Internal Medicine Residency Mock Interview

Prepare for 40 Internal Medicine Residency interview questions covering clinical reasoning, patient care philosophy, and program fit.

Question 1 of 40

What motivated you to pursue an Internal Medicine training program?

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Ryan Brown

Ryan Brown created and launched MockQuestions in 2008.

Your decision to pursue an Internal Medicine Residency training program hopefully means that you have a career path planned out. Your interviewers want to hear your ultimate career goals following your Internal Medicine training or any additional fellowship that you want to pursue.

Ryan Brown

Ryan Brown created and launched MockQuestions in 2008.

"I enjoy being a leader as well as working within teams, and I'm ideally looking to practice in Hospital Medicine after residency training. As a Hospitalist, unlike most other specialties, you are responsible for managing every aspect of patient care, including rehabilitation with physical and occupational therapists, diet and type of food consistency with dieticians and speech pathologists, and discharge planning with social workers. I enjoy being able to work with multiple teams to provide efficient, effective, and holistic care for my patients."

Ryan Brunner

Ryan Brunner has over ten years of experience recruiting, interviewing, and hiring candidates in the healthcare, public service, and private manufacturing/distribution industries.

Come to your interview prepared to talk about your ultimate career goals as a physician and why this program is the best option for your pursuit of those goals. Your interviewers have worked with Internal Medicine residents in the past who have pursued every possible pathway to career success, so don't try to impress your interviewers with your plans. Instead, speak with passion about where you see your career taking you.

Dr. Griswold

"I have always seen Internal Medicine physicians as the detectives of medicine, piecing together clues to solve the mystery. I really enjoy critically thinking to diagnose and treat patients."

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Anonymous Answer

During my clinical years, I had broad exposure to different specialties, but I was settled on Internal Medicine. The beauty of internal medicine almost lies in the fact that a well-trained internal medicine doctor just needs a stethoscope and clinical skills to make a difference. Doing an internal medicine rotation in a hospital in a 3rd world tropical country was a very challenging experience but, at the same time, one of the best experiences of my professional life at the time. Especially when working in hospitals where there was very limited equipment; diagnostic tools like CT scans, chest x-rays, etc., everyone depended on the excellent skills of the internal medicine doctors to make diagnoses and develop treatment plans for patients. This is what I observed while rotating with my attendings during my medical school years. We took care of a range of pathology, from basic noncommunicable diseases like Diabetes and Hypertension to communicable diseases, and even more interesting, infectious diseases. A regular day could start in the HIV/AIDS ward, taking care of patients with barely detectable CD4 counts, and opportunistic infections (some of which are not even seen in more developed countries these days), then on to the regular medicine ward, where again a majority of the patients were admitted with malaria, acute sickle cell crisis. I learned a lot during this time and so I decided to stay in internal medicine.

Marcie's Feedback

Wow! Any interviewer will be highly impressed with your reasons for choosing the pursue internal medicine. Your example of working in a third-world country in internal medicine is powerful. It clearly explains why this form of medicine is so impactful when a hospital isn't well-equipped and why this is the specialty of your choice. Excellent response!

Anonymous Answer

My interest in internal medicine stems back to my initial interest in the heart. I developed that interest during graduate school by learning about and doing basic sciences research on cardiovascular and metabolic issues- one of the biggest burdens of disease in healthcare.
I especially loved my IM rotations where many cases I saw were cardiology-related- MI, CHF, and arrhythmias. I was involved in and presented a case of aortic dissection (I diagnosed it!). It was very gratifying to have played a part in saving that patient's life! I was also exposed to electrophysiology at this time, and I worked as an EP consultant for a medical device company after graduation.
In internal medicine, for many conditions, we can often provide comfort and solutions reasonably quickly- within a matter of hours to days, and I particularly enjoyed that aspect. For example, we can relieve a distressed patient with chest pain and save their life. Pneumonia- antibiotics and they get better.

Finally, following my experience with illness and recovery (substance issues), I now have a keen interest in helping patients at the primary care level. I feel that as internists, we would be the first to catch any brain pathology- things like anxiety, depression, substance use- very preventable and treatable conditions. Our patients see us first before they would ever go to a psychiatrist. We would be well placed to be the first line of defense for our patients. We can diagnose and refer appropriately- These Issues that would have a direct influence on our patient’s medical issues- compliance, etc. due to “psych” issues. I believe IM is well placed to help patients achieve an excellent and productive life in every aspect.

What motivated you to pursue an Internal Medicine training program?

40Internal Medicine Residency Interview Questions & Answers

1.What motivated you to pursue an Internal Medicine training program?

2.Talk about a difficult patient experience you had during medical school. How did you deal with it?

3.Where do you see yourself in five years following your Internal Medicine Residency training?

4.Take some time to tell us about yourself.

5.Do you have any questions for us?

6.How would you deal with a disagreement among resident colleagues or senior residents as an Internal Medicine Resident?

7.What are some challenges that the field of Internal Medicine is currently facing?

8.What worries you the most about joining a reputable Internal Medicine Residency?

9.Why was your motivation to pursue a career in medicine?

10.What aspects of our Internal Medicine Residency program interest you?

11.What will you bring to our Internal Medicine Residency?

12.What do you like to do for fun?

13.What is the biggest challenge you faced in medical school?

14.What are your thoughts about relocating to and living in this city as an Internal Medicine Resident?

15.What animal best describes you?

16.What are some key things that you are looking for in an Internal Medicine Residency program?

17.Tell us about a time you had a conflict or witnessed a physician in conflict with a patient. How was it resolved in a healthy manner?

18.What does the perfect day look like for you?

19.How do you think you will perform under pressure as an Internal Medicine Resident?

20.What personality type or characteristic do you find most difficult to work with?

21.Do you consider yourself an organized person?

22.I see that you struggled with 'X course or rotation' in medical school. Why was that?

23.What are your thoughts on the relationship between physicians and the pharmaceutical industry?

24.If I asked your friends, what would they say are your strengths and weaknesses?

25.Who would you say is your hero?

26.Do you believe telehealth is an effective form of healthcare delivery?

27.How do you feel about the 80-hour work week limit for residents?

28.Tell me about a time you received criticism from an attending physician or resident during your time in medical school. How did you handle that situation?

29.While attending medical school, what was your favorite course and why?

30.Describe your personality in three words.

31.How would you stay on top of trends and changes in the medical industry as an Internal Medicine Resident?

32.Are you considering or interviewing with any other Internal Medicine Residency programs?

33.Have you completed all ECFMG (Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates) requirements to start an Internal Medicine Residency?

34.How would you like to see the delivery of healthcare evolve?

35.Tell us about the most interesting case you were exposed to while attending medical school.

36.A recent patient survey comes back, and you find out that you did not meet a patient's expectations as their physician. What are the next steps you would take to improve as an Internal Medicine Resident in training?

37.As a new trainee in our Internal Medicine Residency, how would you handle being asked to do a procedure or task that you were unfamiliar with and uncomfortable handling?

38.As an Internal Medicine Resident, how will you explain a complex diagnosis, procedure, or other medical term to a patient using verbal instructions?

39.Tell us about a time you had to work with new technology. What did you do to ensure proficiency as quickly as possible?

40.Tell me about a time you showed initiative by taking the lead on a team project.