Elevate Your Interview Skills: Real Questions and Real-Time Evaluation by Academic Department Chairs (AACEM-Sponsored)

Navigating the path to a faculty position in academic emergency medicine can feel overwhelming, especially for those seeking their first academic role. A key hurdle is the interview with the department chair. In this interactive session, participants will answer common interview questions, receiving constructive critiques and valuable insights from three current and former department chairs of esteemed academic emergency programs. By the end of the session, attendees will feel more confident and prepared, equipped with strategies and perspectives from seasoned professionals who have successfully navigated these discussions and evaluated numerous candidates.

Learning Objectives:

Upon completion of this session, participants should be able to:
  • Analyze Academic Expectations: Examine what academic leaders prioritize during faculty interviews to align your responses with their expectations.
  • Synthesize Compelling Responses: Create engaging answers to interview questions that effectively demonstrate your qualifications and fit for the position.
  • Evaluate the Interview Process: Formulate and pose questions to academic chairs in a constructive environment, addressing specific concerns related to the interview process.

Presenters:

  • Donna Okoli, MD
  • Nicole Schnabel, MD
  • Brian Zink, MD
  • Angela M. Mills, MD
  • Lewis S. Nelson, MD, MBA
  • Marc Berenson, MD
Authors

  • Donna Okoli, MD

    University of Michigan

    Donna Okoli, MD
    Medical Education Fellow & Clinical Instructor, University of Michigan
    Dr. Donna Okoli is a passionate leader in emergency medicine and medical education with a focus on health equity and leadership development. Currently a Medical Education Fellow at the University of Michigan, she is dedicated to advancing education that addresses health disparities and prepares future physicians to lead transformative change in healthcare.

    Dr. Okoli’s career began as a high school chemistry teacher with Teach for America, where she developed a strong commitment to equity in education. During medical school, she co-founded the Anti-Racism Task Force at Tufts School of Medicine, integrating its work into the school’s 10-year strategic plan. As Chief Resident at Advocate Christ, she revamped the residency curriculum to emphasize trauma-informed care and advanced communication skills.

    Her academic focus is on preparing underrepresented minorities for success in emergency medicine and to fostering leadership in the next generation of physicians. As Assistant Clerkship Director at the University of Michigan and soon to be at Northwestern Feinberg School of Medicine, Dr. Okoli works to create inclusive opportunities for students to explore emergency medicine while mentoring them for residency success.

  • Nicole Schnabel, MD

    University of Michigan

    Dr. Nicole Schnabel, MD, is a current medical education fellow and clinical instructor in the Department of Emergency Medicine at the University of Michigan. She is serving as assistant program director for the University of Michigan emergency medicine residency. She is also enrolled in a Master of Health Professions Education Program at the University of Michigan. Dr. Schnabel graduated from medical school at Wayne State University School of Medicine in Detroit and completed residency training at Ascension St. John Hospital in Detroit, where she was served as chief resident. Dr. Schnabel’s research interests include resident assessment, beside teaching innovations, and resident well-being.
  • Brian_Zink

    Brian J. Zink, MD

    Immediate Past President

    University of Michigan

    Brian J. Zink, MD is Adjunct Professor in the Department of Emergency Medicine at the University of Michigan Medical School. He is also co-Director of the medical student Leadership Development Program. Dr. Zink’s primary areas of focus are faculty and leadership development, mentoring and coaching, medical humanities, and the history of emergency medicine. Dr. Zink wrote the first comprehensive history of US emergency medicine – Anyone, Anything, Anytime (2006) and the 2nd edition of this work (2018). After serving as the Associate Dean for Student Programs at Michigan, he was selected as the inaugural Chair of Emergency Medicine at the Alpert Medical School of Brown University and Chief of Emergency Medicine at Rhode Island Hospital (2006-2017). Dr. Zink has served as President of the Society for Academic Emergency Medicine (2000-01) and the Association of Academic Chairs of Emergency Medicine (2012-13). He founded and is Co-Director of the SAEM/AACEM Chair Development Program. Dr. Zink has received the Hal Jayne Academic Excellence Award and John Marx Leadership Award from the Society for Academic Emergency Medicine, the Outstanding Contribution in Education Award from the American College of Emergency Physicians, and the Distinguished Service Award from AACEM. He practiced emergency medicine in academic hospital emergency departments for 36 years. In 2024 he formed Brian J. Zink Coaching and Consulting, LLC, and is now focused on growing and developing the next generation of leaders in academic medicine.

  • Angela M. Mills, MD

    Immediate Past President

    Columbia University Vagelos

    Angela M. Mills, MD is the J. E. Beaumont Professor and Chair of the Department of Emergency Medicine at Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons and Chief of Emergency Services for NewYork-Presbyterian (NYP) – Columbia. Dr. Mills graduated with Alpha Omega Alpha distinction from Temple University Medical School and completed the University of Pennsylvania Emergency Medicine residency program serving as Chief Resident. As a University of Pennsylvania faculty member, she advanced academically being promoted to Professor of Emergency Medicine and served in several capacities including Medical Director and Vice Chair of Clinical Operations.

    In January 2018, Dr. Mills joined NYP-Columbia as the founding Chair of the newly formed Department of Emergency Medicine leading all academic and operational activities for the four emergency department sites caring for over 240,000 patients annually. As Chair, Dr. Mills has worked to successfully advance education, research, clinical care, and diversity and inclusion efforts while building a premier nationally recognized academic department of emergency medicine.

    For her accomplishments, Dr. Mills has been honored with several prestigious national awards including the Arnold P. Gold Foundation Humanism in Medicine Award from SAEM, the Mid-Career Award from the Academy for Women in Academic Emergency Medicine (AWAEM), and the 2020 Chair of the Year Inaugural Award from the Emergency Medicine Residents’ Association. Under her leadership, the Columbia Department of Emergency Medicine has been awarded the Outstanding Department Award from AWAEM, as well as the Exemplary Commitment to Physician Well-Being Inaugural Award from the New York Chapter of the American College of Emergency Physicians. Dr. Mills has served as an elected member of the SAEM Board of Directors for the past six years, most recently in the position of President-Elect. She has authored over 110 scientific publications, has received federal and industry research funding, and has influenced the careers of numerous faculty and trainees.

  • Lewis S. Nelson, MD, MBA

    Schmidt College of Medicine at Florida Atlantic University

    Lewis S. Nelson, MD, MBA is Dean and Chief of Health Affairs and Professor of Emergency Medicine and Medical Toxicology at the Charles E. Schmidt College of Medicine at Florida Atlantic University, in Boca Raton, FL. Until December 2024, he was the Chair of the Department of Emergency Medicine and Chief of the Division of Medical Toxicology and Addiction Medicine at Rutgers New Jersey Medical School, in Newark, NJ. He is board certified in emergency medicine, medical toxicology, and addiction medicine. Dr. Nelson serves as a long-standing consultant to CDC, DHS, and FDA and works closely with several professional organizations addressing clinical management and health policy issues regarding opioids, alcohol, and cannabis. He is the senior editor of the textbook “Goldfrank’s Toxicologic Emergencies” and is the immediate Past President of Association of Academic Chairs in Emergency Medicine.

  • Marc Berenson, MD

    Stanford Medicine

    Dr. Berenson is a Clinical Instructor, interim APD, and Senior Med Ed Fellow at Stanford University Department of Emergency Medicine. Hwas born in the heart of New York City and grew up in the NYC metropolitan area with the notable exception of a three-year stint living in the UK. He has also lived in Washington DC and Roanoke VA. Prior to medical school, Dr. Berenson worked as a Mobile Intensive Care Paramedic for well over a decade, spending a significant portion of his time creating and providing EMS-related education. After completing his Bachelor of Arts in Sociology, he went on to attend Rutgers New Jersey Medical School, graduating with a Distinction in Medical Education. He remained at Rutgers NJMS for residency training, serving as Chief Resident in his final year. His interests include AI in education, assessment, and program evaluation.

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