Interviews are residency programs’ opportunities to gauge how well you align with their program and whether you can be successful in it. And while the program is interviewing you, it's every bit as important you interview the program(s) too, as interviews are your opportunity to see how compatible each training program is with your personal goals, values, and expectations. After all, at the end of this process, you’ll be choosing a program and location where you'll spend the next several years. The AAMC’s hope for you is that you walk away from the interview trail confident in your knowledge of how happy and successful you’d be at any given program, so you can make an informed decision about which program and specialty is best for you.

Residency interviews usually occur October through January of your fourth year, with December and January being the busiest interview months.  

It is important to note that each specialty, and the residency programs within them, may have their own process and associated timelines. For example, some specialties offer interviews earlier than others, and some specialties participate in standardized interview offer release dates. You may find helpful specialty-specific information on the AAMC ERAS® Participating Specialties and Residency programs page.  

It is also important to note that, though the main residency Match is the National Residency Match Residency Program® (NRMP®), there are other types of matches, including the Military Match and San Francisco Match. As such, it’s important to be aware of specific deadlines for your intended residency program match. 

View the full ERAS Residency Application Timeline for the current application year. 

Residency programs may differ in how they conduct interviews, but all tend to offer one or more of the following formats: 

• Live in-person. 

• Live virtual. 

• Hybrid (applicant choice of in-person or virtual). 

• Asynchronous (or recorded) virtual interviews. 

Each format is described below.  

Interview Format: Level of Technology

Live In-Person Interviews

Live In-Person Interviews are conducted at the residency program and typically last between 30 and 60 minutes. You may be interviewed by faculty, program staff, and/or current residents. In-person interviews often, but do not always, occur on a site visit day.

Live Virtual Interviews

Live Virtual Interviews use video conference technology to connect you with an interviewer, or interviewers, in real time. Just like with in-person interviews, they often last between 30 and 60 minutes each, and you will be asked to sit face-to-face with the interviewer(s) and answer their questions.

Hybrid Interviews

Hybrid Interviews give you the opportunity to select either in-person or virtual interviews.

Asynchronous Virtual Interviews

Asynchronous (or recorded or on-demand) Virtual Interviews will not have an interviewer present. You will be asked to respond to questions presented via text or prerecorded video. Your responses will be recorded using your device’s webcam and shared with reviewers at a later time.  Note that this is the least common interview format used by residency programs.

As you begin to receive invitations to interview, it's important to think about how to best schedule your interviews based on what is feasible for you and to know that there are some interviews you might not want to accept. 

On This Page:

• Scheduling Interviews 
• Canceling or Rescheduling Interviews
• Implications to Consider When Accepting or Declining Interviews

Scheduling Interviews 

Below are some considerations and benefits for employing a smart scheduling strategy:  

• Minimize time away from the curriculum. While residency interviews are important, so are your final-year clinical rotations and electives. Your priority in medical school is to become the best physician possible before you graduate. 

• Consider financial cost. Interviewing costs add up quickly, and financial constraints can restrict your interview options and impact your overall financial health.  

• Get advice and support from advisors. They are equipped to help with feelings of anxiety, stress, and burnout and to help you talk through options. 

• Learn as much as possible about your chosen residency programs while keeping an open mind. It costs time, energy, and money to maximize your interview process (especially if it includes a visit to a residency program). That said, you may not feel ready to dismiss a residency program until after interviewing there. Remaining open and flexible when deciding where to interview can help you make interview decisions that are best for you and your situation. 

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Canceling or Rescheduling Interviews 

Life happens, and the need to cancel or reschedule may arise. Residency programs expect some canceling and rescheduling, and it is good to know effective ways for changing interview plans. Cancelling or rescheduling unprofessionally can impact both your reputation and future opportunities with that residency program or department. Under no circumstances should you be a no-show – that is, fail to attend a scheduled interview without prior notice. 

Etiquette for canceling or rescheduling interviews. To cancel or reschedule in a professional manner, consult the residency program’s interview policies and instructions. If a residency program provides no instruction, follow these general guidelines: 

• Amount of notice. Contact the residency program as soon as you know you need to change plans, preferably at least two weeks in advance. Canceling or rescheduling with less than a week’s notice should be limited to cases of true emergencies, such as a sudden illness or death in the family. 

• Communication method. Regardless of how far in advance your cancellation or reschedule request occurs, contact the residency program by email or phone. If you call, you might consider sending an email to confirm the cancellation or reschedule. 

• Explanation. If you’re canceling or rescheduling at least two weeks in advance, an explanation is unnecessary. If you’re canceling or rescheduling because of an emergency, if possible, provide an explanation that indicates the nature of the emergency (e.g., a death in your family, you’re sick) but without too much detail (e.g., “I’m vomiting every hour.”). Review the program’s instructions for rescheduling or cancelling an interview to see if they require any other documentation. If you remain interested in the residency program, affirm your continued interest when asking if it’s possible to reschedule. If you need further guidance, consult your student affairs or career services office.  

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Implications to Consider When Accepting or Declining Interviews  

In the current residency application landscape, you may feel encouraged – even pressured – to apply to a large number of residency programs and amass interviews because it keeps your training and career options open. Likewise, it may seem safer to initially accept every interview invite and to later choose which ones to attend. When taken to the extreme, this behavior has recently been dubbed “interview hoarding.” 

Given this context, it is important to understand that your “yes” starts a chain of events that affects you, other applicants, residency programs, and your school. Below are some of the implications to consider when you are deciding which invitations to accept and which to decline. 

• For you – Accepting an interview not only adds more to your interview schedule but to your academic schedule as well.  

• For other applicants to the residency program – Accepting an interview slot that you’re uninterested in could mean holding or wasting a slot another applicant could have filled. 

• For the residency program – Even though you may only ever interact with an online scheduling tool, rest assured one or more human beings are taking action in response to your “yes.” 

• For your school – How you approach the interview process will not only speak volumes about you, but residency programs will also attribute your behavior – good or bad – to your medical school. Your behavior could build or maintain the trust between the residency program and your medical school, or it could damage that trust – ultimately affecting how residency programs consider applicants from your medical school in future application cycles. 

Understanding and appreciating the rippling effect of a “yes” on you and those around you may help you make better decisions and better navigate the residency interview season. 

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Some programs may offer a hybrid interview format, meaning an applicant can select either in-person or virtual interviews. Programs that chose to offer a hybrid format did so after considering many factors. They want you to interview in the format that works best for you.  

Consider the following factors and questions to guide your decision on the best interview format for you: 

Consideration	Question(s) you may consider asking yourself:
Cost	How does opting for a virtual interview impact the overall cost? Can it help reduce expenses on travel, accommodation, and meals compared to in-person interviews? By choosing a virtual interview, how can I effectively manage my budget and potentially save money?
Convenience	In what ways do virtual interviews offer greater convenience? Can I take advantage of the flexibility they provide in scheduling, especially with reduced travel time? How can virtual interviews accommodate my busy schedule while maintaining efficiency?
Comfort Level	How does participating in interviews from familiar environments like my home or school contribute to a more comfortable experience? Can it alleviate interview-related anxiety? Can virtual interviews create a more relaxed atmosphere that allows me to showcase my best self? Or would I perform better in person? What strategies is the program using to ensure fairness and reduce bias?
Ability to Assess Fit	How do programs facilitate the assessment of fit during virtual interviews and events? Are there specific sessions or opportunities for interaction that will help me gauge my compatibility with the program? What resources and platforms are available for me to connect with the program and gain insights into its values and culture?
Ability to See Physical Spaces	Given the virtual interview format, how can I gain an understanding of the program’s physical spaces? Do they offer virtual tours or alternative means to familiarize myself with the environment? How can I virtually explore the medical campus and facilities to gain a comprehensive perspective on the program’s infrastructure and resources? Is there an optional in-person visit day?

Programs may provide information on the ways in which they are working to maintain fairness and equity for hybrid interviews up-front (e.g., not sharing whether an applicant interviewed in-person or virtually with decision committees). If a program does not provide this information up-front, it is appropriate to ask them to provide it so that you have it when making the decision about whether to interview in-person or virtually.  

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Peer-Reviewed Articles Published in Medical Journals About Hybrid Interviewing 

Brian, R., Wang, J. J., Park, K. M., Karimzada, M., Sequeira, N., O’Sullivan, P., & Alseidi, A. (2022). Virtual interviews: assessing how expectations meet reality. Journal of Surgical Education, 80(2), 200–207. https://doi-org.proxy.library.nyu.edu/10.1016/j.jsurg.2022.09.019 

Rohrberg, T., Walling, A., Gillam, M., St Peter, M., & Nilsen, K. (2022). Interviewing for family medicine residency: in-person, virtual, or hybrid? Family medicine, 54(10), 820–827. https://doi.org/10.22454/FamMed.2022.951860 

Interviews can be an enjoyable part of the process and are important for both the residency program and you to learn about one another. To optimize the experience and to put your best foot forward, it is highly recommended that some preparation occurs before you begin interviews.

On This Page:

• Gather Information About the Interview
• Making the Best First Impression Possible
• Understand the Typical Question Formats
• Identify Sample Experiences
• Practice Describing Your Experiences
• Consider How You May Format Your Response for Behavior-Based Questions
• Tips on Professionalism and How to Be the “Best You” on Interview Day

Gather Information About the Interview 

If possible, get as much information about the interview from the residency program (e.g., your contact person). Aspects of the interview that would be helpful to know in advance include: 

• Virtual, hybrid, or in-person 
• Live or asynchronous (virtual only) 
• Video interview platform (virtual only) 
• Number of interviewers 
• Interview length 
• Types of interview questions 
• List of competencies or skills assessed during the interview 
• Interview protocol or instructions to follow during the interview  

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Making the Best First Impression Possible

• Be well-prepared and log in early. Being ready ahead of time demonstrates your preparedness and professionalism. Nothing is more stressful than scrambling at the last minute to set up your virtual interview or dealing with technical difficulties. Test your equipment, internet connection, and familiarize yourself with the platform in advance. If it's an in-person interview, plan your route, check transportation options, and aim to arrive a few minutes early to show your punctuality.  

• Project confidence and professionalism during your interaction with the interviewer(s). It's natural to feel nervous, but remember to maintain eye contact, greet them by name, and exhibit a positive demeanor. For virtual interviews, maintain good eye contact by looking directly at the camera and offer a friendly smile. In an in-person interview, additionally, offer a firm handshake while greeting the interviewers.  

• Maintain professionalism when interacting with current students. Remember that everything you say before, during, and after the interview can have an impact. Even in informal conversations with current residents, be mindful of your words. There may be opportunities to socialize with current residents, such as virtual meetups or attending receptions. If alcohol is offered at any of these events, remember to consume it responsibly or abstain, keeping in mind the professional setting and the impression you want to make. 

After each interview, capture your impressions immediately by taking notes or writing a summary of things that stood out to you the most (both good and bad). As you travel the interview trail, the programs start to look alike, and your notes will help you recall your experiences and distinguish between different programs. 

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Understand the Typical Question Formats 

Although there are many types of interview questions, most fall into one of three categories.  

• General questions will ask you to describe yourself broadly. For example, “Tell me why you are interested in this residency program.” 

• Behavioral questions will ask you to describe previous experiences to demonstrate your level of knowledge and skills and the extent of your experiences. For example, “Please describe a time when you observed a member of the medical team you were working with behave in a manner that was inconsistent with an established protocol. Explain what the situation was, what actions you took, and the outcome.” 

• Situational questions will ask you to demonstrate your level of knowledge and skill by describing what you should or would do in different hypothetical situations. For example, “Imagine you are on your morning rounds. The chief resident describes a difficult case you and a colleague worked on earlier in the week and compliments your handling of the situation. She gives you sole credit and fails to mention that your colleague played a major role. What would you do?” 

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Identify Sample Experiences 

• If the residency program has provided a list of competencies or skills to be assessed during the interview, reflect on your experiences related to them. 

• Review your resume or CV and reflect on your experiences and learning before you conduct the interview. Try to identify some situations you think best exemplify your skills or competencies.  

• Discuss your experiences with your advisor(s) and/or mentor(s). Which are the best examples of your competencies and skills? Your examples should demonstrate your highest level of proficiency.  

• Consider creating a brief list of experiences that demonstrate your skills and could be used in response to different questions. It may be helpful to have these experiences readily available as you prepare your response to each interview question. 

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Practice Describing Your Experiences 

Conduct mock interviews with your peers, advisors, or faculty to practice developing responses using specific examples from your life and experiences. These mock interviews can be done in person or over a web-based application. Practice using the format that you will encounter on interview day. Many medical schools offer mock interview programs through their career advising office(s). Seek these opportunities to hone your answers to commonly asked questions and pinpoint any areas for improvement.

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Consider How You May Format Your Response for Behavior-Based Questions

The STAR Method is an approach to responding to behavior-based interview questions wherein the applicant tells a story of the situation by providing the following information: 

• Situation – What were the circumstances surrounding your example? How long ago was it? Where did it occur (medical school, work, etc.)? 
• Task – What was the task that was involved (a medical school assignment, a project at work, etc.)? What was the goal? 
• Action – What steps did you (and others, if applicable) take in the situation? 
• Result – What was the outcome of the situation? Was it positive or negative? Was it what you expected? What did you learn from the experience or outcome? 

Be sure to address all four of the above components in your response. It is best to focus on one situation in each response instead of speaking about multiple situations in general. Additionally, it is acceptable to use teamwork examples in your response but be sure to focus your response on your individual actions and contributions. 

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Tips on Professionalism and How to Be the “Best You” on Interview Day  

Professionalism is an important quality on which applicants are evaluated throughout the entire interview process.  

Always remain courteous, patient, mindful, and gracious throughout your interactions with residency programs. 

In addition to displaying professionalism throughout your application journey, it is key to convey confidence and preparedness. Here are four tips to help you interview with confidence: 

• Be the expert on you. Know what experiences you included in your application, so you are prepared to further discuss your application. If the interviewer asks about a specific experience, do not repeat what you already wrote in your application. Add depth to your written application and reflect on the experience during the interview with greater detail and insight. 
• Convey your motivation for medicine, the specialty you’re pursing, and your interest in the program. Your motivation and passion must leave an impression. Convey your interest in the program by stating why you feel it is a good fit for you and ask questions to further explore fit.  
• Prepare, don’t rehearse. The compulsion to memorize and practice answers sometimes leads to too much pivoting in the interview where an applicant doesn’t answer the question asked but gives the answer they prepared instead. The best interviews are conversational and allow the interviewer to explore your experiences, motivations, and reflections, but also your personality. There have been great interviews where the conversation evolved to all sorts of topics not listed in the application that enabled the interviewer to see an applicant’s critical thinking skills, analytical skills, and personality. 
• Be a storyteller. Stories are powerful and memorable ways to convey your ideas. Consider your areas of growth, your accomplishments, your past failures, and your motivation for medicine or your chosen specialty. Think about instances of teamwork, failure, disappointment, goal-setting, or resilience. Reflect on growth and meaning as much as possible. How did you change? What did you learn? What would you do differently next time? 

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In addition to the general tips provided in the “How to prepare for your interviews – Virtual or In-person” section, there are several considerations for preparing for a virtual interview, including: 

On This Page:

• Identifying suitable technology
• Practicing with technology
• Selecting and setting up your environment
• Considering your presentation
• Setting up for the interview

• Virtual interview etiquette and Zoom fatigue 

Identifying Suitable Technology 

To complete virtual interviews, you will need the following: 

• A strong and stable internet connection. You can check your internet speed at SpeedTest.net. Sometimes switching from Wi-Fi to a wired ethernet connection improves your internet speed. If your home’s internet connection is too slow, consider going to a local library or finding space at your medical school where you can do the interview in a private room with stable Wi-Fi. 
• A computer or tablet with a good webcam and microphone. Although a mobile phone may be used, we recommend using a computer or tablet to improve stability.  
• Silence calls, alarms, or notifications. We recommend using a device that will not accept phone calls during interviews because a phone call will interfere with your ability to complete your response.  

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Practicing With Technology 

• Practice responding with the device you’ll be using during the interview. 

  • For a live video interview, practice with peers or advisors. 

  • For an asynchronous interview, practice on your own so you can get used to responding without an interviewer present.  

• If possible, record yourself so you can get a sense of your positioning on screen, eye contact, sound quality, and whether you’re fidgeting, swiveling in your chair, or making distracting gestures, such as covering parts of your face.  

• Make a note of how the camera and microphone are positioned so you can recreate a setup that works when you log in to the system to complete your actual interview. 

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Selecting and Setting Up Your Environment 

• Identify a private, quiet, well-lit space where you can complete the interview by yourself, free of potential distractions, and where you can speak freely. Make sure you have control over the background noise. Consider completing the interview at someone’s home (your own, a family member’s, or a friend’s), space offered by your medical school (study room, specific interview rooms, lab space, etc.), or personal office space. A professor or faculty member may be able to help you find space on campus, and your career services office may have rooms available to use for interviews.  

• Avoid having sources of bright light such as sunlight and lamps directly behind you because they will cast a shadow on you. Instead, make sure a light source is in front of you so the interviewer can see you clearly. If you’re doing the interview at night, make sure there’s a lamp available that can light up your face. Consider the backdrop you will use during your interview and try to keep it clean and neat and free of distractions. Think about setting up virtual backgrounds across each of the most common interview platforms (e.g., Zoom, Microsoft Teams). This can include choosing the “blur my background” feature, choosing a pre-set virtual background in the platform, or uploading your own virtual background.  

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Considering Your Presentation 

• Dress professionally, as you would for an in-person interview.  

• Try to be rested and focused. As with any formal interview, you want to be able to focus on understanding the questions, crafting coherent responses, and presenting your best self. 

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Setting Up for the Interview 

• Double-check your microphone and camera to make sure they’re working well.  

• Position the camera at eye level so it looks like you are looking directly at the interviewer. Be sure to look at your camera when speaking instead of looking at other participants.  

• Shut down all programs on your device so that no alerts, notifications, or other electronic interruptions distract you. 

• Make sure your device is fully charged. Carry a charger with you and make sure you can plug into an outlet in case there is a problem with your battery. When possible, plug into an outlet in advance of any battery issues. 

• Have a backup plan in case the technology fails ― this may be as simple as providing your phone number to the interviewer in advance. 

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Virtual Interview Etiquette and Zoom Fatigue 

There are several steps you can take to ensure your virtual interview go smoothly and prevent zoom fatigue. Zoom fatigue, or video conferencing fatigue, arises when individuals spend too much time looking at computer/phone screens, and can manifest as emotional, psychological, and physical exhaustion.  Below are some recommendations for combating Zoom fatigue: 

• Become comfortable with the software using the tips in the “practice with technology” section above. 
• Log in early to avoid potential stress caused by last-minute log in. 
• Stand up and stretch in between sessions, if possible. 
• Make “hide self-video” as a default setting or automatically hide it after a few seconds once you know you are framed properly to avoid stress and fatigue resulting from increased self-awareness. 

In group settings, it can be useful to mute the microphone when not speaking so that you spend less time worrying about maintaining a quiet environment during the virtual meeting. Additionally, try to focus on the interviewer instead of browsing other participants’ videos as it may induce fatigue when trying to process what is happing in multiple video windows. 

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Peer-Reviewed Articles Published in Medical Journals About Virtual Interviewing  

Bailenson, J.N. Nonverbal overload: a theoretical argument for the causes of zoom fatigue. Technology, Mind, and Behavior. 2021;2(1). 

Bishop, T., Heinrich, L., Greenberg, J. B., Wenner, R., Furst, W., & Wong, J. (2022). The impact of virtual interviews on the resident applicant: a before-and-after comparison. Family medicine, 54(10), 833–835. https://doi.org/10.22454/FamMed.2022.510274 

Bullock, A.N., Colvin, A.D., Jackson MS. “All Zoomed out”: strategies for addressing zoom fatigue in the age of COVID-19. Springer Science and Business Media Deutschland GmbH. 2022.  

Daram SR, Wu R, Tang SJ. Interview from anywhere: feasibility and utility of web-based videoconference interviews in the gastroenterology fellowship selection process. Am J Gastroenterol. 2014;109(2):155-159.  

Domingo, A., Rdesinski, R. E., Cheng, A., Hatfield, J., Aylor, M., Walker, S., Cois, A., Singer, J., Sullenbarger, J., Hervey, S., & Stenson, A. (2022). Effectiveness of virtual residency interviews: interviewer perspectives. Family medicine, 54(10), 828–832. https://doi.org/10.22454/FamMed.2022.177754 

Edje L., Miller C., Kiefer J, Oram D. Using Skype as an alternative for residency selection interviews. J Grad Med Educ. 2013;5(3):503-505.  

Eveland, A. P., Prado, L. G., Wilhelm, S. R., Wong, S., & Barsky, S. H. (2021). The virtues of the virtual medical school interview. Medical education online, 26(1), 1992820. https://doi.org/10.1080/10872981.2021.1992820 

Finney, N., Stopenski, S., & Smith, B. R. (2022). Applicant perspectives of virtual general surgery residency interviews. The American Surgeon, 88(10), 2556–2560. https://doi-org.proxy.library.nyu.edu/10.1177/00031348221103658 

Huppert, L. A., & Babik, J. M. (2020). Best practices to successfully navigate a virtual interview: a five-step guide for hematology/oncology fellowship applicants. Journal of cancer education: the official journal of the American Association for Cancer Education, 35(5), 860–861. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13187-020-01851-w 

Huppert, L. A., Hsiao, E. C., Cho, K. C., Marquez, C., Chaudhry, R. I., Frank, J., Goglin, S. E., Hsu, G., Kathpalia, P., Khanna, R., Kompala, T., Rao, M. N., Bower, B. A., Trafas, V., Santhosh, L., Schwartz, B. S., & Babik, J. M. (2020). Virtual interviews at graduate medical education training residency programs: determining evidence-based best practices. Academic medicine: journal of the Association of American Medical Colleges, 96(8), 1137–1145. https://doi.org/10.1097/ACM.0000000000003868 

Lamberton, T., Tung, C., Kaji, A. H., Neville, A. L., Singer, G. A., Simms, E. R., Lona, Y., & Virgilio, C. de. (2022). Faculty scoring of general surgery residency interviewees: a comparison of in-person and virtual interview formats. Journal of Surgical Education, 79(6), e69–e75. https://doi-org.proxy.library.nyu.edu/10.1016/j.jsurg.2022.09.003 

Lee, E., Terhaar, S., Shakhtour, L., Gerhard, E., Patella, M., Singh, R., & Zapanta, P. E. (2022). Virtual residency interviews during the covid-19 pandemic: the applicant's perspective. Southern medical journal, 115(9), 698–706. https://doi.org/10.14423/SMJ.0000000000001442 

Levine, J., Yerneni, K., DeBenedectis, C. M., Garg, A., Berggruen, S., Kelahan, L., Griffin, L., & Magnetta, M. (2022). Resident perspective of the virtual diagnostic radiology residency interview process: a national survey from the association of residency program directors in radiology. Academic Radiology. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.acra.2022.12.024 

McCarthy, C. (2020). Develop successful interview strategies for virtual and traditional formats. Successful Registrar, 20(10), 1–7. 

Nwora, C., Allred, D. B., & Verduzco-Gutierrez, M. (2021). Mitigating bias in virtual interviews for applicants who are underrepresented in medicine. Journal of the National Medical Association, 113(1), 74–76. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jnma.2020.07.011 

Otugo, O., Alvarez, A., Brown, I., & Landry, A. (2021). Bias in recruitment: A focus on virtual interviews and holistic review to advance diversity. AEM Education and Training, 5, S135–S139. 

Pasadhika S, Altenbernd T, Ober RR, Harvey EM, Miller JM. Residency interview video conferencing. Ophthalmology. 2014;119(2):426-426.e5. 

Ponterio, J. M., Levy, L., & Lakhi, N. A. (2022). Evaluation of the virtual interviews for resident recruitment due to covid-19 travel restrictions: a nationwide survey of us senior medical students. Family medicine, 54(10), 776–783. https://doi.org/10.22454/FamMed.2022.592364 

Ponterio, J. M., Levy, L., & Lakhi, N. A. (2022). Evaluation of the virtual interview format for resident recruitment as a result of covid-19 restrictions: residency program directors' perspectives. Academic medicine: journal of the Association of American Medical Colleges, 97(9), 1360–1367. https://doi.org/10.1097/ACM.0000000000004730 

Pourmand A, Lee H, Fair M, Maloney K, Caggiula A. Feasibility and usability of tele-interview for medical residency interview. West J Emerg Med. 2018;19(1):80-86. 

Riedl R. On the stress potential of videoconferencing: definition and root causes of Zoom fatigue. Electron Mark. 2022;32(1):153-177. 

Robinson, K. A., Shin, B., & Gangadharan, S. P. (2021). A comparison between in-person and virtual fellowship interviews during the COVID-19 pandemic. Journal of surgical education, 78(4), 1175–1181. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jsurg.2020.11.006 

Seifi, A., Mirahmadizadeh, A., & Eslami, V. (2020). Perception of medical students and residents about virtual interviews for residency applications in the United States. PloS one, 15(8), e0238239. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0238239 

Shah S.K., Arora S, Skipper B., Kalishman S., Timm T.C., Smith A.Y.. Randomized evaluation of a web based interview process for urology resident selection. J Urol. 2012;187(4):1380-1384. 

Shreffler, J., Platt, M., Thé, S., & Huecker, M. (2021). Planning virtual residency interviews as a result of COVID-19: insight from residency applicants and physicians conducting interviews. Postgraduate medical journal, 98(1158), 276–280. https://doi.org/10.1136/postgradmedj-2020-139182 

Singh, A., Haddad, A. G., & Krupp, J. C. (2022). Reply: COVID-19, virtual interviews, and the selection quandary: How a program's digital footprint influences the plastic surgery match. Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, 149(6), 1263e–1264e. https://doi.org/10.1097/PRS.0000000000009109 

Steele, T. N., Prabhu, S. S., Layton, R. G., Runyan, C. M., & David, L. R. (2022). The virtual interview experience: advantages, disadvantages, and trends in applicant behavior. Plastic and reconstructive surgery. Global open, 10(11), e4677. https://doi.org/10.1097/GOX.0000000000004677 

Stephenson-Famy A, Houmard BS, Oberoi S, Manyak A, Chiang S, Kim S. Use of the interview in resident applicant selection: a review of the literature. J Grad Med Educ. 2015;7(4):539-548. 

Strumpf, Z., Miller, C., Abbas, K. Z., Livingston, D., Shaman, Z., & Matta, M. (2023). Year two of virtual interviews: longitudinal changes and diverse perspectives. BMC medical education, 23(1), 41. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12909-023-04009-6 

Vadi, M.G., Malkin M. R., Lenar J., et al. Comparison of web-based and face-to-face interviews for application to an anesthesiology training residency program: a pilot study. Int J Med Educ. 2016;7:102-108.  

Wicks, A.D.. Minimizing zoom fatigue and other strategies for a successful synchronous class experience. Cambridge Scholars. 2021.  

Wiederhold, B.K.. Connecting through technology during the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic: avoiding "Zoom fatigue". Cyberpsychol Behav Soc Netw. 2020;23(7):437-438. 

Williams K., Kling J.M., Labonte H.R., Blair J.E. Videoconference interviewing: tips for success. J Grad Med Educ. 2015;7(3):331–333. 

Wolff, M., & Burrows, H. (2021). Planning for virtual interviews: residency recruitment during a pandemic. Academic Pediatrics, 21(1), 24–31. https://doi-org.proxy.library.nyu.edu/10.1016/j.acap.2020.10.006 

Yaman, G.B., Hocaoğlu Ç. Zoom Fatigue: A review. Current Approaches in Psychiatry. 2022;14(3):407-413.  

Specific questions will vary among programs. However, questions will generally fall into the following categories: 

• Questions about you – “How would your friends describe you?” “What are your strengths and weaknesses?” 

• Questions about your future career goals – “What do you see yourself doing in the future?” “What are your goals?” 

• Questions about why your interest in the specialty – “Why are you interested in this specialty?” “How much did lifestyle considerations fit into your choice of specialty?” 

• Questions about your interest in their specific program – “Why are you interested in our program?” “What are you looking for in a program?” 

• Questions about your application/record – “Can you tell me about this deficiency on your record?”  

• Questions about your past experiences – “What was the most difficult situation you encountered in medical school?” “What is one event you are proudest of in your life?” 

• Questions about how you would handle a hypothetical situation – “Describe how you can effectively deal with someone in a crisis?” “If your attending came into work intoxicated but was still performing well, what would you do?” 

 Access an AAMC list of frequently asked interview questions (sign-in required). 

Now that you’ve prepared for your interviews, it’s time to discuss recommendations for responding to appropriate interview questions, provide examples of inappropriate interview questions, and present recommendations for what to do if you get asked inappropriate interview questions. 

Responding to Questions 

Consider the following “Dos” and “Don’ts” when responding to interview questions. 

Dos

Don’ts

Use clinical and nonclinical experiences in your responses, as appropriate.   Provide detailed and specific examples and try to avoid speaking in generalities. Typically, one strong example is better than several weak or tangential examples.  Provide a complete response to each question. In general, when responding to:  Behavioral questions, share past experiences using the STAR format described in the “How to Prepare – Virtual or In-Person” section by discussing the situation or task you encountered, the actions you took, the outcome of your actions, and what you learned.   Situational questions, discuss the actions you should take, why you should take those actions, and what you would expect the result of your actions to be.

Do not provide patient information that could be used separately or in combination to identify a patient, such as names, locations, diagnoses, or other distinguishing characteristics. Refer to a patient as “the patient.”  If your response may portray a colleague in a negative light, do not provide information that could be used separately or in combination to identify that colleague, such as a name, title, location, or other distinguishing characteristic.

Although interviewers are instructed by programs and guided by federal statutes on what are unfair or discriminatory employment inquiries, there may be an occasion when an interviewer asks an inappropriate question. You can find examples below.

You have the right not to answer what you sense is an inappropriate question. If such a question is asked, try to relax and provide a thoughtful and articulate response (two essential characteristics of a good physician). You may also respectfully decline to answer the question and explain that you were advised not to answer questions that you sensed were inappropriate.

You have the responsibility to report being asked an inappropriate question to help prevent further occurrences. Programs may establish formal procedures that enable applicants to report such incidents in a confidential manner.

Programs may inform you of these procedures prior to interviews and assure you that reporting an incident will not bias your evaluation.

If a program did not inform you of its procedures and an incident occurs, use these guidelines. If possible, report the incident in confidence to a program director or designated institutional officer (DIO), the interview day, including the interviewer’s name and the interview question(s) asked. Otherwise, email this information to a program staff member within 24 hours of the interview, noting the date and time of the incident. Furthermore, you have the right to ask if another interview is deemed necessary to ensure an unbiased evaluation of your application to that residency.

Some interviewers use the interview to assess how well you function under stress and may purposely ask challenging questions to observe how you respond under pressure.

How you communicate will be a critical part of the encounter; however, this does not give an interviewer the right to ask you inappropriate questions in their attempt to challenge you during the interview.

Examples of inappropriate questions

• Q: What is your race, ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation, political affiliation, marital status, opinion on abortion and/or euthanasia, income, value of your home, credit score, etc.?
• Q: Do you have or are you planning on having children during residency?
• Q: Do you have any disabilities?
• Q: Will you require special accommodations?
• Q: Have you ever been arrested?
• Q: Have you ever done drugs?
• Q: How old are you?

Sample responses to inappropriate questions

• Q: What are your plans for expanding your family during residency?
  • A: Can you please clarify your question? I want to make sure that I’m providing information that is most relevant to my candidacy.
• Q: Have you ever done drugs?
  • A: I am uncomfortable discussing my medical history and possible use of prescription medication.

Additional Resource

• National Resident Matching Program^® (NRMP^®) Match Code of Conduct for Programs

Residency and fellowship training programs want the best qualified applicants, and interviews are the culmination of that search. So, all the pressure is on you to wow the residency programs, right? Yes and no. 

Yes, you must sell yourself effectively and make a great impression, but you’re interviewing the residency program as well. You’ll likely be interested in multiple residency programs, and the interview is your best opportunity to discover how well you align with each residency program. So how do you try on each residency program? 

Decide what’s most important to you in a residency program. 

Each student has different priorities and criteria they want in their residency program and out of their residency experience, so make a list of and prioritize the factors important to you. Use the Residency Preference Exercise to develop a list of essential characteristics to help you search and narrow your list of residency programs.  

Do your homework. 

Research residency programs using their website and pre-interview materials as well as your contacts who are connected with the residency program. The more informed you are, the more insightful the questions you can ask during the interview. 

Ask the right questions. 

You are seeking a residency program that will live up to your expectations and assist in meeting your educational and professional goals. So, develop questions that will help you collect the information you need to make a good decision. 

Interested in conducting research? Ask about research track opportunities or the work of an investigator in the department whose research interests you. Is a fellowship in your future? Ask what percentage of graduates enter fellowships and in what fields. Don't Forget to Ask: Advice from Residents on What to Ask during the Residency Interview includes a broad list of questions to help you start. 

Prepare a long list of questions. 

Almost every interviewer will ask for your questions about the residency program, so be prepared with many thoughtful ones. An interviewer might even defer the direction of the interview to you, and being prepared with plenty of questions will allow you to take the reins with confidence. 

Direct your questions to the proper person. 

Some questions will be more appropriate for the residency program director, while some will be better suited for the residents. 

Have questions about residency program performance? Those are best answered by the residency program director. Want to know how supportive the faculty is? Ask the residents. Prepare your list of questions by interviewer and topic so you are securing answers that help you best determine the strengths and weaknesses of the residency program. 

Don’t ask about salary, benefits, and vacation. 

Even though these are important questions, it’s poor form. Interviewers will likely think you’re primarily concerned with the perks of their program rather than the educational experience. 

Also, since this information is typically provided in a presentation or other materials, you should be able to avoid asking for it during the interview. 

Compile the information. 

It’s fine to jot a few notes during the interview but conduct the majority of your note-taking immediately following the interview day. 

Take a moment to recall the answers to the questions you asked and write them down along with your feelings and general impressions of the residency program. After a few interviews, many of the residency programs start to look alike, and you’ll be grateful for any information that will help you distinguish and choose among them. All the questions you ask and the answers (or non-answers!) you receive will help broaden and deepen your knowledge of the residency program and your ultimate compatibility.