How to Do Something Your Don Know: How to Ace Your Medical Residency Interview

For some medical students, the residency interview is the most frightening part of the application. However, interviews are not designed to be scary, especially if you've prepared thoroughly. If you brainstorm thoughtful questions, anticipate the answers you'll be expected to provide, and spend plenty of time practicing, you'll arrive at your interview relaxed and ready. Don't think of your residency interview as a trial by fire – instead, view it as an exciting opportunity to show the faculty members why you're a great candidate for their program.

EditSteps

EditResearching the Residency Program

Dig for in-depth information about the programs you've applied to. Your interviewer will probably ask you why you're interested in their program. Thinking about your preferences and needs – and investigating how the program might or might not fulfill them – will allow you to answer this question thoughtfully.^[1]
- Consider your willingness to compete, where you want to be located, what kind of work-life balance you’re looking for, and whether the program is a good match for your current or potential specialty field.
- Research the academic details of the program. For instance, what kind of formal or experiential learning opportunities can you expect? When is the in-service exam, and how important are the scores? How are residents evaluated?^[2]
- Look into the logistical aspects of the program, such as housing, transportation, salary, and additional benefits or support programs.
Make a list of questions to ask. Even after researching your residency program, you may have lingering questions. If so, write them down and ask them during your interview, as well as any other questions you can think of. Though you're interviewing to be chosen for a specific residency program, the choice is yours as much as it is theirs– you will both rank your top choices during the matching process.^[3] Your interview is your best chance find out if the program is a good fit for you.
- Remember to ask questions that are more subjective and difficult to answer outside of an interview setting. For example: do residents and faculty members work well together and get along? In your interviewer's opinion, what are the program's strengths and weaknesses?^[4]
- Don’t ask questions for the sake of asking them– only inquire about what you genuinely want to know.^[5]
- In general, avoid asking questions about vacation time, the difficulty of the program, exact levels of compensation, or anything you could have found out on your own. You don’t want your interviewers to question your intentions or your work ethic.^[6]
Learn about your possible interviewer. Though you probably won't know who's going to interview you, investigate who the program director is, who the major faculty involved in the program are, and who the current residents are. There's a high chance you'll be speaking with some of those people.
- Be sure to note what their research interests are. What's their take on their specialty? What have they accomplished? All of this information will help you ask informed questions during your upcoming interviews, or even make references to your interviewer's papers and projects.

EditAnticipating Interview Questions

Reflect upon your motivation to study medicine. Interviewers will ask you why you’re interested in your particular specialty, or even why you’re interested in medicine in general. After many hard years of medical school, it can be difficult to recall why you started. Take some time to remember.^[7]
- Journaling about why you entered the medical field – and why you wish to remain in it – can be an excellent way to reflect.
- Discussing your interest in medicine with friends, especially if they aren’t doctors, can also help you clarify your sense of purpose.
Review any rough spots in your resume and be prepared to explain them. Interviewers may ask you to explain perceived weaknesses in your academic or professional history, such as poor grades or a lack of research experience. Brainstorm and rehearse possible explanations in case they do.^[8]
- Interviewers may ask you about mistakes you might have made in patient care and what you learned from them. They may also ask you to reflect on your personal weaknesses in general. Take some time to plan your answers to difficult questions like these.
Read up on the current state of health care reform. You'll probably be asked a general question about health care policy – for instance, something along the lines of "How do you think the health care system will evolve in the next 10-20 years? How will it affect how you practice medicine?" Have an apolitical, well-informed response prepared.^[9]
- Be sure you are knowledgeable about the ACA passed under the Obama administration, as well as other recent health policy developments. Being unaware of the current state of these issues could hurt your chances.
Write down memorable learning experiences. Take some time to think about the most important moments in your medical career thus far. You may be asked to discuss pivotal moments, influential mentors, or any interesting and unusual cases you encountered. Jotting these experiences down will help you organize them in your mind so that they are easily accessible come interview day.^[10]
Reflect on your career goals. You may be asked where you see yourself in 5-10 years, or what you ultimately hope to accomplish in your medical career. Take some time to identify and think about on your aspirations, and be ready to discuss them at length.

EditPracticing for Your Interview

Write out answers to potential questions. Brainstorm answers to common interview questions, and then write them out using sentences or bullet points. This can help you identify and recall important talking points if you are asked those questions in your interview.^[11]
- Besides the topics noted above – such as the origin of your interest in medicine, your career goals, your most valuable learning experiences, and weaknesses in your application – interviewers might ask you about your role models, your extracurricular activities, and why you're interested in their particular residency program.^[12]
Film yourself answering questions. Pick a tricky practice question, or think of an anecdote that you might be asked to share. Recite your answer or your story in front of a mirror while recording a video, or have a friend do it for you. When you go back and watch the film, you can easily pick out issues like poor posture and verbal tics, then work to improve them as you continue practicing.^[13]
Practice interviewing with another person. Find a friend who’s already a medical resident and ask them to give you a mock interview, or enlist a friend or family member who’s not a doctor and give them a list of practice questions to ask you. This will help you grow comfortable and familiar with the interview format.^[14]
- If you really want to make the experience realistic, practice with someone you don’t know, and wear the outfit you plan to wear to your actual interview.^[15]

EditPlanning Your Trip to the Interview Site

Prioritize and commit to your trip. You want to do everything you can to convey to the interviewers that there's nowhere you'd rather be than with them, interviewing for their residency program. Avoid making big plans during interview season so you can be sure that there won't be any conflicts.
- Unless you're extremely ill, avoid rescheduling your interview. If you back out and ask to interview at another time, the interviewers might question your desire to be a part of their program.
Book trips that are within your budget. Traveling from program to program can get expensive. Plan ahead so that you don't get stuck without the means to make it to an interview.
- The program may offer you a place to stay or a hotel room discount, but if not, save resources by staying with a friend in the city you're visiting.
Hash out logistics for the day of the interview. Determine how far the site is from where you’ll be staying, when you’ll have a chance to rest and eat, and even what outfit you’ll be wearing. If you show up late, hungry, or wearing wrinkled, mismatched clothes, it could throw you off for the rest of the day.^[16]

EditExecuting a Great Interview

Start the day rested and relaxed. Get plenty of sleep the night before your interview. When you first arrive at the site, take a moment to yourself in your car or in a restroom to take deep breaths and calm yourself. Also, be sure not to drink too much coffee – you might think that it’ll fire you up, but it can make you shaky, nervous, and prone to frequent bathroom trips. ^[17]
Show interviewers – but don’t tell them – why you’re an ideal candidate. When you’re asked questions about your strengths as a physician, or about what you’ve accomplished so far in your career, don’t rattle off accolades or personal traits without context. Deliver your answer in the form of a story that will give your interviewers a thorough picture of the kind of person you are, not simply what you’ve achieved.^[18]
- Be sure to project humility while you recount these stories. Faculty members won’t want to work with someone with an oversized ego. If you mention an instance of success, like a research breakthrough or an award, mention a mentor who helped guide you there, or the talented team you worked with during that time.^[19]
Stay calm when faced with difficult questions. Some questions given in residency interviews are designed to throw you off, or even to get a rise out of you. If you encounter a question that makes you panicky or uncomfortable, override that emotional reaction and answer it calmly and deliberately. Interviewers will want to see that you can remain calm under stress. ^[20]
- You may be asked about a significant personal failure, about bad things you’ve heard about the residency, or a time you made a serious mistake. Anticipate honest but careful answers to these questions, and deliver them in a measured, diplomatic manner.
Be friendly to everyone you meet at the interview site. When they meet you, interviewers and faculty members will be assessing whether they will want to work with you. Maintain eye contact, be polite, and don't forget to smile. Operate as if every person you encounter throughout the day might weigh in on your selection. Chances are, most of them will have a say.^[21]
Be genuine in your questions, answers, and interactions. In the end, this interview is a chance to get to know you as a person, not as an abstract name attached to transcripts and resumes. Don’t take pains to ask or say things you think your interviewers will want to hear. If you’ve prepared well, being your authentic self throughout your day of interviews will likely yield positive results.^[22]