UP FRONT
Pulling Back the Curtain: Joseph R. Mikhael, MD, MEd
“n medicine, we sometimes become
I
so focused on the CV that we lose
sight of the fact that we’re recruiting
a person, not a hematologist.”
—JOSEPH R. MIKHAEL, MD, MEd
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part of the Multiple Myeloma and
Bone Marrow Transplant Program
in Toronto, I was devastated when
the program shrunk. Initially, I
thought this was a closed door,
but it turned out to be just a
closed window. Shrinking back
there led to opportunities at Mayo
Clinic, and I think my career
has flourished here in a way that
it would not have in Toronto.
Changing countries and moving
to a place where we had no family
was a challenge, but looking back
at it now, it was a remarkable open
door, and I am very, very thankful
for how it worked out.
What questions do you ask
in an interview?
In medicine, I think we sometimes
become so focused on the CV
and the academic record that
we lose sight of the fact that
we’re recruiting a person, not
a hematologist. When I am
interviewing someone, I like to ask
the candidate, “Tell me about who
you are – not about what you do.”
This helps me get a better sense
of who I am hiring. Some people
start listing their professional
accomplishments, but I try to steer
them away from that. It’s easy to
Google someone’s CV, but there
are things that we can only reveal
to people by ourselves, and that’s
what I’m interested in knowing.
I remember once being
interviewed by a rather staunch
man who clearly had not had
his morning cup of coffee yet.
He asked me, in a very Spanish
Inquisition-type way, “Well,
young man, what is it that you are
going to be able to bring to this
program?” Instead of the typical
answer, I looked at him and said, “I
bring a life outside of medicine, sir.”
That answer completely
surprised him and changed the
whole tone of the interview. I
listed all the things I did outside of
medicine – sports, social activities,
volunteering – and said, “These
are the things that make me an
outstanding candidate, and are
going to make me a better doctor.”
What do you like to do in
your off hours?
I am an avid runner and a frequent
traveler. When I do travel, I
don’t spend much time at each
destination, so I always say, “You
can explore just about anywhere
with two hours and a good pair of
running shoes.” I love to see new
things and to see how different cities
are built. Like many of us, I also
really enjoy speaking – in medicine,
obviously, but I also do some
speaking on a religious basis, as well.
I really enjoy the opportunity to
convey concepts and ideas to people
in a didactic format.
Just for fun, what
superpower would you have
– and why?
I wish I could have teleportation.
With all my travel, I would love to
be able to get to two places almost
at the same time. That would make
life a lot easier, for sure. ●
December 2014