Residency

Interview
Questions
Whatarethequestionsyoumaybeaskedontheinterviewday?
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Listthreeaccomplishmentsofwhichyouaremostproudofandwhateach
accomplishmentindicatesaboutyou?
Listthreeabilitiesyouhavethatwillmakeyouvaluableasaresidentinthis
specialty?
Whatclinicalexperiencehaveyouhadinthisspecialty?
Doyouhaveanyquestions?
Tellmeaboutyourself?
Whatthreeadjectivesbestdescribeyou?
WhatmightgivemeabetterpictureofyouthanIcangetfromyourresume?
Tellmeastoryaboutyourselfthatbestdescribesyou?
fyouweregoingtodiein5minutes,whatwouldyoutellsomeoneaboutyourself?
Ofwhichaccomplishmentsareyoumostproud?
Arethereanyhiddenachievementsorqualitiesthatyouaresecretlyproudof?
Howhaveyouchangedsincehighschool?
Whatareyourstrengthsandweaknesses?
TellmeaboutyoursecretidentityThepartofyourpersonalitythatyoudont
sharewithstrangers?
Anyskeletonsinyourclosetyouwanttotellmeabout?
Howwelldoyoutakecriticism?
Whatsyourpetpeeve?
Ifyoucouldchangeonethingaboutyourpersonalitywhatwoulditbe?
Ifyoucouldbeanycellinthehumanbody,whichwouldyoubeandwhy?
Doyouseeyourselfasmorerelaxed/casual/informalormore
serious/dedicated/committed?
Whatismoreimportant,theabilitytoorganize,structure,andprioritizeortobe
flexible,modify,changeandmakedoasneeded?
Whichismoreimportant,knowledgeorimagination?
StrangestHalloweencostumeyoueverwore?
Whatdoyouvalueinyourownlife?
Ifyouhadunlimitedmoneyand(xamountoftime)whatwouldyoudo?
3wishes,whatwouldtheybe?

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Whatkindsofpeopleareyourfriends?
Describeyourbestfriend?
Howareyousimilaranddissimilartoyourbestfriend?
Howwouldyourfriendsorcoworkersdescribeyou?
Whoareyourheroes?
Whatisyourfavoritemovie,book?
Whatisthelastbookyouread?
Whatdosuccessandfailuremeantoyou?
Whatdoyoudoinyoursparetime?
Favoritegames/sports?Why?
Haveyoudoneanyvolunteerwork?
Howdidyouchoosetheseoutsideactivities?
Ifyouhadacompletelyfreeday,whatwouldyoudo?
Describeformeyourtypicalday?
Whatisthemostbizarrethingyouhaveeverdone(incollege,highschool,etc)?
Whatisthemostunusualoccurrenceinyourlifeinthepast(xamountoftime)?
Whichorganizationsdoyoubelongto?
Whatareyourplansforafamily?
Ifcouldnotbeaphysician,whatcareerwouldyouchoose?
Whychoosetobeadoctor?
Howdoyoumakeimportantdecisions?
Areyouarisktakerorsafetyminded?
Whatmadeyouchooseyourundergraduatemajor?
Howdidyouselectundergraduatecollegeandmedicalschool?
Whatwerethemajordeficienciesinyourmedicalschooltraining?Howwouldyou
plantoremedythis?
Ifyoucouldbeginyourschoolingagain,whatwouldyouchange?
Haveyoueverdroppedaclass,why?
Haveyoueverquitorbeenfiredfromajob?
Biggestfailuresinlifeandwhathaveyoudonetoensurethattheywonthappen
again?
Haveyoualwaysdonethebestworkofwhichyouarecapable?
Whichtypesofpeopledoyouhaveproblemsworkingwith?
Whatqualitiesdriveyoucrazyincolleagues?
Describethebest/worstattendingwithwhomyouhaveeverworked?
Doyouprefertoworkundersupervisionoronyourown?
Withwhichpatientsdoyouhavetroubledealing?
Howdoyounormallyhandleconflict?
Howdoyourespondwhenyouhaveproblemswithsomeone?
Whatdoyoudoifsomeoneseniortellsyoutodosomethingyouknowiswrong?
Withwhatsubject/rotationdidyouhavethemostdifficulty?
Whydoyouwanttogointothisspecialty?
Whatwouldyoubewillingtosacrificetobecomeaphysicianinthisspecialty?
Whatisthegreatestsacrificeyouhavealreadymadetogettowhereyouare?
Ifyourchosenspecialtydidnotexist,whatwouldyoudo?
Howmuchdidlifestyleconsiderationsfitintoyourchoiceofspecialty?
Whydidyouapplytothisprogram?
Whatqualitiesareyoulookingforinaprogram?
Whatinterestsyoumostaboutthisprogram?

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Whathaveyouheardaboutourprogramthatyoudontlike?
Areyouapplyingherebecauseitisafamiliarenvironment?
Whatwillbethetoughestaspectofthisspecialtyforyou?
Howwillyouhandletheleastinterestingorleastpleasantpartsofthisspecialtys
practice?
Whatqualitiesaremostimportantinthisspecialty?
Whatkindofqualitiesdoesapersonneedtobeaneffectivephysician?
Whyshouldwetakeyouoverotherapplicants?
Whatcanyouaddtoourprogram?
Whatcomputerexperiencedoyouhave?
Describeyouridealresidencyprogram?
Whatisyourenergylevellike?
Howmanyhoursofsleepdoyourequireeachnight?
Howwelldoyoufunctionunderpressure?
Howdoyouhandlestress?
Canyouhandlestresswithouttheresourcesyouareaccustomedtorelyingon?
Tellmeaboutthepatientfromwhomyoulearnedthemost?
Mostmemorableexperienceinmedicalschool/college?
Whaterrorshaveyoumadeinpatientcare?
Greatestfearaboutpracticingmedicine?
Wheredoyouseeyourselfin510years?
Howdoyouseethedeliveryofhealthcareevolvinginthe21stcentury?
Ishealthcarearightoraprivilege?
Whatproblemswillourspecialtyfaceinthenext510years?
Whatwouldyoudoifthehousestaffhadastrike?
Whatdoyouthinkofwhatshappeninginmideast?Congress?Economy?
Teachmesomethingnonmedicalin5minutes?
Whereelsehaveyouinterviewed?
Whatifyoudontmatch?
Canyouthinkofanythingelseyouwouldliketoadd?
Howdoyoudeal/copewithfailure,giveexample?
Whatwasyourfavoritecourseinmedicalschool?
Describeaconflictyouhadwithsomeoneandhowitwasresolved?
Describesomethingthatwasverydifficultinyourlife,howyoudealtwithit,and
whatyoulearnedfromit?
Whatneedstobechangedinourhealthcaresystem?
Howcanyoudoyourjobmoreeffectively?
Whatisthemostpressingprobleminmedicinetoday?
Whatisthemostrewardingthingyouhaveeverdone?
Tellmesomeofyoursuccesses?
Tellmesomeofyourfailures?
Howdoyoushowyourcommitmenttomedicine?
Whoisthemostinfluentialinyourlife?
Whatistheworstthingthathaseverhappenedtoyou?
Whatdoyoudoforfun?
Whendidyoudecideyouwantedtobeaphysician?
Wheredoyouseeyourselfin10years?
Whatleadershiproleshaveyouheld?
Whatarethebiggestproblemsinmedicineandinyourchosenspecialty?

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Whatdoyouthinkofsocializedmedicine?
Doyouknowhowhardresidencyis?
Doyouwantresearchtobeapartofyourcareer?
Whatisyourmostimportantaccomplishment?
Whatmakesyoudifferentfromeveryoneelse?
Whatdoyouexpectoutofyourresidency?
Whatisyourmostimportantlessonlearnedfromchildhood?
Whatdoyouexpectwillbethehardestpartofresidencyforyou?
Whoinyourfamilyareyouclosestto?
Whatmakesyouhappy?
Whatmakesyousad?
Whatmakesyouunique?
Isthereanythingelsenotinapplicationthatyouwanttotellme?
Howdoyourfriendsdescribeyou?
3peopleyouwouldinvitetodinnerandwhy?
Describeimportantrelationshipsyouhavehadwithpeople?
Anythingelseyouwanttotellmeaboutyourself?
Whatwasyourmostdifficultchallengeinlife?
Whydoyouwanttocomehere?
Whataresomechallengesthatwillfacethisspecialty?
Whatmotivatesyou?
Whyareyouhere?

QuestionstoAsktheFaculty

Whattypesofnonclinicalresponsibilitiesarethere?(Research,projects,writing,
administrative)
Whatresearchprojectsarethefacultyandresidentscurrentlyworkingon?Howis
fundingobtained?Whogetsfirstauthorship?
Istheretimetodoresearch?Ifyouneedtopresentatanationalconference,willthe
departmentpayforyourwaythere?
Istheretraininginadministrativeandlegalaspects?Istherehandsonexperience
dealingwithinsurance,billing,contracts,hiring?
Whatarethepopulationdemographics?(Indigent,insured,etc)
Whodoesspecificprocedures?Howisthatdelegated?
Isthereconferencetime?Isitaprotectedtime?
Whatistheamountofexposureandexperienceinotherspecialties?
Whatistheunderlyingphilosophyoftheprogram?Whatisthemissionstatement
fortheprogram?
Arethereanyrequired/providedcertifications?(ACLS,ATLS,PALS/APLS)
Arethereanyskillslabs?
Howareproceduresrecordedandcredentialed?

QuestionstoAsktheProgramDirector

Whereareyourgraduates?Geographicareas?Academicvs.community?
Howhaveyourgraduatesdoneontheboardexam?Didallpassonthefirsttime?
Howdidtheydoonoralexams?

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Howhaveresidentsdoneoninserviceexams?
Anynewfacultycomingon?Anyleaving?
Typeofresidentevaluations?Howoften?Howisfeedbacksuppliedtoresidents?
Whatchangesifanydoyouanticipateintheprogramscurriculum?Why?
Haveanyresidentslefttheprogram?Didtheyenterthesamefieldelsewhere?Why
didtheyleave?
Doyouhelpgraduatesfindjobs?Howdoyouaccomplishthiscounselingsessions,
facultycontacts?Willfacultyreviewjobofferwithresidents?
Whataretheweaknessesofthisprogramandhowaretheybeingimproved?
Whatarethestrengthsofthisprogram?
Iamveryinterestedinyourprogram,whatelsecanIdoasanapplicant?
WhatcanIexpectfromyouasaresidentinyourprogram?
Whatdoyouexpectfrommeasaresidentinyourprogram?
Whatisyourfutureplansandhowlongdoyouintendtostayhere?
Howarefacultychosen?Whataretheirstrengths,weaknesses,andinterests?
Whatisyouraccreditationstatus?
Hastheprogrameverbeenonprobation?Ifso,why?
HowoftenareyoureviewedbytheRRCandwhenisthenextreview?
Doyousupportresidentinvolvementinnationalassociations?
Howmanynationalconferencesdoresidentsgettoattendandwhen?
Doestheprogrampayduestospecialtyacademicsocieties(e.g.AMA)
Whatprocessesareinplacetodealwithissuesforresidents?
Whatistheirpolicyonmaternity/paternityleave?
Howaretheresidentstreatedbytheancillarystaff?

QuestionstoAsktheResidents
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WhatcontactwillIhavewithfacultyandhowoften?
Howisthefacultycoverage?
Howinvolvedarefacultyontheircases?
oftendoyouwantfacultyinputbutfinditsunavailable?
Whoteachesseniorresident,attending,both?Doyoufeelyouhavethe
opportunitytoteachasaseniorresident?
Howmuchdidactictimeisthere?Howmuchtimeisspentinlectures,seminars,and
journalclubs?
Whathashigherpriority:Attendingconferenceorclinicalduties?
WhatarethetypesofclinicalexperiencesIcanexpect?
Aretherestrugglesbetweenservicesforprocedures?
Isitdifficulttoobtainconsultsfromotherservices?11.Whatisatypicalpatient
census?
Havegraduatesfeltcomfortableperformingallnecessaryproceduresbythetime
theygraduate?
Whattypeofproceduralexperienceisthere?
WillIhavetimetoread?
Whattypeofsupportstaffisavailable?WhostartsIV,blooddraws,clericalwork,
takespatienttoray?HowoftendoyouwheelpatientstoXRay?
Whatisthecallschedule?Isithomecallorhospitalcall?

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Whatisthepatientpopulationlike?(Indigent,insured,HIV,penetrating/blunt
trauma?)
Dotheresidentsgooutasagroup?Aretheeventsforallresidentsorjustthosein
theprogram?
Howoftendosocialeventsoccur?Anyactivitiesofspecialinteresttoresidents?
Arethemajorityofresidentsheremarriedorsingle,anywithkids?
Wheredopeoplelive?
Isparkingaproblem?
Whatifthereisaproblem,willtheprogramstandupfortheresident?
Howareshiftsdone?Whatistheirlength?Advancefromdaystoeveningstonights?
Nightfloat?
Arethereanyawayelectives?Where?
Isthereresearchtime?Howmuchandwhatisrequired?
Whataretheweaknessesoftheprogramandhowaretheybeingimproved?
Whatistheonethingyouwouldimproveatthisprogramifyoucould?
Areyouhappyhere?