The new medical school and residency interview

Hi, Mary. It is very nice to meet you virtually and thank you for taking time to interview for admission to our medical school. I hope you have read about how to ace the process, particularly during these challenging times. Also, I think we both know that a lot of what will be said will be lies.

Thank you, Dr. Meyers. I've heard a lot about your school and I'm excited to be considered, particularly since I won't have to pay tuition to attend.

Now, before we get started, please don't answer what I am about to ask you with these answers. I see you come to us highly recommended on LinkedIn. and Instagram.

Instead, here are some tips on how to answer situational interview questions.

But since I have not been trained in interviewing techniques, I won't be asking many of those types of questions.

So. Mary, tell me a little about yourself. How high is your adaptability quotient?

You already know my background and past accomplishments and failures so I won't repeat them. But, it seems to me you have a need for innovators in medicine and I believe I can help you.

Tell me, why did do you want to be be a doctor and why are you interested in our school?

Actually, Dr. Meyers, I really don't want to practice medicine. I want the MD degree from a reputable university because I am interested in starting a life science company after graduation. As you can see from my resume, my undergraduate degree is in computer science and engineering and prior to deciding to apply to medical school, I created two companies, one of which I sold to Google. I am applying to your school because it is located in one of the top 10 digital ecosystems in the US which I think would be help me a lot in launching my next company.

I see. So, Mary. Can you tell me about your greatest weakness?

Actually, I have three character traits that you will probably consider as weaknesses...I am a non-conformist, I am a hypomanic, ADHD narcissist and I ask for forgiveness many times instead of permission. I am "creative" in solving problems no one else seems to able to solve by playing by the rules. If you are interested, here are some tips on how to talk to someone like me.

And so you think those are good things?

Indeed I do, Dr. Meyers. I know that is not exactly what you are looking for in a candidate since it is not a part of the culture of medicine, but, maybe you should reconsider how choosing "the right applicants" has been working for you up to now. I mean look at all those med students who have no clue what they are getting themselves into and who burn out before they are even finished their residencies, if they decide to do one at all. I heard you were looking for doctors to disrupt sick care. Is that just smoke, or are you really looking to make change?

Please tell me about the last time you had some conflict with coworkers and how you managed it.

Well, when we formed our last company, we had a lot of conflict between the cofounder scientist and the other co-founders, including myself, who didn't think that person had the skills to scale the company. She didn't want to give up control, so we made her an offer she could not refuse and appointed her to be the Chief Science Officer. I heard she left the company a short time later.

How do you learn?

I have made learning a habit. This could be anything from reading an article each morning, to a?timeboxed?hour of learning per week, to reading a book a month or taking 15 minutes for?reflective journaling?in the evening.

Tell me about a time you failed.

Here is what I learned from Medvoy.

How about you. How do you learn?

Hmm. Well, Mary. I see our time is up.

Thanks, Dr. Meyers, but I need a lot more feedback than that. Plus, I agree that credentials are overrated and motivation is underrated.

What do you think about my progress and chances of my getting into your school? Plus, is there any chance I can talk to someone in your technology transfer office to discuss your licensing revenue agreements and the kind of help I can expect when I file my next invention disclosure?

I hope you don't find all my questions annoying, but there is so much more about your school and your vision for the future of medical education, innovation and entrepreneurship I want to know.

Sorry, but I don't know who those people are and I don't know the answers to your questions. We're too busy taking care of patients to worry about all that business stuff. However, here are some resources you might find useful.

Digital Health Entrepreneurship

The sickcare intrapreneur innovation roadmap

Why is it so hard to be a physician intrapreneur?

Innerpreneurs, entrepreneurs and wannapreneurs

Rethinking medical student bioinnovation and entrepreneurship education

The life science innovation roadmap

10 ways to create medical student entrepreneurs

Advice to a medical student entrepreneur

Principles of medical education reform

5 issues facing medical schools

How doctors and patients can win the 4th industrial revolution

Scaling school

Sky is the Limit: Intrapreneurship at Air France Take a look at how other industries are doing it, since sickcare cannot be fixed from inside.

Here are ways not to answer your medical school interview questions if you are interested in entrepreneurship instead of lifelong clinical practice.

You don't plan to get pregnant, do you?

I'm pretty sure that question is illegal.

Did you write your personal statement using ChatGPT?

Of course, I did. Why wouldn't I when everyone else does? You asked me for an interview didn't you?

Which one of the seven dwarfs would you be?

Dismiss that question as silly at your peril. Because silly or not, such questions are increasingly common in job interviews. So common, in fact, that?Don Zhang, an associate professor of industrial and organizational psychology at Louisiana State University, decided to examine how job candidates perceive these questions and the companies that ask them.

“In my research, I came across all these questions, and I thought, ‘What do companies think they are accomplishing when they ask these,’ and, ‘How would an applicant feel,’ ” says Zhang.

What he found?was that companies might be better off cutting the quirky.

Good luck getting into the other places where you are interviewing. Maybe we need to rethink how we accept applicants. Are you ready to be interviewed by AI?

Did the school or residency director disclose they used AI to vet your application?

Interviewers should prepare for interviews just as thoroughly as candidates do. Being equipped with compelling stories and setting aside dedicated preparation time, such as 30 minutes beforehand, allows interviewers to mentally prepare and be fully present during the interview. Like with candidates, it’s not only the content of what is said that matters, but also the way it’s conveyed. Demonstrating enthusiasm for the company and the position can leave an impression on candidates, instilling confidence, and enthusiasm in their decision-making process.

One more thing.

Before you log off, please disassemble this simulated radio and build something new with the parts.

Arlen Meyers, MD, MBA is the President and CEO of the Society of Physician Entrepreneurs on Substack and Editor of Digital Health Entrepreneurship