INTERVIEW & MATCH Questions EXPERIENCE

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#INTERVIEW & MATCH Questions EXPERIENCE

1. 𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭’𝐬 𝐚 “𝐩𝐫𝐞-𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐜𝐡 𝐨𝐟𝐟𝐞𝐫”?

Some programs (a few) would offer you a contract to be signed before match day.

∙𝗣𝗥𝗢𝗦: You don’t have to wait for the match and risk the chances of not matching.

∙𝐂𝐎𝐍𝐒: Maybe you match in a better program/ one that you like better if you go for the match.

∙My first interview actually offered me a pre-match. I didn’t take it, but it really boosted my confidence that I was doing something good, since it was the first one and they already gave me a job offer.

2. 𝐃𝐨𝐞𝐬 𝐘𝐞𝐚𝐫 𝐨𝐟 𝐠𝐫𝐚𝐝𝐮𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐫? (YOG)

Some programs only accept fresh graduates.

Eg, 1-2 years out of medical school, another programs 2-4 years/ <5 years.

But overall, I would say like around 60% don’t look at that. (Correct me if I’m wrong).

∙I graduated in 2015 and applied in Sept 2019 for the 2020 match without hometown residency, so I couldn’t apply to any program that wanted <4 years out of school.

∙𝗡𝗼𝘁𝗲: If you have hometown residency some programs consider your YOG by the time that you finish your residency, so that’s good news for all the IMG specialists out there!

You check check those special requirements in the programs website. Google: name of hospital you like + IM, FM, Obgyn residency (or whatever speciality you want) and you ll find the requirements that they ask for.

3. 𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐝𝐨 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐠𝐫𝐚𝐦 𝐝𝐢𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐬 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐫 𝐚𝐬 𝐚 𝐆𝐀𝐏 𝐢𝐧 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐮𝐦𝐞?

Gap year usually is considered if you are >6 months without doing anything. At least you should volunteer 4 years a week at a place to not have a gap.

It happens that we will have some “gap time”, as long as you can explain it, most of the times you will be fine; and some other times they won’t even ask you about it.

4. 𝐃𝐨𝐞𝐬 𝐡𝐨𝐦𝐞 𝐭𝐨𝐰𝐧 𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐲 𝐡𝐞𝐥𝐩 𝐭𝐨 𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐜𝐡?

∙Indeed, most of the times helps, especially for surgical specialties.

5. 𝐃𝐨𝐞𝐬 𝐨𝐧𝐥𝐲 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐒𝐓𝐄𝐏 𝟏 𝐬𝐜𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐨𝐫 𝐝𝐨 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐠𝐫𝐚𝐦 𝐝𝐢𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐬 𝐥𝐨𝐨𝐤 𝐚𝐭 𝐛𝐨𝐭𝐡 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐒𝐓𝐄𝐏 𝟏 & 𝐒𝐓𝐄𝐏 𝟐 𝐬𝐜𝐨𝐫𝐞𝐬?

∙Indeed they look at everything, STEP 1, STEP 2 CK, CS attempts.

6. 𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐞𝐥𝐬𝐞 𝐝𝐨 𝐏𝐃𝐬 𝐥𝐨𝐨𝐤 𝐚𝐭 𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐧 𝐒𝐓𝐄𝐏 𝐬𝐜𝐨𝐫𝐞𝐬?

∙Your LORs, US clinical experience/ observer, volunteer, research, hometown residency.

Your school, medical grades, honors, etc are also seen by some programs, but this matters mainly for AMG (American medical graduates)

7. 𝐈𝐬 𝐢𝐭 𝐛𝐞𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐭𝐨 𝐠𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐩 𝟑 𝐛𝐞𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐜𝐡?

It’s better, boosts your chances to match and also helps you in getting a H1 type visa.

𝗖𝗼𝗻𝘀𝗹𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻: STEP 3 always helps!

8. 𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐢𝐦𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐯𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐠𝐞𝐭 𝐡𝟏𝐛 𝐯𝐢𝐬𝐚 𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐲?

Look for the programs that offer HI1b visa, take STEP 3.

9. 𝐂𝐨𝐮𝐩𝐥𝐞 𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐜𝐡: 𝐀𝐝𝐯𝐚𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐠𝐞𝐬 & 𝐃𝐢𝐬𝐚𝐝𝐯𝐚𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐠𝐞𝐬?

∙𝗔𝗱𝘃𝗮𝗻𝘁𝗮𝗴𝗲𝘀: They are obvious, you will be with your couple.

∙𝗗𝗶𝘀𝗮𝗱𝘃𝗮𝗻𝘁𝗮𝗴𝗲𝘀: If a program ranked you but they didn’t rank your couple, then you are automatically disqualified for that program!

10. 𝐇𝐨𝐰 𝐜𝐚𝐧 𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐜𝐡 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐨 𝐈𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐦𝐞𝐝𝐢𝐜𝐢𝐧𝐞 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐨 𝐚 𝐔𝐧𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐠𝐫𝐚𝐦 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐚𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐠𝐞 𝐬𝐜𝐨𝐫𝐞𝐬?

Improve your CV, get research done since that’s what most of University Programs like, and try to get a rotation in the place that you like, make contacts, connections are very important. (I matched with no contacts, but indeed they do to help to match!)

11. 𝐃𝐢𝐟𝐟𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐛𝐞𝐭𝐰𝐞𝐞𝐧 𝐚 𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐠𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐥 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐚 𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐫𝐲 𝐩𝐨𝐬𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧?

∙𝗣𝗿𝗲𝗹𝗶𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗮𝘁𝘆 𝗽𝗼𝘀𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻: It is offered in many programs, mainly for surgical specialties, and that’s a way a lot of IMGs get into the system. It means that they offer you a only PGY1 year in the program; and then you will have to continue your PGY-2 in another place or maybe there if you are lucky and a spot opens up. A lot of doctors than don’t find a PGY2 position after their prelim year, would apply again to a residency program, but this time categorical. Since now they have 1 year of USCE experience, it will boost their chances of getting a categorical spot.

∙𝗖𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗴𝗼𝗿𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗹 𝗽𝗼𝘀𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻: It’s the “normal way”, you enter, and after 3-5 years (depends on the specialty) you are done, and become a specialist. No need to re-apply to another program. Fortunatelly this is what I got for my OB/GYN residency position

12. 𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭’𝐬 𝐚 “𝐒𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐝 𝐥𝐨𝐨𝐤”?

Some programs during your interview will offer you a “Second look” if you liked you, sometime they offer it to all the participants. It means that you go back some other they to just work with the residents, get to know more about them and the program.

∙This will give you a better view of the program, and also show your interest to the program.

If you are offered a second look, 𝗱𝗲𝗳𝗶𝗻𝗶𝘁𝗲𝗹𝘆 𝘁𝗮𝗸𝗲 𝗶𝘁!

13. 𝐃𝐨𝐞𝐬 𝐢𝐭 𝐡𝐞𝐥𝐩 𝐢𝐟 𝐒𝐓𝐄𝐏 𝟐 𝐬𝐜𝐨𝐫𝐞𝐬 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐰𝐚𝐲 𝐛𝐞𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐧 𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐩 𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐬𝐜𝐨𝐫𝐞𝐬 𝐥𝐢𝐤𝐞 𝟐𝟎 𝐩𝐨𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐬?

∙Indeed, the goal is to score 10 points more in STEP 2 CK compared to STEP 1. I scored exactly 10 points extra, so I was very happy about that.

𝗥𝗲𝗮𝘀𝗼𝗻: CK has an extra block, so more chances to score higher.

14. 𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐞𝐧𝐬 𝐢𝐟 𝐈 𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐞 𝐦𝐲 𝐡𝐨𝐦𝐞 𝐭𝐨𝐰𝐧 𝐬𝐩𝐞𝐜𝐢𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐰𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐈 𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐥𝐲? Eg, A general surgeon and now want to apply for IM.

∙𝗜𝘁’𝘀 𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗺𝗼𝗻, a lot of people do it, as long as you can explain it and build a CV and get LORs on that other specialization, 𝗬𝗢𝗨 𝗪𝗜𝗟𝗟 𝗕𝗘 𝗙𝗜𝗡𝗘!

15. 𝐂𝐚𝐧 𝐈 𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐜𝐡 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐨 𝐚 𝐭𝐨𝐩 𝟏𝟎 𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐡𝐨𝐬𝐩𝐢𝐭𝐚𝐥 𝐚𝐬 𝐚𝐧 𝐈𝐌𝐆?

∙Yes, build a strong CV, get very good scores & make connections.

Note: I’ll explain how to build a strong CV and how to connect better with people in another post.

Dr sebas .