What to Expect During the Interview Itself..... 


An orientation from the program director 
A tour of the facility 
Interviews with faculty (in either group or one-on-one format) 
Possibly lunch, dinner or other informal opportunity to see the program staff and to talk with current residents. 
Remember that the interview is a two way street--you are obviously trying to market what you have to offer them, but they are also trying to market their program to you. The interview is your chance to learn enough about each program to rank them on your NRMP rank order list. 

How To Prepare 

a) Find out all you can about the residency program so you are prepared to ask intelligent, specific questions. This demonstrates your interest in THEIR program.
b) Don't obsess about the best possible time to schedule your interview. While some say that interviewing late is best because they will remember you, they will also be more tired from having seen many candidates.
c) Try to group your interviews to save time and travel expenses. AMSA has a senior travel program arranged through a single travel agency with an 800-phone number, so check it out if you must fly to a number of program locations.
d) Dress conservatively but try not to be too dull. 


What Interviewers Are Trying To Assess On the personal level, interviewers are attempting to get some insight into your motivation for entering the specialty, your communication skills, your energy level, your determination, self-confidence, and maturity. 
They're attempting to assess whether your personality is well suited to their department 
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Typical Interview Questions: 


Where do you see yourself ten years from now? 
What aspects of our program are you most interested in? 
Which aspects of our program give you some concern? 
Where else have you applied? Interviewed? 
Why have you chosen this specialty? 
What is your research interests? (Likely if program is strong in research activity) 
Do you have geographic preferences? 
What do you feel are your major strong points? Weak points? 
What are your practice plans after finishing your residency? 
What kinds of contributions do you hope to make to this specialty over the course of your medical career? 
Please describe yourself. 
What will you do if you do not match in this specialty? 
Do you have plans to pursue fellowship training after you finish your residency? 
What do you do when you have free time? 
How would you describe your personal style? 
What questions do you have for me about our program? (typically the final question)
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Things to Avoid 


Don't be late. If weather or flight delays make this impossible, call ahead to warn them and tell them when you expect to arrive. 
Don't act like a student. The program is expecting you to take on a job, so act like a professional. 
Watch your etiquette all day, including at meals and social events. Anyone you meet may have input into the selection/ranking process. 
Never make derogatory remarks about other programs or other specialties. 
Don't glance at your watch during an interview or your body language may convey disinterest in the interviewer and/or the program. 
Don't name drop to impress. It usually impresses them as arrogance instead! 
And Finally... 


Don't forget to send a thank-you note following the interview and include special thanks to any individuals who went out of their way to be informative or kind. Include at least some specific that impressed you during your visit to personalize the note. 
Locations. 
Dress conservatively but try not to be too dull