This time last year I’d completed all my applications to genetic counseling programs and was starting to think about interviews. I ultimately applied to 8 programs and interviewed at 7 of them. I didn’t know anyone else who had been through this process since The Match started (I have friends who went to GC school pre-Match), so I really wasn’t sure what to expect. Now that I’ve come out the other side having matched and with a semester of grad school under my belt, I thought I’d blog about the process and include suggestions of questions for you, the applicant, to ask during interviews.
If you’re a disabled student going through this process, shoot me an email or tweet. Let’s talk.
Applying
Part of the match is a numbers game. The first year, I only applied to one program and didn’t get an interview. The second time, like I said, I applied to 8 programs. It’s pricey, but at least interviews are virtual so you’re not having to incur travel costs on top of that. I hope someday the NSGC creates a common app like public health programs have (SOPHAS) to further cut down on application expenses.
Don’t worry if you only get one interview offer: it only takes one to match! But, I think The Match recommends applying to 6-9 programs to have the best chance of matching, and it’s nice to have options if you get multiple interview offers.
The Interview Timeline
My first interview offer came in early January. My last interview offer came towards the end of February. My interviews took place throughout February and March. Some programs mentioned when applicants would hear back by on their website, but a lot didn’t.
Interview Format
Most programs have the interview take place over 2-3 days. Typically, the evening before the interview is a meet and greet with current students, which lasts between 1-2 hours. For some programs this was almost entirely a Q&A. Other programs had us play games, or watch a short presentation. This is less of an interview judging you and more of a great opportunity for you to get an honest feel for the vibe of the program.
Some programs do the information session and faculty interview in one long day (8-3ish). Some split it into two half days. Some programs will assign you a date to interview and others will give you some options. The format of the actual interview can vary widely from school to school. Some have a group interview portion, some don’t. Some ask every interviewee the same questions, and others are more natural conversations, or based on your application. Schools will give you an outline of the format prior to your interview day.
Preparation
When preparing for questions you might be asked, look at basic interview questions online (biggest strength, biggest weakness, time you disagreed with a boss, etc. etc.). You’re not going to be asked to do math, or quizzed on genetics. A doctor friend who interviews med students gave me good advice: think of examples ahead of time that could apply to multiple situations, and jot those down as notes to have during your interview (i.e. – Story A and C can be used for times I showed leadership. C can also be used for working with diverse people, and A for a time I initially failed). That way, you don’t risk drawing a blank during the interview.
I also reached out to recent alumni from the programs I applied to. I found some on the NSGC website (you can search for GCs willing to talk to students) and from LinkedIn. I referenced these conversations in the application and interviews as it made sense to. It showed interest in the program but also provided a spring board for questions I could ask.
DEFINITELY get some friends to do practice interviews with you beforehand. Honest friends, who will tell you that you say “um” too much or fiddled with your pen. If you can set up your computer in such a way that you don’t need a zoom background, do it. I ended up going to a friend’s house for most of my interviews for that reason.
For the day of, I prepared 1-2 sheets of paper for notes. The first section had basic program questions that I expected to be answered during the presentation portion of the interview, and space for me to jot the answers. The second portion had info on each faculty member I would be interviewing with, and 2-3 questions for them (research the faculty ahead of time!). The third portion was a list of other questions that I could pull from as needed. (And remember: you can ask the same questions to different people…they’re not going to know!)
Interview Questions to Ask
You’ll need more questions than you think. Some of these are questions I asked, and some are ones that I’ve since realized would have been useful to have asked. I’ve broken them up by topic. Remember: you’re going to get a great education wherever you end up. You want to ask the questions that will help you find where you think you’ll be happiest! And you’ll hear this again and again: don’t rank schools that you don’t think you’ll be happy at.
General:
What opportunities for reflecting and debriefing are there, including addressing our own biases?
Does your program have an emphasis on one area of genetic counseling? (My current program has a major cancer focus: most of the full-time faculty are cancer GCs, and this impacted thesis topics at our mixer.)
What mentorship opportunities exist, including between cohorts and with alumni?
Are there particular cultural/ethnic groups your area serves? How are students educated on how best to serve these patients?
What opportunities do students have to interact with the community? (For example, some programs have volunteer service requirements.)
How does your program anticipate and keep up with a rapidly changing field?
How do you prepare students for boards? Do you have a comp exam in the second year?
Coursework:
Are classes taken as a cohort, are you mixed in with other disciplines, or a combination?
Do you take any electives, and what are the parameters for those if so?
Do you front load courses (take most or all your first year), or are they spaced throughout the two years?
What are assessments like? (In my program, most are open note and multiple choice, because the boards are multiple choice.)
Thesis:
What % of students come in with a thesis topic vs join an existing project?
Who decides who makes up the thesis committee? Do students ever have people not from your university on their committee?
When faculty present thesis project ideas, are the projects generally from any particular discipline? (My program had almost all cancer topics, which is perfect if cancer is your thing, but some classmates had to find projects on their own.)
Are your students required to do a traditional thesis, a manuscript for publication, or both?
What % of students publish their thesis?
Rotations:
When do rotations begin?
How long are rotations? (My program has 3 week rotations the first semester, then 7 week rotations starting the second semester.)
What kind of subspecialties are available?
What kind of say, if any, do you get in your rotations?
How far in advance do you know your rotation schedule?
What % of students do their summer rotation elsewhere and do you assist with finding those placements?
DEI:
What are you doing to recruit diverse students and faculty?
How do you teach cultural competency, specifically?
What education does your faculty receive on DEIJ issues?
What supports are in place for diverse students, both in the program and in the greater campus community?
For Students:
What is the best part of the program?
If you could change one thing about the program, what would it be?
Do you feel like your interview was an accurate representation of the program? If not, what is different?
Do you have time to have a job? (I knew I wasn’t going to work while in school, but I feel like this question gave me a good idea of how much time students had outside of homework.)
If you have a job, how many hours did you work and how did you find your job? (Thanks to genetic counselor AR for this question!)
Do you feel like your concerns or suggestion are listened to by faculty/program leadership? Any examples?
What do you do for fun?
What are the best and worst parts of your city?
What’s an average day look like for you?
What is rent like? Were you able to find housing close to campus?
What should someone moving to this city know?
What are you doing your thesis on? How has the process been so far?
GC students and GCs: anything I’ve missed?
Applicants: good luck with the process!