7 Ways to Manage Medical School Interview Burnout
Mosby's Medical Dictionary describes burnout in part as "...mental or physical energy depletion after a period of chronic, unrelieved job-related stress characterized sometimes by physical illness."
Let's face it, when you are on the medical school interview trail, you are on the job. Interviews may take place across many time zones. Time is tight. Questions are intense. And if you make a misstep in a conversation, your career could be on the line.
All these variables can be a recipe for disaster. The following tips and examples can help you manage and hopefully avoid interview burnout.
[Get tips for a successful medical school admissions interview.]
1. Be aware of your nonverbal behavior: By now, some of you will have gone to many interviews. You will get asked some questions over and over. Because you have recited the answers various times, your responses can come across as rehearsed.
If you add a bit of burnout, boredom or apathy to the mix, the interview will not be as successful as it could have been. Interviewers tune into nonverbal behavior, and it may do you in if they observe you looking away, yawning or playing with a pen or water bottle.
If you appear bored, the interviewer may assume you don't want to attend that school. And if another interviewer agrees with that observation, you are unlikely to be accepted. At a recent admissions committee meeting, I saw several students rejected for what might have been fatigue, boredom or burnout.
2. Sleep well and eat right: If you're sleep deprived before an interview, explain that to the interviewers to help manage their expectations. That said, preventing sleep deprivation is obviously preferable. Get seven to eight hours of restful sleep. Avoid scheduling too many interviews in a short time, and avoid rapid travel to and from various time zones.
If you can't avoid one of those circumstances, let your interviewer know what happened so they don't imagine that you were just partying too late. If you are interviewing at a local school -- or a school in the same time zone as where you're living -- you should look bright-eyed and excited to be there.
Although many do, not all medical schools will provide breakfast. To maximize your energy, have a little protein such as eggs or nut butter for breakfast. Avoid high-carbohydrate foods such as muffins and bagels, which can increase your blood sugar and make you sleepy.
[Know what to ask during medical school admissions interviews.]
3. Don't curb your enthusiasm: The best antidote to burnout is to get your enthusiasm up for the interview before you arrive. Get excited about the school from its website or from contacts you've made there, and have a mental list of the school's features that sparked your curiosity.
Going in with excitement in your voice is contagious, not only for you but also for the interviewer. Sitting up straight, smiling and having your eyes open a tiny bit more than usual can behaviorally change your attitude and energy level. When I practice mock interviews with my students, they know they must impress me with their enthusiasm.
4. Practice mindfulness: To help you focus, be aware of but don't judge what is going on around you. When you are in a mindful state, you will stay tuned in to the interviewer and their questions. You'll hear each question as if it's fresh, and your answers will be more upbeat and inspiring.
Deep breathing, visual observation or hearing diverse sounds can be useful on interview day. A tiny book called "Mindfulness on the Go," by Jan Chozen Bays , provides more than two dozen brief methods to put you in a mindful state. Practicing one of these methods as you walk or drive to the interview can refresh and renew your mind and body.
[Learn to be authentic and thoughtful during medical school interviews.]
5. Wear a visual cue to keep yourself alert: A favorite trick of mine is to pull something out of my closet that is just a little different from what I usually wear. It might be a colorful scarf or piece of jewelry. Men may choose a special tie.
Wearing this item is a visual reminder to keep your spirits high. I would urge you not to go too far, however. I remember a young man who wore orange shoes to his interview. Although we accepted him to our school, his style might have been too risky for some other schools.
6. Know when to say when: If you feel burned out and can't stomach going to one more interview, take a pause. If you've already been accepted to a school of your liking, consider canceling the other interviews. I recently spoke with a young woman who had applied for early acceptance, and she reflected on how much more energy she had than her classmates who were trudging week after week to interviews.
7. Get help when you need it: Fortunately, most young applicants do not experience physical symptoms of burnout. However, if that occurs and mindfulness does not restore you to baseline, ask for help from a physician, therapist or counselor.
If all else fails, consider what excites you about a medical career and be grateful you were invited for an interview. Many applicants were not. Being mindful in the moment, without negative judgments and feeling a sense of gratitude may be just the winning combination to combat any burnout.
Kathleen Franco, M.D., is associate dean of admissions and student affairs at the Cleveland Clinic Lerner College of Medicine of Case Western Reserve University. She previously served both as director of residency training and director of medical student training in psychiatry at Cleveland Clinic. She is board-certified in psychiatry, geriatric psychiatry and psychosomatic medicine and attended Medical College of Ohio -- Toledo.
