FM Residency Interview Advice

[#imposter]

---

Members don't see this ad.

Just to start with some background about me:
DO applicant with red flags (Failed Level 1 + MLOA).
Scored mid 400s on retake and Level 2. Passed PE. Mediocre grades but lots of extracurricular stuff on my app.

I applied to 100+ FM programs all over the US and have only received 8 interviews.

I feel like I've been pretty subpar on my interviews so far and am scared I won't be able to match. I've done 3/8 and I've vibed really well with everyone during the interview, but have always struggled with at least 1-2 questions I've been asked. They were really broad/open ended questions but I could tell I didn't give the type of answer they were looking for. In one of my interviews I also just completely misinterpreted the question and gave an answer that was way off.

It's just very hit or miss for me sometimes. I'll have great conversations with half of the interviewers and then just okay interactions with the other half. I've progressively been getting better, but don't know if it's enough to actually get ranked by the programs. I've been trying to practice the night before with a friend and have searched through reddit to try and prep for questions.

Anyone have any other resources that might be helpful or suggestions for how to stand out in an interview?

Also, just a random question in general. I've been sending thank you emails to most programs afterwards (I was raised as a thank you sender) but should I even continue doing that? Some programs don't even give us the PD/interviewers emails and they're not listed on the website so there's no way to contact them unless I ask the PC for their information.

 

[deleted966837]

You made it this far. Don't think of yourself as an imposter 🙂

 

[hallowmann]

Just to start with some background about me:
DO applicant with red flags (Failed Level 1 + MLOA).
Scored mid 400s on retake and Level 2. Passed PE. Mediocre grades but lots of extracurricular stuff on my app.

I applied to 100+ FM programs all over the US and have only received 8 interviews.

I feel like I've been pretty subpar on my interviews so far and am scared I won't be able to match. I've done 3/8 and I've vibed really well with everyone during the interview, but have always struggled with at least 1-2 questions I've been asked. They were really broad/open ended questions but I could tell I didn't give the type of answer they were looking for. In one of my interviews I also just completely misinterpreted the question and gave an answer that was way off.

It's just very hit or miss for me sometimes. I'll have great conversations with half of the interviewers and then just okay interactions with the other half. I've progressively been getting better, but don't know if it's enough to actually get ranked by the programs. I've been trying to practice the night before with a friend and have searched through reddit to try and prep for questions.

Anyone have any other resources that might be helpful or suggestions for how to stand out in an interview?

Also, just a random question in general. I've been sending thank you emails to most programs afterwards (I was raised as a thank you sender) but should I even continue doing that? Some programs don't even give us the PD/interviewers emails and they're not listed on the website so there's no way to contact them unless I ask the PC for their information.

Sounds pretty typical and like you're doing what you should be doing. One thing I did back in the day was practice (not the night before, because that sounds stressful) a bunch of random interview questions not necessarily from the places I'm interviewing at to just practice talking about myself or highlighting my skills. That helped.

You may consider sending some emails/letters of interest to some of the programs you haven't heard from yet. Usually that results in a couple new invites. In a normal year, 8 invites in FM would be fine, I don't know how this year will go.

I would continue doing thank you emails, and in the case for when you only have PC emails, I'd just request for contact info or thank them and ask if they can say thank you for you.

The other thing is, absolutely thank and be appreciative to the PC. We had one interviewer already this year, who was genuinely mean to our PC. That is honestly something that can easily put you in the DNR category. The PC is heavily involved in the application process and also in all of our lives in residency. If you can't get along with them, then that's going to be tough for you in the future.

 

[#imposter]

You made it this far. Don't think of yourself as an imposter 🙂

Thanks for the encouragement 🙂 I'll probably always feel like an imposter, but at least it's not as strong as before 🤣

Sounds pretty typical and like you're doing what you should be doing. One thing I did back in the day was practice (not the night before, because that sounds stressful) a bunch of random interview questions not necessarily from the places I'm interviewing at to just practice talking about myself or highlighting my skills. That helped.

You may consider sending some emails/letters of interest to some of the programs you haven't heard from yet. Usually that results in a couple new invites. In a normal year, 8 invites in FM would be fine, I don't know how this year will go.

I would continue doing thank you emails, and in the case for when you only have PC emails, I'd just request for contact info or thank them and ask if they can say thank you for you.

The other thing is, absolutely thank and be appreciative to the PC. We had one interviewer already this year, who was genuinely mean to our PC. That is honestly something that can easily put you in the DNR category. The PC is heavily involved in the application process and also in all of our lives in residency. If you can't get along with them, then that's going to be tough for you in the future.

Thanks for the advice! I'm definitely going to spend the long weekend drafting up some LOIs and send them out after the holiday. Hopefully that might get me a couple more invites. Everyone keeps telling me 8 interviews should be enough, but like you said, no one really knows how it's going to go this cycle. I'm genuinely scared I might not match, but I'm going to keep trying to get more!

 

[hsk013]

Just to start with some background about me:
DO applicant with red flags (Failed Level 1 + MLOA).
Scored mid 400s on retake and Level 2. Passed PE. Mediocre grades but lots of extracurricular stuff on my app.

I applied to 100+ FM programs all over the US and have only received 8 interviews.

I feel like I've been pretty subpar on my interviews so far and am scared I won't be able to match. I've done 3/8 and I've vibed really well with everyone during the interview, but have always struggled with at least 1-2 questions I've been asked. They were really broad/open ended questions but I could tell I didn't give the type of answer they were looking for. In one of my interviews I also just completely misinterpreted the question and gave an answer that was way off.

It's just very hit or miss for me sometimes. I'll have great conversations with half of the interviewers and then just okay interactions with the other half. I've progressively been getting better, but don't know if it's enough to actually get ranked by the programs. I've been trying to practice the night before with a friend and have searched through reddit to try and prep for questions.

Anyone have any other resources that might be helpful or suggestions for how to stand out in an interview?

Also, just a random question in general. I've been sending thank you emails to most programs afterwards (I was raised as a thank you sender) but should I even continue doing that? Some programs don't even give us the PD/interviewers emails and they're not listed on the website so there's no way to contact them unless I ask the PC for their information.

I'm in a similar boat. DO student with red flags (no board failures) and scored mid to high 400s on level 1 and 2.
Applied pretty similarly, 50-100s, and received 10 interviews so far, with few that are wait-listed.

I wasn't too worried because I was able to do a few sub-i. But now I'm wondering if my number is little or not. I haven't sending thank you emails. Fee like after a certain point, it becomes too much hassle. Should I be worried?

 

[ToKingdomCome]

I'm in a similar boat. DO student with red flags (no board failures) and scored mid to high 400s on level 1 and 2.
Applied pretty similarly, 50-100s, and received 10 interviews so far, with few that are wait-listed.

I wasn't too worried because I was able to do a few sub-i. But now I'm wondering if my number is little or not. I haven't sending thank you emails. Fee like after a certain point, it becomes too much hassle. Should I be worried?

No Dont be worried. I think you’ll be fine

 

[lovedaisy]

8 iterviews is a lot!! U r doing great. I know ppl who are have board failures and applied to 100+ programs and received only 2 interviews.
So u will match somewhere. Is there a particular geographic are or program you are looking to go to that u r afraid u won't match?

If u care about geographic area a lot, i suggest ranking multiple programs around the same are given u have interviews in multiple programs in the region. i will also recommend to rank ALL the programs if u r truly worried that u might not match. A lot of ppl told me that "don't rank a place if you don't wanna go there." But, you would rather match Somewhere than not match at alll.

 

[TwistedTea]

its family medicine you will match somewhere and if not soap into something, just be normal and personable.

 

[Residency Match Insiders]

Hi, Did you guys remember questions in regards of Social Determinants of health?
my program director told me that is one of the topics they are asking, to gauge understanding from the applicants.
I would also voice interest in been part of an underserved population track instead of the commonly mentioned "sports medicine"
Areas that residents in Family practice are lacking and need more and more exposure are ID, palliative care, critical care, geriatrics, so mentioning those areas as to where you want to focus your training can bring some attention.

 

[WhatIsGoingOn219]

How did the Match go for you OP? Wish you well!