BBSP interviews serve two primary purposes: evaluating candidates and recruiting. The information on this page is meant to help faculty with best practices on equitable interviewing and to provide basic facts and selling points for the program.
Interview Dos
- Familiarize yourself with the applicant’s research background and training by reading their personal statement and letters of recommendation.
- Talk about the candidate’s research as well as your own
- Evaluate the applicant on their knowledge of their previous research and/or general scientific background
- Consider if this applicant would fit into multiple labs at UNC. Will they be an asset to the UNC research enterprise and culture of BBSP even if they might not be a perfect match for your research/lab?
- Complete your evaluation on the applicant as soon as possible. Committees need this information to make final decisions.
- Important comments should include what sets them apart, why they would be successful or not successful, and whether they have a command of their research
- AVOID generic comments – more detail helps committees decide how well applicants fit the program
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Interview Don’ts
- Do not ask the applicant about their marital status, race/ethnicity, religion, gender, pregnancy, or other personal attributes
- If you choose to mention personal details or address topics beyond research, then do so equitably and DO NOT single out certain applicants for these topics. Additionally, don’t make the applicant feel they need to share such details just because you do.
- Do not spend the whole time talking about your research. Allow time for applicants to talk about their research and ask questions about yours.
- Do not heavily scrutinize your interviewee’s application materials – that has already been done. We need your help to engage with them on their research experiences and see how they engage with your research.
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BBSP Facts
- BBSP stipend for 2023-24 is $37,000, which is competitive for our field and cost of living
- Startup bonus of $1,500 for all new students to help with moving expenses
- An applicant who receives an admission offer has until April 15 to accept/decline
- About 2/3 of our interviewed applicants get an initial offer of admittance. The total number of offers given will depend on the responses received from the initial offers. Offers will start going out the week of January 23, and most will be sent by February 10. Applicants on the waitlists can still receive offers up until the April 15 decision deadline.
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What Sets UNC/BBSP Apart
- Professional development opportunities including internships, coaching, and career cohorts (TIBBS)
- Collaboration – between labs, departments, and schools
- Student support including student wellness, First Year Groups for transitioning into the program, and dedicated staff/faculty advisors
- Commitment to DEI throughout the program and the School of Medicine
- Area – Research Triangle, growth in our area, proximity to nature (mountains, beach)
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