January 16, 2015

So, as you may have read from my previous post, I arrived late to my interview. As it embarrassing as it was, it was a relief to just be there and to have made it there safely without any issues. This day was also meaningful to me with regard to my bhakti practice as it was an auspicious fasting day called Ekadashi. I could only eat certain restricted foods, none of which the school had, but you will see this day come up again.

The first part of the day was an overview of the programs, financial aid, and general Q & A before we wrote essays. This was followed by a campus tour (I had already visited the campus in May 2014) with Q & A with current students, and then partnered interviews. While I do not remember my essay prompt, I do recall about writing about the importance of developing a personal-professional with patients and how that positively effects treatment. We were given 30 minutes to write the essay.

As for the interview itself, I had heard of having a partnered interview, but perhaps I was not as prepared for it as I thought I was. The theme of the day was expressed several times – it is not a competition and to just be yourself, be confident. I was paired with a male student who lived in FL and you are more than likely aware, I was from NJ. I had only been to FL two times prior, for a handful of days both trips, thus I did not really know FL that well. So when the first question is where are you from and tell me a little about yourself, I guess I could not really relate to the interviewer as well. She appeared to engage more with the other student than she did with me. He seemed so much more confident in his answers while I fumbled through mine, doing my level best to sound confident and suppress my nervousness. When he answered, I often silently thought, “I should have said that” or “I was going to say that, way to steal my thunder.” After the interview, there was a part of me which felt defeated, another part of me which felt cheated…what happened to this is not a competition? And still, another part of me felt that it was no longer in my hands – I had done my best and up to God was the rest. I found solace in this thought and decided to just wait patiently.

A week later, I emailed my interviewer to express my gratitude for her time in interviewing us. It met without a response. Regardless, the gesture is professional and it may demonstrate your eagerness for the school and for acceptance, however, you do not want to come across as desperate so take heed here. Construct your email in such a way that you actually express gratitude versus sounding as if this is your only opportunity to get into school and to give you a chance. Eagerness is one thing, but when it becomes overwhelmingly heavy with hints of hopelessness, it begins its transformation into desperation. So just be mindful of your language and intention.

Based on my experience, there were some things I would have liked to do differently, but I did not have another interview for PT school, so here are a few things to help you on your journey to interview day that I did/should have done/wish I knew to do:

1. Make a list of questions and write answers to those questions.
   1. Some examples of questions you could be asked:
      1. Where are you from? Tell me about yourself/use three words to describe yourself/using three words, how would [enter name of someone you know] describe you?
      2. What does professionalism mean?
      3. How do you know you are under stress and how do you cope with stress?
      4. Why do you want to be a PT? Why not an OT?
      5. What would make you are great PT?
      6. Why do you want to go to [enter school name]?
      7. What are some settings you have shadowed/gained experience in?
      8. Have you applied to other schools? If so, how many?
      9. If you get accepted here and somewhere else, where would you choose?
      10. What does integrity mean and how have you shown integrity?
2. Practice answering questions.
   1. If you know someone who has gone through several interviews, no matter the field, try to have them ask you the questions. Your parents, spouse, cousin, or a friend, anyone you feel can help you. They can keep an eye on your nonverbal cues and your tone, as well make you aware of anything you may not be aware you are doing as you respond to each question. If practicing in front of a mirror works for and you have met with success using this method, then go for it.
3. Standout.
   1. Remember, it actually is a competition to get a seat in the program, but do not be too overbearing or arrogant and likewise, do not be too meek and modest either where you sound average. There are thousands of students applying and maybe a few hundred will be asked to come for an interview. If you are one of the hundreds, you now have an opportunity to express who you are, why PT is so important, and more importantly, what you can do for PT. We often hear about why someone wants to become a PT and most of the time, the experiences are very similar. But if you want to standout in your interview, try to research some topics about healthcare reform, like PTs becoming primary care providers or gaining direct access, etc., and discuss how you could get involved to help change the labyrinthian healthcare paradigm. If you are up to date on what is currently going in healthcare, it is definitely a way to standout since no many students know.
   2. Another way to standout is to have at least one meaningful patient experience which offers a example of validation of why you know PT is for you, and also demonstrates how you may have helped a patient. This experience may also offer some insight into your personality and unique qualities giving some indication of the type of PT you will become.
   3. Yet another way is to use the vision and/or mission statements, or the core values of the school and how they align with you and your values and ideals. It shows you have done some research about the school you are interviewing at.
4. Confidence will take you far, not arrogance.
5. Give yourself enough time to get prepared the night before and morning of, with a good night’s sleep and healthy breakfast. Review your route if you are driving and give yourself at least 45 extra minutes so you can prepare for traffic. If it’s feasible to make the drive there the day before at the same time, you will be more aware of traffic patterns in real-time.

Do you have any other helpful tips which worked for you that you would like to share? Please comment below!