Interview preparation guide
Interviewing the program back: residency interview preparation guide
AAMC's role-of-the-interview chapter frames the interview as two-way: the program gauges your alignment and chances of success, and it is every bit as important that you interview the program. The goal AAMC states is that you leave the trail confident in how happy and successful you would be at each program.
How to prepare
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Treat fit assessment as your job too
The AAMC chapter says interviews are your opportunity to see how compatible each training program is with your personal goals, values and expectations. You will spend the next several years at the program you choose; the interview is your best evidence-gathering window.
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Prepare your side of the interview
Assessing compatibility does not happen by osmosis. Decide before the day what evidence would change your ranking: the questions you ask faculty and residents, the answers you compare across programs, the details you record. Our program-fit question guides cover the asking side in depth.
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Judge yourself as a future resident there, not as a candidate
The chapter's stated hope is that you walk away confident in your knowledge of how happy and successful you would be at any given program, so you can make an informed decision about which program and specialty is best for you. That judgment is about your life there, not their opinion of you.
A practical exercise
Compatibility criteria listed: [..]. Questions prepared for faculty and residents: [..]. Evidence recorded after each interview: [yes/no]. Happy-and-successful judgment per program: [yes/no].
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 role-of-the-interview chapter frames the interview as two-way: the program gauges your alignment and chances of success, and it is every bit as important that you interview the program. The goal AAMC states is that you leave the trail confident in how happy and successful you would be at each program.
The exercises and checklists are editorial applications of the cited guidance, not required program procedures or predictions of interview outcomes. Formats and policies vary by program, so follow your actual invitation, the R3 system and school guidance.
Mistakes to avoid
- Spending the whole interview performing and none of it evaluating.
- Collecting impressions without criteria, so the loudest program wins rather than the best fit.
- Confusing a program's prestige with your compatibility with it; the AAMC frame is your goals, values and expectations.
Check your preparation
- Do I know what evidence would move a program up or down my list?
- Did I gather that evidence at this interview?
- Can I say, with reasons, how happy and successful I would be at each program I have seen?
Questions for your practice review
- What would make me happy and successful here specifically?
- What did I learn today that changes this program's position on my list?
- What question is still unanswered about this program?
Common questions
Does asking evaluative questions hurt my chances?
No. AAMC's chapter treats interviewing the program as every bit as important as being interviewed, and programs expect prepared questions. Our program-fit guides cover how to ask them well.
How do I keep programs distinct after many interviews?
Same-day notes are the reliable method; our guide on taking notes after each interview covers the capture habit, and the AAMC preparation guide warns that programs blur together on the trail.
Is this current for the 2027 ERAS season?
The cited guidance is published by AAMC and NRMP as current for applicants in the 2027 ERAS season. Program formats, policies and Match dates change year to year, so confirm the details with each program and the current NRMP schedule.
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.