How to Answer Common Residency Interview Questions In 2023 USMLE PLAB

 

 The process of preparing for residency interviews can be intimidating, particularly if the interviewee is unaware of the types of questions that will be asked. In this blog, I have collected a list of techniques to answer the questions that are most frequently asked during interviews for residency programs.

A word of caution before we begin: do not memorize your responses to the questions! Instead, put out your essential ideas in bullet points before the interview so that your responses will appear genuine and unrehearsed when they are delivered. Try not to spend an excessive amount of time responding to interview questions. Make every effort to finish your response within the next one to one and a half minutes.


Let's get right down to business and talk about the issues that are preventing you from applying to the residency program of your dreams.
DESCRIBE YOURSELF TO ME IN DETAIL:

It is highly likely that you will be asked this question during the interview for your residency program; therefore, you should prepare for it beforehand rather than responding on the spot. Take into account the following:

Share some of the most memorable experiences from your life. You may begin by discussing yourself, your family, or the nation or city in which you attained your formative years. Only include experiences that have had a significant influence on your life or the path that you have chosen for your career - you will need to prioritize this section.

Experiences gained in clinical settings in both your country and the United States (if you are an IMG). Again, make sure to highlight the most important parts of these encounters without getting into too much detail.

Volunteering, academic pursuits, and extracurricular activities Instead of explaining the specifics of your research projects or volunteer work, you should concentrate on how these experiences have contributed to the development of your personality and helped you become the person you are today.

WHY MEDICINE AND SPECIALITY:

1. Steer clear of using terminology that are too general.

2. Discuss the reasons why you are enthusiastic about the speciality based on the experiences you have gained while working in that field. To give you an example, if the program director asks, "Why are you interested in internal medicine?" you should avoid using statements such as:

Internal medicine is the most desirable specialization because it allows practitioners to treat patients utilizing both clinical expertise and evidence-based practices.

This answer is not entirely incorrect; yet, it is much too general. It would be to your advantage to provide a response that sets you apart from the other candidates. Here is an illustration of that:

As a medical student in my third year, I spent my rotations as an intern on the internal medicine floor. During that time, I was captivated by the variety and complexity of the diseases I observed, as well as the dynamic relationship between clinical expertise and evidence-based medicine. The fact that each person's opinion was taken into consideration and listened to gave me the impression that I was a bona fide part of the team.

You can tell that there is a distinction between these two statements since the first one discusses general features of the speciality, but the second one focuses specifically on the experiences that the applicant had during their third-year rotation.

3. If you want to go into a specialization, you shouldn't highlight a single patient interaction as the primary reason why you want to do so. Avoid statements like:

One of my patients, who was in their 60s and suffering from heart failure, provided the impetus for me to seek a career in internal medicine. My time spent caring for this patient opened my eyes to the many fascinating aspects of internal medicine.

It is doubtful that the interactions you have with patients will be the sole reason you choose to pursue a particular area, despite the fact that these encounters can pique your interest in a particular speciality.

WHAT ARE YOUR STRENGTHS

Instead of merely listing characteristics, you should put more emphasis on recounting situations that illustrate your positive qualities. For instance, rather than asserting that you are a diligent worker, you could discuss a number of life situations with the interviewer that demonstrate your commitment to the job. In a similar vein, rather than claiming that you are a team player, you may tell about times when you worked successfully with others in a group setting. In order to successfully answer this question, we suggest using the following strategies:

1. Give some background information about yourself. You may, for instance, mention how working with restricted resources helped you gain exceptional clinical skills that candidates from developed nations might not have. This is something that you would say if you were from a country that is considered to be underdeveloped.

2. If you have substantial experience conducting research, you can discuss any one-of-a-kind analytical talents that you've picked up and explain how these skills make you a more competitive candidate.

3. In comparison to the other applicants, what sets you apart? It is not necessary to discuss your grades, awards, or excellent STEP scores; rather, you should talk about a passion that sets you apart from the other applicants. You may, for instance, talk about your channel on YouTube, your blog, or your experience educating students online. Be sure to list these strengths as well if you're involved in sports of any kind (for example, if you're a hockey player or a previous Olympic athlete).

4. Be familiar with your résumé! It's possible that you'll be questioned on any one of the experiences listed on your CV. It would seem very bad on you if you are unable to answer any of the questions on your CV, so you need to make sure that you are completely confident in every aspect of your application.
It is preferable to omit experiences from your curriculum vitae altogether rather than provide hazy justifications for them if you are unable to elaborate on them. Before my interview, I went back and read every paper I've ever written, including those that were written as long ago as two or three years ago, so that I wouldn't be caught off guard if I was asked about any of them.

5. If the inquiry specifically asks about your strengths, respond by humbly enumerating the characteristics that set you apart from other people. You are free to highlight your accomplishments while taking into consideration the requirements of the program. Find out what qualities are cherished by the program, and evaluate which of those qualities you already possess.
YOUR WEAKNESSES:

You could be questioned about your overall shortcomings, or you could be asked anything along the lines of "Why did you fail STEP 2 CK?" at an interview. or "Why did you wait so long after graduating medical school before enrolling to a residency program?" Here are some common tips for answering:

Make a list of your shortcomings and the steps you are taking to overcome them. If you have a narrative that illustrates one of your weaknesses, you should be sure to highlight how you have grown as a person and as an applicant as a result of that event. For instance, if you have a low score on STEP 1, you should explain to them how that low score encouraged you to earn a better number on STEP 2 CK, assuming that this is the fact.

When answering questions on general flaws, you should avoid using cliches like, "My greatest problem is that I work too hard/am too detail-oriented." Find a real flaw in yourself that you want to improve in order to become a better person.

Avoid bringing out severely unfavorable flaws in your character. These are subjective, but in general, you want to avoid having any flaws that imply your character or integrity might be in question. For instance, you should never admit that you frequently lose your cool and yell at patients since program directors would immediately question your capacity to care for patients if they heard you admit to doing so.

WHY ARE WE DOING THIS PROGRAM?

It's possible that every show will pose this issue. You must prepare an answer tailored to the strengths and aims of each program; you can’t have a broad, one-fits-all remark. To understand the benefits and limitations of a specific program, you are interested in applying to, investigate it. Here are some possible components of your response:

Clinical activities: The residency is a clinical job, and each program will feature a variety of clinical experiences for the residents to participate in. Take time to study what they are and compare the program’s clinical strengths to your sub-specialty or areas of interest.

Research: Make sure to note if you have a strong interest in research, and make sure to cite the program's focus on offering research-based opportunities to residents as a specific attraction for you as a reason why you are interested in participating in the program.

Location: Please mention whether you have a particular affinity for or connection to the city in where the program is being held.

In the event that you or a member of your family already has personal or familial ties to the city in which the program is housed, be sure to highlight these ties.

Career goals:

It is highly recommended that you respond to queries regarding your job aspirations in a sincere and honest manner. A few helpful hints for responding to these queries are as follows:

Keep an open mind. Even if you have a particular interest in a subspecialty, the answer you give should show that you are interested in studying and learning about the field as a whole. It is important to keep in mind that during your residency, you will receive training in all facets of the speciality, not just the sub-specialty that you are interested in.

Do you have any interest in the academic world? If this is the case, indicate your interest in continuing your education or research and provide an explanation for why you would like to do so.

Tell them that you want to get more involved in research in the future and specify what kind of research you are interested in doing if you are someone who is excited about the field of research.

You may also express the fact that you intend to go back to your home country after finishing your residency or fellowship there. You could also discuss the impact that you hope to have when you return to your native country once your training has been completed.

Be honest! A program might respond favorably or unfavorably to some of these responses depending on the context. For instance, if you have a great interest in research or academics but a particular program does not concentrate on academic medicine, then expressing your strong interest in research or academics could decrease your chances of being accepted into that program. At the end of the day, though, what you really want is to enroll in a program that will allow you to cultivate your interests and get you ready to reach your professional objectives.

A Look at Some Hobbies and Interests:

It's possible that you'll be questioned about your hobbies, as well as your preferred music, movies, and books. Be aware that the objective of these questions is to establish that you are a person who is approachable and who has interests and activities outside of the medical field. This is how you should respond to questions of this nature:

Do not claim that you are constantly learning about medicine and that you have no time for hobbies. The interviewer will get the wrong impression from you if you do this.

Keep in mind that you will be spending the day and night, both inside and outside of the hospital, with other people who are participating in your program. Program directors and residents are often seeking for someone friendly to hang out with and talk about about subjects other than medicine.

Once more, be forthright! If you give false information about your interests and activities, it will be difficult to answer any follow-up inquiries. If you said that you play the piano, for instance, the interviewer might inquire as to the genre of music you play or inquire about your favorite piece of music.

You might also tell a tale that is relatable about one of your interests and describe how it has influenced your life in some way.

Behavioral Questions:

The medical center is interested in more information about you than just your grades, papers, or book chapters that you may have written (all of these are in your CV). They are interested in learning more about who you are as well as how you will interact with patients, staff, and different scenarios. During the behavioral interview, your social skills and bedside manner will be evaluated to determine whether or not you should be hired.

The interviewer will typically inquire about your experience working in a group setting, as well as your skills and areas in which you could improve. In a behavioral interview, the interviewer is interested in hearing specific examples of how you have responded in the past when confronted with a variety of circumstances. This helps them get a better sense of how you will respond when faced with circumstances that are analogous to those in the future. Now is the opportunity to demonstrate your interpersonal abilities. In the following paragraph, I'll discuss how to bring out the most in these abilities.

It's possible that you might relate to how the person in this picture is experiencing. However, remember to take a few deep breaths and keep in mind that the interviewer is looking for you to demonstrate your ability to think on your feet in response to these questions. Unfortunately, if you aren't prepared, it might also have the opposite effect on you.

When practicing your answers to behavioral questions, be sure to keep the following factors in mind:

Stay true to who you are and consider the experiences you've had that could serve as a springboard for showcasing your personality. Don't be a one-note character; instead, provide depth and nuance to the stories you tell.

Get yourself ready to answer as many questions about your behavior as you can. Before the start of the interview season, take some time to think back on your past and compile a list of unique anecdotes about times you overcame obstacles, managed a group of people, and so on. When you're under a lot of pressure, it's difficult to recall important details!

Unless specifically requested, do not recount instances in which you demonstrated your lack of competence (e.g. Tell me about a time you made a mistake).
Keep in mind that each question presents an opportunity for you to highlight your strong points. Take care to select stories that demonstrate your wit and intelligence.

Never try to commit your tales to memory! You should write out some bullet points to help guide the flow of your narrative, but you should avoid writing out every detail or you run the risk of appearing too rehearsed.

Most key, make connections between the experiences you've had in your past and the requirements of the position you're applying for. If you are applying to general surgery, for instance, you should describe an experience you had with a patient while you were on the surgery floor or in the operating room. This will serve to bring to the attention of the interviewer the fact that you have already accumulated significant surgical experience.

Please tell me about a time when you were able to assist someone else. You could recall a moment when you helped out a homeless individual by giving them some money. On the other hand, a more compelling illustration might be the time you observed that a fellow student seemed more depressed and exhausted than normal. In response, you went up to him to offer encouragement, and as a result, a friendship developed between the two of you. You can also demonstrate to the person conducting the interview that you are able to identify and solve difficulties that arise in your daily life. These examples illustrate that you place a high value on developing meaningful relationships with the members of your community and are committed to doing so.



Your narrative can be constructed using a four-step process known as the CARL technique (Context, Action, Result, and Learning).

Build a foundation for your narrative by giving it some context. In the background of your narrative, you may add the time period when it occurred while you were attending medical school, as well as the hospital and department in which you were working. Take, for instance:

When I was a student in my third year at Healing Patients Hospital, I was doing rotations in the emergency room when I came across a patient who was quite upset.

Now talk about the predicament or the difficulty. You came across a patient who was yelling in agitation. So what do we do now?

I could hear an angry patient yelling from the outside. The patient was frustrated since after the initial screening, no one from the medical team responded to them for a number of hours, which made them angry.

What steps did you take after that? (Action) Emphasize the contribution that you made to the solution of the problem. Describe how you were able to tackle the problem at hand by employing strategies such as logic, problem-solving abilities, and/or empathy, in addition to any other relevant strategies.

I went over to the irate patient and tried to calm him down by describing the emergency situation that was occurring in the hospital to him. I spoke to them in a calm and respectful manner, informing them that the hospital is now caring for a large number of patients who are in critical condition and have significant injuries that pose a threat to their lives.

The end consequence is that you will give an explanation of what happened. Demonstrate that you are capable of finding constructive solutions to difficulties and bringing them to a successful conclusion.

After making a number of attempts to put him at ease, I was finally successful in persuading him that someone from the team would be in touch with them as quickly as possible.

Always make sure to leave your audience with something to think about at the end of your story. Take, for instance:

Before attempting to explain what led to the delays in care, we need to first listen to and validate the concerns of our patients. We need to cultivate relationships with our patients that are both healthy and engaged.

Weird Questions

The purpose of these questions is to gauge your level of critical thinking. These questions encourage "out-of-the-box thinking" and the provision of spontaneous responses. You may easily become proficient at such inquiries by giving yourself plenty of practice answering bizarre questions and working on developing the ability to give concise and prompt responses on a wide range of subjects.
Do you have questions for me?

At the conclusion of the interview, the person conducting the interview will give you the opportunity to ask them questions concerning the program. When responding to this question, do not use the word "no." Insightful questions are welcome. The following is a rundown of how you should respond to this section of the interview:

After reading the program's website, you can submit a question that expands on the material already presented there. Please refrain from inquiring about the information that may be found online already.

Your inquiry should serve two purposes: one, to learn more about the program (which will help you when developing your rank list), and two, to express how deeply you are interested in becoming a part of it.
I wish everyone the best of luck.