Question to ask interviewers at end

[Zuckman]

Hey guys,

I know that it is a good idea to ask a question to the interviewers when they ask at the end: 'Do you have any questions for us?'. Do you guys have any interesting questions to ask? I don't really like to ask questions...I think it's so generic...you guys think it's bad to end the interview another way...such as stating why they should pick you?

 

Zuck

[Jochi1543]

It's hard to give a question that you can use for every school.....I would focus on REALLY researching the school before the interview (not just through their website, but also through alums, rankings, etc, to get a well-rounded opinion). You're bound to find out something that catches your eye, surprises you, or makes you suspicious.....then ask a question based on that.

 

At a job interview, this is a common way to find out the applicant's level of interest in the job/company, so I'm assuming the same applies to med school.

 

ETA: I would, however, avoid questions that are too obnoxious such as "Well, tell me how YOUR medical school is different from all the others" or any questions that focus too much on the negative such as "I was wondering why your school's matriculants have such a poor residency matching record."

[eise]

I agree with Jochi that is it really good to ask questions at the end of an interview. Have a few prepared for each school. They should be about that particular school. For example, I love travelling and volunteering abroad so I ask each school about their electives or volunteer oppurtunites abroad. You can also ask personal questions such as what the med student did in their first-year summer off to get an idea of what is available or what is normal for the students.

[blinknoodle]

You also have to keep in mind who your audience is.. are you being interviewed by a pre-clerkship, or clerkship medical student? If you have a community member, how are they related to the medical school? etc etc

 

So while you may plan to ask fabulous questions, when you finally sit down at the end of the interview, a question to the panel like "How have the found the curriculum changes?" may be a very pertinent question but nothing your panel could address.

 

I certainly recommend asking something, but tailor it to your interests and what you could NOT find with a reasonable amount of reading the school's website.