The Consultant Job Interview: It's a Two-Way Street

The interview for a definitive Consultant (Attending) post is fundamentally different from a residency or fellowship interview. In training interviews, you are a subordinate begging for an education. In a Consultant interview, you are a peer (or potential partner) offering a valuable service.

They know you are qualified—you passed the board exams. They know you can operate—your fellowship director wrote a letter. The interview is about fit, personality, and vision.

And crucially, it is your opportunity to interview them. Is this a place where you can thrive for 20 years, or is it a toxic environment that will crush your soul?

Visual Element: A scorecard graphic titled "The Airport Test". Criteria: "Easy to talk to?", "Shared values?", "Sense of humor?", "Complaining ratio?".

What They Are Looking For (The 3 A's)

1. Affability: Are you nice? Will the nurses like you? Will you come to the Christmas party? A brilliant surgeon who is a jerk destroys department morale.
2. Availability: Will you work hard? Will you pick up the phone when the ER calls at 2 AM?
3. Ability: Are you safe? Can you handle the complications? Do you bring a niche skill (e.g., "I do anterior hip" or "I do complex elbow") that fills a gap?

What You Should Look For (Red Flags)

1. The "Revolving Door"

Ask: "Why is this position open?"

• Good Answer: "Dr. Smith is retiring after 30 years" or "We are expanding because we have too many patients."
• Bad Answer: "The last person didn't work out" (especially if this happened twice in 5 years). This suggests a toxic culture or unsupportive partners.

2. The "Divorce" Rate

Ask the partners: "Do you guys hang out outside of work?"

• If they look at each other awkwardly or say "Never," it implies a strictly transactional relationship. Ideally, you want partners who cover for each other and trust each other.

3. Resource Allocation

Ask: "Will I have my own block time on Week 1?"

• Bad Answer: "We'll squeeze you in where we can." or "You can have Friday afternoons."
• Translation: You will be fighting for scraps. A supportive department invests in your success by clearing the runway for you.

4. Mentorship

Ask: "Who do I call if I get into trouble in the OR?"

• Good Answer: "Call any of us. We scrub in to help all the time."
• Bad Answer: "You're a consultant now; you should handle it." (Isolation is dangerous for a junior consultant).

The "Airport Test"

The panel is subconsciously asking themselves: "If my flight was cancelled and I was stuck in an airport lounge with this candidate for 4 hours, would I be bored/annoyed, or would we have a good chat?"

Strategy:

• Be Human: Talk about your hobbies. If you run marathons, bake bread, or play the cello—talk about it.
• Be Curious: Ask them about their families, their interests.
• Don't Complain: Never badmouth your training program or previous bosses. It makes you look like a problem.

Questions You Must Ask

1. "What does a successful first year look like for me?" (Sets expectations).
2. "How are decisions made in the group?" (Democracy vs Dictatorship).
3. "What is the buy-in process for the surgery center/real estate?" (Financial trajectory).
4. "What is the call burden really like?" (Lifestyle).

Conclusion

A job interview is a courtship. Both sides are on their best behavior. Your job is to look past the sales pitch and sense the culture.

"Culture eats strategy for breakfast." - Peter Drucker.

A department with a supportive culture will help you survive complications, burnout, and personal crises. A toxic department will make even a high salary feel like a prison sentence. Trust your gut.

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