Interviewing

There are many irritating things about the interview trail for medicine. You interview for medical school, then four years later you interview for residency, then 3-5 years later for fellowships, and eventually for jobs.

The question most programs seem to ask is "why this program?" I suppose it's a fair question, but they seem to expect some profound answer. Sure, if they have some state of the art something or other that no other program has, it would make sense to expect applicants to know about that and praise them for it. However, most don't. Most programs are the same as most other programs with tiny differences that don't really matter much in the long run. You most likely applied because A. they have a program and B. they are in a desirable location for you.

For some reason location isn't enough. I was at an interview where I answered location, the interviewer looked unimpressed, and then later reworded the question to ask me what specific things I had read or heard about the program made me want to come there. They weren't a stellar program. They were a perfectly adequate program. Would I want to go to their program? Of course! Was there some specific reason that they stood among any other program? No!

Programs in general, and this program in particular, can't even come up with reasons why we should go there. They always brag in their pre-interview powerpoint about how they have lectures, and simulation, and hands on experience! Then you go to the next interview and they tell you about their lectures, and simulation, and hands on experience!

I would love a world where we can cut the crap and the answer "well, you have a spot in a decently desirable geographical location" would be sufficient. But it never will. Let the bullshit continue!