Residency interviews are highly important for being accepted in to a program, since they provide you with an opportunity to make the best impression upon program directors. This is why, we cannot stress the importance of going in to your interview well-prepared, which is where mock interviews come in handy. Ask a physician, a residency program director, or a professional interview coach to help you prepare for your residency interview. They can help you prepare for the real thing and increase your chances of matching into your dream residency program. Here’s how mock interviews can help you ace your residency interviews:
Practice answering common interview questions
During the mock interview, your panel physician will simulate the style and questions you’ll encounter in an actual program interview. This serves to familiarize you with different residency interview questions – from common general questions such as why do you want to be a doctor?” to questions that are specific to your chosen specialties, that you can expect during your residency interview. Coming up with impressive responses to these questions and also rehearsing them out loud will make your interview day feel less intimidating. This also gives you the opportunity to structure your answers, organize your responses, and phrase them in the best possible way, in order to ensure that you don’t leave out any necessary details on the actual interview day, or worst, waste your interviewer’s time with irrelevant information.
Get feedback on your interviewing skills
A qualified mock interviewer who knows the ins and outs of the residency interview process, can analyze your interviewing skills, including your body language, communication style, and overall presentation during one-on-one sessions. Their detailed, objective feedback can help aspiring physicians come up with strategies to tackle their weaknesses and at the same time, hone their strengths during the interviews. Their invaluable feedback helps to ensure that you are confident in your skin and fully prepared for the interviews to come. In fact, mock interviews are your ultimate chance to make mistakes and learn from them, bringing you one step closer to matching into your dream residency program.
Get Acquainted with the Interview Setting
Mock interviews work best when they simulate the conditions of the actual interview as closely as possible. This means that you have to show up on time and dress appropriately in business formal attire. For men, a nice suit and tie would cut the bill, while for women, a pantsuit or skirt suit, close-toed shoes, and natural makeup seems more apt. Next, you should aim to make a great first impression on your mock interviewer, just like you hope to do with the actual program directors. Be friendly and professional and above all; focus on your posture, tone of voice, and body language. Try to maintain an appropriate eye contact throughout the interview, shake hands when appropriate, use correct hand gestures, and don’t forget to smile! Since 98% of residency programs consider communication skills to be one of the most important factors when creating their rank order lists, as per the National Resident Matching Program (NRMP), so mock interviews are your window to practice your soft skills in a setting that is similar to the actual residency interview.
