INTERVIEW SERIES: AFTER THE INTERVIEW

A lot of work goes into preparing for your residency interviews and making sure you kill it throughout the interview day... but unfortunately, the work isn't totally done just because your interviews are over. Many applicants aren't sure how to navigate their communication with programs after an interview. I mean, what exactly is the proper post-interview etiquette?

Well, I thought it would be helpful to go through some tips on how to go about some of the more important post-interview tasks. I will be going in depth about thank you notes so I left that for last. If you wanna skip straight to it, scroll down to #6 below.

1. Write down your impressions of a program.

Try to do this right away to make sure you don't forget any subtle things that could affect your decision. Develop your own process for what's most important about a program and be consistent in documenting those things after each interview. It's also a good idea to write down notes on some specific things you spoke to each interviewer about so that you can include them in your thank you notes.

2. Ask any questions that were overlooked during your visit.

After writing down your notes, you may notice some important questions that you didn't get a chance to ask during the interview. It is totally acceptable to call or email for more information, especially if one of your interviewers — usually a resident, but also faculty — has invited you to contact him/her for more info. Please don't send multiple generic emails to the same program director or residency faculty. If you're going to follow-up, make it personal and ask direct questions about the program. NOTE: Be aware that program directors and residency faculty are required to NOT solicit post-interview communication from applicants.

3. Do a second look — but only if it will help you.

Some programs offer the chance to return for a “second look”. Definitely take advantage of this, but only if you think a second look would actually help you in making a decision for your rank list. Programs generally interpret your interest in a second look as an indication of your enthusiasm for the program but that should not be why you do it. I have heard of some programs that discourage second looks and actually interpret it as an insult if you ask for one {this is rare though}. The best way to gauge which way a program leans is to ask residents on your interview day or at the pre-interview dinner.

Another option is to just come back for a casual visit to the program city instead of a formal second look. Just make sure to give the residents at that program a heads up so they have time to figure out if someone is available to hang out with you. Definitely do not show up unannounced to the actual program expecting a repeat tour or someone to sit down and chat with you; residency programs {and their residents} are not prepared for unplanned guests lol.

4. Keep it professional.

Most applicants are professional during and after the residency interview process, but it can be a struggle to decipher the rules for post-interview communication during the Match process vs the standard etiquette of interviews with normal jobs. Make sure you know the NRMP rules {listed in their Communication Code of Conduct}.

Be aware of your social media footprint — adjust your behavior and/or privacy settings as needed during the interview season. Do not post comments {positive or negative} on your social media accounts regarding the programs with which you interview.

5. Make your rank list!

Once you're done with all your interviews, it's time to sit down with your notes, assess all that information and make a decision. Make sure you take your time with this. You may even want to step away from things and air out your thoughts with advisors, friends and family. But ultimately, that final decision is all yours and you should go with what feels right for you. There are some good tools in Strolling through the Match {.pdf file} to help organize your priorities. And check out my post on choosing your residency for specific things to consider when making your rank list.

6. Send thank you notes to your interviewers.

Ok, this is the hot topic when it comes to post-interview etiquette. This may not be a “required” part of the residency application process, but it is definitely an important gesture if you want to demonstrate a strong interest in a program. These are a chance to recognize a program's hospitality and reaffirm your interest in them. And a well written, strategically timed 'thank you' can really give you a leg up.

But first, there are lots of tips and guides out there for writing thank you notes so I won't reiterate the same points too much. Here's a brief who/what/when of what you need to consider when writing these notes:

• HOW do I send these: handwritten note or email? I personally never even considered handwritten notes just because it was such an inconvenience but many of my colleagues went that route and did that with ALL the programs they interviewed at. If i had to guess, I think less and less applicants are doing handwritten notes based on what we are getting these days but I'll go through when and what to do with either option. I like a two-pronged approach if you are a "handwritten" kind of person, which I will share with you below.

• WHO do I send these to? Everyone you interview with. I liked to thank all the faculty members that I interviewed with, the program director, the program administrator or coordinator and any residents who played a big role in the interview process. Our program gives applicants a sheet with everyone's emails so they don't have to ask but you may not get that everywhere. In that case, make sure that during the interview you ask everyone for either their card (with an email address) OR ask the program coordinator for their email addresses/contact information.

• WHEN do I send them? Within 1-2 weeks of your interview. Too soon and you're just too eager. Too late and I'll most likely have to go through the composites again to remember which interviewee you were {unless you made stellar impression!}.

• WHAT do I say? This is a thank you note so make sure you are sincere and authentic in your communication. Personalize your message and build on the conversation you had in the interview {this is when those post-interview day notes really come in handy}. Don't ramble though, keep it to the point. You want a few sentences and that's it. My general format (with variations so it was personalized) is as follows:

Hello Dr.________ [or whatever they prefer to go by],

Thank you so much for taking the time to speak with me on my interview day last week. It was a pleasure getting to know you and your team. I especially enjoyed talking about [specific thing you talked about]. This, along with [another specific attribute to this program] has really impressed me about your program and I intend to rank you highly. Thank you again for being a part of a wonderful interview process. I look forward to the opportunity to work with you in the future.

Sincerely,

[Your Name]

• NOTE: You'll notice I threw in the "I intend to rank you highly" comment. I wrote this in all my thank you notes. I personally don't think there's any harm in it and we're all just playing the game, right? That said, NEVER lie about your actual rank order. I steered clear of saying what specific number a program was going to be. "Ranked highly" is vague enough to get away with. Remember, programs are going to be equally choosy with their words when speaking to you about your position on their rank list. It's in your best interest to position yourself as best you can. Ultimately, you want your note to be well-written, concise, respectful and personal. And remember that this email is primarily a thank you note — express your gratitude for the opportunity to visit the facility and learn more about the program.

6b. Send a second, handwritten thank you {optional}.

*This is totally optional and only for the programs you really really liked and only if you're willing to spend the time writing the notes and getting addresses.

So the email 1-2 wks after your interview is a great way to give your interviewer time to go over your interview — they go on with work and life, they most likely sort of forget about you... until BAM! They get that wonderful thank you email from you reminding them of what an amazing applicant you are. These emails should be as described above.

The second prong to this approach is sending a second, handwritten note to help you stand out from the crowd. This is an excellent way to make it clear that you have continued interest in the program around rank time.

The purpose and content of this note is essentially the same as the email thank-you, but this time you can tell the program "I have ranked you highly!" In fact, if you ranked them #1, tell them! Theoretically, it's in everyone's best interest to rank based on genuine interest in the program or candidate. However, we're all human and not only does it feel better when someone likes you back, it can often influence your ranking! So buy some generic thank you notes and send these to the program director of all the programs you are ranking.

Make sure to verify the address with the program coordinator or someone else in the program. I would send these around mid-January when most specialties are finishing up interviews {derm, ortho and some others are an exception but just adjust accordingly}. This will put you at the front of a program's mind as they make their final rank list!

Why even do all this? Obviously for some, this may be excessive and that's fine. But first, a handwritten note is much more thoughtful than another email. And second, you are most definitely not the only applicant sending thank you emails. So why not stand out by being one of the few, if not the only, applicant who sends a handwritten note? Give yourself the best chance possible!

Well that's it folks!! I hope this post and the rest of the interviews series was helpful. Of course, I am always available to answer questions to the best of my abilities about any aspect of residency.

Next on the agenda, I'll be moving to a cosmetic gynecology series so definitely stick around!

*All views expressed are my own. Photos from Unsplash.com