Interview preparation guide
Asking about in-training exam feedback: residency interview preparation guide
AAMC's resident performance questions ask what other forms of feedback residents receive, naming the in-training exam. Beyond rotation evaluations, exam feedback shows how the program tracks your knowledge and responds to gaps.
How to prepare
- 1
Ask how exam results are fed back
The AAMC list names the in-training exam as another form of feedback. Ask when results arrive, who reviews them with residents and whether you get a personal read of your strengths and gaps.
- 2
Ask what happens with a weak result
Feedback only matters if it leads somewhere. Ask what the program does when an exam score flags a gap: a study plan, board resources or a mentor conversation, with a recent example.
- 3
Ask residents whether the feedback is useful
Residents can say whether exam feedback changed how they study or was just a score in an inbox. AAMC says specific examples give a true understanding of the program.
A practical exercise
Exam feedback process: [timing and reviewer]. Response to weak scores: [..]. Resident view of usefulness: [..].
This is an editorial exercise to adapt to your own interview, not a script or a program requirement.
What the source guidance supports
AAMC's resident performance questions ask what other forms of feedback residents receive, naming the in-training exam. Beyond rotation evaluations, exam feedback shows how the program tracks your knowledge and responds to gaps.
The exercises and checklists are editorial applications of the cited guidance, not required program procedures or predictions of interview outcomes. Costs and formats vary by program, so follow your actual invitation and school guidance.
Mistakes to avoid
- Counting the exam itself as feedback without asking how results are used.
- Not asking what happens after a weak score.
- Skipping the resident view of whether feedback helps.
Check your preparation
- Do I know how exam results are fed back?
- Do I know what follows a weak result?
- Did residents find the feedback useful?
Questions for your practice review
- What feedback do residents receive beyond rotation evaluations?
- Who reviews in-training exam results with residents?
- What happens when a score flags a gap?
Common questions
Is this an official list of required questions?
No. AAMC describes it as a list created by residents and students to help you assess fit, and says to build your own more specific questions from it.
Who should I ask?
Program leaders can describe the official feedback process. Residents can say whether it actually helps them improve, and AAMC notes some questions are best answered by residents.
Is this current for the 2027 ERAS season?
AAMC publishes this question list as current guidance for applicants interviewing in the 2027 ERAS season. Program answers change year to year, so ask each program for its own current answer.
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.