Residency Interview Guide

• What to expect and how you'll be evaluated. Understanding the rubrics and criteria interviewers use helps you focus on what actually matters, and on the qualities programs look for: being a team player, maturity and self-awareness, strong communication, ethical reasoning, and genuine commitment to medicine and your specialty.
• How interviews are structured, and how residency interviews differ from pre-med interviews. Fit matters more than credentials, and you're interviewing the program too. Programs use traditional one-on-one interviews, panels, groups, and (at a few programs) Multiple Mini Interview stations, and the resident meet-and-greet is part of the day. Each needs a slightly different approach.
• How to research programs. Generic answers won't impress anyone. Real knowledge of a program's training structure, values, research opportunities, and clinical sites shows you're serious and helps you explain why you fit.
• How to answer questions. We'll walk through strategies for behavioral, situational and ethical questions, which test how you think through problems rather than whether you land on a single "right" answer.
• The common questions you need to prepare for, like "Why medicine?", "Why this specialty?", "Why our program?" and "Tell me about yourself", so you have thoughtful, authentic responses ready.
• What to ask programs and interviewers. The questions you ask reveal as much about you as the answers you give.
• The practical side: technical setup, what to wear, and logistics.
• Before, during and after the interview: checklists for each stage, tips for the day itself (managing nerves, recovering from a stumble), and how to write thank-you notes and letters of intent.
• What comes after the interviews: comparing programs and building your rank list.

1.1 | Where Are You Starting From?

• How comfortable are you talking about yourself and your experiences to people you've just met?
• Can you clearly articulate why you wanted to be a doctor and why you chose your specialty, in a way that feels authentic, not rehearsed?
• When you're nervous, how does it affect your communication? Do you speak too fast, go blank, or ramble?
• Have you ever done a formal interview before? What did you learn from that experience?

• If an interviewer asked about any activity on your application, could you speak about it in depth?
• Do you remember the specific stories and examples you used in your personal statement and experiences section?
• Are there any gaps or weaknesses in your application you're worried about being asked about?
• Can you explain your academic trajectory, including any rough patches, in a positive and honest way?

• For programs you're interviewing at, do you know their mission, training structure, and what makes them distinctive?
• Have you thought about why you specifically want to train at each program beyond general factors like location or prestige?
• Do you have program-specific questions ready that demonstrate you've done your research?

• How do you typically respond to unexpected or challenging questions?
• Are you comfortable discussing ethical dilemmas and explaining your reasoning even when there's no clear "right" answer?
• Can you disagree respectfully while still acknowledging other perspectives?
• How do you come across to people who don't know you? Have you ever gotten feedback on your interview presence?

2.1 | Why the Interview Is Important

2.2 | The Goal of Your Interview

1. You are a great person, and would be a great co-resident/colleague/friend
2. You have an impressive personal and professional background and a quality set of values and principles
3. You have a clear and good reason why you want to be a doctor and why you chose this specialty
4. This program (the one you’re interviewing for) is clearly the best program for you
5. You genuinely would love to be at their program
6. If matched, you’ll do everything you can to be a great resident, engaged community member, and future physician and alumni that will reflect well on their program and the profession as a whole
7. Will you perform well throughout residency training, and be a good future doctor?

2.3 | How Are Interviews Actually Evaluated?

• During the interview itself, you will be subjectively evaluated based on your performance. These are based on a variety of things, not only what you say, but how you say it, your demeanor, the values, the questions you ask, etc.
• After the interview, your interviewers will fill out some sort of interview form. Most forms use a combination of qualitative and quantitative metrics. Typically the form has a final recommendation. In programs where multiple interviews are conducted, these evaluations are compared against one another.
• Sometimes the interviewers themselves will directly interface with the selection committee. Other times, the interviewers will simply hand off their write-up and that will be their only interaction with the rest of the selection process.
• Your interview evaluation is added to your overall application package. The interview is just one portion of your overall application, and the amount that it's weighted varies between programs. You can have the best interview of your life but if the rest of your application is weak you may still end up low on the rank list.

2.4 | What Are Programs Looking For?

• Someone personable, friendly, easygoing, and upbeat
• Clearly prepared (did background research ahead of time) and professional, but not robotic and formulaic in their answers
• Someone who can interpret social and non-verbal cues and respond accordingly. You need to be able to read the room
• Can communicate clearly and explain complex ideas (including their background) to a layperson, without rambling or being too wordy in their answers
• Can obviously show the passion about things they discuss
• Have an impressive background that shows their growth, both personally and professionally
• A high level of genuine enthusiasm while discussing your personal/professional background and for the program they’re interviewing at
• Have demonstrated curiosity through interest in learning about the world and/or through involvement in research
• Gravitas and maturity - the interviewers should be able to see you as a potential colleague, and could easily see you as a positively contributing member of the program. As one selection committee member put it, “Would I want this person to do a prostate exam on my dad?”
• Compassionate and caring about people in need, demonstrated by community service or other volunteering
• Demonstrate resilience and can bounce back from failures
• Self reflectiveness and can identify their own areas of improvement
• Able to appreciate ambiguity, and that things are not always black and white
• A strong yet humble team player who works well with others
• Someone who is coachable and receptive to feedback
• Show respect for others through their clinical experiences, leadership, and other activities
• Has unique experiences and/or has worked with diverse groups in the past. Is appreciative of cultural differences and strives to surround themselves with diversity
• Demonstrate a familiarity of healthcare settings and are realistic about the practice of medicine in the 21st century (you know what you're getting yourself into)

2.5 | The Importance of Qualitative Factors

• Would I be happy to be stuck in a car with this person?
• How easy is this conversation?

• Be enthusiastic! Don’t let your voice be monotone, or sound bored. If you’re on Thalamus or Zoom, you might have to amp up your energy, since video flattens everyone a little.
• Smile, laugh, and look cheerful. Be especially aware of this if you have a resting bitchface
• Make eye contact. This comes from looking at the actual laptop camera, not your screen
• Give them detail in your responses, not just one word answers
• Show receptivity during the conversation. This includes things like nodding, saying "mm-hmm," and "yeah" as the interviewer talks. Don't just stare blankly at them
• Be open to flexibility. Don't try to railroad the interviewer and change the topic, sacrificing likability in an effort to control the interaction.

2.6 | What Else Affects Your Place on the Rank List?

• Your Step 2 CK score
• Your clerkship grades and MSPE (the Medical Student Performance Evaluation, your dean's letter)
• Your personal statement
• Your professional background and experiences (research, leadership, experiences section)
• Your letters of recommendation

2.7 | General Interview Guidelines

• Treat the entire day as an interview: coordinators, staff, and group rooms included
• Assume you are academically qualified; the interview is largely a “vibe check” for fit, communication, teamwork, and professionalism
• Show warmth, enthusiasm, humility, and collaboration throughout

3.1 | How Residency Interviews Differ From Pre-Med Interviews

3.2 | Interview Invites and Scheduling

• Some programs release all their interviews on a specific day, while others release them on a rolling basis after ERAS submission (ERAS is the Electronic Residency Application Service, the application you submitted). Even on a rolling basis, some programs wait until November to release.
• Some invites go out pretty quickly after you submit the application while some may go out slowly. Depending on the institution, some interviewers get a list of applications and they have to go through all the packets before they make the recommendations of who actually gets an interview. This can mean that even within the same institution, interviews may go out at different times or in waves. Don't get too upset if you haven't heard anything yet.
• Most specialties have a subreddit spreadsheet where applicants track whether invites for a program have gone out. Just because you haven't received one yet, don't fret. If your specialty has rolling invites and it's mid to late October, it's okay to reach out to programs you haven't heard from.
• Figure out any existing obligations during interview season (October-January). That way, you know what you have to schedule interviews around.
• When you do get an interview invitation, schedule it ASAP. Slots fill up, and the earlier you interview, the earlier the weight is lifted off your shoulders.
• If you get multiple invites around the same time, and you prefer some programs to others, try to schedule the bigger ones later in the season so earlier interviews serve as practice (you still want to do your absolute best). Ideally your first interview isn’t at your dream program; give yourself a few lower-stakes ones as a warm-up buffer.
• Continue to check your email and Thalamus. There may be things like moving off the waitlist, which means you can still get interviews in December or January.
• Reddit or Discord can be useful for more information, but don't check obsessively. It's a source of anxiety, and you want to minimize anxiety throughout the process.
• If you must cancel an interview, do so at least 48 hours before your time so they can fill the spot, with a short, polite, honest note. No excuse needed, and don't tell them another interview matters more. Don't be overconfident and cancel because you think you have plenty of interviews. Worst case, you get extra practice interviewing. It would be a massive bummer to cancel an interview and end up having to SOAP (the Supplemental Offer and Acceptance Program, the scramble for unfilled spots during Match Week).

3.3 | Interview Formats and Interviewer Types

• Be ready for: traditional Q&A, conversational interviews, behavioral questions ("Tell me about a time when..."), ethical scenarios, and the occasional stress-test or curveball question.
• Most interviews are one-on-one. Some have two interviewers for one applicant, and sometimes a panel of several people asks questions at the same time.
• Interviewers can be faculty, program leadership, other members of the selection team, or residents (often chief residents).
• Some interviewers are "blind" or "closed file" and haven't read your application; some will have memorized your entire file; and some will say they read it but really skimmed it five minutes before. Be ready to add context about your background when needed.
• Whoever is across from you, your approach, demeanor, and professionalism stay the same. Don't assume a resident interviewer will be more chill just because they're a resident; give everyone equal respect.

3.4 | General Guidelines for 1-on-1 Interview

• Each program will handle the interview differently, but there are a couple of broad similarities you can expect within your interview. In residency, an interview day is usually several short one-on-one or two-on-one conversations with faculty and residents, sometimes a panel, and MMIs are rare.
• Before you make any assumptions as to what your interview day holds in store, pay careful attention to any communications from your program. They will often send you information ahead of your interview which may include key details.
• Most interviews, whether in person or online, will be a short conversation, typically between 10-30 minutes.
• You will be interviewing with a member of the interview team, which is typically a current faculty member, program leadership, or a resident (likely one of the chief residents, but sometimes other seniors involved in education).
• There's often a lot of flexibility within for each interviewer of how they want to handle the interview. Accordingly, the types of questions or tone may vary widely between interviewers and between programs. Later in this guide we review common questions (Part 6), and Part 4 covers where to find program-specific information (Residency Explorer, FREIDA, and the program's own site).
• The beginning of the interview typically has a couple minutes of banter where there might be some small talk. The interviewer may give you some more information about the structure of the interview day and other details.
• Some interviews are blind (also called closed file): the interviewer has seen nothing, or only your CV. Others are open file: the interviewer has your whole application.

  It's important to know which type of interview you're in because that will affect the type of questions and the way you answer questions. If the interviewer does not provide this information at the beginning of the interview, then you can simply ask them.

• Most interviews will start off with a question, "Tell me about yourself." In this question, you'll discuss your personal and professional background and what led you to be in an interview today.
• Either as part of the "Tell me about yourself" question or as a separate question, a lot of interviewers will ask why you want to be a doctor and why you chose this specialty
• Most interviewers will ask you why you want to train at their program specifically.
• After this, there's often flexibility within the interview. Some may use this time to have unstructured back-and-forth conversation, while other interviewers may ask more behavioral questions.
• The last ~5-10 minutes of the interview are typically reserved for you to ask questions. You can use this time to learn more about the program, only showcasing what's important to you and what you're looking for in a program
• After the interview, send a short thank-you note (Part 9 shows how), and then you’re done.

3.5 | If the Day Includes MMI Stations

3.6 | The Resident Meet-and-Greet

• Go to these. These are a huge insight into the program and their culture and many times are a candid look into the actual program. Residents are often going to be very honest about their experiences and what they like and don't like.
• At most places, the people involved in the meet-and-greet will not have a bearing on your application. However, this is not always the case. You don't want to be super stuck up, but don't say anything you wouldn't say to an interviewer. Maintain professionalism.
• Don't dominate the conversation. Leave space for other people to talk. If you're asking more than two questions at a meet and greet, it should be only after every single person has had a chance to talk and there's extra time left and no one else has anything to say.
• If a program has multiple meet-and-greets, then you don't have to attend all of them, but try to go to at least the one before your interview so you can get an understanding of things to talk about during the interview. If you do go to two meet-and-greets, you should probably focus most of your questions on one. You don't want to hog both of them.
• Show up with at least one question ready. In a small room you may be expected to ask something, and you could be called on.
• If you ask a question, limit yourself to one follow-up. Ask follow-ups based on what the residents actually say: if someone says they like to hike, ask where they go.
• Don't talk about yourself unless asked. Before you launch into an anecdote, ask whether it helps the other applicants in the room.
• The people in the room may be your future co-residents, so make a good impression. The traits to show are smart, hungry and humble, with an obvious desire to lean into learning.
• Avoid "I hated that rotation, there was nothing for me to learn." It reads as a lack of curiosity.
• Pay attention to the overall vibe: are the residents having fun, do they seem to like each other, are they excited to be there?

4.1 | Do I Really Have to Do All This Work?

4.2 | Program Attributes to Research

4.3 | General Program Info

• What are the program’s values?
• What is important to the program? Is there anything that they are known for?
• What is unique about the program?
• What does the program pride itself on/is most proud of?
• When current residents or alumni talk about the program, are there any common things that come up? Make sure to research each of these areas in depth.
• Has the program posted any videos or podcasts, interviews with people on the recruitment team?
  • These can be valuable sources of info, since they’ll often say directly what they’re looking for in candidates!
  • You should watch these, or process them with AI to extract relevant info. For example, have AI generate a transcript, and then analyze the transcript to determine what to pay attention to
• Are there any unique experiences (global programs, global health electives, academic things not offered at other programs)
• What resident clubs/organizations exist?
• What parts of the program’s culture stand out? Are there any specific resident-led activities you can mention?
• What are academics like at the program? Is there anything special?

4.4 | Connecting the Program to Your Background

• Does the program have any specific programs or institutes? Do any of these align with your professional interests
• Do any of the faculty teach sessions that you would want to attend? Are they involved in any research that you are interested in? Be prepared to mention them by name
• What are you most looking forward to being a potential resident there?

4.5 | Program Location Info

• What city/location is the program in?
• What is that city known for? Does it have any special attributes?
• What are things to do in the city that you would like to do? If you were to visit, where would you go?
• Does a program host any second look dates? Are you able to sign up to visit the program? (This is something that you can mention during the interview.)
• Do you have any personal connections to the area? Any family/friends that live nearby? Have you been there/around it before?
• What are the travel arrangements you'd have to make to go from your family or friends to the program? These are things like knowing which airports you could fly out of or how long the driving distance is

  This is a pretty good “bonus point” question because if you can tell the interviewer that you know it's X amount of drive or that there's a flight that's direct from the area to your hometown that leaves twice a day, it tells the interviewer that you see yourself at the program and you really want to do that

4.6 | Learning About Your Interviewer/Current Residents

• Some programs may send an email in advance of your interview, where your interviewer may be CC’ed.
• Note that if you have to do some sleuthing to find interview info, be prepared for them to be surprised (but likely still impressed) when you’ve gotten to read up on them
• Do not ask super specific personal questions, as this may weird some interviewers out. Also, be prepared for last-minute swaps and don't get flustered if someone changes last minute.

• "I see you are involved in resident education, what opportunities do you see available for residents to work directly with medical students on rotations?" (Good)
• “I saw that you went on a trip to XYZ on (Date) with ZYX, did you check out this specific restaurant?” (Could be Creepy, Bad)

4.7 | Build Your Scorecard Before Your First Interview

1. Academic versus community
2. Program size and how the years are laid out
3. Case volume and autonomy
4. Call and hours
5. Fellowship placement and board pass rates
6. Didactics and protected time
7. Research
8. Salary and cost of living
9. Location
10. Culture
11. Stability

5.1 | How You Should Be Answering Questions in General

5.2 | Framework for Answering Behavioral Questions

• Example of teamwork
• Example of leadership
• A difficult scenario you faced

• Context: Describe the background context for the situation you're about to describe. This could be the time of life or place that it took place.

  You want to focus on what frame of mind you were in at the time and what else was going on that are going to influence the story. You don't need to include every single detail. Just enough detail so the person listening can understand what's going on.

• Action: Describe your specific actions, including how you handled the situation. You can include your thought processes if you weighed any other decisions, and try to include why you actually went with that action.

  Describing your thought process is critical. It also shows the interviewer that you thought about the situation in some capacity, instead of just blindly reacting.

• Result: What was the result of your actions within the context? Think about not just the result for the people in the situation, but the result that had on you, the result that had on the rest of the team or other people who were involved in the decision, the result that had on the environment, etc.

  The more that you can show this part of the answer, the better it'll be to communicate that you've considered other viewpoints and are aware of how your actions affect others.

  You should be honest about the result. If it was somewhat negative, that's okay, but try to reflect on the positives as well.

• Learnings: This is important. What did you learn from this overall situation? The goal of life is to continually be learning and growing. And so if you chose this situation to talk about, you should be able to show what it taught you, and importantly, how this has influenced your future behavior.

  You can even give a theoretical example of if you were in a similar situation, how you would handle it the second time. This is also an opportunity to relate your learnings back to the skills that's going to make you a great resident.

  Note that the learning section provides a pretty short conclusion to the rest of your answer. This could literally be a couple lines. You don't have to go on and on about what you learned, especially if the interviewer seems impatient or the interview length is shorter

• Use concise stories with the CARL structure (context, action, result, learnings), and reflect on growth
• Prepare examples for adversity, conflict on a team, leadership, failure, and feedback

5.3 | How to Actually Prepare for Questions

Master the Most Common Questions

• Review sample answers online
• Use AI to help review and reflect on your answers
• Working with a coach or specialty advisor
• Getting feedback from trusted peers or mentors.
• If you have friends whose judgment you trust, send them drafts and ask for their input.

Practice Until Your Answers Feel Natural

Conduct Mock Interviews and Record Yourself

• If you’re able to, aim for at least three full mock interviews before your first real interview, and consider doing more if you need it.
• If mock interviews make you nervous or awkward, that's a clear sign you need them. It's much better to work through nerves in a practice setting than in a real interview.
• Try to conduct mock interviews with a diverse mix of people - friends, colleagues, coaches, other applicants, or anyone whose feedback you trust.

  The more variety in your practice partners, the more comprehensive your feedback will be.

• This technique is underrated and often skipped, but it's incredibly valuable. Record yourself practicing (both common questions and random ones) and listen back immediately afterward.

  There's no better way to identify your specific communication weaknesses.

• Yes, it’s going to feel awkward to listen to yourself. Push through this, since but the insights are worth it.
• You'll likely notice several areas for improvement. Common issues include:
  • Speaking too fast
  • Lack of strategic pausing
  • Monotone voice, or appearing uninterested
  • Confidence problems
  • Overuse of filler words ("um," "like," "you know")

• Look for any verbal/physical tics that you have - spinning in your chair, hand wringing, making certain facial movements, or words/phrases you have the tendency to repeat over.
• Focus on having upright and confident posture, with your shoulders back and arms at your sides. If you’re slumped over you’ll look and feel poor.
• Think about if you have any tendencies such as rambling, talking too quickly, or things that you want to correct for the real life thing.
• Smile, make camera eye contact, and keep steady posture
• Do your best to use specific examples; speak with detail and genuine excitement
• If you’re on Thalamus or Zoom, it’s easy to come off as dull. Intentionally increase your energy levels by increasing your vocal energy, loudness, and vary your tone/pacing to counter Zoom “flatness”
• If stumped: “Great question - give me a few seconds to think.” Don’t do this every time, but you can pause for much longer than your nerves during the interview will have you believe. This is okay! It’s better to take a couple seconds and be thoughtful than to merely say the first thing that comes to mind.
• Record a mock session to identify filler words (“like,” “um”) and pacing issues.
• If you are someone who get’s really anxious and are nervous about performance anxiety, then simulate this pressure. Do jumping jacks/pushups/run around until your heart feels like it’s beating out of your chest, then try to practice.

  Sounds pretty weird, but this is a great way to get used to the feeling of your heart being out of your chest and practicing so your brain remains calm under pressure.

Build Your Ability to Think on Your Feet

Be Ready to Discuss Every Part of Your Application

5.4 | Other Tips to Keep in Mind

• If stumped by a question, don't stare blankly. Say something like, “That's a great question. Could I have a few seconds to think about which example to use?”

  Notice we said which example, implying you have multiple options ready. That being said, don't respond to every question with, that's an interesting question. It's common when you're struggling for time to start saying this, but it gets old pretty quickly. Even though taking a few seconds without responding may seem like an eternity, it's really no big deal at all.

• If you're really, really in a pinch and really struggling, it's okay to just tell them that so the interview can keep moving. You could say something like, “I'm really sorry, but my mind is completely blanking on that right now. Do you have any other scenarios that we can discuss?” Don't just stare at the interviewer with a blank expression - this is off-putting.
• It's okay to ask your interviewer to repeat or slow down if they're speaking too fast or using unfamiliar idioms. If there's question you're not sure about, don't try to fumble through it - ask for clarification. We know it may seem like a big deal, but to the interviewer, it's really not that deep.

5.5 | How to Answer Ethical and Situational Questions

A Four-Step Framework

1. State the problem. Take a breath and summarize the core tension in a sentence: "So the issue is that my colleague may be impaired, and patients are about to be in his care." It makes sure you and the interviewer are talking about the same thing, and it shows you can find the real problem inside a messy scenario.
2. Name your responsibilities. Whose shoes are you in, and what do you owe to whom? Aim for at least two, and notice when they conflict, because that conflict is usually the heart of the question. As a physician you owe a patient your best medical judgment, and you also owe them respect for their autonomy. If a patient with cancer refuses chemotherapy that would probably help, those two responsibilities collide. Spotting the collision is the point. It helps to lay out the branches: "If X, then I'd do Y. But if A, then B."
3. Take a position. This is where people get cagey, and it costs them. Refusing to answer "what would you do?" looks evasive. Commit to a decision and explain why, knowing that step four is coming.
4. Acknowledge the other side, then close. Show that you've genuinely weighed the alternative without undercutting your own choice: "I understand why someone might choose B, because of this one real advantage, but the biggest downside of B is why I'd still go with A." Then finish with a next step, since real situations rarely resolve on the first move: what you'd do if your plan didn't work.

• Problem: A patient with a terminal illness wants to stop all treatment, and their family insists on continuing care.
• Priorities: Respect the patient's autonomy, provide compassionate care, and support the family through something awful.
• Opinion: The patient's wishes come first. A competent adult gets to decide about their own care.
• Others: The family may be grieving, or hoping for a turnaround, and they deserve to be heard and helped, but that doesn't override the patient's decision.

Things That Trip People Up

• Hunting for the right answer. Most of these have none, on purpose. Acknowledge both sides with real arguments, then choose one and own it. Don't snap to an opinion in the first second and defend it to the death, and don't hedge so hard that you never land anywhere.
• Forgetting the human in the scenario. It's easy to go purely clinical. One sentence about how the patient, the family or your colleague is feeling shows the judgment programs are actually looking for.
• Judging people. If the prompt is about a patient who isn't taking their meds, don't call them non-compliant and move on. There's almost always a reason people act the way they do, and saying you'd ask about it is the mature answer.
• Hiding behind "I'd ask my attending." Escalating is often part of the right answer, and recognizing the limits of your training is a strength. But say what you'd do first, and why, before you say who you'd call. Interviewers may push back on this precisely to see whether you have reasoning of your own.
• Getting rattled. Some interviewers push, play devil's advocate, or never give you the satisfaction of a resolution. That's the test. Stay calm, keep communicating clearly, and don't abandon a reasonable position just because someone frowned at it.
• Talking too long. A clear, succinct answer beats a thorough, meandering one. Having time left doesn't mean you have to fill it.

If a Program Uses MMI Stations

6.1 | Questions You Should Prepare For

• Tell Me About Yourself
• Why This Specialty? (and Why Do You Want to Be a Doctor?)
• Why This Program?
• What Do You Like To Do For Fun/Hobbies?

Tell Me About Yourself

• Especially if the interview is blind, it helps the interviewer understand the person they are talking to.
• It provides context for the rest of the discussion. Tell me about yourself should provide info about different parts of your life that the interviewer can follow up on.

  For that reason, provide multiple "hooks" (personal background, interests, activities, path to medicine) that invite follow-up. In many cases, the goal of this question is to humanize you and provide areas of follow-up for conversation.

• It shows self-reflection and your self-evaluation.

  The way you describe yourself can show the values that are important to you, how you see yourself, what your drives and motivations are, what makes you unique or special, how other people see you, and what led you down this path to medicine.

• Where they were born/grew up, details of their family and what their parents did, and how they were raised
• What they enjoyed doing as a kid, any formative experiences
• Where they went to school and what they did for school. Why did they do this
• Any formative professional or personal experiences during college/university
• Your experiences and activities during and after college, including medical school
  • Generally, people answer this chronologically, talking about different experiences and importantly connecting them and explaining how and why they led you here.
  • The description should not be abrupt; people should understand why you were moving between experiences if that's what you did. You also want to show a narrative and connect different ideas. The most common way is through time - first you did this, then you did that. Adding how you moved between experiences or roles can enhance your story. It transforms from random activities to gaining experience that shaped your path to medicine.
  • Many people focus on super specific details that might go over someone's head. For instance, if you have a research background, your interviewer might not be well-versed in your specific field. Don't assume that the interviewer will automatically know the background of your area of study.
  • You should describe your experiences and roles, but use lay terms and don't go super-specific. If you get lost in the weeds or use lots of jargon, your story won't be cohesive. It's okay to give details, but put them in context. Regardless of your interviewer's knowledge level, you can always simplify things by saying, Basically, I did such and such. This presents a clearer picture.
• What you currently enjoy doing for fun, such as hobbies, physical activity, traveling, etc
• Ending on a happy and uplifting note - generally about what's now led them to medicine and this specialty, and that they're excited to be here in the interview

• This is the one answer that gets to run long: aim for two to three minutes, and have further anecdotes on each portion if they ask you to expand. You should also have a version that's around one minute, in case you’re prompted to do a brief tell me about yourself.
• When you're describing your answer, you can include numerous anecdotes and mention that you're happy to talk more. That way, if the interviewer wants to hear more details, you can provide them, but you're not spending a third of the time talking in a monologue.
• If you know that you will be asked, "Why do you want to be a doctor?", "Why this specialty?" and "Why do you want to go to this program?", these are also things that you could directly include in this answer. If you're not sure if the interviewer wants a short or long answer, there are a couple ways to get around this:
  • If you think they may be looking for a shorter answer, then when you describe experiences, you could say something along the lines of, "And I'd be happy to go into more detail about that if you want." This lets the interviewer know that you have more to say, but you're letting them drive the conversation.
  • If you really can't tell, just ask: "Would you like the two-minute version or the longer one?" Most interviewers appreciate the question and will tell you.

    If you're giving your answer and the interviewer keeps interjecting, it might be a signal that they want to change the topic. Don't try to fight them, let them guide the conversation.

• Based on your background research, connect experiences to values programs care about (teamwork, leadership, service, curiosity, communication). For example, if you know the program really cares about teamwork, you can mention how you were part of a sports team growing up and how that had an impact on you, and how you still carry those values you learned in your day to day professional interactions.
• Keep it personal and authentic; avoid sounding scripted. You will obviously have practiced this question, but you don't want to seem like you have it perfectly memorized, or else you're going to seem like you're reading off of a script. Come up with a couple of key bullets you want to make sure you cover, that way you'll cover all your talking points without being memorized. Your goal is to answer this question as if you were on a date.
• You can weave in personal aspects throughout, such as your family, cultural background, travels, hobbies, jobs, and non-medicine related things. This shows that you're a person first and foremost. It also provides a lot more hooks that interviewers can latch onto.

Using AI to Help Improve Your "Tell Me About Yourself" Answer

1. Record your response to the "Tell Me About Yourself" question and generate a transcript.

   There are a variety of online tools you can use to generate a transcript from a recording, and it will depend on the type of file you use.

   • Free Audio & Video Transcriptions with 99% Accuracy | AI-Powered
   • Convert Video to Text – Accurate AI Transcription Online

   If you recorded a voice memo on the iOS Memos app, hit the audio icon next to the recording and then the bubble icon to generate a transcript automatically

1. Use this prompt into your LLM of choice. If you have the option, then Claude will likely generate the best response, but any of the major AI tools such as ChatGPT or Google Gemini will work as well.

   If you have a pro or paid account on any of those, then go with that. If not, then free accounts will work just fine. A ready-made prompt for this step is coming; until it's posted, ask the AI to act as a residency interview coach, paste in your transcript, and ask for an honest analysis of structure, clarity, length, and what it learned about you.

2. Answer any follow-up questions, such as “Which program and specialty are you applying to?” and “What is your reason to become a doctor?” Afterwards, your analysis will be generated
3. Then review the analysis, taking some time to understand the different portions of the feedback and what you would like to adjust. Keep in mind that you don't have to follow every single piece of feedback. This serves as another frame of reference.

   The analysis can be helpful, but at the end of the day this is still your story. Think of it as one more data point, not a set of orders.

4. After you incorporate the feedback into a revised answer, you can go through this exercise again to keep getting feedback

Why This Specialty?

• A realistic understanding of the specialty - what it entails, and the pros and cons. If you're applying to be a general surgeon, talking about work-life balance is going to show that you're out of touch.
• Anecdotes that build a story for why you chose the specialty. This may be something that started before you even began med school, or part of your journey within med school.
• Evidence that you explored the field - you can reference other specialties you considered and why this one won out.
• The values you care about and how they fit into your chosen specialty.

1. Compensation
2. Work-life balance,
3. Prestige/fame of the specialty

Why Medicine (Not as Likely, Review from Pre-Med Interviews)

• A formative experience with healthcare (personal illness, family member's illness, a clinical rotation) that sparked your interest
• A desire to combine scientific curiosity with direct patient care and human connection
• Witnessing healthcare disparities and wanting to make a tangible difference
• Long-term exposure to clinical environments that confirmed medicine as your calling

• You want to make a lot of money or enjoy prestige
• Your parents are doctors and expected you to follow the same path
• You didn't know what else to do with a science degree
• You want job security

Why This Program?

• If you talk about the program's culture, it shows that you value culture.
• If you talk about academics, it shows that that's something you care about.

• Anything innovative in their training structure or didactics?
• Any specific tracks or programs at their institution/city you want to be a part of?
• Do they have a specific focus on research?
• Any unique sites you get to rotate at?
• Any specific patient populations you want to serve?
• If you mention the culture, you better be specific as to what culture you’re looking for and why you think they have that
• FYI - a good board pass rate is the baseline, not a selling point. Look it up before the interview rather than asking (Part 7), and don't build your "why this program" around it.

Experience Working With the Team or Displaying Leadership

Hobbies/What Do You Do for Fun?

Why This City/Area?

What's Important That Isn't on Your Application?

Strengths and Weaknesses

• You've had trouble balancing school/work with investing in your relationships, so now you set aside 15 minutes per day to text your friends back.
• You get really focused on the task ahead and sometimes fail to plan ahead, but now you use a journaling template that makes sure you consider your goals in advance.
• When you guide others in stuff that you are confident about, you can sometimes come off as condescending. So now when you explain things, you break them down to an easy level, check that the other person actually understands, and remind yourself not to be judgmental.

A Time You Failed/Obstacle You Overcame

What Makes You Unique/Why Should We Pick You?

Tell Me About Your Research

Where Do You See Yourself in 10 Years?

Ethical Questions

• Non-maleficence (do no harm)
• Beneficence (act in patient's best interest)
• Autonomy (respect patient choices)
• Justice (fairness)

6.2 | More Potential Interview Questions

Career & Goals

• Why do you want to be a doctor?
• Why this specialty?
• Walk me through your resume
• Tell me about yourself
• Tell me about a meaningful professional experience and why it was significant
• What is your backup plan if you don't match?
• What would you do if you couldn’t be a physician?
• What are some of your fears/worries/concerns about being a doctor

Program Fit

• Why this program?
• How will you contribute to our community?
• Do you have any idea of your preferred subspecialty?
• What specific skills or qualities do you hope to gain or develop through this program?
• What challenges do you expect to face during this program?
• What experiences with diverse groups of people do you have, and how do you value it?

Self-Assessment

• What are your strengths and weaknesses?
• What is your leadership style?
• What motivates you?
• What do you think sets you apart from other applicants?
• What is the strongest and weakest part of your application?
• How do you prioritize your time and handle multiple responsibilities?
• What values are your favorite/important to you?

Behavioral

• Tell me about a time when you demonstrated leadership
• Tell me about a time when you had to deliver difficult feedback
• Tell me about a time when you created an impact within or outside your team

• Tell me about a time when you worked with a diverse team and what you learned from the experience
• Tell me about a time when you worked with a difficult colleague or team member
• Tell me about a time when you had to manage conflict in a team
• Tell me about a time when you worked with someone who had a different point of view
• Tell me about a time when you disagreed with your team or supervisor
• Tell me about a time you advocated for someone else
• Tell me about a time when you learned something from your peers
• Tell me about a team you’ve been part of that really worked well. What do you think made it so successful?
• How do you work in teams and what contributions do you make as a team member?
• Why is diversity important and what is your experience working in diverse teams?

• Tell me about a time when you failed and what you learned from it
• Tell me about a time you acted unprofessionally/regret (and what did you learn from it)
• Tell me about a time when you received constructive feedback and how it helped you grow
• Tell me about a time when you went outside your comfort zone
• Tell me about a time you had to think outside the box
• How do you handle failure or setbacks?

Personal

• What do you like to do outside of work?
• What are your hobbies?
• What accomplishment are you most proud of?
• What is your proudest/happiest moment?
• Who are the biggest influences in your life?
• How would your friends describe you?
• What book have you read most recently? (pick a non-medicine book, please)
• How would your friends describe you?
• What accomplishment are you most proud of, and why?
• What is your happiest moment?
• How do you typically spend a free weekend?
• What’s the last place (international) that you visited? What is one place you’d love to visit?
• How do you define success?
• If you could cure a disease/make one change in the healthcare system, what would it be and why?
• What makes you unique/special/why should we rank you?
• What should we know about you that isn’t on your application or that we haven’t talked about?

7.1 | Why You Need to Ask Questions

• Don’t ask anything you can Google (program size, basic training structure)
• Favor questions that invite personal experiences and reveal culture, mentorship, and real resident life
• If on a panel, balance questions so each person can engage based on their level (resident vs faculty)

7.2 | The Best Way to Ask Questions

1. Objective parts of the program, such as how the training structure works in practice, fellowship placement, etc
2. The interviewer's subjective experience with different parts of the program. This should be tailored to the type of interviewer you have (resident, alumni, or faculty)
3. Asking the interviewer to talk more about a specific part of their background that’s related to your personal story. For example, if the interviewer is a senior resident going into a competitive fellowship, you can ask specifically how the advisors helped them with the fellowship application process.

1. It shows that you've done your research.
2. It shows that you're more generally interested in what you're asking.
3. It gives you more information as you make your decision.

• Community impact: “Your program has a strong community focus - how do residents make tangible impact in Hampton Roads, especially around health disparities?”
• Resident experience: “From your perspective, what do current residents find most rewarding about being here?”
• Local life: “I visited Hampton recently and liked the area - what do you enjoy doing for fun around here?”
• Mentorship/support: “What mentorship structures have been most helpful to you and to residents from diverse or underrepresented backgrounds?”
• Training to practice: “In your experience, which parts of the training most prepared you for fellowship or practice?”
• Values: “I know that there's the XYZ didactic series that spans the training years, but how are things like values, compassion, and professionalism really integrated into the training? These issues are really important to me, and I want to see how much I'll get exposed to them during residency."

7.3 | Bank of Good Questions to Ask

Program Stats (Don't Ask These, Look Them Up on Residency Explorer)

• Residency class size
• Hospital bed number
• How many sites?
• Salaries
• Days off per week
• Education days per week
• Sick days
• Vacation days
• Ability to do moonlighting

City

• How do you like the city you're living in?
• Cost of living (how much is a 1-bedroom/rent prices)?
• Where do most people live, and how far away is it from the clinical location? Are there any neighborhoods I should check out?
• Do residents live in apartments or houses?
• How do people get to work (drive, bike, walk, public transit)?
• Is the area safe? Are there any places residents don't go?
• What activities are there in the city the program is in? What do you like to do for fun? Are there enough things to do in the city, or do you have to travel somewhere else to have fun?
• Are there any nature spots?
• How is the restaurant/going out quality?
• Is the city LGBTQ friendly?

Culture

• How is the culture?
• How do you like the overall vibe of your resident class? (Pay attention to the tone and vibe of the answer. Rarely will a resident trash their own program, but the way they answer this question can be telling)
• If you had to describe the culture or vibe of the program in one word, what would you use?
• What do residents do outside of work for fun?
• What is something that surprised you about the program that you did not know going in?
• What is the relationship among residents? Do they hang out outside of work, or is it more professional? What kinds of things do they do together, and what sort of resident events exist?
• How collaborative versus competitive is the culture? Do people share notes and help each other with didactics/exams? Does anyone ever put other people down?
• Are people pretty close within the class, or are there a lot of cliques?
• How diverse is the resident body in terms of professional backgrounds, industries, and career goals?
• Relationship between residents and attendings? (“Would you get a beer with an attending?”)
• How is the faculty support? Do you think they're actually useful? Is teaching a priority for them, and how easy has it been to connect to them?
• What is the kindest/most surprising/coolest thing a coresident or faculty member has done for you?
• How many residents stay in the program after graduation? (this is a HUGE litmus test)

Program Structure

• What does intern year look like?
• How are the PGY (post-graduate year) 1 through final-year rotations structured?
• What is the training structure like? How flexible is it? What sort of electives are available, and how much flexibility is there in elective rotations?
• How long has the program been rotating residents at its current sites? (New rotations may have more administrative issues and growing pains as they figure things out)
• Does the program have a home university hospital to service the base? If so, does it have other county public hospitals or VA hospitals to service other training sites?
• Does the program have a free clinic residents can be a part of?
• What is the patient population here like?
• How many clinical sites do you rotate through, and how much travel is required? Are you moving between facilities? Does the program reimburse you for travel/pay for mileage/hotels/etc.?
• Are rotations preceptor or ward based?
• Do residents feel like they're an active part of the team during their rotations? You don't want to be in a situation where you're mostly shadowing; you want to actually be assisting.
• Do residents write notes on their rotations? (This can be a litmus test for how involved they are)
• As a senior, how much autonomy do you get? Did you feel well prepared?
• How much do residents actually do on rotations? Do they get real autonomy, or are they mostly off to the side while fellows and attendings engage in the real work? (Word this one carefully so it doesn't come across badly)
• Do residents have to schedule and arrange their own electives? Does the program help at all?
• Are there any mandatory away electives? Does the program help out with finances for traveling and lodging during away electives?
• Do residents get experience in university and community hospitals, or are most of their clinical electives at one site?
• Is the location of rotations based on a lottery system? What locations are available, and how often do residents get their top choice?
• Are there any types of rotations, such as anesthesia or surgical rotations, that are not available at the home institution?
• How much fellowship exposure is there? Can you still get cases as a resident?
• How much APP (advanced practice provider: PA and NP) coverage is there? Does it affect your clinical training?
• How does class size/fellows affect your ability to get case numbers?
• How does fellowship placement turn out? This isn't always a simple question, so look at a few pieces:
  • How many residents go into fellowship? What types do they do, and which locations/institutions do they go to?
  • How many people match into their chosen fellowship?
  • How many people get one of their top three fellowship choices, and how many don't?
  • How much support is there from the program for competitive fellowship spots?
  • Are there any regional preferences for fellowship matching?
  • Which fellowships are offered here, official and unofficial?
• Is there a global health track? Where do residents go, and in what year?
• How is the transition from intern year to PGY-2 handled?
• Is there a transition-to-practice experience at the end of residency?
• How much specialty-specific time do you get during your intern year?
• Are there any areas residents feel weak in after going through training? Are there any subspecialty rotations you feel don't get enough exposure?
• Is there a separate workroom/lounge area for residents in our specialty?
• Are there any new locations or buildings being created? If so, how do you think that will affect training?
• How is relief handled at the end of the day?
• Do you have to relieve APPs, or is it the other way around?

Workload

• How much admin experience do you get?
• What's the workload like? What are the average hours per week during and after intern year?
• Do you feel like you can plan things with regularity? (helps you gauge hours without asking directly)
• What does the call structure look like?
• Are residents easily able to switch calls?
• How often do residents work into the evenings? Are there any bonuses for overtime?
• How will our holiday scheduling work? Is there extra pay for holidays?
• How early do residents receive their rotation schedules (for vacation purposes)?
• When does orientation start?
• Do residents get compensated for orientation?
• If there are different sites, how does the workload break down?

Resident Education

• What is the structure of education? How many days per week or per month? Do they do full days/half days, or lectures?
• What is the didactic structure, such as lecture-based or flipped classroom? Are lectures recorded or streamed?
• What does required attendance look like? How much lecture is mandatory, and if it is mandatory, what are the didactic hours?
• Are you always able to get out for education, or are you sometimes stuck in clinical duties?
• Are there any small groups or learning teams? How do they typically function?
• Do faculty teach about their own research topics, or are didactics structured to teach what is required for boards?
• Is there a dress code for didactics?
• Are textbooks necessary?
• Are there tutoring and other support resources available for residents?
• How are didactics/board prep? How much is independently driven vs supported by the program?
• How much board prep time is available (also known as dedicated time to take the licensing exams)?
• Does the program cover the cost of board prep?
• What does the program do for residents who struggle with boards? (Look up the pass rate itself on Residency Explorer before asking this)
• Is there time during intern year to take Step 3?
• Do you feel prepared for the (insert specific exam you take in the first half of residency)?
• How much time do the attendings invest in didactics?
• Are attendings engaged with on-the-job teaching?
• Are you involved in medical student education at all?
• How often is feedback provided from preceptors, and is there a formal feedback system or is it mostly informal?
• Are there any self-evaluations or peer evaluations on rotations?
• Do residents get to evaluate the other members of the team they work with, and does the program do anything to respond to these evaluations if they're negative?
• What does the program do to identify gaps in competency and help you fill them?
• How are rotations graded? How do residents get evaluated against each other? If there's an honors or A grade, is there a limit on how many people can earn it in a given rotation?

Research

• How much of an emphasis on research is there?
• How many residents are involved in research? How many publications or presentations does the department do yearly?
• Is research required? Are there any requirements everyone must complete?
• Are there programs to help residents get involved in research, structured or unstructured? If you want to get involved, what opportunities exist?
• Are there faculty who want to be involved with research? How hard is it to find research opportunities as a resident if you want to get involved?
• What types of research projects are residents involved in? Do they get help with writing manuscripts, or is it mostly bench work?
• Is there protected time off for research?
• Are residents able to get involved in quicker things like research projects and volunteering early? How easy is it? Do residents have time to do research and volunteer?
• What conferences do residents typically attend? How many residents actually attend these?
• Does the program pay for conferences? If so, how much?

Other Program Questions

• How bad is the commute? What about during peak hours?
• Do you get free parking? If not, how much does it cost?
• Is there an on-site gym? Do residents actually use it during the year?
• What is the quality of the cafeteria food? What types/diets of food are available?
• How much cafeteria money do you get?
• Do you get any money for Uber Eats or Grubhub? What about for overnight or call shifts?
• Are you normally able to eat lunch, or do you often go hungry?
• What are the other benefits of the program?
• Is there a retirement match?
• How many sick days do you get? What if you have a medical issue?
• How much FMLA leave is available, and is it paid? How many vacation days do residents have to use?
• If there is a union, how do you feel like they help support residents?
• If there's not a union, are there any current efforts to create a union?
• What are the health insurance options, and do residents feel like it's good?
• What wellness options are available for residents?

Second Look

• Does the program offer a second look? Do they tell applicants about it ahead of time?
• What is involved? Are there social activities with the residents?
• Does the program cover dinner or a hotel for the second look?
• How is the program's overall communication with applicants?

Moonlighting and Finances

• What is the moonlighting rate on weekdays and on weekends?
• Is moonlighting internal (same facility) or external (different facility, with its own paperwork and malpractice coverage)?
• Are there guaranteed days off and financial support for conferences?
• Does the program pay for Step 3 or offer a CME fund?

Miscellaneous

• What does the program look for in its residents?
• Do you have any examples of changes implemented as a result of resident feedback?
• What is the department's approach to feedback?
• Anesthesia/Surgery specific: what specific type of operations occur (ex: niche surgeries, major transplants, trauma)?
• How often do you get breaks? (anesthesia-specific)
• How are the local school systems? (for families)
• Are there any lactation rooms? And is there time to breastfeed or pump?

Questions for Residents

• Why did you choose this program?
• Are you happy you went here?
• Would you recommend this place to a friend?
• Are there any qualities we should emphasize to help us stand out during the interview?
• If you're able to talk on it, do you have any tips or recollections of the interview?
• Do you feel like the admin takes resident feedback into account? Do you feel like the administration actually supports residents?
• How easily are you able to schedule appointments?
• Does the department work with you, or do you feel like they work against you?
• What is something you wish you knew prior to residency?
• Do you feel genuinely supported by the program, and by your coresidents?
• How are your interactions with APPs?
• How does the program's training structure affect your experience? (you should have researched this beforehand and know what their training structure is)
• What is something you learned about the program during training that you would have liked to know during an interview?
• Is there anything you didn't think about when you were in our shoes that you have realized is more important?
• What are your favorite and least favorite rotations?
• What is your favorite memory from residency so far?
• What is your favorite thing to do in the area?
• How do you decompress or handle challenging situations?
• How do you get along with residents from other specialties?
• Do you feel like you've gotten more autonomy throughout residency?
• Has the program been supportive of your fellowship goals (if applicable)?
• What is one thing you would change about the program?
• How do you think your intern year compares to those at other places?
• What do you think the biggest strengths and weaknesses of the program are?
• When you think back to this time in your life, what advice do you have for someone in my shoes? What do you wish you had known?

Questions for Leadership/Attendings

• How did you end up at the program? (If they did residency or fellowship there) What made you stay?
• What was the transition like from residency to attending practice?
• What is your favorite thing about the program, and what is your least favorite thing?
• What do you think is the greatest strength of the program? What is one thing that you feel is a huge strength that doesn't get talked about enough?
• What separates your program from other ones?
• What characteristics do you look for that you've found to be associated with the best residents?
• Are there any mistakes you see residents commonly make that you wish you could prevent?
• Where do you see the program in the next 10 years? What changes do you foresee?
• What changes have you personally overseen?
• If you could change anything about the program, what would you do?
• What do you think the biggest challenge for the department is?
• How prepared are graduates for fellowship or practice, and how do they do in fellowship placement?
• What are the most impactful volunteering opportunities/projects you've seen residents at this program accomplish?
• What made you want to be a part of the interview team?
• (If changes in leadership) How do you think you'll continue to stay involved with the residency class during the transition?

8.1 | Dress Code

• Dressing well and professionally.
• Being able to be clearly seen and heard.
• Coming off as confident and friendly

General

• Aim for conservative or modest dress rather than anything that could be even remotely interpreted as scandalous. If you don't know what this means, then go to the store and ask someone on the sales team that you have an important interview and you need to be serious. Ask any stylish friends or mentors for their advice.
• Make sure you try on clothing well before interview day. People’s weight and body types fluctuate, and you won’t want to find out the night before your pants no longer fit. If you've undergone any weight changes, make sure you have clothes that are complementary to your body shape.
• If you want parts of your personality to pop, then consider doing it with small pieces of clothing such as your tie, socks, or earrings. Make sure it's still tasteful. If you're not a fashionista, then ask someone who is.
• You don't want to be remembered for what you're wearing, so don't wear anything too crazy or any crazy colors or patterns. Aim to be professional, there are other ways you can showcase your personality
• Your outfit should look good, and be dry-cleaned/ironed, and not wrinkly or stained. If you are traveling for an in-person interview, then invest in a suit bag and don’t forget to leave time to iron your clothes. In a pinch, closing the door to the bathroom and running the shower on hot to create steam can help reduce wrinkles.
• Make sure you are well groomed. Hair should be combed, with product if you need it. If you can, try to get a haircut around one week before any important interviews. For men, you don't have to be clean shaven these days, but make sure that your beard or mustache look well groomed. Shave your neck so it looks more cleaned up.
• Shoes matter. They should be closed toe, and make sure they don't look worn through. Make sure the color matches. If they're scuffed or dirty, make sure you clean them and use a leather conditioner. If you really need a new pair, you can go to DSW and get a new pair for under $50. Considering everything you've already invested to get this far, it's a small investment. Make sure that they are also comfortable enough to walk in, especially if it’s an in-person interview.
• If you wear a watch, a more professional-looking one is a nice touch. An electronic watch is still pretty okay in this day and age, but if you have a more professional looking band, that can be a nice touch versus something that you wear to the gym every day. If you wear other accessories (watch, bracelet, necklace, etc), make sure that they aren’t jingly/obnoxious. They shouldn’t stick out, but should complement the rest of your outfit.
• Make sure you smell pleasant. You don't have to wear expensive cologne or perfume, but you should not smell bad. At a minimum, make sure your clothes are clean and you've recently showered. If you someone who sweats a lot, consider wearing extra deodorant or using some scent to cover up any smell. If you come from an ethnic household where you use heavy spices that permeate your house, be mindful of how you might smell to someone meeting for the first time.
• If you have any non-standard piercings or very obvious tattoos, you can consider removing them/covering them up. This is ultimately personal preference and up to you to decide how you want to present the most authentic version of you, but keep in mind who you’ll be interviewing with and how they may perceive you.
• If virtual, even though you'll be sitting down for almost the whole time, make sure you wear real pants, or at least neutral-colored leggings or sweatpants, in case you have to stand up.
• If you’re in-person, then don’t forgot to consider the rest of your presentation. If you have a purse, backpack, or briefcase with you, then make sure it is professional and clean.

Male-Specific

• Wear a full suit, including pants in case you need to stand or move the laptop. If you’re sitting down, the suit jacket can be unbuttoned. Ideally your suit is tailored, but if not make sure it fits you well. If it’s too boxy, large, or small, then it will look unprofessional.
• Ties aren't strictly necessary, but they read a little more formal, so we'd wear one to be safe. Get a tie that complements your shirt and doesn’t clash - once again, ask a friend for advice.
• If you opt out of a tie, make sure your shirt is buttoned and do not expose any chest hair, chains, large jewelry, etc.
• Your belt should match your shoes, and even your watch strap if you’re going for extra style points.

Female-Specific

• Wear something that is professional such as a blouse, dress, suit jacket, or pant suit. If it fits your personality, you don't have to go with a traditional colored suit.
• Some women do things such as wear a pink suit and have gotten tons of compliments. If it's true to your personality, it's okay to stand out a little bit, but don't want anything that is outrageous.
• If you wear high heels, they shouldn’t be >3”, and make sure that you can walk in them.
• Do not wear a see-through blouse, low-cut shirt, anything that reveals bra straps, or something with a low hem. If you want to play it safe, you can always get an Oxford shirt that's buttoned up.
• If there are any buttons not buttoned, you can have a coordinating camisole under. You can alter colors in a way to help stand out from a more conservative suit.
• You can do makeup but don't have it overly done or look overly dolled up. Here's a good litmus test. If you take off your jacket and look like you're ready to go out on the town, you may be a bit too done up.

8.2 | Virtual Interviews

Camera, Lighting, and Framing

• Use a ring light (~$15) to evenly light your face
• Raise the camera to eye level with a laptop stand or stacked books. Avoid low angles, since these can be unflattering. You want to show your entire face from the chest up, with no shadows.
• Most computers have a good enough camera that you don't need to buy a webcam, but you already have one, it can't hurt. If you’re using a webcam, make sure there is no lag between the webcam and audio.
• If you're using a dual monitor, it can become distracting because it'll look like you're looking elsewhere during the interview. Make sure you stay focused on the actual camera.
• Frame shoulders and upper torso; keep the camera straight-on
• Train yourself to stare at the camera itself, not the screen. When you look at the screen on Thalamus or Zoom, you're not actually making eye contact with the interviewer. This can be awkward at first, but with practice, it becomes really easy. You can put a pair of eyes with a cutout for your camera on your computer, to train yourself to look at the light if you struggle.
• Audio is perhaps the most important quality of the interview because if you look great but sound like crap, then that's going to really hurt you. Think about what your environment is. Do you have a loud neighbor? Is there construction in your area at the time of the interview? It's good to have backup AirPods or wired headphones that can be quickly plugged in, especially if they have a built-in microphone. Test mic and internet connection in advance using audio recordings so you know what you will sound like. If there's any echo, put on headphones so the mic stops picking up your speakers.
• Unfortunately, people judge, so I generally would avoid the over-ear headsets or any sort of gaming headphones. You’re not Brittany Spears. Even though they probably work great, you might have one interviewer who doesn't like them and judges you as a result. It's not fair, but it can happen, so be careful.

Background and Environment

• Strong WiFi is better than a nice backdrop. If your home internet is poor, then consider using the school, library, or another setting with a guaranteed strong internet.
• Choose a clean, uncluttered background; consider subtle personal items (art, books, instruments) that can spark conversation and humanize you. Be prepared to discuss anything that is visible - what you have in the background may spark a conversation. If you have books in the background, then you should have read them (unless it’s an entire bookcase, in which nobody expects you to read everything).
• If you have your apartment or room in the background, make sure it looks neat and orderly. For example, if your bed is in the background, then make your bed.
• Don't have a background that's going to be weird. For example, one year, an applicant did a background in front of a chimney at an odd angle, and the interviewers called him Chimney Kid. Don't be like Chimney Kid - you don't want your background to give you a unique moniker.
• Avoid virtual backgrounds if possible; blur is acceptable if needed
• Use a non-rolling chair to prevent fidgeting or swiveling
• Remove clicky pens and other noise-makers if you have a habit of fidgeting
• Some people keep a sticky note or a short list in their eyeline. A short list of your questions and three keywords per story is fine. Reading answers is not: it's obvious when your eyes track across a page, and interviewers may count it as a red flag (Part 9).
• Have water, a pen, and paper nearby; silence notifications
• Have a fan if you get hot/nervous, but make sure it doesn’t show up in the audio. You could put it by your feet to keep it out of the way
• Join the Thalamus or Zoom session 5-10 minutes before the interview, so that if any problems come up, you're safe.
• Have a professional appearing photo. A professional headshot is best, but you can always have a friend take it in front of a wall with some good lighting and edit it out the background. If you're able to dress in the headshot in the same way you're going to appear during the interview, then even better. If the program has any sort of photo upload guidelines or requirements, make sure you follow them.
• Label Zoom name professionally and upload your headshot so it shows when your video is turned on. Consider adding your pronouns as well. If using Thalamus, make sure to add a headshot.

Virtual Interview Logistics

• Keep your laptop plugged in during the interview in case the video sucks a lot of battery.
• Keep your phone on you. If technical errors arise, you can always convert to a phone call or use the video service on your phone.
• If you get kicked out of a breakout room or interview, then go back to the moderator room so they can put you back in the proper spot.
• Have a backup location incase something happens day of where you lose connection.

• Thalamus allows you to upload a profile picture. This gives a face to your backdrop. When your camera is off, make sure to use a professional ERAS headshot.
• Do the same for your Zoom background. Make sure that the name that automatically appears is what you want it to be, and have a profile picture
• When you first use Thalamus, the camera won't be mirrored like you may have turned on zoom, so be prepared for everything to look flipped.
• Plan to use Thalamus in Google Chrome (the browser Thalamus recommends) or Microsoft Edge. Safari works, but some features may be limited.

8.3 | In-Person Interviews

• Make sure to figure out travel plan and logistics, so you can arrive to the interview early. If you’re running late or miss the bus the anxiety can throw off your interview for the rest of the day.
• Make sure you have a firm and confident handshake. This often can be your first impression. If you need to, practice to make sure it's not too limp and not too hard. If you're not used to giving people handshakes, then you definitely should practice.
• You're nervous, so your hand might be a little bit sweaty. Wipe your palms off on your pants before going into the room and shaking hands.
• Be extremely kind to every single person you interact with. You don't want to do anything that can create a negative impression. Assume you are always being watched and evaluated. This includes staff, but also other applicants interviewing. It should be apparent that you’re a team player and want to support everyone, even if you may think they’re your “competition.”
• Make consistent eye contact. If you have a resting bitch face, then do your best to smile and overcome it.
• Body language/posture is especially important in in-person interviews, since it is much more visible. Practice holding your head up high, with your shoulders back and chest out. This makes you appear more open, and presents a better picture of yourself.
• Evaluate your own body language - if you’re used to speaking with your hands that’s totally okay, just now how you’re going to act. Do NOT put your hands in your pockets during the interview. This can make it hard to express yourself.
• Try to get a good night's sleep and travel to the interview location the day before. Make sure you have plenty of time to get to the interview so you're not stressed. Do NOT be late.
• Anticipate any requirements. For example, one interviewer noted that at the end of the interview, applicants were supposed to hand them a piece of paper. Most people forgot and had to be prompted, but a few select applicants were on top of it and were able to give the paper without being prompted. This is a small detail, but things like this can be really impressive.
• Similarly, having attention to detail is great. Things like remembering someone's name and title, and using them when you thank them at the end, can go a long way. If you're someone who forgets these kind of things, then write it down immediately when you walk in the room so you don't forget.
• Have some sort of professional looking notebook and pen and paper to take note. Do not use any sort of electronic note taking. If you do take notes during an in-person interview, then they should be done sparingly and you should write down quick bullet points.

  Do not write full sentences. You want to keep maintaining eye contact and connection. Note taking can also help camouflage pauses if you need to think.

9.1 | Pre-Interview Checklist

Day(s) Before the Interview

• Research the program’s values, training structure, and community partnerships. Look through their website and any program materials.
• If you have any connections to any current residents or alumni, then reach out.
• If interviewer names are shared, skim their profiles/publications/educational background.
• Practice 3–5 tailored questions; practice aloud
• Do a mock interview or record yourself to refine delivery and body language
• Use mock interviews to refine, not to build. Work out your story and the themes you want to land on your own first, then use mocks and recordings to polish the delivery. If not, you’ll be wasting the precious and limited time you have during your mock.
• Reread your ERAS application including your experiences section and personal statement. For each portion, think of an anecdote or story you can tell that will make you light up and show your passion. If asked about something, you want to be able to talk about it easily.
• Look up the program in the news so you're aware of any recent trends or changes to the program. It's unlikely you'll get asked about this, but it shows that you're staying up to date with current information.
• Come up with a few basic questions you can ask.
• Read any documents or instructions the program sent you the day before. Make sure you're aware of the timeline of the interview and any details or specific instructions. If they sent you anything that you need to fill out in return, make sure this has been done.

Last Minute Reminders

• Smile! Your goal should be to look friendly and inviting. If you're going to be in charge of helping patients, you want to be someone who's going to have a good bedside manner. So many people in the medical field are very stiff or act like robots. If you can smile and show across your personality, that's going to really help you and set you apart from the rest of applicants.
• Make sure you can have a normal conversation, and speak at an appropriate volume. Don't speak super fast or super quick, and do your best to maintain eye contact by looking at the camera.

  When you're discussing things you should show your excitement and enthusiasm plainly. This is a good thing - programs want to see applicants who are passionate about what they work on.

• Be confident, but don't be arrogant. Don't be self-deprecating, but you got here. You got to the interview, and that's often the hardest part. You're not perfect, and you're excited to learn, and you want to do your best to showcase this.
• Read the room and your interviewer. If your interviewer is very serious and is not smiling, you might want to be a little bit more formal. If the interviewer is more laid back, you should still be professional, but you can let your guard down and let your personality show.
• If you're able to throw a couple jokes or quips in, even if you're not normally a comedian, this can go a long way because it shows your type of person who is trying to connect with another individual. Unless your interviewer is weird, this is going to likely help you out. This isn't a chance to try out your new comedy routine, but it can be a great way to get across your personality.
• Treat resident interviewers the same as you would faculty. A lot of applicants have the tendency to treat resident interviewers as more chill than attendings and faculty, but you don't really know. Some resident interviewers can be more attentive faculty because they feel like they have to be extra professional.
• At the end of the day, this is your interview. If there's something you feel like you weren't able to discuss or you really want to highlight about the program, at the end of the interview, just tell them.

Interview Red Flags to Avoid

• Any sort of racist, sexist, homophobic, etc comments.
• Anything very controversial or politically charged
• Not having any questions for the interviewer
• Don’t be offputting. Some people just come off in a way that is uncomfortable. Everyone is nervous and awkward and that's expected, but some people take that to the next level where you can't wait to leave the room.
• Don’t give the vibe that the program is your backup option
• Don't be extremely cutthroat or put other people down
• Being extremely shy/nervous/not talking/monotone/having a flat affect. This is a people profession, and you need to have these skills to be successful
• Any sort of blatant unprofessionalism - being too casual with the resident interviewer and/or treating them differently, not calling doctors by their last name, chewing gym loudly, etc
• Appearing disinterested or rude
• Lying or exaggerating about your experiences
• Treating anyone at all (the janitor, parking attendent) with rudeness or disrespect
• If virtual - reading answers from a script or sticky notes (a glance at your question list is fine), or being distracted during the interview
• Dressing or looking sloppy or unprofessional
• Outright arrogance or entitlement - a spot at their program isn’t owed to you
• Not being friendly
• Giving attitude to your interviewers
• Not having a good, well thought out reason for why medicine, this specialty or their program
• Not owning up to your mistakes or red flags.
• Being a tryhard (this doesn’t always look the best)
• Only wanting to go into medicine because your parents are physicians
• Only wanting to go into medicine because you like the pay and prestige
• Showing a preference for other fields (such as research) over clinical medicine

Immediately Before the Interview (If Virtual)

• Think about your answers to common questions - you don’t want to have them memorized, but be prepared!
• Check if they share the interviewer name with you. If they do, you can do some last-minute research on LinkedIn
• Put your phone and watch on silent. Minimize any other personal distractions that could throw you off. If you have any roommates, then let them know when your interview is, so they stay quiet and off the Wi-Fi.
• (15 minutes before) Delete all ongoing apps and processes on your computer and restart it. This will prevent any lagging when you actually start the interview.
• (10 minutes before) Log on to Thalamus (or Zoom) and make sure it’s working fine/doesn’t need to be updated. Just make sure you don't have any crunch time that causes you to be late.
• (T-10 minutes). Check out your appearance, make sure you look good and there’s nothing on your face/in your teeth. If you have glasses, clean them off.
• (T-1 minutes) Take some deep breaths - you got this!

The Morning Of

• Wake up early enough to be a person. Eat something, move a little, and give yourself a buffer so a tech problem at 7:45 isn't a crisis.
• Re-read your notes on the program, not your whole binder. Ten minutes with the program's page, your two or three "why here" points, and the names of the people you're meeting. That's it. Cramming new material now only makes you feel behind.
• Say a few answers out loud. Your "tell me about yourself" and your "why this specialty." Not to memorize them, just to warm up your voice so the first real answer isn't the first time you've spoken that day.
• Set up your space thirty minutes early. Camera, lighting, sound, water, phone on silent, your question list and keywords where you can glance without looking down (a glance is fine, reading is not). Part 8 covers the details.
• Then stop. Close the spreadsheet. Don't check the subreddit. The last fifteen minutes are for sitting quietly, not for finding out that someone else got an invite you didn't.

What Do I Do About the Nerves?

• Slow your breathing before you log on. Four seconds in, hold, six seconds out, a few rounds. It's the single fastest way to bring your heart rate down, and it works on the exact system that's making your hands shake.
• Reframe the feeling. Nervous and excited feel almost identical in the body. Telling yourself "I'm excited" instead of "I'm terrified" sounds like a cheap trick, and it is, but it measurably works.
• Remember what this actually is. You've already been invited. They've read your application and decided they want to meet you. This is a conversation between people who are already interested, not an audition.
• Expect the first two minutes to be the worst. They always are. Once you've answered one question, your body figures out you're not in danger and settles. Don't judge how the interview is going by how you feel at minute one.
• Have something to do with your hands. A pen, a mug, your hands folded on the desk. Pick one and use it, so you're not fidgeting on camera.

9.2 | During the Interview Checklist

• Be friendly and professional with everyone (including coordinators and other applicants)
• Take brief notes on names, topics discussed, and any specifics to reference later. Take notes on paper, not on your phone or computer, especially if in person
• You should be interviewing the program too. Think about if this is a place that you'd actually want to spend the next several years of your life. You can determine this from the questions you ask and the general vibes.

The First Thirty Seconds

• Smile before the camera connects, so you're already smiling when it does.
• Greet them by name and title. "Good morning, Dr. Patel, thanks so much for taking the time." It's a small thing that signals you did your homework.
• Match their energy. If they open with a joke, laugh and loosen up. If they're brisk and down to business, be warm but efficient. You're not changing who you are. You're being the version of yourself that fits the room.
• Have your "tell me about yourself" ready to go, because it's coming, and nailing it buys you confidence for everything after. Part 6 covers how to build it.

Reading the Room

• Notice how they ask. An interviewer who asks short, pointed questions wants short, pointed answers. One who tells stories and wanders wants a back-and-forth. Give them the kind of conversation they're having.
• Watch for the signs you're talking too long. Eyes drifting to notes, a slight nod that speeds up, an "mm-hm" that sounds like a period. Land your sentence and stop. The silence that follows is theirs to fill, not yours.
• Watch for the signs they want more. Leaning in, follow-up questions, "say more about that." That's your green light to go deeper.
• Pay attention to what they bring up on their own. If an interviewer keeps returning to teaching or research or a particular rotation, that's what they care about. Connect your answers to it where it's honest to do so.
• Let them talk. Some interviewers spend half the time telling you about the program. That's not a wasted interview. People remember conversations where they got to talk, and they tend to rate them well.

What If I Stumble?

• If you blank: buy a second. "That's a good question, let me think for a moment." Then take the moment. Three seconds of silence feels like an eternity to you and like nothing to them. If it's still not coming, say so plainly: "I want to give you a real answer rather than a rushed one. Could we come back to that?" Most interviewers will say yes and respect you for it.
• If you say something wrong: correct it right away and move on. "Actually, let me rephrase that." Don't apologize three times. One clean correction shows composure, which is the thing they're watching for anyway.
• If an answer ramble gets away from you: stop, summarize in one sentence, and hand it back. "So the short version is: I learned to ask for help earlier. Sorry, that was a long way around."
• If you get a question you didn't prepare for: that's fine, it's supposed to happen. Use the CARL structure from Part 5: context, what you did, what came of it, what you learned. Having a framework means you're never starting from nothing.
• If the tech fails: stay calm, follow the backup plan from Part 8, and treat it as a chance to show that you handle problems without panicking. Programs notice that too.

Questions You Don't Have to Answer

• "Where else are you interviewing?" Something like: "I'm looking at programs that are strong in community emergency medicine, and this is one of the ones I'm most excited about." You've answered the spirit of the question without listing anyone.
• "Where do we fall on your list?" "I don't have a final list yet, but I can tell you what's drawing me here," and then say it.

Never Talk Badly About Anyone

Leaving a Lasting Impression

• Ask real questions. Not "what are your strengths," which they've answered forty times this week, but something specific to this interviewer and this program. Part 7 gives you a bank of them. Pick two or three before you log on.
• Give them a reason to remember you. One sentence that ties the whole conversation together: "Talking with you about the rural rotation really confirmed what drew me here. I'd be thrilled to train in this program." If it's true, say it. If it's genuinely your number one, you can say that too, to that one program only (the rule from Part 2).
• Thank them specifically. "Thanks for walking me through how the night float system works" beats "thanks for your time" every time.
• Write it down right after. Before the next interview or the drive home, jot down who you talked to, what you discussed, anything that surprised you, and how you felt. You'll need these notes for thank-you emails (later in this part) and for your rank list (Part 10), and by January every program will have blurred together.

Interviewing Several Times in One Day

• Reset between each one. Stand up, stretch, drink water, take two slow breaths. Don't carry a bad interview into a good one.
• Don't repeat yourself on purpose, but don't worry if you do. Different interviewers compare notes, so vary your examples where you can. But if your best story gets told twice, that's fine. It's your best story for a reason.
• Save your voice. Talking for four hours straight is more tiring than it sounds. Tea, water, and a lozenge nearby.
• Check your face in the breaks. Hair, teeth, nothing on the shirt. You'd be surprised.

9.3 | Post-Interview Checklist (Immediately After)

• After, if you close the interview, make sure you're still smiling and remain engaged up until the very end. Thank them for their time and remind them what a great day you've had and why you'd love to train at their program.
• Take a deep breath and walk around for a bit. You did it. Congratulations!
• Capture a voice memo or write notes on key impressions, culture, pros/cons, and follow-ups. This will be important when you build your rank list and want to review different programs.
• Update your interview spreadsheet, maintaining a comparison spreadsheet across programs
• Talk to residents offline before you finalize your rank list.
• Many interviewers are told to not give any hints or suggestions of their perception of you, so don't be discouraged if they don't have any nice thoughts at the end. This is normal.

And When It's Over

9.4 | Writing Thank-You Notes

• Send an email and do NOT send handwritten letters. Most people do not check their mailbox.
• If you lack direct contact info, send thanks to the coordinator (if applicable) and mention interviewers by name. You can ask the coordinator if they are able to provide contact emails.
• If a program is one of your top choices, say so. Early in the season you don't have to give a number: "one of my very top choices" is honest and fine to say to several programs, if it's true of each. Save "you're my number one" for one program, once (the rule from Part 2). The Match rules let you volunteer it, but a program can never ask for it.

Goals of the Thank You Email

1. Show your sincere thanks
2. Making the interviewer feel special and like you actually want to go to the program.
3. Reaffirm your values and what you're looking for in residency and how that program is aligned with those values.
4. Generate a possible future contact or connection within the program.

Components of a Good Thank You Template

1. Actually thanking the person.
2. Any anecdotes of things you talked about can be useful - this helps make it more personalized.
3. Emphasis of what you value about the program and how it connects to your background, and what you hope to contribute.
4. (Optional) Referencing the interviewer's personal background.
5. (If applicable and true) Reaffirming your interest in the program and how it is your number one or one of your top choices.
6. Thanking them again/any follow up

Templates for Resident Interviewer

Templates for Faculty/Admin Interviewer

9.5 | Letters of Intent and Other Types of Follow-Ups

10.1 | How the Match Actually Works, in One Paragraph

10.2 | The Only Rule That Really Matters

10.3 | What Actually Differs Between Programs

Academic, Community, or Somewhere in Between?

• University-based (academic) programs sit inside a big academic medical center. You'll see the rare and complicated cases, there's research infrastructure everywhere, and the faculty include people who literally wrote the guidelines. The trade-off is that there are more layers between you and the patient: fellows, advanced practice providers, and a lot of other learners who also want the interesting case.
• Community programs live in community hospitals. The volume is bread-and-butter medicine, which is exactly what most of us end up practicing, and residents often get more autonomy earlier because there's nobody else to do the work. Research support can be thin, and if you want a competitive fellowship you'll have to build that part of your application more deliberately.
• Hybrid programs (often called university-affiliated community programs) try to give you both. How well they pull it off varies a lot, so ask residents where they actually spend their time.

Program Size and How the Years Are Laid Out

• Size. A program with four residents a year is a family. Everyone knows everyone, and the program director knows your dog's name. It also means that when one person is out sick or on leave, the other three feel it. A program with thirty residents a year has more scheduling flexibility, more electives, and more people to learn from, with less individual attention.
• Structure. Look at how the PGY years are laid out: how much of intern year is in your own specialty versus off-service rotations, when you start taking senior responsibility, and how much elective time exists. In specialties with a separate intern year (anesthesiology, dermatology, radiology, and some others), check whether the program is categorical, meaning the intern year is included, or advanced, meaning you need to match a preliminary or transitional year somewhere else. Ophthalmology is its own case: it matches through the SF Match rather than the NRMP, and since 2023 every program provides the intern year, either integrated into the program or as a joint arrangement with a partner hospital, so ask each program which one it is.
• Sites. Ask how many hospitals you rotate through and how far apart they are. Rotating at three sites gives you breadth. Driving forty minutes between them at 5 AM gives you a headache. Find out whether the program covers mileage or housing for away sites.

Case Volume, Autonomy, and Who Else Is in the Room

Call, Hours, and the Schedule

• Is call a traditional overnight every fourth night, a night float system, or a mix? Each one feels different to live with.
• How far in advance do residents get their schedules? This decides whether you can plan a wedding, or anything else, more than a month out.
• How easy is it to swap a shift or a call?
• How is vacation scheduled, and does it actually get approved?
• Do residents regularly stay late to finish notes, and is anyone tracking that?

Fellowship Placement and Board Pass Rates

Didactics and Protected Time

Research: Required, Encouraged, or Barely Mentioned?

Salary, Benefits, and the Cost of Living

• The cost of living. A salary that feels comfortable in one city barely covers rent in another. A small salary difference between two programs means far less than a big difference in rent.
• Housing stipends, meal money, and parking. Free parking next to the hospital is worth a surprising amount of money and sleep.
• Health insurance and whether residents think it's any good.
• Retirement matching, if any.
• Moonlighting rules, which can change your finances a lot in your senior years.
• Whether residents are unionized, and if not, whether anyone is trying.

Location, People, and Everything Outside the Hospital

Culture and Whether the Wellness Program Is Real

• Residents hang out together outside work without being told to.
• Graduates stay on as faculty, or at least speak well of the place after they leave.
• When residents raised a problem, something actually changed. Ask for an example.
• "Wellness" means coverage so you can get to a doctor's appointment, not pizza in the workroom.

Stability: Leadership, Accreditation, and Money

10.4 | Build Your Scorecard

1. Pull out your top three dealbreaker factors. Location near your partner, fellowship placement, program culture, whatever yours are. Be honest about what they actually are, not what they're supposed to be.
2. Sort every program into three piles: places you'd be genuinely happy, places you'd be fine, and places you'd go only if the alternative was not matching.
3. Order within each pile using your notes and the factors that didn't make the dealbreaker list.
4. Then do the gut check. For each pair of neighboring programs, imagine opening the envelope and seeing the lower one. Relieved or disappointed? If you're disappointed, swap them. Your gut has been collecting data all season that your spreadsheet missed.

10.5 | Should I Rank a Program I Didn't Love?

10.6 | Fill In the Gaps Before You Decide

• FREIDA, the AMA's residency database, for the basics on every accredited program: size, salary, benefits, and structure.
• Residency Explorer from the AAMC, which lets you compare programs and see how your application lines up with past matched residents.
• Program websites and social media, which tell you what the program is proud of.
• Specialty applicant spreadsheets, which tell you what applicants are actually hearing. Take individual entries with a grain of salt.
• Residents, offline. Think back to the ones you met at the meet-and-greets, or email the program coordinator and ask to be connected with one. Ask the questions you didn't want to ask in front of the program director. People are much more candid one-on-one.
• A second look. Some programs offer them, in person or virtual. They're optional, programs can't require them, and skipping one can't be held against you. But if a program is in your top few and a visit is practical, seeing the hospital and the city with your own eyes answers questions no Zoom call can.
• The city itself, if you've never been. Even without a second look, a weekend walking around the neighborhood where residents live tells you a lot.
• The question bank in Part 7, which covers most of the factors above.
• The people who have to live with your choice. If you have a partner or family, they're ranking too.

10.7 | What You Can and Can't Say to Programs

• There are many anecdotes of a program telling a student that the student is the program's top choice, that they rank to match, and the student being disappointed on Match Day. We're not saying that programs lie per se, but you shouldn't necessarily trust something the program is telling you until you've opened up your letter on Match Day.
• You're allowed to tell a program you're ranking them first. It's allowed, it's non-binding, and it's reasonable to do exactly once, to the one program that is genuinely number one on your list. Part 9 covers how to write that letter.
• Don't tell more than one program they're your first choice. Program directors in the same specialty talk, and getting caught is a bad look that follows you.
• You never have to tell any program where they fall on your list, and they aren't allowed to ask.
• Everything you say should be true. Enthusiasm is good. Promises are unnecessary.

10.8 | The Mechanics and the Deadlines

• Rank lists are submitted and certified in the NRMP system, usually opening in early February with a certification deadline in late February or early March.
  • You can see the exact calendar here: https://www.nrmp.org/match-calendars/main-residency-applicants/
  • In the 26-27 cycle, ranking opens on February 1. The rank order list verification deadline is on March 3. Match status comes out March 15, and Match Day is March 19.
• Do not wait until the last day. The system gets busy, and a certified list is required, not just a saved one. Certify it a few days early, then stop touching it.
• You can change and re-certify your list as many times as you want before the deadline. The last certified version is the one that counts.
• If you're couples matching, you and your partner submit paired lists, with each line a combination of programs. It takes more planning, and often can be harder than matching alone, so start early and talk to your school's advisor.
• Match Week is in mid-March. You find out whether you matched on the Monday, SOAP runs that week if you didn't, and you find out where on Match Day, the Friday.

10.9 | A Few Things That Shouldn't Decide It

• Program prestige, on its own. It matters for some careers and barely at all for most. If you're not aiming for academics or a hyper-competitive fellowship, a program where you'll be well-trained and happy beats a famous one where you'll be miserable.
• One great or one terrible interviewer. That person might be gone next year. Judge the program, not the day.
• What your classmates think. They're ranking for their lives, not yours.
• Fear of being too ambitious. Covered above, but it bears repeating. Rank your real first choice first.

10.10 | Once It's Certified

11.1 | What We Covered

• Part 1: Introduction: Crushing Your Residency Interview

  We started by explaining why interview skills matter and how to approach interviews with the right mindset. At some programs the interview is a fit check, at others it's scored and weighted heavily; either way it can move a qualified applicant a long way up the rank list.

• Part 2: What to Expect and How You'll Be Evaluated

  We explained why interviews matter so much in the selection process and the rubrics and criteria interviewers actually use. You learned what distinguishes candidates who receive top scores from those who receive mediocre ones. Confidence, not arrogance, is what interviewers want to see.

• Part 3: General Structure of a Residency Interview

  You learned how residency interviews differ from pre-med interviews: programs are quieter on credentials and heavier on fit, they want to know whether they'd enjoy working alongside you for the next three to seven years, and you're interviewing them too. We covered what a typical interview day looks like, from one-on-one conversations and panels to the occasional MMI station and the resident meet-and-greet, so you know what to expect and how to prepare for each.

• Part 4: Doing Background Research on Programs

  You discovered how to research each program before your interview. Generic answers won't impress anyone - demonstrating genuine knowledge about the program's training structure, mission, research opportunities, and clinical sites shows you're serious about training there. This knowledge helps you articulate why each specific program is right for you.

• Part 5: How to Answer Interview Questions

  You learned frameworks for approaching behavioral, situational and ethical questions. These questions test how you think through problems, not whether you arrive at a specific "right" answer. You now know how to structure responses to ethical dilemmas, conflict scenarios, and other challenging questions that appear frequently.

• Part 6: Common Questions You Need to Prepare For

  We walked through the questions that come up constantly in residency interviews: "Why medicine?", "Why this specialty?", "Why our program?", "Tell me about yourself", "What's your greatest weakness?", and many more. You learned how to prepare thoughtful, authentic responses that feel natural rather than rehearsed.

• Part 7: Questions to Ask Programs and Interviewers

  You discovered that the questions you ask reveal as much about you as the answers you give. We covered what kinds of questions demonstrate genuine interest and insight, and what questions to avoid. Having good questions ready is an often-overlooked part of interview preparation.

• Part 8: Technical Considerations for the Interview

  We addressed all the practical details that matter more than you might think. You learned what to wear, how to set up for virtual interviews, how to handle technology issues, and other logistics. These details can make or break a first impression.

• Part 9: Before, During and After the Interview: Checklists, Tips, Thank-You Notes and Letters of Intent

  You got checklists for every stage, plus tactical advice for the day itself - how to manage nerves, recover if you stumble, read the room, and leave a lasting impression - and the follow-up: thank-you notes and the one letter of intent. Having a system ensures nothing falls through the cracks.

• Part 10: After the Interviews: Comparing Programs and Building Your Rank List

  We covered what to do once the interviews are done: how to compare programs and build your rank list. This is where the impressions you made and the information you gathered turn into the list that leads to Match Day.

11.2 | What You Should Do Now

• Can I speak fluently about every part of my application? Review your ERAS application, personal statement, and experiences section. If an interviewer asks about any activity, experience, or statement, can you elaborate comfortably? Identify gaps and practice discussing them.
• Do I have responses ready for common questions? Write out your answers to the top 10 most common interview questions. Not scripts to memorize, but frameworks you can draw from. Practice saying them out loud until they feel natural.
• Have I done my research on each program I'm interviewing at? For each program, can you articulate why you want to train there specifically? Do you know their mission, training structure, and what makes them distinctive? Generic enthusiasm isn't enough.
• Have I practiced with another person? Mock interviews are invaluable. Find a friend, family member, advisor, or mentor to practice with. Getting real-time feedback on how you come across is essential.
• How do I handle unexpected or difficult questions? Practice thinking out loud when you don't immediately know the answer. It's okay to pause and think. It's not okay to freeze, panic, or give evasive non-answers.
• Is my interview setup ready (for virtual interviews)? Test your technology, lighting, background, and internet connection. Technical issues create unnecessary stress and can make you appear unprepared.

11.3 | How to Get Involved With AdmissionsAcademy