My palms started to sweat as I sat down outside the department chair’s office and waited for my fellowship interview to begin. I could hear muffled voices in the room but could not make out the words being spoken. I mentally reviewed my notes, ticking off what I could recall about the interviewer: newer chair, came from the Northeast, expanded the department over the past 3 years, enjoys golf and travel …
As I watched the previous applicant walk out of the office with a nod, firm handshake, and an exchange of pleasantries, I felt my shoulders relax. OK, I said to myself, just do the usual thing. Act natural, think on your feet, and you’ll be fine. Upon hearing my name called, I stood up quickly from my chair and imagined myself as Rebecca Welton from Ted Lasso, making myself “big” and gliding into the chairman’s office, hand outstretched.
Luckily, everything that followed went smoothly. The conversation flowed, and I remembered to sneak in comments about my deep love for research and travel. I left the room reflecting on what the department chair had shared about the well-roundedness of the fellowship and his vision for the future of the program.
MAKE THE MOST OF MEETING IN PERSON
Interviewing for fellowship in any subspecialty can feel daunting. In my case, the 2024 interview season was my first in-person experience with the process. For residency, I was part of the initial group to undergo virtual interviews during the COVID-19 pandemic, which proved to be a very different experience. In virtual settings, I felt unable to gain a feel for the program, specifically the relationships among the faculty and trainees. The starkest difference about interviewing in person is the ability to observe interactions as they occur naturally and gain a sense of the program’s culture. I learned that the details matter. Presentability, affability, sociability, and humility are all constantly being assessed by the programs, so it is critical to remain conscious of those traits, not just throughout the interview but also during the social events. I also found that the best way to learn about a program is to spend time with the current fellow or fellows. If anyone is able to disclose the ins and outs of daily life in the program, it is them, and they will certainly be a good resource for a wide range of questions.
PRACTICE GOOD MANNERS
After experiencing both virtual and in-person interviews, I learned that some things remain true regardless of the format. At baseline, an applicant should be kind, attentive, curious, and grateful throughout the process. For in-person interviews, this includes dinner before or after the formal meeting. It is important to attend as many social events as possible, as these are part of the interview, and opportunities to gain valuable insight may be more likely to arise in a casual setting. At these events, an applicant should be punctual, engaged, and, again, grateful. Manners matter, and the scrutiny begins upon arrival and does not end until the plane ride home.
SHARE PERSONAL ANECDOTES
For the formal interviews, I was urged to share personal experiences that demonstrated qualities that I could offer to enhance the position. These traits included ingenuity, leadership, curiosity, excitement, and teachability. In practice, I reviewed stories that I hoped would exhibit these characteristics to my interviewer. For example, when asked to discuss my hobbies, I often shared stories of teaching myself how to knit as a child, because it showed self-motivation and relates to the process of improving one’s surgical skills. Every applicant will have some qualities they want to emphasize and should be prepared with stories that exemplify them.
CONCLUSION
Although intimidating at first, I eventually found the process of interviewing for fellowship to be fun. The highlights of in-person interviews were the interactions with other applicants and with faculty members. These people will become lifelong colleagues and friends, so it is an exciting time to begin to build this future community.
