Interview preparation guide
Asking about the didactic curriculum: residency interview preparation guide
AAMC's education questions cover the formal didactic curriculum and its structure, informal learning such as bedside rounds, and programs like lectures, journal clubs, grand rounds and board review courses.
How to prepare
- 1
Ask about formal and informal teaching
The AAMC list asks whether there is a formal didactic curriculum and what its structure is, and separately names informal learning opportunities such as bedside rounds. Ask both so one side of teaching is not mistaken for the whole.
- 2
Ask for a sample teaching week
The same list names lectures, journal clubs, grand rounds and board review courses as examples of resident education programs. Ask for a recent weekly schedule as a specific example, which AAMC says gives a true understanding of the program.
- 3
Ask how residents evaluate the curriculum
The list also asks whether there is a feedback structure that allows residents to evaluate the program's curriculum. Ask it so you know whether teaching changes when residents say it should.
A practical exercise
Formal curriculum: [..]. Structure: [..]. Informal learning: [..]. Example week seen: [yes or no]. Resident feedback channel: [..].
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 education questions cover the formal didactic curriculum and its structure, informal learning opportunities, education programs such as lectures, journal clubs, grand rounds and board review courses, and a feedback structure for residents to evaluate the curriculum.
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 named conferences without asking how often they happen.
- Treating a brochure description as a weekly reality.
- Forgetting to ask whether residents can evaluate the curriculum.
Check your preparation
- Did I ask about both formal and informal teaching?
- Did I see or hear a real example week?
- Did I ask how residents feed back on teaching?
Questions for your practice review
- What does a typical teaching week look like?
- How often do journal club and board review actually run?
- Have residents changed the curriculum through feedback?
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?
AAMC says some questions are best answered by residents in the program. Ask a program leader about the formal structure, then ask residents how it runs week to week.
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.