Hospital for Special Surgery Research Interview Questions
& Process

I had a phone interview with the assistant director or research for their department of anesthesiology. They really valued a science background in undergrad, but what was most important was previous experience in clinical research. My interviewer was professional and courteous, and they invited me to the second step: a brief (strict word limit) critique of a peer-reviewed study relevant to the job. I haven't heard back after submitting my critique 3-4 weeks ago, even after letting them know I had other job offers. The process seems fair though. Challenging, but totally fair and straightforward.

I applied online through the HSS website for RA and CRC jobs. A few weeks after, a physician researcher in Radiology called me. He asked about my background and interest in research. I sent a thank you email that same day, but heard nothing back. Surprisingly, the physician called me a couple weeks later to schedule an in-person interview. The interview was pretty laid-back, and I led most of the conversation. After speaking with the physician, I met with the department's research coordinator for another interview. It was generally a relaxed process, and I received an offer. They then sent me to HR for reference checks and salary discussions. I had to decline the offer because the pay was too low (starting at 35k, I asked for 50k, and that was the end of negotiations), especially since I had other, higher-paying offers.

I applied through my university and the whole thing took about a month. I interviewed at HSS on 4/21/16. After applying on my campus website, they hit me up the next week for a skype interview. I did pretty well on that, and the day after, they scheduled an in-person interview for me the following month, on 4/21. This was apparently only for the top 3-4 candidates. I met with a physician and some other department folks. They asked straightforward questions, and I felt like I nailed it. They mentioned one more person to interview in early May and said they'd let me know after. May rolled around, and I heard nothing. I sent a follow-up email on May 9th, still no response. I get that they might have chosen someone else, but an email saying I didn't get the job would've been nice, especially since they told me I was 'final rounded.'