Residency Interview Guide

After months of paperwork and preparation, residency interviews finally give you the chance to find out how the programs on your list compare. Knowing what to anticipate from the residency interview experience and how to prepare will help you be confident during each meeting.

Residency programs and candidates share similar goals. Just like you, program representatives want to gauge compatibility, get a sense of who you are, and assess your strengths and weaknesses. You and your interviewers are attempting to shape your rank order list of for the Match.

Here are some tips to keep in mind before, during and after your residency interviews.

Get Tips for Successful Residency Interviews

AAFP recently assembled a panel of experts who regularly conduct or recently completed residency interviews to offer their advice in the recent webinar "Applying to Family Medicine Residency." They discuss topics including:

What questions can you expect?
What questions should you be asking?
How should you address an academic misstep?
How should you practice interviewing without sounding too rehearsed?

In the short clip above, Dr. Alice Mills stresses the importance of preparation for residency program interviews.

What are residency interviews like?

Residency interviews usually include informal time for candidates to interact with residents, faculty, and staff as well as time for individual question-and-answer periods. It may include a group dinner or team-building activity. You will also likely meet with various residency faculty, staff, and the program director for at least 30 minutes each. Overall, an interview might take several hours or occur over a couple of days.

Most programs will aim to give you a clear sense of their training facilities during an interview, too, so that you have a strong feel for the work environment.

Before the interview

First, as you review and respond to invitations, try not to be anxious about the timing of your interview and whether it occurs early or late in the cycle. Timing is not a factor in how programs rank candidates.

Each interview takes some logistics planning and content planning.

Logistics prep:

Arrange travel – Coordinate geographically, if possible, and decide how much time to leave yourself to explore the area or to regroup after returning home. Check to see if programs offer housing or other travel assistance
Get the details – Programs may need you to complete some paperwork before your interview. They should also provide agenda details in advance, either through ERAS or direct email. A residency’s program coordinator is a great point of contact any time you have questions.

Content prep:

Research the program and faculty – Read anything a program sends you about their program ahead of time, and review a program’s website for answers to basic questions. Study up on faculty interests to learn where you share common interests.
Build a strong list of questions – With input from family medicine residency program directors, the AAFP developed a list of questions designed to help you learn about a residency program’s strengths, challenges, and areas of focus.
Practice – Ask a friend or mentor to do a mock interview with you. At the very least, consider the different questions and question styles you might encounter, and how you’ll respond.

Interview preparation: Insights from a PGY2

Attend open houses and take advantage of "second looks" after interview days.
Utilize your school's interview practice resources and programs to rehearse responses to common questions.
Connect with mentors for personalized guidance and feedback and to help better present your authentic self during interviews.

During the interview

The best way to help yourself make decisions about how to rank programs is to have a good notetaking and reflection strategy during and immediately after interviews. Everyone has a different system — without one, whether you’re judging programs on 30 characteristics or just five, it’s easy to have mixed up your interview impressions by the time your rank order list is due.

Otherwise, during your interview, be prepared to ask a lot of questions, and remember that everyone you interact with, from the time you arrive, to the time you leave, will potentially be evaluating you.

If you have any unstructured time, try to spend it in places with residents. This will give you a better feel for the actual working environment.

After the interview

Once you leave the interview, consider if you want to follow up with a thank you note, or if you have any remaining questions. Programs are cautious about following the rules outlined by the National Resident Matching Program, and therefore, some may request that you do not follow up at all, or may tell you they don’t want or don’t respond to thank-you notes. You can always ask a program representative about post-interview communication protocols, but it’s also safe to assume that if someone gives you their contact information, they are OK with you using it.

Best practices for communicating with residency programs post-interview

During our recent Applying to Family Medicine Residencies webinar, Dr. Margot Savoy and Dr. Sarah Cole share their advice for post-interview etiquette. To hear that part of the conversation, click on the video clip above.

Appropriate Follow-Up:

If applicants have additional questions after the interview, they can reach out to the program's coordinator or director.
Programs may provide contact details for current residents for further inquiries.

Thank-You Notes:

Sending a thank-you note is acceptable and appreciated.
Expressing genuine interest through thoughtful thank-you notes is encouraged.
Avoid sending generic or insincere messages; personalize notes based on the interview experience.

Letters of Intent:

Dr. Cole advises against notifying programs about ranking preferences; it does not benefit applicants and can create discomfort.

General Communication Tips:

Programs value authentic communication over frequent, superficial check-ins.
Balance is key; stay engaged but avoid overwhelming the program with constant updates.

Final Thoughts:

Focus on meaningful connections made during the interview rather than automated responses.
Minimal communication does not indicate a lack of interest from the program.