Interview preparation guide
Asking about unions and house officers associations: residency interview preparation guide
AAMC's employment questions ask whether there is a union, whether membership is mandatory, whether there are dues and whether there is a House Officers Association. Ask what each body has actually done for residents.
How to prepare
- 1
Ask the questions plainly
The AAMC employment list asks whether there is a union, whether membership is mandatory, whether there are dues and whether there is a House Officers Association. Ask them as factual questions about how the institution works.
- 2
Ask what the body has achieved
Ask for a recent example of something the union or association negotiated or changed for residents, such as pay, call rooms or benefits. AAMC says specific examples give a true understanding.
- 3
Ask residents what membership means
AAMC notes some questions are best answered by residents. Ask residents whether they find the union or association useful and what dues, if any, they pay.
A practical exercise
Union: [yes or no], membership [mandatory or optional], dues [amount]. House Officers Association: [yes or no]. Recent win: [example]. Resident view: [..].
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 employment questions ask whether there is a union, whether membership is mandatory, whether there are dues and whether there is a House Officers Association. Ask what each body has actually done for residents.
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
- Treating the presence of a union as good or bad without asking what it does.
- Not asking about dues or mandatory membership.
- Skipping the recent-example question.
Check your preparation
- Did I ask about a union, membership and dues?
- Did I ask about a House Officers Association?
- Did I get a recent example of what the body changed?
Questions for your practice review
- Is there a union? Is membership mandatory, and are there dues?
- Is there a House Officers Association?
- What has it negotiated or changed for residents recently?
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 residents what the union or association does in practice, and ask a program leader how the institution works with it.
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.