EXCLUSIVE: Advice from Program Directors on How to Succeed in the 2021 Residency Application Cycle

Take a deep breath. Actually, take two deep breaths.

Great, now let’s talk about applying for residencies, but more specifically, let’s talk about what applying for residency in the year 2020-2021 will look like. This year is different for many reasons, but the main difference is that applicants this year will do their interviews via Zoom. Not only will applicants not have the option of visiting programs during the interview, they no longer have the option to go on away rotations. This provides many challenges to applicants all over the country and has left many students in a scramble to figure out how to best present themselves to the programs that they are applying to.

The bottom line is all this change has left you – the applicant – in unchartered territory. How do you show off your excellent in person communication skills, your manners or your overall personal demeanor over a Zoom interview? Fear not because we have asked multiple program directors across the country to answer these important questions and are here to present you with the keys to success in the 2020-2021 interview season!

We have interviewed program directors across multiple different universities and specialties with the hopes that it will provide applicants with insight into what program directors will really be looking for this year. Stay tuned for these interviews as they are released over the next two weeks.