ask questions at your residency interview
So my first residency interview did not go at all as I expected. I think I was asked two questions the whole time: what do I like to do for fun and to talk about my PhD dissertation. Actually, I was asked one other question over and over again: “what questions do you have for me?” Usually, the interview was kicked off with that. Painful. I almost wanted to say just ask me a question already!
If you are going on residency interviews, make sure you have a lot of questions to ask. Mostly I asked about clinical training and how well residents matched into fellowship programs. This whole issue of asking questions is even more painful at institutions you want to go to because more than likely you’ve already done your homework beforehand so you know a good deal about that institution already. With the experience of one interview under my belt, I am now compiling a list of good questions to ask faculty members at your residency interviews:
How many of the residents stay in academics?
How many residents go to fellowship every year?
Do the residents get their first choice fellowships?
How did you end up at this institution?
What keeps you at this institution?
How do you see the department changing in the next 5 years (e.g. changes to curriculum and faculty additions or losses)?
How do they see the field (or a subspecialty you are interested in) evolving over time?
As I think of more, I will post them.
