Interview preparation guide
Building an interview experience bank: residency interview preparation guide
Choose real experiences that let you answer different questions without turning every conversation into the same rehearsed story. The aim is flexible recall, not a catalogue of impressive claims.
How to prepare
- 1
Start from your own record
Review the application and CV you actually submitted. List experiences involving teamwork, a setback, learning, responsibility or a meaningful decision. Include nonclinical experiences when they fit. Do not decide that each answer must involve a dramatic patient event or an award.
- 2
Write facts before themes
For each candidate example, note the situation, your task, your actions, the outcome and what changed afterward. Separate your contribution from the team's. Mark anything you do not clearly remember so you can check it instead of inventing detail under pressure. Remove identifying patient and colleague information.
- 3
Test whether the example answers the prompt
Ask a peer to pose different behavioral questions. Select the example only after hearing the actual question. A story can fit more than one topic, but it should not be forced into every answer. Replace a weak example with a clearer one rather than adding adjectives about leadership or resilience.
A practical exercise
Experience: [what happened]. My responsibility: [your role]. Actions: [what you did]. Outcome: [what was observed]. Learning: [what changed]. Possible uses: [topics it genuinely demonstrates]. Details to verify or remove: [uncertainties and private information].
This is an editorial exercise to adapt to your own interview, not a script or a program requirement.
What the source guidance supports
AAMC recommends reviewing your CV, identifying sample experiences, discussing them with advisors and preparing rather than rehearsing.
The exercises and checklists are editorial applications of the cited guidance, not required program procedures or predictions of interview scoring. Follow your actual invitation and program instructions.
Mistakes to avoid
- Memorizing a single story for every prompt.
- Using a team result without your contribution.
- Inventing detail to make the example complete.
Check your preparation
- Can you explain your own actions?
- Is the outcome accurate?
- Does this example fit the question just asked?
Questions for your practice review
- What would you do differently?
- How did others contribute?
- What evidence shows the change?
Common questions
How many examples do I need?
There is no required number here. Choose enough varied real experiences to avoid forcing one story into unrelated questions.
Can an example be nonclinical?
Yes. AAMC supports clinical and nonclinical examples when appropriate.
Should I memorize the bank?
Know the facts and learning. Do not memorize a speech that prevents you answering the question.
Related guides
Sources
This page is general editorial guidance based on the sources above. It is not a prediction of any program's questions or a statement of its current policies.