Residency Interview Prep

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All Adaptability Advocacy Behavioral Burnout Career Career Goals Challenges Clinical Scenarios Communication Conflict Conflict Resolution Core Decision-Making Diversity & Inclusion Equity Ethical Ethics Experience Feedback Hypothetical scenarios Interprofessional Collaboration Introduction Leadership Miscellaneous Motivation Patient Encounter Patient Safety Personal Personal Attributes Professional Growth Professionalism Program Fit Quality Improvement Research Residency CV Resilience Resource Stewardship Self-Reflection Specialty Specialty-Specific Systems-Based Practice Teaching Teamwork Telemedicine Time Management Top Wellness
Showing 73–84 of 482

In your own words, can you define a leader?

Personal Personal Attributes Leadership
Why this question?
This question helps interviewers see what leadership traits you value, which often reflect your own values or aspirations. It also shows your ability to recognize and articulate positive qualities like integrity, empathy, and vision.
Best practices
  • Pick a specific leader you admire, whether they're famous or someone personal like a mentor.
  • Focus on 2-3 key qualities of that leader and explain why you admire them.
  • Use short examples or stories to illustrate each quality, making your answer more vivid and credible.
What to avoid
  • Avoid choosing a controversial figure or focusing on superficial traits like fame or power.
  • Don't list too many qualities without depth; it's better to pick a few and give substance.
  • Steer clear of glorifying a hard-driving style without acknowledging the importance of empathy and teamwork.

In what ways would you enhance the diversity of our program?

Personal Personal Attributes Professionalism Core
Why this question?
This question checks how your unique background and experiences can add to the program's diversity. They want to see if you understand what makes you unique and how that can benefit the team and patient care.
Best practices
  • Highlight specific aspects of your background that make you unique.
  • Connect your unique traits to how they can benefit the program.
  • Be honest and confident about your contributions to diversity.
What to avoid
  • Don't say you don't bring any diversity; everyone has something unique to offer.
  • Avoid being vague or generic; be specific about your experiences.
  • Don't tokenize yourself; focus on meaningful contributions, not just labels.

What are your views on diversity and inclusion, and how would you support them in our program?

Personal Personal Attributes Professionalism
Why this question?
This question checks how your unique background can add to the program's diversity. They want to see if you understand your own uniqueness and how it can benefit the team and patient care.
Best practices
  • Highlight specific aspects of your background that make you unique.
  • Connect your uniqueness to how it benefits the program and patient care.
  • Be honest and confident about your experiences and contributions.
What to avoid
  • Saying you don't bring any diversity or not recognizing your unique traits.
  • Focusing only on traditional diversity categories like ethnicity or gender.
  • Being vague or not providing specific examples of how you contribute.

Do you prefer to work alone or with others?

Personal Personal Attributes Teamwork
Why this question?
This question checks if you're a team player and can also work independently. Residency is all about teamwork, but you also need to handle tasks solo sometimes.
Best practices
  • Show you appreciate both teamwork and solo work.
  • Mention why you enjoy working with others (like sharing ideas) and when you prefer working alone (like studying).
  • Give examples from med school or clinical rotations to back up your points.
What to avoid
  • Saying you only prefer to work alone – big red flag!
  • Implying you can't work by yourself – shows lack of independence.
  • Being too negative about teamwork or sounding arrogant about your solo skills.

Do you perform better working independently or as part of a team?

Personal Personal Attributes Teamwork
Why this question?
This question checks if you can balance teamwork and independence. Residency needs both, so they want to see if you're self-aware and adaptable.
Best practices
  • Show you appreciate both teamwork and solo work. Emphasize teamwork since residency is collaborative.
  • Use examples: like enjoying study groups but also mastering material alone.
  • Mention how teamwork leads to better outcomes and personal growth.
What to avoid
  • Don't say you only prefer working alone. Residency is all about collaboration.
  • Avoid saying you can't work by yourself. It suggests a lack of independence.
  • Don't be negative about teamwork. It might make you seem like a lone wolf.

Could you share details about your experience in medical school?

Personal Personal Attributes Experience
Why this question?
This question helps interviewers understand what you did during med school, what you value, and how you grew. It's a chance to highlight key experiences and show your maturity and initiative.
Best practices
  • Pick a few defining experiences or themes instead of listing everything.
  • Highlight clinical, academic, and personal growth experiences.
  • Tailor your response to the specialty you're applying for.
What to avoid
  • Don't just list activities without explaining what you learned.
  • Avoid focusing only on struggles without showing growth.
  • Steer clear of negative tones or complaints about med school.

What motivates you?

Personal Personal Attributes
Why this question?
This question helps interviewers understand what drives you and if your motivations align with the demands of a residency. They want to see if your passion and commitment are sustainable.
Best practices
  • Be authentic and personal. Share what genuinely drives you.
  • Mention motivations that align with being a compassionate doctor, like patient care or love of learning.
  • Use a short story or example to illustrate your motivation in action.
What to avoid
  • Avoid focusing on external motivators like prestige or money.
  • Don't give a generic answer like 'I like to help people' without depth.
  • Steer clear of sounding self-centered or overly ambitious without mentioning patient care.

Do you consider yourself organized?

Personal Personal Attributes
Why this question?
This question checks if you can manage your time and tasks effectively, which is crucial in residency. They want to see if you have systems to stay on top of things and understand the importance of being organized.
Best practices
  • Say 'Yes, I am organized' and back it up with examples.
  • Share specific strategies you use, like planners or digital tools.
  • Mention how being organized helps you, like reducing stress or ensuring patient care.
What to avoid
  • Don't just say 'No, I'm not organized' without a positive spin.
  • Avoid vague answers like 'I just manage to get things done.'
  • Don't forget to mention specific methods or examples that show your organization skills.

A time you worked in a team.?

Experience Teamwork Core Top
Why this question?
This question checks how you function in a group, your communication style, and how you contribute to team goals. Teamwork is crucial in residency, so they want to see your collaboration skills in action.
Best practices
  • Use the STAR-L method: Situation, Task, Action, Result, Lessons Learned.
  • Pick a story that shows your teamwork and communication skills.
  • End with what you learned from the experience to show growth.
What to avoid
  • Don't just say 'I can't think of an example' – it shows lack of preparation.
  • Avoid taking all the credit or blaming others – show how you contributed to the team.
  • Don't skip the reflection part – share what you learned from the experience.
Background
Use STAR-L to structure responses to questions about your experiences:
-Situation: Briefly set the scene - where/when and what was going on?
-Task: What was your specific role or challenge in that situation?
-Action: What you did - focus on your steps, decisions, and contributions.
-Result: Share the outcome - ideally positive or meaningful.
-Lessons Learned: Reflect on what you took away and how you’ve grown.

Can you provide an example from medical school that highlights your collaboration abilities?

Experience Teamwork
Why this question?
This question checks how well you work in a team. They want to see your communication style and how you contribute to team goals. Teamwork is key in residency!
Best practices
  • Use the STAR-L method: Situation, Task, Action, Result, Lessons Learned.
  • Pick a story where you played a clear role and contributed to a positive outcome.
  • Reflect on what you learned about teamwork from the experience.
What to avoid
  • Don't just say 'I can't think of an example.' Be prepared with a story.
  • Avoid taking all the credit or blaming others. Show how you worked with the team.
  • Don't skip the reflection part. Share what you learned from the experience.
Background
Use STAR-L to structure responses to questions about your experiences:
-Situation: Briefly set the scene - where/when and what was going on?
-Task: What was your specific role or challenge in that situation?
-Action: What you did - focus on your steps, decisions, and contributions.
-Result: Share the outcome - ideally positive or meaningful.
-Lessons Learned: Reflect on what you took away and how you’ve grown.

Describe your impact on your current medical team?

Experience Teamwork
Why this question?
This question checks how you work in a team, your communication style, and your contributions to team goals. Residency is all about teamwork, so they want to see how you fit in.
Best practices
  • Use the STAR-L method: Situation, Task, Action, Result, Lessons Learned.
  • Share a specific story where you made a positive impact on your team.
  • Highlight your communication skills and how you contributed to team success.
What to avoid
  • Don't just say 'I can't think of an example' – it shows lack of preparation.
  • Avoid taking all the credit or blaming others – teamwork is key.
  • Don't skip the reflection part – share what you learned from the experience.
Background
Use STAR-L to structure responses to questions about your experiences:
-Situation: Briefly set the scene - where/when and what was going on?
-Task: What was your specific role or challenge in that situation?
-Action: What you did - focus on your steps, decisions, and contributions.
-Result: Share the outcome - ideally positive or meaningful.
-Lessons Learned: Reflect on what you took away and how you’ve grown.

A time you had a positive experience whilst working with a colleague.?

Experience Teamwork
Why this question?
This question checks how well you get along with others and build positive work relationships. They want to see if you can create a good vibe with your peers, which is super important in residency teams.
Best practices
  • Pick a story where you and a colleague worked well together and had a positive outcome.
  • Use the STAR-L method: Situation, Task, Action, Result, and Lessons Learned.
  • Highlight what you learned from the experience and how it helped you grow.
What to avoid
  • Don't be vague. Saying 'everything went smoothly' without details doesn't cut it.
  • Avoid taking all the credit or blaming others. Show teamwork and accountability.
  • Don't skip the reflection part. Share what you learned from the experience.
Background
Use STAR-L to structure responses to questions about your experiences:
-Situation: Briefly set the scene - where/when and what was going on?
-Task: What was your specific role or challenge in that situation?
-Action: What you did - focus on your steps, decisions, and contributions.
-Result: Share the outcome - ideally positive or meaningful.
-Lessons Learned: Reflect on what you took away and how you’ve grown.
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