Chapter Summary by: Kari Gorder, Medical Student Council, Regional Representatives - Northeast
Choosing a residency program is one of the most significant decisions a medical student will make. While the match experience can induce a considerable amount of anxiety, it is also an exciting and memorable time. With the right amount of research and preparation, applicants can navigate the process with skill and success—and hopefully the least amount of stress possible! This chapter briefly outlines the steps of interviewing for an EM residency.
Mock Interview
Practice makes (almost)
perfect, so it’s a good idea to hone your interviewing skills before you set
out on the application trail. Ideally, this should be with your EM advisor or
another physician who knows you well and is also familiar with the interview
process. Your mock interviewer should be prepared to ask challenging questions,
to provide constructive criticism and also to help you work through some first
interview jitters. Treat this like a real interview — research the program,
develop answers to probable questions, and dress professionally!
Scheduling Interviews
Like most specialties, EM
uses the Electronic Residency Application Service (ERAS), which opens
mid-September. While programs know that some components of your application
will come in later, it is in your best interest to have your application as
complete as possible when ERAS opens. Ask for letters of recommendation early
on and aim to have at least one EM rotation complete prior to submitting your
application.
As you begin receiving
invitations for interviews, you will face the task of scheduling your visits.
Most applicants will interview at their home institution first. Even if you don’t
plan on staying in the area for residency, it is both polite and good practice
to interview at your medical school’s affiliated residency. Despite some talk
of scheduling strategy, there is no proven correlation between interview date and
position on the rank list,[1]
so plan your subsequent interviews as they best work for your schedule.
You do not need to accept
every interview offer, and there is no maximum or minimum number of programs at
which you must interview. While a commonly cited figure is 10-15 programs,[2]
you should make this decision with your EM mentor, taking into account your
application’s strengths and weaknesses. If you are fortunate enough to receive
more offers than you intend on accepting, you should give the program the
courtesy of early notification. Two weeks’ notice is generally acceptable. Do
not cancel at the last minute—or worse, fail to show up for a scheduled
interview! The world of EM is small, and it may hurt your chances at another
program.
Before the Interview
Once you have scheduled
your interview with a program, you should arrange the logistics. You are
responsible for arranging travel, lodging and transportation, so make sure you
give yourself extra travel time and plan for contingencies. Before the
interview, familiarize yourself with the details of the residency so that you
are able to ask informed, thoughtful questions about the program. You may also
want to take the time to research the publications and areas of interest of key
faculty who may be interviewing you.
Interview Day
When interview day comes,
keep in mind that you are being evaluated—but you are also evaluating the
residency. Be nice to everyone you meet, but also be genuine; this is your
opportunity to see if this program is a good fit for you. The dress code for
interviewing is professional business attire.
Many applicants choose to bring a professional binder in which they can
take notes, hold papers, and carry copies of their CV and personal statement. Throughout
the day, you will likely spend time with current residents; remember that they
likely have a say in the rank list as well, so continue to be professional and
polite. Finally, take down names of those individuals to whom you would like to
send thank-you notes after the interview.
It goes without saying
that the interviews themselves are very important in determining your position
on a program’s rank list. The interview may be structured or more
conversational, and questions can touch on a wide range of ethical, clinical,
social or personal topics. While the program director has likely read your
file, other interviewers may not be as familiar with your application. If there
is something you would like your interviewer to know about you, you should
guide the discussion to those aspects of your application. Be prepared to
answer questions about anything and everything you put into ERAS—nothing is off
limits. However, certain legalities apply: you cannot be asked about your
marital status, criminal records, or family plans, and you cannot be asked
questions about potentially discriminatory categories, such as age, religion,
sexual preference or political affiliation. Finally, come prepared with
questions to ask your interviewer about the program. Not only do you want to
seem interested, but this is your opportunity to learn more about a residency
and gauge how well you would fit into the program.
Common pitfalls in the
interview process include: inadequate preparation (e.g. not knowing the basics
about a program, arriving late); giving inconsistent or evasive answers during
the interview; demonstrating poor interpersonal skills (e.g. poor eye contact,
texting during lectures); and demonstrating “red flags,” such as appearing
bored, criticizing other programs, disparaging your home institution, or acting
over-confident.
After the Interview
It is common to send a
thank you note or email to the residency director and/or faculty who
interviewed you. Also remember that, in general, faculty and residents are very
open to answering questions, so feel free to email them after the interview as
you create your rank list.
Conclusion
The interview is an
extremely important part of the application process. A positive and memorable
interview can be the key deciding factor in determining your position on a
residency’s rank list, and can supersede grades, board scores and even letters
of recommendation in importance![3]
By doing your research, staying organized and being prepared, you can approach
interview season with the least amount of stress possible and the greatest
likelihood for success!
[1] Martin-Lee L, Park H, Overton
DT, et al. Does interview date affect match list position in the emergency
medicine national residency matching program match? Acad Emerg Med. 2000; 7(9): 1022-6.
[2] National Resident Matching
Program. Charting Outcomes in the Match: Characteristics of Applicants Who
Matched to Their Preferred Specialties, 4th edition. 2011, pp.
57-69. Available online at:
http://www.nrmp.org/match-data/main-residency-match-data
[3] National Resident Matching
Program. Results of the 2012 NRMP Program Director Survey, August 2011; pp. 34-
41. Available online at: http://www.nrmp.org/match-data/main-residency-match-data
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