Orthopaedic Surgery Interview

“Whatever course you decide upon, there is always someone to tell you that you are wrong. There are always difficulties arising which tempt you to believe that your critics are right. To map out a course of action and follow it to an end requires courage.”

~Ralph Waldo Emerson

Twice a year, we have mock oral boards. You may say oral boards sound like it's malignant, but it's not. It is just another assessment tool. Like the real orthopaedic mock boards, it always us to assess your understanding of orthopaedic knowledge in a dynamic setting. It does cause many residents a great amount of anxiety, but it is helpful. As the years progress, you can see a increase understanding of orthopaedic surgery. The residents feel that it is a mega pimp session. I guess, by definition, it is a question and answer session done without a #2 pencil and multiple choices. The purpose is not to make the resident uncomfortable and sweat; the purpose is the assess your application of what you learned.

Today, we had oral boards. It got me thinking. When we give the examination, the resident brings a known case and a is given an unknown case. Why don't we give the resident applicants a known question?

Our interview season is beginning this month. For those who are interviewing at out program (St. Louis University orthopaedic surgery), here is your question when you come into my room: "Tell me about yourself." Please keep your answers short and don't recite your resume. You can take a hint from a previous comment I make on the "tell me about yourself" question and answer.

Good luck all

“Thinking is easy, acting is difficult, and to put one's thoughts into action is the most difficult thing in the world.”
~Johann Wolfgang von Goethe