The Anesthesia Record

I'm not going to lie, anesthesia school interviews are scary.  And this is coming from a girl who actually enjoys public speaking and engaging in conversation with new people.

Before I delve into the details of my experience, I feel I should remind you that I personally interviewed at two institutions.  Currently, over 100 programs exist in this country alone, so to say that my experience will be yours would be unwise.  However, both of the interviews I attended shared a similar schedule of events and interview format so I'd imagine these features might extend to other schools as well.

My interview at Baptist Hospital, the program in which I am currently enrolled, took place within the program's classroom.   I'd guess there to be roughly 15-20 applicants in attendance (I believe there were 7 separate interview dates), all of whom dressed and carried themselves very professionally.  The program director kicked off the day by introducing himself and his colleagues, followed by an overview of the program and a schedule of the day's events.

I was immediately impressed by the planning and execution of the day's activities.  A professional and informative visual presentation accompanied the director's address and applicable handouts were made available to us.  While we waited for our individual interviews to take place, members of the junior and senior class were present to answer our questions and lead groups of applicants on tours of the hospital.  Clearly, a lot of thought went into ensuring that our time at the school was well-spent.

Once it was my turn to face the admissions committee, the director met me outside the classroom door and provided a short explanation as to what to expect, which left me feeling just a bit more comfortable than I had moments earlier.  I took a deep breath and walked through the door... only to find 20 faces staring back at me.  As I mentioned earlier: scary.  Fortunately, they were all very welcoming and, after introducing themselves, the interview began.  I was asked what I would consider to be typical behavioral interview questions over the next 15 minutes.  Examples included "What led you to want to become a CRNA?", "Tell us about a time when you disagreed with a coworker or physician and what you did to alleviate the situation.", and "What do you do for fun?"

I left feeling positive about my performance, but unsure of the selection committee's decision.  Because, although my interview went well, I was also very impressed with the caliber of the other applicants and, from what I could tell, I wasn't any more qualified for a slot than those sitting to my left and right.  So, while the stress of the interview was over, the uncertainty and anticipation of waiting for the school's decision had only just begun.