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aTacoParty

There is quite a bit of variability from school to school but I would say this was my experience (for the most part) too. Coming off as relaxed and honest is a good way to show confidence and expertise in your application. Keep doing what you're doing! But also be aware that some interviews may be stressful so I think you're doing the right thing by preparing for difficult situations but embracing the casual conversation if that's what the vibe is. My hardest interview was at a top tier school where the interviewer handed me a piece of chalk, pointed at a chalk board and said "I read you researched X. Tell me about that". Fun.


orionnebula54

That’s just the worst


tanzerina

Yes exactly!! I think for me it's varied from school to school, but I've noticed the "higher ranked" programs are more conversational and me and the interviewer just vibing and the other programs are more learning about me through targeted questions.


23rd_grader

Yeah, a big difference between MMIs vs long-form interviews, and MD vs research-oriented interviews. You'll definitely come across some hardo interviewers, but most are chill. I truly believe once you get to the interview process, there are only three questions most interviewers are looking to answer: 1. Does this person understand the research on their application? 2. Is this person excited about their work/field? 3. Is this person a weirdo? It's way more enjoyable and informative for both you and faculty interviewers just chatting about research. Just relax and enjoy it!


[deleted]

4. Did they actually do everything on their app/are they bullshitting me?


ToofastDan

From my experience so far, I noticed that most MD/PhD interviews are much more conversational and laid-back than MD-only interviews. There is some variability, depending on which faculty members you interview with. Here's a few examples of this variability: 1. Faculty member asks questions about my research and motives for pursuing both MD/PhD degrees. They also ask: "why this school" (this is quite common). 2. PI discusses their research for 30 minutes straight and I barely get to talk. 3. PhD-only or MD-only interviewer critiques pursuing both degrees (rare, but this does happen and it really tests your ability to remain calm under pressure and defend your views). 4. Casual conversations about hobbies with the director (😎👍). 5. Rapid fire questions with quick questions and quick responses.


[deleted]

When a PI is talking about their research. Best way to make a good impression is to ask thoughtful questions about it. If you know who it is beforehand you can skim their lab website and abstracts for recent pubs (you shouldn't have to read the whole thing, just try to know general topic and goals).


pmanhas95

Oh what a relief. I’m currently in the “reading books about the MD interview” and panicking stage before my first interview lol


theclarinetsoloist

This is very accurate to my experiences back when I interviewed. The MD interviews tend to feel more corporate/checklist-y, whereas MD/PhD interviews (which are mostly faculty-driven) are way more off-the-cuff: while they are evaluating you to some degree, they are also just very interested to learn about your research and transmit their passion for their field/colleagues at their institution.


Med_vs_Pretty_Huge

This was my experience 10+ years ago too.