3 Different Types of Residency Interviews
As an aspiring doctor, you dream of someday getting into the residency of your choice. Well, no one can really guarantee that. But we do have clinical residency interview tips to help improve your chances.
Every future physician has a dream residency in mind. You need to make sure your application shines on the long list of qualified applicants eyeing your favorite residency programs in the USA.
There are three main types of interviews you may encounter when searching for a residency:
1. Phone Interviews
For a phone interview, the interviewer will ask various questions to see how you respond. These may be such questions as why you failed class in medical school to why you chose a particular style for your resume.
Don’t let these questions scare you. Instead, be honest and explain what you learned from the experience. Bring up your strengths during the interview. Show how the things you’ve accomplished in the past help with your future career in medicine.
2. Video Interviews
If your clinical residency interview is being conducted via video chat, you need to prepare the area around you. The room must be quiet and clean. And there must not be any visual or audio distractions.
Test your microphone, camera and internet connection to make sure everything works correctly before the video interview. Also, make sure you’re dressed as you would on a face-to-face, traditional clinical residency interview.
3. Traditional In-Person Interviews
Conduct multiple mock interviews to prepare for your traditional clinical residency interview. Get someone to ask you questions and practice on your response skills and body language in a real-life setting.
Work on looking and feeling comfortable during your mini-mock interview sessions. Remain confident while maintaining healthy eye contact with your mock interviewer.
8 Tips for Doing Awesome on Your Residency Program Interview
This is your opportunity to prove your worth as a future physician. Be prepared with these eight tips for getting into a quality residency program:
1. Set Alarms & Notifications
Add all appointments and upcoming tasks related to your residency interview to your calendar. Make sure the calendar sends notifications to all of your devices. Google calendars sync well, and it’s free.
2. Look Up Common Medical Residency Interview Questions
Some of the questions asked by residency programs are common from program to program. Find these questions online and prepare yourself with quality answers you can give on the spot.
3. Get to Know the Attendees
Before your interview, you will be sent an agenda. It lists all of the people who will be at the interview. Get to know the panelists and others participating through Google searches and the institution’s website.
During the actual interview, you will feel more at ease because you feel more connected to the people around you.
4. Polish Your Elevator Pitch
During the interview, you will be asked to say something about yourself. Residency programs in the USA have a lot of medical students looking for valuable programs. Your elevator pitch helps ensure you stand out of the crowd.
Make sure the pitch highlights your strengths, medical skills and experience. Also, talk about where you come from and some memorable facts about yourself.
5. Vocalize Your Strengths
Use your unique clinical skills to stand out. Your hobbies and other accomplishments can also help you add value to your residency resume. Show what makes you unique from the other candidates.
6. Ask Questions That Stand Out
At the end of your interview, the interviewer will ask if you have any questions. Ask questions of value so your interviewer always remembers you. Make sure the questions are relevant to the residency program or the interview process.
7. Practice with Mock Interviews
Expect to be asked a variety of questions during your residency interview. Be familiar with behavioral questions and know how to answer them. These questions could either win you your dream residency or cause you to miss out on it.
Have someone familiar with the medical industry ask you mock interview questions. Analyze each question carefully. Describe the situation and how you would go about it. Be sure to talk about the end results you expect.
8. ERMI Residency Preparation
ERMI stands for Essay, Resume & Mock Interview. This is an effective way to help medical and pres-med students prepare for residencies in three sections:
- Essay – This is your personal statement. It helps interviewers determine whether or not you’re a good fit for the residency program.
- Resume – This highlights your skills and experience. Make sure your clinical resume is easy to read and scannable for the most relevant information.
- Mock Interviews – Prepare for your residency interview with mock question and answer sessions. Learn how to make your answers interesting and appealing, so you look unique.
Need help learning how to sell your personal brand during residency interviews? Get coaching sessions from medical professional in Atlanta to learn how to get the residency you choose.
MedSmarter provides ERMI residency preparation services in Atlanta. Your residency application should highlight your individual skills, qualifications and future career goals.
Let Medsmarter help you create an application that outshines your competitors. Click the link below to learn more about landing the residency of your choice.
