Interview preparation guide
CV and application follow-ups: residency interview preparation guide
Know the experiences in your submitted application well enough to add detail without repeating the written entry. A short description may lead to questions about your contribution, status or learning.
How to prepare
- 1
Read the submitted version
Use the application record the program received, not only your latest CV draft. Check dates, project status and role descriptions against your own records. If a detail changed, prepare an accurate explanation of what changed rather than pretending the old entry was current.
- 2
Add depth to each important entry
For a likely discussion topic, identify why you chose it, what you did and what you learned. Explain unfamiliar terms in plain language. Separate involvement from responsibility and submitted work from accepted work. Do not inflate the role or share confidential material to make an answer feel substantial.
- 3
Invite a fact-based practice follow-up
Ask a peer to select an entry and question it without warning. Practise acknowledging what you do not know and returning to the facts you can defend. If you discover an error, seek the appropriate application or program guidance; this page does not establish an editing or update policy.
A practical exercise
Entry as submitted: [description]. My actual role: [actions]. Current status: [verified state]. Added context: [purpose and learning]. Potential discrepancy: [what needs checking or explaining].
This is an editorial exercise to adapt to your own interview, not a script or a program requirement.
What the source guidance supports
AAMC asks applicants to be the expert on their own application and to add detail and reflection during discussion.
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
- Preparing only from a new CV draft.
- Repeating the entry without explaining it.
- Turning involvement into ownership.
Check your preparation
- Is the submitted wording known?
- Are dates and status verified?
- Can you explain the contribution in plain language?
Questions for your practice review
- What did you do yourself?
- Why did the work matter to you?
- What is its current status?
Common questions
Should I repeat my application answer?
AAMC recommends adding depth rather than simply repeating what you wrote.
What if status has changed?
Explain the current facts honestly when relevant. Check the permitted update route separately.
Do I need to know everything about a team project?
Know your contribution and the work well enough to discuss it honestly. Do not claim another person's expertise.
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.