Hi everyone:
This weekend, I’m reviewing interview scores. Hundreds. And while I could simply plug raw scores into my mega ranking spreadsheet, that would be a huge mistake.
One hundred seventy-one Yale faculty and fellows serve on the Intern Selection Committee. Each interview day, an Associate Program Director matches candidates with interviewers who share interests and backgrounds: future oncologists with oncologists, immigrants with immigrants, etc. We do this to create connections and help candidates learn about our community.
With interviews behind us, I’m scrutinizing interview scores for objectivity and consistency. We use a 1 to 5 scoring system, from “1=Do Not Rank” (incredibly rare) to “5=Rank to Match” (very common). Scores are supposed to reflect the application (grades, letters, scores, personal statements, research, leadership) and the actual interview (conversation skills, emotional intelligence, maturity). This year’s average score is 4.1.
As in high school and college, we have tough graders and softies. We don’t want candidates penalized for interviewing with hard graders or unfairly advantaged for interviewing with easy ones, so if the applications or interviewers’ comments don’t justify the scores, I adjust them.
I read each application and know the candidates as well as you can know anyone you’ve just met. The interviewers read deeply too, and they often find details I’ve missed—a paper published, a project completed, an obstacle overcome—and they share insights on crucial interpersonal skills.
Yesterday, I spent six hours reviewing scores and made it halfway through the list. Today, as snow blankets Connecticut, I’ll do part two. Then, I’ll start preparing for this week’s rank meeting, slated for Friday afternoon.
Enjoy your snowy Sunday, everyone. Bundle up.
Yours,
Mark
P.S. Our hearts go out to the colleagues, friends, and family of the VA ICU Nurse, Alex Pretti, who was killed yesterday in Minneapolis.
P.P.S. Hope to see many of you Tuesday evening at our Annual Arts Night
P.P.P.S. What I’m reading:
- What Science Tells Us About Arguing With Your Father-in-Law By Julia Minson
- Humans Possess One Thing That A.I. Does Not: Judgment By Blair Effron
- ChatGPT Health raises promise — and risks — for patients seeking medical advice, CT experts say By Cris Villalonga-Vivoni
- Stop Worrying, and Let A.I. Help Save Your Life By Robert Wachter
- A Letter From a Minneapolis Mom By Dara Moskowitz Grumdahl
- The Shock Doctrine By Naomi Klein
- How Fascism Works By Jason Stanley
- The Peculiar Magic of a Winter Snowstorm By Megan Craig