that pharmaceutical and insurance companies can achieve.
f. Single payer health system, like the universal health care talked of so often by President Obama, and like NHS of the Great Britain, might decrease the overhead costs associated with management. g. Tort reform to curb litigation on physicians would also decrease the unnecessary investigations that doctors do to defend themselves against any lawsuit.
WHAT DO YOU THINK OF THE HOSPITALS THAT DENY SERVICES TO UNINSURED POPULATION? BE DIPLOMATIC WHEN ANSWERING INCENDIARY TOPICS LIKE THIS.
This is a very difficult question to answer. The EMTALA act requires hospital to provide emergency treatment including active labor management to all people, regardless of their insurance coverage. But after emergency management is done, many hospitals try to dump those patients to other safety net hospitals. Though this sounds unethical, the hospitals are compelled to do that because the health care costs incurred that way will not be reimbursed by either the insurance companies or the government; while many safety net hospitals are subsidized by the government. Infact many hospitals have closed down their emergency services after this act was brought into effect. And safety net hospitals like the cook County hospital of Chicago, are so overburdened due to uninsured patient population, that it has a significant effect on their quality of care. People have to wait for so long many even go without treatment for days. So I think the government should either find a way to insure those people who cant afford insurance, for example by publicly mandated health insurance system, or provide more funding for safety net hospitals all over the country. Govt should open more public safety net hospitals, so that the existing ones are not overburdened, and to
ensure that their quality of care doesn’t go down. Many states don’t have such hospitals, s
o the patient might have to wait a long time or travel to get treatment, which is not ethical at all. That way both private and public health system can survive side by side in a healthy environment.WHAT ARE THE POSITIVE AND NEGATIVE ASPECTS OF THIS SPECIALITY ?
a. The positive point, especially of primary care, is that we can manage the patient as a whole, with help from other specialties. We are in charge of everything that is going on in our patient, and we have to coordinate with different specialties. This is a very appealing prospect of medicine. Plus if we ever decide to specialize, there are a vast majority of subjects we can choose from, from interventional cardiology to interventional nephrology. We get to sit down and think and not rush around all the time like in Emergency medicine or surgery, which is why this specialty interests me so much.
b. The negative aspect is probably the multiple subspecialties that this specialty is divided into. Superspecialisation is like a double edged sword. On one hand, it makes us good in a particular field, but on the other hand it takes us farther away from the patient. It makes us into mechanistic beings who are taking care of one aspect of the patient or the other, without any regard for the total well being of the patient. But I guess that is what the p
rimary care physicians are there for. …. .
c. We have a busy and stressful life, with limited time for personal and family life, compared to say radiologists, pathologists or dermatologists. But I guess if we can manage our time well, we can have a pretty decent personal life. And I am ready to sacrifice a part of my personal life for the sake of a clinical career. Clinics is just too addicting to leave.
WHY DO YOU THINK YOU CAN BE A PRODUCTIVE MEMBER OF OUR RESIDENCY PROGRAM sample answer from another website by mike MD so something.
I can bring a hard working, honest and dedicated resident to your program who does not shy away from his responsibilities. I get along well with everyone and as a resident I have the ability to work in a team as well as on my own. I am obsessed about learning new things every moment of my life through books and my surroundings. I have a very sharp observation and that helps me make tough medical decisions if I have to. Your program has certain strengths that perfectly match with
my qualifications. As it is a busy residency program with high patient load, my back ground in Medicine will help me fit in very quickly without much time needed for training. I have been living in US for a while and I am familiar with ethics and dynamics of medical practices here.
Geographically your program is an area with a diverse population. I am sure you have a very competitive pool of applicants, but based on my background and qualifications, Iam sure I will be a very productive member of your staff.
QUESTIONS TO ASK THE RESIDENTS
1. What is the housestaff officer's general opinion of the program?
2. Is there a medical library close to the hospital and does it contain an adequate selection of recent books and journals?
3. Is there an adequate visiting professor program with other institutions? 4. How valuable are the conferences?
5. Are chart rounds conducted routinely?
6. What is the average number of patients for which each house officer is responsible?
7. Does the housestaff receive adequate clinical experience performing procedures? Who teaches these procedures?
8. What is the clinic schedule? Is there a continuity clinic? 9. Is an attending physician present during each clinic?
10. What does the housestaff officer think of the chair? What is the chair's background and reputation? Is the chair sincerely interested in teaching housestaff? Is the chair readily accessible to the housestaff?
11. Are emergency services readily available?
12. Do all wards of the institution have cardiac arrest charts and EKG machines? 13. Is a radiologist available 24 hours for consultation?
14. Does the hospital provide IV and blood drawing teams? Are lab results computerized? 15. When do rounds begin in the morning and at what time does the normal day end? 16. What is the on-call schedule? Does it change during the senior or chief year?
17. Is moonlighting permitted and is it available in the community?
18. Are meals provided free or at a discount for housestaff? Is there an evening meal? Is food available/provided at all hours?
19. Is parking provided? If so, where?
20. Are uniforms and laundry free of charge to the residents?
21. Is there adequate malpractice and disability insurance, including HIV disability insurance? Does the hospital provide health and life insurance?
22. What is the availability of housing and its average cost? Where do most staff live? If many staff people commute, what is the average commute time? Should there be a concern for safety in some areas?
23. Is there a housestaff association and what is its relationship with the administration? 24. What are the climate and general living conditions in the community?
25. What is the general atmosphere of the hospital? Is it a pleasant place to work? 26. What is the housestaff officer's opinion of programs at various institutions? 27. Is the stipend good enough for living in that community ?
28. Does the program stick to Residency Review Committee's (RRC) regulations about to sticking to 80- hour work limits for residents ?
QUESTIONS TO ASK THE PD
1. What is the interviewer's general opinion of the program? 2. What is the general framework of the training program? 3. Is most of the program conducted in the major hospital?
4. What is the composition and caliber of the teaching and attending staff? Are they fulltime or part-time?
5. Does the attending staff participate in daily rounds and conferences, or is the bulk of the teaching performed by other residents?
6. What is the conference schedule? Is time for conference protected time? 7. Are there any teaching conferences specifically for housestaff?
8. Does the program allow for research by the housestaff? If so, does the department fund it? Is there an elective time in which to do it? Are there faculty mentors?
9. Are rotations in related subspecialties included in the program?
10. Which electives are offered, and at what periods during the program?
11. Are residents permitted or encouraged to attend regional or national medical conferences? 12. Have any graduates of the program ever failed to do well on the certifying exams and if so, why?
