Questions to ask during a residency interview (2026)

A residency interview is also your chance to learn about the place where you might train. The best question is one you need answered to make a thoughtful decision. A list copied from the internet can be a starting point, but it cannot tell you what matters for your specialty, your learning needs or that particular program.

This guide was reviewed in September 2026. The AAMC's interview preparation guide describes interviews as a way for both applicants and programs to learn about one another. Its sample question list includes "What questions do you have for me?" Prepare for that moment by researching the program, not by memorizing a quota.

Start with what you already know

Read the program's current website, curriculum, rotation schedule and any material sent for interview day. Note what is clear, what is missing and what you want to test in conversation. If the site says residents have an advisor, a more useful question than "Do you have mentors?" is "How often do residents meet their advisor, and what happens when they need support between meetings?"

Choose two or three themes that matter to you, such as supervision, feedback, patient population, scholarship or life in the program. You may not get to ask every question. Some will be answered before you speak. Listen and adapt.

Questions about teaching and feedback

• "How do residents receive feedback after a busy service or clinic block? Can you give an example of a change someone made after that feedback?"
• "When a resident takes on more responsibility, what supervision is available, and how is readiness assessed?"
• "Which parts of the curriculum have changed in response to resident feedback?"

These questions seek concrete examples, not a promise that every experience is the same. If the program describes a formal process, ask how it feels in day-to-day practice.

Questions about clinical work and support

• "What does a typical day on [rotation named in your materials] involve for a first-year resident?"
• "When a shift becomes unexpectedly busy or a resident needs help, who provides backup?"
• "How do residents follow patients across settings, and where do they get continuity?"

It is reasonable to ask about workload, support and wellbeing. Framing the question around how care and training work often brings a clearer answer than "Is the work-life balance good?" If you hear a claim about schedule or leave policy that matters to your decision, confirm the current written policy with the program rather than relying on one person's account.

Questions for current residents

Residents can describe lived experience, but each person sees a different slice of the program. Ask "What surprised you once you started?" or "Can you tell me about a time you received helpful feedback?" You might also ask how teaching works on a demanding rotation, what residents do when they need support and how new residents are welcomed.

Do not press one resident to speak for everyone. If several people describe the same strength or concern with examples, write that down. Consider the context: a resident early in training and one near graduation may answer differently.

Questions for faculty or a program director

Ask about educational goals and decisions they can explain directly: "What do you want a resident to be able to do by the end of the first year?" or "How does the program tell whether a change to the curriculum is helping?" If you are interested in research or a fellowship path, ask about the time, mentorship and actual process available to residents, not whether a place is guaranteed.

Connect a question to your own work only when it is true. "I enjoyed quality-improvement work on my rotation. How do residents develop a project here?" is more useful than presenting an interest you do not hold.

Follow up without turning it into a checklist

When the interviewer answers, listen for what they did and what they learned. A short follow-up such as "What changed after that feedback?" often tells you more than moving to the next prepared question. Do not repeat a point already covered just to show that you came prepared.

If time is short, ask the question most important to your decision. It is fine to say that an earlier discussion answered your other questions. Be courteous to the coordinator and everyone you meet; the AAMC's preparation guide treats professionalism throughout the interview process as important.

After the interview, compare what you learned

Write down the specific answers while they are fresh: how supervision works, an example of teaching or support, and anything you still need to confirm. Separate a program fact from one person's opinion. The AAMC recommends noting impressions after each interview so programs do not blur together.

If a material question remains, use the contact method the program provided and ask it clearly. Do not treat an answer as a prediction of a ranking or match outcome. Your questions help you understand the training, and your own answers should remain honest.

For the other side of the conversation, see our common interview questions guide and free preparation guide. If you want to practice asking follow-ups in a live conversation, explore mock interviews and compare package details before choosing anything.

Reviewed September 2026. Sources: AAMC, Preparing for Your Interview(s); AAMC, Questions Frequently Asked of Applicants During Interviews; AAMC, Common Residency Interview Topics.