List of Interview Questions

I interviewed at 16 programs across the country.  I received a wide gambit of interview questions, some of which I heard at nearly every institution and others that were only asked once.  My aim is to compile a listing of questions I heard on the interview trail in one location and provide links to tips on answering those questions to aid your preparations.

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The Classics

• Tell me about yourself.
• Why this specialty? (Start Here)
  • Why orthopeadic surgery?
  • Why plastic surgery?
• How did you become interested in medicine?
• What is your greatest strength?
• What is your biggest weakness?
• Tell me about a time you were on a team and there was conflict. 
• Tell me about your research experience. 
• What questions do you have for us?
• What qualities make for a good resident in your opinion?  Which of those do you need the most work on?
• What are your plans after residency?
• Where do you envision yourself 10-15 years from now?
• Describe a mistake you have made.
• What are you most proud of?
• How do you handle criticism?

Program Specific Questions

• Why are you interested in this program?
• What are you looking for in a residency program?
• Why didn’t you do an away rotation here?
• Why should we choose you over all the other applicants?
• How did you choose the programs you rotated at?

Clinical Questions

• What has been the most interesting case you have seen?
• Describe a challenging patient that you have cared for.
• How much time have you spent in (insert specialty)?
• What are the biggest challenges facing our specialty today?
• What would you do if you couldn’t work in medicine?
• What subspecialty of (insert field) do you want pursue?

Specific CV Questions

• In your personal statement, you mentioned _____.  Tell me more about that. 
• What is the biggest flaw on your CV?
• What is your Step 1 score?
• Your Step 1 score is low.  Why?
• Why haven’t you taken Step 2?  What are your Step 2 scores?
• Why did you not make honors on a clerkship?
• Tell me about this specific research project. 
• Why did you choose your medical school?
• I don’t believe you have done this much research.

Getting to Know You

• What do you do for fun?
• Tell me about _____(insert hobby that is listed on your ERAS application). 
• What was the last movie you watched?
• What books are you reading for fun?
• How do you handle stress?
• Would you actually leave (insert geographic area where you have lived) to come (insert geographic area of the program)?
• If you could invite anyone, who would be your three guests to have a meal with?
• Who has been the most influential person to in your life?
• Who do you look to for advice?
• What do your parents do?
• What are three words that describe you?
• How would a friend describe you in one word?

Random, but Memorable

• Teach me something I don’t know in 2 minutes. 
• Here is the form we use to evaluate applicants.  Fill it out for me and explain why you are scoring yourself the way you are. 
• What is your favorite type of music? (Attending paused the interview and typed my answer into Pandora Radio and played it as background music throughout the remainder of the interview)
• Here is a piece of paper.  I am going to read you these instructions.  Pay attention.  I will not repeat them.  Once I am done, complete the task.  Do not say a word until you are done.  (Proceeds to read a 3 minute description of folding, unfolding, spinning, rotating the sheet of paper). 
• Can you name an ____(insert name of city of program) music artist?
• What case in plastic surgery do you think you could do alone, start to finish?
• You are in the operating room, doing a ventral hernia repair.  You accidentally dissect too deep and you have major bleeding.  What do you do?
• Are you an introvert or extrovert?
• Do you have an Instagram account?
• What do you think about social media usage and plastic surgery?
• So you are fluent in Spanish?  Let’s conduct this interview in Spanish.
• Compare and contrast the business strategies of Bezos, Buffet, and Gates.

Questionable Questions

• Are you married?
• What are your top 3 programs right now?
• Other than this program, what are your top 3 programs right now?
• What would it take to convince you to come here?

What other questions have you heard? Do you need more help answering a specific question?  Comment below or contact us directly. 

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