Residency Interview Preparation

Predominantly, yes. The AAMC continues to encourage programs to use a virtual interview format, which reduces applicants' travel and time away from clinical work. Some programs — particularly in surgical specialties — have returned to in-person interviews, so confirm each program's format when you receive an invitation. The AAMC treats a virtual interview as an official interview and advises you to approach it exactly as you would an in-person one.

The AAMC groups frequently asked questions into six themes: personal background and motivation ('Tell me about yourself,' 'What are your strengths and weaknesses?'), program-specific interest ('Why are you interested in our program?'), specialty and career goals ('Why this specialty?', 'If you could not be a physician, what career would you choose?'), experience and accomplishments ('Tell us about your research experience'), clinical readiness ('Are you prepared for the rigors of residency?'), and professional development ('Do you plan to do a fellowship?').

Use a tight, roughly two-minute structure: Present (where you are now in training), Past (the experiences that led you here), and Future (your career goals and what you are looking for in a program). Keep it focused and specific — it sets the tone for the whole interview and frequently seeds follow-up questions.

A live virtual interview uses video conferencing to connect you with interviewers in real time. An asynchronous (on-demand) interview has no live interviewer — you respond to questions presented as text or pre-recorded video, and your webcam records your answers for reviewers to watch later. Practise both formats, since on-demand interviews reward concise, well-structured answers with no chance to read the room.

The AAMC recommends a computer or tablet (phones are discouraged) with a good webcam and microphone, a verified stable internet connection, and a private, quiet, well-lit space free of distractions. Place your lighting in front of you rather than behind, use a clean backdrop, dress in full professional attire, keep notes off-camera, and have a charged backup device ready.

A Multiple Mini Interview (MMI) is a circuit of short stations — typically 6–10 stations of 7–10 minutes each — covering ethical scenarios, role plays, teamwork tasks, and critical-thinking prompts. Use the full prep time, structure your response with a clear framework, think aloud to show your reasoning, and stay composed if a station goes poorly — recovery matters and each station is scored independently.

It is conventional to send a brief, personalized thank-you email within 24–48 hours, referencing something specific from the conversation. Important caveat: some programs explicitly state they do not want post-interview thank-you notes, and a few consider them in evaluations — always follow each program's stated policy, and never use thank-you notes to convey ranking intentions, which violates Match communication norms.

There is no official number, but the highest-yield preparation is repeated mock interviews with peers, advisors, or faculty who give candid feedback. Practise answering with specific examples from your own application, record yourself to check pacing and eye contact on camera, and rehearse your 'why this specialty' and 'why this program' answers until they are natural rather than memorized.