Residency Interviewing Tips

  1. Practice Interviews with people that may intimidate you. Students should ask staff to give them an interview at the end of the rotation before leaving.

  2. Try to Extern or at least show interest by a day visit to the program in advance of the interview.

  3. Research Prior to the Interview (the program location, names of the residents, staff, director). Often questions will be asked based on what they have written or what they are known for. If you are interviewing at a program that focuses a great deal on trauma, then study material that will help you answer questions about trauma (classification schemes, fixation techniques etc).

  4. Sell Yourself and dress professionally. No overpowering perfumes/colognes. Be confident and don’t fidget. Be able to tell a clean joke if asked. Be able to describe yourself well and be sure to do it as a person that is always going above the beyond. Know why you chose the field of podiatry. Have answers prepared of where you want to be in five to ten years. Have a great answer for why they should take you as their resident (i.e. you will work harder than any other candidate, personable, great with patients, caring, professional, etc). Many staff are thinking "can I get along working with this person in my program for the next three years?"

  5. Relax. Most programs are less interested in quizzing or correct answers but more so how the student responds to the questioning, personality, case workup, etc. Interviewing requires self-control and confidence. You must be able to keep your cool and deliver the answer with confidence.

  6. Do Not Try to Make-up an Answer if You are not Sure it is Correct. Be honest with the person asking the question. Tell them what your thinking but also let them know you would be glad to research that question if you are not 100 percent certain.

  7. Be Concise in your answers. Talk through answers, as this will give them insight as to how you would solve the case as their resident.

  8. Podiatry is a Small World. If a student does not fill their responsibilities or is lazy, other programs will hear about it. Your actions do follow you.

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