How to Prepare for Residency Interviews: What You Should Do Before Applying
- Aubrey Jackson
- 2 days ago
- 4 min read
Matching into residency is a complex process filled with personal decisions, strategic applications, and a lot of unknowns. As someone about to complete my second year of residency and who sits on my program’s admissions committee, I want to offer some updated, experience-based advice. This blog post complements earlier podcast episodes that dive deep into the mechanics of applying, interviewing, and ranking—but here, I share personal notes and bonus tips I found helpful during my own Match journey.
Catch Up on Key Podcast Episodes on How to Prepare for Residency Interviews and the Application Season
Before we dive in, here’s a recap of my previous episodes that lay the foundation for your residency application strategy and how to prepare for residency interviews:
Creating Your List & Competitiveness: Episodes 93-95, 98, 141
ERAS Applications: Episodes 105, 106, 145, 146
Interviewing: Episodes 109–113, 142, 147, 148
Letters of Interest/Intent: Episode 114, 149, 157
Creating Your Rank List: Episode 118, 150
SOAP: 165
That’s 23 free full-length episodes filled with actionable advice based on my own successful Match into a competitive residency program. You can browse these episodes on your favorite podcast platform or use my podcast episode directory to more easily navigate to episodes with direct Spotify links. Go to the home page or podcast page to enter your email and gain access to the directory.
Before You Apply
Letters of Recommendation
Faculty interviewers take your LORs seriously. If you’re unsure about the strength of one, ask for more letters than you need so you can rotate them. This way, you minimize the risk of a potential weak or even malignant LOR hurting your chances for all the programs you apply to.
Personal Statement
Your personal statement is your best chance to stand out before being invited to an interview. I had multiple programs specifically mention the strength of my personal statement during interviews. Your statement should be well-written, memorable, and personal so it can spark conversation during interviews. Spend time on this, and don’t settle for average.
Mentorship & Leadership
Programs love applicants who demonstrate leadership and mentorship experience. Even if the experience is a little dated, highlight it in your application.
Hobbies
Generic hobbies won’t help you stand out. Be authentic while providing details that can be used in conversations during your interview:
Don’t just say "I enjoy time with family" — say what you do together.
Don’t say "I like watching movies" — mention genres or a specific move/franchise.
Building Your Narrative
Identify Your Personal Brand
Pick a few signature highlights from your application. This will help you build a consistent, memorable narrative. What do you want to be known for? Are you the rural medicine applicant? Are you the medical education advocate? Do you have niche research in your field?
Create a 30-Second Elevator Pitch
Even if no one directly asks for it, preparing a pitch boosts confidence. Here’s the one I used:
“Hi, my name is Aubrey Jackson, I am a fourth-year student at Liberty University College of Osteopathic Medicine, and my goal is to match with an academic psychiatry residency program that will provide a well-rounded clinical experience with robust psychotherapy training. I hope to subspecialize in consultation-liaison psychiatry with a focus on reproductive psychiatry. In addition to hosting a medical education podcast, I hope to also gain more teaching experience while working with medical students.”
Even if I never said this word-for-word, practicing it helped shape how I talked about myself in interviews and emails.
Open Houses
I highly recommend attending open houses if they are available at the programs you are applying too, even if they are virtual. Programs appreciate when you remember who you met and what you talked about. Take notes during residency fairs, open houses, and info sessions. These can be helpful for pre-interview letters of interest, thank-you notes, and interview conversations.
Residency programs want to know who you are and how you’ll fit into their team. With thoughtful preparation and authentic storytelling, you can make a lasting impression.
Related Resources
Let’s get you matched into your dream residency! If you'd like to work with me one on one for editing your personal statement or ERAS application, check out the services tab here.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
1. How many letters of recommendation should I collect for residency applications?
Aim to collect more LORs than required—ideally 4 to 5—so you can rotate them and avoid submitting a potentially weak or “malignant” letter to all programs.
2. How do I make my residency personal statement stand out?
Make it personal, specific, and reflective of your values and goals. Avoid generic stories and instead focus on memorable experiences that shaped your path in medicine and informed your choice of specialty.
3. When should I start preparing my residency application materials?
Ideally, begin drafting your personal statement and CV in the spring of your third year. Use early summer for LOR requests and finalizing ERAS documents.
4 How do I decide how many residency programs to apply to?
It depends on your specialty competitiveness, exam scores, and geographic flexibility. Check out my podcast episodes specifically about this!
5. What should I include in my thank-you emails after residency interviews?
Reference something specific discussed in the interview and express continued interest.
6. Is it okay to follow up with programs after interviews?
Yes, especially if you have meaningful updates or want to express strong interest. Just be professional and respectful of boundaries—some programs discourage post-interview communication.
7. What if I don’t match?
You can enter the SOAP (Supplemental Offer and Acceptance Program) immediately after results are released. Check out my podcast episode on this topic!
