University of Maryland School of Medicine Interview Questions
& Process

I applied for the PICU in mid August and interviewed late August. I interviewed with the nurse manager. I shadowed a couple nurses for two hours after the interview and saw a good variety of patients and the type of disorders I'd be caring for. Per the manager's request, I came back for a second shadow day and was there for an hour and walked around with one nurse. I thought the manager had liked me and I asked plenty of questions but the stars weren't aligned for me this time. Definitely a great unit to learn a lot on but didn't work in my favor.

The interview process was pretty standard for a postdoc position. My boss and the PI who might hire me were old friends, so that likely gave me a slight advantage. I went to the potential lab and gave a 40-60 minute PowerPoint presentation covering my previous work. After that, current lab members (postdocs and grad students) asked some related questions. Then, I had a quick chat with them, got a brief tour of the lab, and then talked with the PI about my research, their research, and the goals for the position, including the projects the person I'd be replacing was working on. He mentioned the entire lab was relocating across the country, which was surprising but manageable since I'd already done my PhD in a different state than where I lived. He seemed impressed, and I got the strong feeling I'd get an offer. He called to offer me the job within a week or two.

The interview process was quite long, involving two phone calls, one in-person meeting, and then a lot of paperwork for onboarding. It took about six weeks of back and forth between the interviewer and HR to finalize the application, start date, and job duties. UMSOM didn't cover any travel expenses like flights, hotels, or meals, which was a bit of a bummer, costing me $700 without any confirmation of a position or even a hint that I was a top candidate. But in the end, I got the job.

I got an email from my future employer just a few days after I applied. The interview was scheduled for the next week. They wanted me to present my research experience. The interview went well. My employer introduced me to my future colleagues and talked about his work. Then, I had to give a powerpoint presentation of my own research. I didn't think there were any tricky questions. We finished the interview more casually over coffee outside.