Cynically Optimistic

42 hours later, my interview is over. The experience was wonderful both in terms of science and medicine, but also socially stimulating and entertaining. I think I'll save up my caricatures for another post. This was a group interview situation, 25 students from all over the country were brought in at the same time. We were all in the same hotel, just a few blocks from the Institute. I'm impressed at how committed both the faculty and the hospital administrators and doctors are to have a new crop of graduate students. New, not because they've never seen them before, but because this program is completely new and untested. That's right, the first group will be guinea pigs. Kind of exciting! Poke me, prod me, give me a degree!!!

After breakfast and an introductory program lecture, it's interview time. Things stay exactly on schedule, and all my interviews go remarkably well. I thought perhaps I'd get nervous and choke on questions, but it was exactly the opposite. I stayed relaxed, non-sweaty, and comfortable the whole time. One interviewer told me the most interesting thing on my resume was my HMB experience. Then there were talks and a tour of the facilities, and then free drinks... Woo Hoo!

Then they took us to a play called Doubt, followed by dinner at Ruby Foo's. The last 30 minutes of the play were quite moving, but the first hour was kind of dull. Dinner was great, and there was a lot of food. Plus a HUGE slice of chocolate cake. A couple of friendly nerdy post-docs showed us a local bar and I stayed out too late with them and one other prospective student. More interviews today, one of which went much longer than expected. Then a car service drove me home.