Residency Interview Tips to Land Your Dream Program

Programs with virtual interviews typically try to mimic the traditional “interview day” format, including meet and greets with current residents and a virtual facility tour.

Program types that still strongly favor in-person interviews are generally those with more program years or smaller cohorts, such as surgery and ENT. There is also a trend for programs in more rural areas to return to in-person interview formats.

How programs decide who to interview:

• USMLE scores (more so recently)
• Grades (less so as med schools transition to pass/fail grading systems)
• Letters of recommendation from mentors and professors
• MSPEs
• Personal statement
• Program signals

Learn More: Send a Letter of Intent to Your First Choice Residency

What are the costs associated with residency interviews? The AAMC reports the median cost of in-person residency interviews is $3,000 to cover travel, meals, lodging, and other fees (ranging anywhere from $400 to $7,000).

However, virtual residency interviews are much less expensive and possibly free. All you need is a good-looking suit and an HD webcam, which you may already have before the interview.

How to Stand Out (Besides Grades)

Residency program directors and interviewers will speak to dozens, if not hundreds, of candidates during interview season. You need to stand out, and we’re here to help you make an unforgettable first impression — outside of the stats in your application.

Below are the best non-grade-related tips for distinguishing yourself from the crowd with a stellar first impression:

• Put care into how you dress and look. Dress like a professional, preferably in a suit or pantsuit. Brush your hair. Make sure your breath smells good. For virtual formats, ensure you have a quiet, clean space where you won’t be interrupted (no one wants to see your dirty laundry during an interview).
• Be punctual, as in early. “If you’re on time, you’re late,” as they say.
• Be courteous to everyone. Make sure you’re kind to everybody you interact with on interview day, no matter how small the interaction. Be professional. Try not to be a wallflower. Make it clear that your communication and teamwork skills are superb. Use positive body language with interviewers, faculty, and residents.
• Treat every aspect of the interview day as part of the interview. For instance, all informal meet-and-greets with anyone are part of the evaluation process. Conduct yourself well on tours and in Zoom waiting rooms.
• Confidently introduce yourself. Offer a confident greeting and a firm handshake if you’re in person.
• Demonstrate program knowledge. By taking my earlier advice about researching the residency beforehand, you should be able to make small talk and ask meaningful questions that relate directly to this program’s mission and culture.
• Demonstrate you’re a good fit. Alongside making small talk, brainstorm ways that you would make an excellent asset to this program, both as a resident and as an alum. Show through your answers, questions, and interactions throughout the day that you belong there.
• Sit up straight. Slouching looks lazy, and leaning forward can be perceived as aggressive. Sit comfortably with your back and shoulders straight.
• Don’t fidget. Fidgeting makes you seem nervous and high-strung.

Studies have shown that the first few seconds are critical to a successful interview. By exuding an aura of calm self-confidence through body language, eye contact, and facial expressions, you’ll create a lasting impression of competence and professionalism.

How to Answer Questions Like a Pro

Part of preparing for the residency interview process is practicing how to answer questions with the right mix of confidence, competence, and candor. Here are some tips on preparing to answer questions with confidence:

• Study STAR (Situation, Task, Action, Result): STAR is a structured way to answer behavioral questions. Describe the situation you were in, the task you were given, the action you took, and the result you got.
• Without being arrogant, be confident: This is no time to be modest and self-deprecating.
• Show, don’t tell — when possible: Showing (e.g., using narratives, anecdotes, and examples) is the most memorable way to answer questions. Telling, in which you just answer a question with dry facts, can be forgettable and, at worst, a bit annoying.
• Pause to collect your thoughts, if necessary: A good answer after a pause is generally superior to an immediate, meandering answer filled with um’s. Don’t be afraid to say, “Let me think about that for a second,” before answering.
• Have examples ready: Whether from your time in medical school, relevant clinical practice, impactful patient care anecdotes, or extracurricular experiences, be prepared to discuss when you were a leader or had to practice teamwork.
• Prepare questions to ask the interviewer in advance: Try to tie in something you know about the program, such as research you’re interested in, with your own experience.
• Demonstrate your professional, concise candor in the way you answer: This confident way of answering may showcase your fit for the program.
• Don’t stop at a short answer when discussing your strengths: Most applicants will nervously volunteer a lame response. “I have excellent communication skills,” is a common, forgettable answer. Answer comprehensively in a way that paints a clear, unforgettable picture.
• Be honest and open about your own weaknesses or challenges: Open up about where you may have made missteps or where you’re in the process of pursuing personal growth. But be sure to demonstrate how you’re growing and making changes.
• Use storytelling to help give color, context, and memorability to your answer: You may be able to call on life experiences. Incorporating multiple languages, negotiation tactics learned growing up in a large family, and any accomplishments you’ve earned in and out of school into your storytelling might give you an edge.

Above all, be honest, forthright, and friendly. If you stumble at first, take a deep breath, recover your composure, and then dazzle them with knowledge and charm. You’ve spent years working up to this moment, and it’s your time to shine and stand out.