Interview Tips

[Guest guthriesm]

Actually, I think those shoes are fine as long as you are not going into the hospital or lab. They are stylish. The do not fulfill the "closed toed" requirement as JCAHO has repeated pointed out but would probably match your suit beautifully. Remember, you have to be in them ALL day so make sure you can walk.

[bhanjerikley]

Good advice is given here, I will read every comment for the interview, but I would say that if you go anywhere in the interview does not go with more confidence because if you have any knowledge about it and will respond with more confidence, so do not get enough response from your interlocutor.

[bryceo19]

Got this question at an interview recently:

 

What would you do to solve "The ER Problem?"

 

Anyone have thoughts on this?

 

I had prepared a couple things but was nervous and forgot them right away. Then spouted something out, but it didn't sound too coherant to myself so i'm sure they didn't understand.

[Just Steve]

Got this question at an interview recently:

 

What would you do to solve "The ER Problem?"

 

Anyone have thoughts on this?

 

I had prepared a couple things but was nervous and forgot them right away. Then spouted something out, but it didn't sound too coherant to myself so i'm sure they didn't understand.

 

What is their version of the ER problem? The problem where PA's are placed into fast track and don't get a chance to work with critical patients? Or the problem where PA's are stuck in critical settings with less than responsive support from their SP's? Or the problem of citizens using the ER as their primary care doctor? Or the problem where City uses the ER as a detox/drunk tank center? Or the problem where caring for the uninsured place such a huge financial strain on the health care system that smaller ER's can't afford to pay competitive salaries to recruit higher end care providers nor can they afford state of the art medical equipment?

 

And those are just a few of the problems come to mind. Have you worked in/around ER's to form your own opinion of what the perceived problems may be? That particular question may be as much about seeing your thoughts on health care reform as it is about seeing how much experience/exposure you have had in that particular field.

 

Ask them to qualify their question...then address the new clarified question.

 

Steve

[ms09120n]

I have an interview on Monday and I have 3 piercings on one of my ear one on the cartilage and 2 on my lobe. should i take out my cartilage piercing to look more professional or is it okay to leave it in?

[Just Steve]

I have an interview on Monday and I have 3 piercings on one of my ear one on the cartilage and 2 on my lobe. should i take out my cartilage piercing to look more professional or is it okay to leave it in?

 

It seems to me that if you are cautious enough to ask, then perhaps it may weight on you during the interview. No one needs any more distractions during the fateful day. I am not one to pass judgment which modern fashion is more appropriate than another. It's such a subjective topic.

 

That being said..somewhere in the back of your head you are hearing a voice whisper "re consider wearing it" I say that because you are here seeking a second opinion from your inner voice. I have found that when I ignore that voice, things rarely, if ever, go right.

 

Personally, if you could easily take it out and put it in, I'd leave it at home. Not for fear of reaction from the AdComm, but to have a more clear mind the day of, and to remove doubt should you not get "the phone call" after. Regret is a horrible feeling.

 

Steve

[bryceo19]

How do you answer the dreaded question:

 

Where do you see yourself in 5 years?

 

Obviously I see myself as a PA in 5 years and I know it's a huge no no to say that I would likely be tired of the profession and be moving on to another degree like medical school. But everyone is going to say they see themselves as a PA. Do we go into specifics like setting, location, etc? or should there be a mention of family life, personal interests, etc?

[Just Steve]

How do you answer the dreaded question:

 

Where do you see yourself in 5 years?

 

Obviously I see myself as a PA in 5 years and I know it's a huge no no to say that I would likely be tired of the profession and be moving on to another degree like medical school. But everyone is going to say they see themselves as a PA. Do we go into specifics like setting, location, etc? or should there be a mention of family life, personal interests, etc?

 

Only one person can answer that question and that's you. You need to do some personal reflection and discover the real answer to that question. A "canned" answer that consists of regurgitation of some notion you thought they wanted is almost painful to hear, much less say. If your answer really is "move on to med school" then you need to reflect why bother even doing PA school. I don't know how old you are, but I am guessing somewhere in your late teens or early 20's. Having ssssooo many choices open to you can make it tough to focus on what you want in 5 years. I'm 38 with three kids and a bad skiing habit. It is an easy question for me to answer but I've traveled a good portion of the world and have worked in a wide span of medical fields. Your answer may be doing remote field work as a PA in a third world country as part of Operation Smile repairing cleft palates or maybe it's neurology and doing cutting edge studies on the Traumatic Brain Injuries of our recently returned Veterans. Maybe it's a spouse, a house, and some kids. Just be honest.

[bryceo19]

Only one person can answer that question and that's you. You need to do some personal reflection and discover the real answer to that question. A "canned" answer that consists of regurgitation of some notion you thought they wanted is almost painful to hear, much less say. If your answer really is "move on to med school" then you need to reflect why bother even doing PA school. I don't know how old you are, but I am guessing somewhere in your late teens or early 20's. Having ssssooo many choices open to you can make it tough to focus on what you want in 5 years. I'm 38 with three kids and a bad skiing habit. It is an easy question for me to answer but I've traveled a good portion of the world and have worked in a wide span of medical fields. Your answer may be doing remote field work as a PA in a third world country as part of Operation Smile repairing cleft palates or maybe it's neurology and doing cutting edge studies on the Traumatic Brain Injuries of our recently returned Veterans. Maybe it's a spouse, a house, and some kids. Just be honest.

 

Well i'm actually 27, married with 2 kids and on my third round of applying to PA school. I've interviewed at 5 different schools but haven't gotten an offer anywhere. So I really want to slam dunk the interview because that is obviously my weakness. I'm wondering what kinds of things they are looking for so I can dig out what parts of my 5 or 10 year plan I should focus on. I'm a Certified Athletic Trainer right now and plan to eventually move on to Ortho but would like to start out in Family Practice or Emergency Medicine then transition to Ortho. However, i'm open to that path changing according to my experience in PA school. I'm moving to PA because as an ATC I spend a lot of time standing around waiting for something to happen and want to make more use of my time as a medical practitioner. And the pay increase is certainly a nice side benefit. I don't want to go to medical school and never have because I don't like getting in tons of debt, have two young kids who I want to see grow up and don't want to put my family life on hold for 8 years, and really prefer to have a SP to refer to in difficult cases. Not that I'm scared of responsibility, I just liked shared responsibility better. However, I guess my question is, should I focus on career aspirations (I plan to be a PA for the rest of my life) with an explanation on setting/location/etc? or should I go into family goals? money goals? Life work goals? Personal interest plans? I want to focus my answer on what they may be looking for in an answer. Thank you for your input Steve. I've really appreciated your answers to my questions!

[AJRcoach]

"Failue to prepare, is preparing to fail"

 

In addition to the SAAPA interview questions, applicants must be able to answer the "toughest" behavioral questions, like: "Describe a stressful situation you've encountered and how you dealt with it" or "Tell me about your most memorable patient and why that experience made an impression on you" Notice that behavioral questions (more commonly used now) are much more difficult to answer than "How do you handle stress?" The latter question is easy, "I exercise, meditate, etc..", the former questions are not so easy. However, there is a formula you can use to answer behavioral questions with ease. To learn more, visit my website at www.AndrewRodican.com and sign up for one of my free webinars.

 

Hope this helps!

 

Andrew J. Rodican, PA-C

Author of "The Ultimate Guide to Getting Into Physician Assistant School" (McGraw-Hill)

[Just Steve]

I'm a Certified Athletic Trainer right now and plan to eventually move on to Ortho but would like to start out in Family Practice or Emergency Medicine then transition to Ortho. However, i'm open to that path changing according to my experience in PA school.

 

I'm no AdCom but it sure sounds like a great answer right there. Toss in some insight of wanting to see your kids develop/play sports/school events as they grow up to show stability and desire to integrate into your community and it sounds real nice to me.

 

I just got picked up by a school. I only applied to one place and the match between what they are looking for and what I have to offer was so close, I opted to put all my eggs in one basket and just apply to them. So my experience in interviews and such is limited in the world of PA schools, but I've applied for a few jobs that taught me a lot. Plus my brother has a big HR background so he rakes me over the coals a good bit to prep me.

 

1. Your five year plan sounds solid to me.

 

2. When the interviewer says "do you have anything to add" at the end of your interview, this is your 15-30 seconds of self promotion. Have to sound humble, but confident. You know you can do the job well, you know you will be liked by your patients, you know you are a solid member of a team. Let the interviewer know it also. This is your moment of walking out the door leaving them knowing your name without having to glance back down at your application.

 

3. "Do you have any questions for us?" Have a few. Ask a couple. Things like "I noticed that this school has PANCE pass rate that is 5% higher than the national average. What do you believe is a key element in this school's success?" Or, in the school I applied to, they had a big one year dip in their pass rate of the PANCE...I asked why and what they did to fix it. Ask about their attrition rate...how many people fail out of their program..what do they have in place to assist their students through should they struggle.

 

4. Everyone they interview will be dedicated to the job, eager to learn, have great grades, and will want to give back to their community. Those are catch phrases that are so basic it rates up there with the word "transparency" in The White House. Make sure you can explain HOW you're dedicated...3rd round of interviewing...you are persistent...that's a plus. Eager to learn...lay out what classes you've been taking to help improve your application every year. Grades...self evident. Give back to the community...you are a family man. This is a plus I believe. Your wife and kids want Dad to get a solid job and get stable. You are more likely to settle into a community and become integrated. I can see someone of your nature to get into a Sports University such as U of Oregon in Eugene with it's Track and Field, plus now football background and find a great niche. You have ER opportunities plus plenty of ortho. If you are doing some volunteering now, there is no reason to not believe you won't continue that once you get a good job and have some affordable free time.

 

The interview panel has decided via your application that you have what it takes to get through the school. What they want to do is to like you. They want to see if you are the person that they want on their team, that they want representing their practice, that you are a guy they can count on. They want to know that they would feel comfortable coming to work everyday knowing they get to work with you.

 

I would find a couple of schools that eat up ortho/ER types. Focus on those schools, study them, know what they like, who the faculty are, what publications they have written. Read those publications and crawl around inside their heads a little, see what their points of view are concerning medicine. Find a school that you really really really want to go to. I know it's hard if that school is 1000 miles away and you are talking about moving the whole family during a depressed economy. I don't know of an answer for that but I wish you best of luck.

 

Steve

[bryceo19]

Steve, wow that is some incredible advice. Something all of us PA applicants could learn from. I feel that I do have all the qualities that a PA school wants and a Practice is looking for in a PA. But my delivery in interviews has been a nervous rambling of sorts. But I am significantly more prepared these days and way more confident. I've been practicing answers, particularly to situational questions (because that is really all they have been asking), and I hope that the delivery sounds as good as my practice. Really, thank you!

[AJRcoach]

I can recommend a quick relaxation technique that can be done right before you walk into the interview. The technique was developed by Dr Eva Selhub, who wrote "The Love Response" The acronym is S.H.I.E.L.D. Think about it, when you are anxious, or in fight or flight mode, your body physiology changes as follows: Your heart rate increases, your breathing becomes shallow, your pupils dilate and your brain shuts down! (Not exactly a good time to do your taxes when a lion is chasing you..."fight or flight")

 

When this happens, as it may during the interview, put up your SHIELD S stands for Stop H stands for honor the feeling ("I'm really stressed about this interview") I stands for inhale and E stands for exhale (inhale and exhale 10 times DEEPLY) By now your physiology will change so that your heart rate slows and your brain is now engaged to think. The next step is L or listen to what your brain is telling you "I'm really nervous and I hope I don't blow this interview" the D decide to do something different other than panic; move a muscle change a thought.

 

This technique really works. I use it with my weight loss patients for stress eating, or "mindless" eating. Remember if we're in "fight or flight" mode we don't (can't) think, we just react by eating mindlessly.

 

I also use another technique called "kill the ants" or Automatic Negative Thoughts ANT. I teach this in my PA school coaching program and it's a great technique to use BEFORE you get to the interview.

 

Hope that helps,

 

Andrew J Rodican, PA -C

Author of "The Ultimate Guide to Getting Into Physician Assistant School"

http://www.AndrewRodican.com

[weenpeen]

I have a question for you guys and girls. Do you think it would be good to mention in my interview at Butler that this is the second time I am interviewing with them? I got waitlisted last year. So, I applied again, and was invited to an interview this year. If they ask something about why I think I would make a good PA or something like that, do you think it would be good to talk about my persistence (using the fact that I didn't let being waitlisted discourage me from applying again?) I'm trying to prepare better this time. Any help and suggestions would be greatly appreciated! Thanks!

[just_me]

Believe it or not they know based on your application taht you are a reapplicant. Most likely they will want to know what you have done to make yourself a better applicant between cycles---focus on that.

 

You can mention your persistence as a reason why you would make a good PA but you need to relate the two with an example--using the example of not letting waitlisting hold you back is good for why you should be chosen but really does not correlate beinga good PA with being persistant...if that makes sense.

 

I have a question for you guys and girls. Do you think it would be good to mention in my interview at Butler that this is the second time I am interviewing with them? I got waitlisted last year. So, I applied again, and was invited to an interview this year. If they ask something about why I think I would make a good PA or something like that, do you think it would be good to talk about my persistence (using the fact that I didn't let being waitlisted discourage me from applying again?) I'm trying to prepare better this time. Any help and suggestions would be greatly appreciated! Thanks!

[just_me]

I would also like to say that (and its probably been said in the many pages of this thread) fine if you wanted to be a doctor then changed your mind...dont harp on it in the interview and come up with a better reason for the change of mind than "I want to be able to spend more time with my patients". In a group interview a young lady did just that and I could see facial expressions change among the interviewers. PAs tend to see the same amount of patients if not more than the MD which means they have the same amount of time if not less with each individual patient. Its not about how much time you have with the patient but how you use that time that makes the difference

[emuye]

Hey Caroline, that's where I have interview too. It is next week and I am kind of afraid because it is late - February, but still feel very positive about it. If you can share anything specific I should know about SU would be awesome! Thank you!

[weenpeen]

just_me,

Thank you so much for the reply. That's very good advice. For Butler, however, one of the big things they tell you about the interview is that the interviewers don't know anything about you. They don't have / read your application, your personal statement, etc... All they know is your name. So, you're instructed that if there is anything you feel that they should know about you, you need to bring it up in the interview. So, I'm debating if the fact that I am a re-applicant is something they should know about me, if that would be looked upon as a positive, negative, or don't really care.

Last year when I interviewed, I was told a bunch of times by the staff that the interview is really not a big deal. That realistically, if you're at the interview stage it's because they think you would succeed in the program. So, the point of the interview was just to get to know you. Unfortunately, I learned the hard way that the interview is everything. I saw the class stats after I got waitlisted, and everyone was very even with each other. It was interview scores (yea, they grade and score your interview) that separated everyone. While my interview was not bad, by any means, it was not great. It did not standout. So, I'm just trying to prepare as best I can to make it stand out this time around! Man... I think I would be lost without this forum. haha

 

Believe it or not they know based on your application taht you are a reapplicant. Most likely they will want to know what you have done to make yourself a better applicant between cycles---focus on that.

 

You can mention your persistence as a reason why you would make a good PA but you need to relate the two with an example--using the example of not letting waitlisting hold you back is good for why you should be chosen but really does not correlate beinga good PA with being persistant...if that makes sense.

[Guest guthriesm]

@weenpeen - you have been to the interview before - think about your strengths, etc. If you can spin it "I really loved everything I saw at this program and wanted to get in..." then I think you should go for it. Re-applying from a wait list situation isn't bad- it simply means that for some reason the students who were admitted they felt were a hair better fit. Those students are in the program and you are up against another set. Have confidence- you got an interview twice, that means you are clearly a well qualified candidate by their standards.

[elanade1223]

Thank you this was helpful :)

[Lousheehan]

Than you note?

 

When one interviews at a PA school, one often seems to talk to many people including former and current students. In many or most non-PA interview processes one sends a 'thank you note' after an interview. What is the etiquette for PA school interviews?

[ace107]

Follow on twitter @PA_Student for advice, tips and day to day experience from a 1st yr PA student.

[greenmood]

Than you note?

 

When one interviews at a PA school, one often seems to talk to many people including former and current students. In many or most non-PA interview processes one sends a 'thank you note' after an interview. What is the etiquette for PA school interviews?

I don't know what the etiquette is, but I shot off thank-you notes to both faculty members who interviewed me as soon as I got home that day and calmed down enough to be coherent. It's courtesy, at the very least, and your last chance to make a good impression. They might get your note right before they enter that admissions committee meeting, and then your positive, upbeat thank-you will be at the front of their minds. :) I doubt it will make or break your application, but who knows?

[greenmood]

Than you note?

 

When one interviews at a PA school, one often seems to talk to many people including former and current students. In many or most non-PA interview processes one sends a 'thank you note' after an interview. What is the etiquette for PA school interviews?

I don't know what the etiquette is, but I shot off thank-you notes to both faculty members who interviewed me as soon as I got home that day and calmed down enough to be coherent. It's courtesy, at the very least, and your last chance to make a good impression. They might get your note right before they enter that admissions committee meeting, and then your positive, upbeat thank-you will be at the front of their minds. :) I doubt it will make or break your application, but who knows?

[coolbreeze]

A quick question

So I am planning on flying in and flying out the same day. So I won't be staying at a hotel. I was wondering about my purse, do girls usually bring purses with them to their interviews? If i'm not staying at a hotel than I'll need to carry my bag with me, will that look unprofessional? Can we bring our bags with us? I know its a stupid question but I didn't wanted to look unprofessional in any way.

Thank you! :)