I'm Done With Residency Interviews (FAQs)
After roughly 2.5 months of interviewing for general surgery programs all across the country, this chapter has come to a close. I had my last interview on Friday, and it ended in the same way it began- equal parts excitement and anxiety. I remember receiving my first few interview invitations, hurrying to get them scheduled as quickly as possible from the comfort of the Emergency Department (since I was on a clinical rotation at that time). It felt surreal, and I was anxious to know who I’d receive interviews from, which programs I’d love, and where I’d ultimately land. My first few interviews, my last few interviews, and Match Day seemed lifetimes away. Yet, here I am- time winding down with decisions needing to be made. While I still have time to reflect on the programs and my priorities, I’ll soon have to identify “my #1” and submit a rank list. In the spirit of being done with yet another step on the long journey to DOCTOR (and surgeon!), I thought I’d compile answers to some of the most frequently asked questions I’ve received:
How many programs did you apply to and how many interviews did you receive? My home institution prefers that we are “conservative” and apply widely. They recommended that I apply to roughly 40 programs, and ultimately I settled on 39. My fellow gen surg friends (here and elsewhere) applied to anywhere from 30-80 (!!) programs. The number of programs you apply to will vary a lot based on the specialty you’re applying into, your “application package”, your school’s approach to advising, your own anxiety about the process, your geographic preferences and the kinds of programs you are genuinely interested in training at. Of the 39 programs I applied to, I received 17 interview invitations and completed 15 interviews.
How did residency interviews compare to medical school interviews? It’s been 4 years since I interviewed for medical school but I felt it was similar. It will vary by program (just like med school interviews), with some having a more standardized interview process. You can expect to chat a lot about your hobbies and interests, what you’ve accomplished to date, and what you hope to accomplish in the future.
What were virtual interviews like? Fine! I can’t complain about saving money on travel or the convenience of interviewing at home. I was also pretty surprised that programs could “feel” different from one another on interview day and during resident socials, even in a virtual setting. That being said, I am worried that I don’t have the best “full picture” of every program, and am planning to attend at least 1 or 2 “second looks”.
Was there anything about residency interviews that surprised you? I was nervous that interviews would be very uncomfortable, content knowledge explorations, but that was not the case at all! The overwhelming majority of my interviews were very conversational, and while they did ask about interesting cases I’d seen, rotations I’d done, my CV, and my vision for my career, the questions I received always felt really “fair”.
What were the most commonly asked interview questions? Tell me about yourself. Tell me about a time you failed. Tell me about your research. How would people who know you well describe you? Describe one weakness you have and how you’re working on it. What do you think will be the most challenging aspect of surgical training? What do you want your career to look like in x years? For 7 year programs, or programs that strongly encourage “research years”: How do you plan to use your professional development time?
What was the most challenging question you had to answer? Honestly, the questions that dig into my “why” or my “proudest moments” are always the most difficult to answer. I consider them emotionally evocative and answering them honestly while maintaining my composure can be challenging (but we rise).
What did you do about post-interview communication? Thank you notes? I sent thank you emails to my interviewers (and the program director) within 2-3 days. Some people respond; others don’t. I think it’s a nice gesture either way. If a program specifically asked me not to send thank you notes, then I refrained from doing so. I have not sent any additional emails, except to follow up about in-person “second look” opportunities.
What’s your #1 choice? TBD.
I have a lot of thinking to do in the weeks ahead, and I’m certainly feeling a tiny bit anxious about it but I’m confident it will work itself out. Leave your questions (or words of encouragement) in the comments. It’s always nice hearing from you. As always, thank you for reading.
Melody (@mezonthemove), is a fourth-year medical student and online creator living in New York City.
