Interview Tips for Internal Medicine

Written by Annie Kopera, DO

Congrats on making it to interview season!  Here are my tips for a successful Internal Medicine residency interview. 

Preparation:

While practicing questions before interviews, be prepared for simple yet challenging questions such as:

-       Tell me about yourself.

-       Why Internal Medicine?

-       Why our program?

These questions are a perfect opportunity to discuss your “brand.”  Are you passionate about preventive medicine and primary care?  Do you enjoy the high acuity of working with critically ill patients in the ICU?  Do you plan to be heavily involved in oncologic research?  Think about the qualities that will make you a great Internist, and weave these into your responses if not explicitly asked “what will you bring to our program?”  Whatever your reason for choosing Internal Medicine, be able to discuss it genuinely and consistently with each interviewer. 

For each program I interviewed with, I created a “scouting report.”  Before the interview, I would create a document outlining the program leadership and faculty I would be interviewing with.  I researched the program on their website and with any additional information sent to applicants only.  I noted their mission, any special additions to their curriculum, schedule, and locations of rotations.  Having these prepared ahead of time helped to distinguish between each program, which was especially helpful during weeks where I had several interviews.  I also kept my interview notes and post-interview thoughts in these documents, so I could look back later when I was creating my rank list. 

The Interview:

Inquire about program tracks and additions to the curriculum.  Examples include Global Health, Health Policy, Public Health, Education, Research, and Ultrasound.  Discuss the logistics of these additional programs with residents and faculty to determine how joining one of these can best help to achieve your career goals. 

X + Y scheduling is the most common set-up for programs, and each program is different.  X is usually the number of weeks in an inpatient block, and Y is the number of weeks in an outpatient setting.  Different examples include 4 + 1, 6 + 2, 4 + 2 + 2.  Talk to residents about how their schedule affects their quality of life.  The X + Y backbone determines golden weekends, allowing you to have a work-life balance during residency.  If a program is still on a traditional schedule of leaving inpatient rotations once per week to attend continuity clinic, make sure to ask about the frequency of weekends off. 

At all interview events (happy hour, interview day) try to talk to as many people as you can from the program.  It can be challenging on Zoom, so the more data you collect the better.  Determine if you enjoy the conversation with these people and if you can see yourself being happy in their company for the next three years.  Most interviews will invite you to a morning report or a noon conference.  Pay attention to the structure and if it supports your learning style.  Was it resident-led or faculty-led?  Were the residents engaged and participating, or quiet and uninvolved.  These conferences can give you a good idea of their educational culture.

You will be asked about your career goals.  It is acceptable to be honest in your goals to subspecialize, but be sure to articulate your desire to have a strong foundation in Internal Medicine first.  It is also okay if you’re uncertain about your career plan at this point!  Overall, be your authentic yet professional self.  Remember that you are interviewing them too, and although nerve-wracking, interviews are also fun and exciting.  Best of luck, you will do great!