Tips to Structure Interview Season
Written by Bianca Georgakopoulos
My friends who graduated from medical school before me had a very different experience during interview season because it was in-person and required a lot of traveling. Because of this, many of them reported feeling isolated due to flying from one place to the next alone. The Match 2021/2022 experience is unique due to virtual interviews.
1. Rotations: Avoid scheduling time-intensive rotations during interview season (especially October-December). Schedule rotations that are laxer or will let you miss work for interviews.
2. Friends applying to the same specialty: It is great having a professional colleague who is also a friend in your specialty. Interview season is hard on everyone. I would recommend creating boundaries with friends applying to the same specialty. I was usually very stressed whenever we spoke about our interview numbers, so I would recommend avoiding this topic. Something helpful was sharing difficult interview questions. Another helpful conversation topic was finding out about unique program features (ex. resident retreats, international electives, etc) so that you could ask about these topics on upcoming interviews.
3. Medical school friends in different specialties: Be humble and compassionate (this also applies to your friends above). If you have a lot of interviews, do not brag about them. If you have few interviews and need to speak to someone who can relate to the stress of interview season, talk to one of your medical school friends. Again, the interview season is difficult for a myriad of reasons. Try and be supportive but know your limits too. Helping others has an impact on mental health if you are already anxious. Limit communication if you need to, but do not abandon your friends without explanation. You have no idea what others are battling through.
4. Outside friends and family: They will likely not understand what you are going through. And that’s OK. Match season is an unparalleled experience that those in non-medical fields may have difficulty understanding this process. Have your other friends and family as a soundboard to share your frustrations and emotions. Also, try and talk about other things to get your mind off of the season.
5. Medical school advisors: If you are not receiving interviews or have <5 in the first 4-6 weeks, go talk to your advisors. They will be the best source of information and will help you through the process. It is better to talk to them earlier.
6. Inside the Match: Listen to lots of podcasts to hear about a variety of experiences from residents and program directors. In addition, follow the social media posts for tons of tips.
7. Mental Health: This is the most important. Interview season was the most mentally and emotionally exhausting time for me during medical school. Do things that make you happy and are relaxing when you don’t have interviews scheduled. Go on walks outside, meditate, exercise, or try a new recipe.
If you are having negative thoughts, signs of depression, like changes in sleep/concentration/appetite, loss of interest, seek out help. Schedule therapy or a psychiatry appointment either virtually or in-person as soon as possible. If you are having thoughts about hurting yourself, call the National Suicide Hotline 800-273-8255. Someone is always there to talk; you are not alone.
