25 Residency Program Director Interview Questions & Answers
Below is a list of our Residency Program Director interview questions. Click on any interview question to view our answer advice and answer examples. You may view 5 answer examples before our paywall loads. Afterwards, you'll be asked to upgrade to view the rest of our answers.
1. In the situation where a resident needed to be disciplined for their actions in a patient care situation, what would your approach be as the residency program director?
How to Answer
As with any type of hospital or clinical leadership position, residency program directors will be faced with tough situations where residents need to be disciplined for their performance. While you may think this would be a difficult question to answer given the lack of clarity on the situation, the question is worded like this intentionally. What the program is hoping to hear is that you will consult all policies and procedures in investigating the issue and that you will act accordingly to the degree of discipline required. It will also be really helpful to discuss the importance of coaching and mentoring in any situation like this, specifically because the residents training in the program will expect and require that from their program director.
Written by Ryan Brunner on March 19th, 2024
Answer Example
"First and foremost, I'd ensure that the issue was investigated thoroughly, any impacted people were talked with and policies were consulted for a next plan of action. As the program director, I would take ultimate responsibility for the situation and would never take the initial steps lightly. If required by institutional policy, I would also ensure that HR was consulted with as well and any necessary documentation was submitted. My next move would be to act quickly to meet with the resident in question, because these things shouldn't linger long after any performance issues are noticed. I'm a firm believer that being forthright in situations like this is important and would let them know what the infraction was and what the disciplinary action would be. From there, my mindset would immediately move to helping the resident improve on the situation moving forward and instill my confidence in them. Being one once, I know that confidence is huge for medical residents and I'd try to help boost that in a disciplinary situation."
Written by Ryan Brunner on March 19th, 2024
2. Instilling our mission and values into our residents will help them thrive throughout their career. How will you help to live and instill these as our residency program director?
How to Answer
The years that any physician spends in their residency (and fellowship) training have such a profound impact on how they will carry themselves in their career. If the institution you are interviewing with is going to seriously consider you as their next residency program director, the leaders there will need to know that you carry the same values and will help to instill their mission into all residents you will be overseeing into the future. Make sure that you take the time to study up on the mission and values of the organization you are interviewing with and come prepared to discuss how these values hit home to you. As you do, make sure to elaborate on why these values are important to residents in establishing their career as a physician in practice.
Written by Ryan Brunner on March 22nd, 2024
Answer Example
"When I look at your mission and values, it becomes abundantly clear why these values are important for residents to achieve success during residency and in their careers. First and foremost, we do this work for our patients and any resident that is doing it otherwise needs to make that decision quickly and find an alternate career path in medicine. Your focus on humanity and seeing patients as people first is vital for every physician. I will always promote empathetic and personable interactions with patients and their family members by residents of this program. Teamwork is such an important aspect of this work as well. When you look at complicated patients and solving their needs, it truly does take a true team. As a physician, we are only one piece of that puzzle and coach residents to work closely alongside consultants from other specialties, nursing staff, social work, and other support areas will be a major focus of mine as residency program director."
Written by Ryan Brunner on March 22nd, 2024
3. As you are likely aware, resident burnout has become more prevalent in recent years. Have you thought about tactics to help your residents have productive and fulfilling years of training?
How to Answer
Depending on the specific medical specialty, recent studies have shown that burnout rates among residents can range from around 25% all the way to an alarming 75% rate. The long working hours and demanding clinical schedules can cause the most focused and intent residents to stress and burn out quickly. As the potential next leader of their program, your interview team is hoping to hear that you have put some thought into this and pondered some strategies on how to keep the residents of the program engaged and motivated in the toughest times. Remember that as their residency program director, being a solid leader and promoter of other faculty having a positive influence on the residents will be key.
Written by Ryan Brunner on March 21st, 2024
Answer Example
"This is a difficult question because there is no one cure for all, but I fully believe that helping to prevent resident burnout starts with the program leadership and faculty members. My team here will ultimately be responsible for displaying sound judgment, work practices, and attitudes with our residents, so I will always be a strong advocate for a healthy work-life balance for the core faculty here. Then, I'm confident that regular check-ins, even on a quick weekly basis is a very good indicator of gauging stress levels with residents. As a residency program director, these touchpoints will always be a priority for me and I'll never hesitate to ask the tough questions to get a feel for where my residents' heads are. Last, I think promoting social activities is so important in ensuring that residents feel loved and cared for. I'm excited to make a profound impact on both the clinical and social lives of the residents of this amazing program for years to come."
Written by Ryan Brunner on March 22nd, 2024
4. What have your working relationships with allied health support staff been like throughout your career? Do you envision the nature of these relationships changing as a residency program director?
How to Answer
Many nurses and other support staff are vital to the success of any residency program. On top of the residents and faculty, your relationship with all support staff within the program will help lead it to success. The institution considering you needs to be assured that you will value and nurture all staff within the program, so take the time to highlight some of the key relationships you've nurtured throughout your career to this point. Make sure to give your insight on why staff like APPs, RNs, medical assistants, and other support staff are vital to the overall practice and education for your residents.
Written by Ryan Brunner on March 21st, 2024
Answer Example
"They've been excellent. A clinical practice is built around a true team effort where every individual utilizes their expertise and I'm the type of physician that allows support staff and the nursing team to perform to the best of their abilities. My colleagues have always appreciated my open lines of communication and my ability to connect with them on a personal level. I currently work side-by-side with a Physician Assistant and a full nursing team that includes RNs and LPNs. I love to promote fun and humor while working hard. I'm very excited to join this program as your next residency program director and work alongside the amazing medical assistants, schedulers, and other support staff I've been able to meet with throughout the interview. I get the strong sense that this is a passionate, fun, and dedicated team."
Written by Ryan Brunner on March 21st, 2024
5. We'd love to get to know more about you as a person and what interests you. Tell us about yourself.
How to Answer
The close-knit, family-based atmosphere of a residency program requires a leader who is relatable, respected, and a downright great person to be around. To gauge your overall fit with the program itself and the greater institution, your interview team gives you the chance to elaborate on who you are as a person. With a majority of the interview questions focusing on your professional experience and skills, now is the time to paint the full picture of who you are personally. Give a good overview of your interests outside of work, your personal/family life, and the values that you would bring to instill in the future physicians in your medical field.
Written by Ryan Brunner on March 20th, 2024
Answer Example
"Thanks for the opportunity! Being from a small town in the heartland and raised in a community where hard work and honesty were valued, I was a first-generation college student who was inspired by our family practitioner to pursue a career in medicine. I met my amazing wife when we were in medical school together and we've spent the last 15 years raising our amazing two children. Outside of my practice and the hospital, I'm a very passionate woodworker and have invested a lot of time to learning many different crafts like chainsaw carving and horology. As a family, we are very committed to traveling the world and have been to Scotland, the Philippines, and New Zealand in recent years."
Written by Ryan Brunner on March 21st, 2024
6. The candidate hired for this position will be expected to be a full participant on several institutional committees. Do you have committee involvement experience during your career? If so, what committees and what roles did you play on them?
How to Answer
As a campus-wide leader in medical education, most residency program directors are expected to be involved in enterprise-wide committees. These can include graduate medical education-related committees, curriculum committees, and other various clinical practice committees. You might have some of this experience listed on your CV, but your interview team is looking to hear that you are always willing and ready to be a leader on various committees as part of their faculty. Take the time to walk through your committee participation experience and highlight why you were a valued member of those committees. This is also a great time to ask any clarifying questions you may have on what the expectations will be for this position.
Written by Ryan Brunner on March 20th, 2024
Answer Example
"I've always found it important to be an active participant on relevant committees. The work I've been a part of over my career on infection control committees, quality management, and ethics committees has involved work that makes care better for every patient that comes through the clinic doors and made the workplace much better for all staff. The committee role I'm most proud of is being part of my institution's personnel committee. I'm currently the vice-chair of this committee and we do important work in reviewing new candidates for offers, promotions, and new appointments. We also approve employee resignations and retirement dates. I'd love to hear more about the committees that the person hired as your next residency program director will be participating in."
Written by Ryan Brunner on March 20th, 2024
7. Take some time to talk about your current clinical practice. How do you envision transitioning in practice to our institution?
How to Answer
As you are being considered for the extremely vital role of a residency program director, your clinical practice with the organization is important as well. Depending on the number of residents with the program, the minimum FTE dedicated to admin support of the program ranges from 0.15 FTE to 0.4 FTE. This leaves other expected time in the clinic. Ahead of even applying for the position, you've hopefully done your homework on the actual clinical practice and see it as a great fit for yourself. Talk openly about your current practice and how you see it transitioning to this institution.
Written by Ryan Brunner on March 20th, 2024
Answer Example
"As you can see on my CV, I've spent the majority of my career focusing on headache and pain management practices and have a lot of published research in both subspecialties. I'd love to continue my work in migraine research and translational research in this area, along with leading this residency program into the future. Dr. Jones and I were able to have further discussions on how my work would transition nicely to this practice. I have a few research grants that are able to move with me as well."
Written by Ryan Brunner on March 20th, 2024
8. Our program prides itself on the camaraderie that is built among our residents. How will you help nurture this environment as the program director?
How to Answer
One of the main attraction points of residency programs during the match process is a solid culture and a sense of camaraderie among the residents. As they interview, prospective residents love to hear from current residents about the overall welcoming sense of the program in general. The program considering you for this role needs to hear that you will help foster this welcoming, loving, and fun atmosphere as their next program director. Residents love to be connected outside of the workplace, so be sure to talk about fun things you've been involved with with colleagues like happy hours, concerts, group exercises, and other events. Additionally, the fun culture within the walls of the clinic begins and ends with you in this role, so be sure to discuss how you will always promote this.
Written by Ryan Brunner on March 20th, 2024
Answer Example
"This is an excellent question because I know how important the atmosphere of a program plays in to whether a top resident ranks a program high. As your next residency program director, my top priority will always be making this program feel like a family. Promoting open communication and fun activities for residents to get to know each other, find commonalities, and bond together will be very important. In my current practice, we spend a lot of time together outside of the workplace and this helps us and our families become closer and work together more effectively. Young and vibrant residents love dinner get togethers, so my family would love to host quarterly resident dinners at my house to grill food and have fun out in the backyard."
Written by Ryan Brunner on March 20th, 2024
9. Handling the rare resident grievance in a professional manner is a necessary part of this role. Are you familiar with what role you will play in this as a residency program director?
How to Answer
Both the ACGME and institutions themselves have specific policies and procedures in place for residents to file formal complaints regarding a number of different things. This can include a grievance against a disciplinary action or in relation to the working environment they are in. As a first step, unless they are directly involved, residents are typically required to have a discussion with the residency program director first. Once a formal grievance is filed, the PD gets involved by reviewing the complaint and working to submit necessary materials to any further governing bodies. Your interviewers ideally want to hear that you will maintain a fair and just process with the resident, keeping their interests in mind, while also letting processes fairly play out as outlined in policies.
Written by Ryan Brunner on March 20th, 2024
Answer Example
"Yes, I'll say that I'm familiar with the role from about the 30,000-foot level and would love to hear more about specific processes here. I will take great pride in ensuring that my residents' voices are heard and that they always feel my door is open to bring forward ideas and even potential grievances. I know my first role in a grievance would be to meet with the resident and document their formal complaint. Then, taking that and investigating locally would be my next steps. I would be taking the time to talk with other parties involved and ensure that a final report was generated. From there, I understand that more formal complaints can go to the institution at large and to ACGME and I would always be thorough in follow-up required from these entities in this role."
Written by Ryan Brunner on March 20th, 2024
10. What do you know about our institution and what appeals to you about becoming our next residency program director here?
How to Answer
Now is the time for a big-picture question where the interview panel wants to hear what is drawing you to their institution as a whole. As a leader in medical education there, you will need to be a strong advocate for their mission and values and your interviewers will want to be assured that you will do this. Talk openly about what is drawing you to the institution and remember that anything goes as you answer this. If you are attracted to the institution geographically for you and your family, make sure to paint a full picture that goes beyond this fact.
Written by Ryan Brunner on March 19th, 2024
Answer Example
"I really appreciate you asking this. Having the time to get to know great faculty here like Dr. Smith and Dr. Woo have really given me a great appreciation for how you care for patients and how you are revolutionizing medicine with your innovative research across the medical spectrum. With our second child about to embark to college, my spouse and I are really excited about moving back to the East Coast to be closer to family and spend the final half of our career here. I'm also very excited to potentially be part of your amazing 13-hospital medical system that provides world-renowned care for patients across many medical specialties. Places like the Schaefer Rehabilitation Center and the VA Medical Center make this a fun, exciting, and intriguing place to practice and lead as a professional."
Written by Ryan Brunner on March 20th, 2024
11. If hired as our next residency program director, what do you feel your biggest weakness would be coming into the role?
How to Answer
Whether you are an experienced medical educator coming from outside the institution or an internal candidate working their way up the ladder towards a residency program director appointment, the interviewing committee knows that all of their candidates come with their own set of shortcomings. The team poses this question to hopefully get your honest assessment of where your initial weaknesses would be and to hear that you have put thought into how you would overcome them. Because they directly ask this, focus on one obvious weakness that you have that won't be an instant roadblock in considering you for the position.
Written by Ryan Brunner on March 19th, 2024
Answer Example
"For me, it would certainly be knowing the ins and outs of this institution from my first days on the job. Knowing many of the faculty has certainly been helpful in my decision to apply because they've had so many great things to say about your residency program and practicing here, but knowing things like who to go to for patient referrals to surgery and other patient care related issues would be something I would want to get up to speed on right away. Having been on the faculty with another program for over eight years, learning small differences in training didactics for residents will also be new to me and something I'm very excited to adapt to here."
Written by Ryan Brunner on March 19th, 2024
12. What is your personal motivation for becoming a residency program director given all of the career progressions you could take?
How to Answer
As physicians become more experienced in their career, they have the opportunity to pursue further clinical works, research activities, or educational endeavors. If you have an impressive CV, your interview team will want to hear why leading a successful residency program is the right career move for you. Here is where you want to show your passion for educating the physicians of tomorrow and prove how your work throughout your career has led to this point in becoming a successful program director. Make sure to highlight all of the educational parts you've played throughout your career to this point.
Written by Ryan Brunner on March 19th, 2024
Answer Example
"This move in my career comes down to my true passion for educating tomorrow's leaders in the medical field. While I love the research I've done throughout my career, my passion falls in education. As a professor with my current institution, I love my lecture time in our medical school and the hands-on training I provide to rotating residents and fellows in my clinic. I've been commended and awarded for my work and I know I would thrive in leading a successful program like yours."
Written by Ryan Brunner on March 19th, 2024
13. What are the key qualities you will be looking for in ranking candidates to match to our program?
How to Answer
As you are familiar with the residency program matching process, it's important to know that the residency program director is responsible for managing all match activities. This includes entering the final rank order list for the program following the interview process. In their desire to match the best residents possible, your interviewers are looking to hear your honest assessment of what the top qualities should be in residents for their programs. With no right or wrong answer to a question like this, come ready to back up your response with thoughts on why these qualities will lead to the most successful residents and the future success of the program.
Written by Ryan Brunner on March 19th, 2024
Answer Example
"This is a great question and certainly a difficult one given the sheer diversity of medical students that match each year. To me, the number one quality is to match future residents who have a true passion and a vision for this medical specialty. I think too many times, residents match into specialties that they're not passionate about or are unsure of. During my time interviewing medical students, I would want to focus on these passions and interests in the field. I'm also a firm believer in academic prowess converting to future success as a physician so I would personally look very hard at undergraduate and medical school transcripts to ensure that gifted residents match. Last, people skills are vital to the success of any medical resident and future physicians. Ensuring that future residents of this program are filled with great communication skills, empathy, and compassion would be key as well."
Written by Ryan Brunner on March 19th, 2024
14. Continuity for residency program directors is vital to our program and recommended by the ACGME. Are you willing and ready to make a long-term commitment to this role?
How to Answer
Per the ACGME residency program director guidelines, the average appointment date in the position across the country is just over seven years. The program you are interviewing with knows that a short length of stay in the role can lead to a learning environment that is adversely affected. The residency program will want to gauge that you see this as a long-term fit for yourself, so now is the time to elaborate on your commitment to education in the medical field. Try to discuss how all the work you've done in education up to this point in your career has led to this chance and your commitment to the future residents who train there.
Written by Ryan Brunner on March 17th, 2024
Answer Example
"Yes, I'm so excited about the opportunity to lead this program into the future and help train future physicians who are well-rounded in clinical practice and research. As you can see from my CV, I've focused on a lot of my efforts in my career in education by being promoted quickly to an academic professor and I love to teach medical students, residents, and fellows. The administrative experience I would bring to this program would also benefit the coordination and evolution of the future of the field. If I'm fortunate enough to be selected for the job, I will be dedicated to leading this program for many years to come."
Written by Ryan Brunner on March 17th, 2024
15. Take some time to talk about your familiarity with building clinical schedules.
How to Answer
Residents in all medical specialties are subjected to very demanding clinical rotation schedules, and the residency program director has the final say in the clinical schedules and rotations. What is vital for any successful program director is ensuring that all patient demands are met and that workloads are distributed evenly to prevent resident burnout. Take the time here to discuss any experience you have in building clinical schedules, whether you've been a part of just doing that for yourself, or for a larger department or division team. Make sure to reiterate that you understand the importance of doing this fairly for all residents in the program you will be overseeing.
Written by Ryan Brunner on March 19th, 2024
Answer Example
"Ensuring that residents strike a balance between a full clinical workload and preventing stress and burnout has been a challenge for program directors for many, many years. Fortunately today, there are many tools and resources in place to help build clinical templates that take into consideration all providers involved. Over the last five years in my current practice, I've worked as part of a clinical improvement team for my department and have worked closely with the administration on things like clinic hours and provider scheduling. My approach is to always be fair to the group and consider individual needs to promote a work-life balance."
Written by Ryan Brunner on March 19th, 2024
16. As our next residency program director, you'll have ultimate authority for the policies and procedures our residents work under. Have you had similar responsibilities in the past?
How to Answer
Residency training programs have detailed and elaborate policies and procedures for their trainees, which delve into things like clinical evaluations, leaves of absence, hours requirements, moonlighting, and other day-to-day activities of the residents. As a residency program director, you will have the top responsibility for the enforcement of the policies and the altering/creation of new and existing policies. When doing this, you'll also have to ensure that the program you are responsible for is meeting all ACGME requirements. With this question, the interview panel is simply looking to hear if you have direct experience in policy administration. Be honest as you answer and don't fret if you feel your experience is lacking here. What will be important is that you show your excitement and passion for this part of the job.
Written by Ryan Brunner on March 19th, 2024
Answer Example
"Having served as an interim department chief for a year in the past, I became much more familiar with the importance of why policies were in place and having the responsibility of enforcing policies in many different situations. Prior to meeting with the team here today, I've taken a good hard look at your residency policies and they all seem very reasonable for those training in your program. Ensuring that policies and procedures in the future meet both the requirements of ACGME and remain flexible for this to remain a top program for the best medical students would always be at the front of my mind."
Written by Ryan Brunner on March 19th, 2024
17. How will you advocate for the residents of our program and their future success as leaders in the medical field?
How to Answer
Residency program directors are often contacted years after a resident graduates from a program for employment verifications and references. Your team of interviewers wants their program on the map of the best programs, so they'll need to hear that you will always advocate for the residents who work under your leadership. This is a great time to talk about how you've written reviews and references for any medical students or residents you've worked with in the past.
Written by Ryan Brunner on March 18th, 2024
Answer Example
"We live in such an interconnected and intertwined world in medicine and networking is often the best way that physicians find new and exciting opportunities to expand their careers. I will always be an advocate for the graduating and past residents of this incredible program by prioritizing employment verifications and reference requests when they come my way. Additionally, I will never hesitate to pick up the phone and call a department chief who is considering hiring a former resident. I know I will carry that responsibility to all who train here and I'm really looking forward to helping your residents achieve career success into the future."
Written by Ryan Brunner on March 18th, 2024
18. What administrative duties have you held throughout your career and do you feel these have successfully prepared you for the work you'll be doing as a residency program director?
How to Answer
Residency program directors bear a big responsibility for ACGME reporting on a regular basis and this work takes a significant amount of administrative time. While not fun, the work is necessary to maintain certification status. The team you are interviewing with needs to hear that you will always take this, and other administrative duties seriously, so they want to hear you discuss the admin duties you've held throughout your career. As you discuss your experience here, make sure to highlight how you always took this part of your job seriously and will continue to do so as program director with their institution.
Written by Ryan Brunner on March 18th, 2024
Answer Example
"In my current practice, I sit on several hospital committees and love to take on the challenge and importance of improving processes and, in the end, patient care. This is on top of the already heavy administrative work of patient documentation, scheduling, and other tasks. I love the generation of reporting for the committees, reviewing and rewriting policies, and the many other things we tackle as part of this work. I know that the administrative work of a residency program director is important, especially when it comes to ACGME requirements and providing a learning environment for residents. These are duties I will always take seriously in this role."
Written by Ryan Brunner on March 18th, 2024
19. Talk a bit about your physician-to-physician networking skills, especially cross-functionally. Why is this a skill that is vital for a residency program director?
How to Answer
The residents of the program you will be working with could be working under attending physicians from many different medical specialties and locations. Building and maintaining great relationships with all attending physicians will be vital to your success as a residency program director, so your team of interviewers wants to hear how you excel in this area. Make sure to highlight how you have successfully built relationships in the past and how you will continue to do so in this role, while reiterating the importance of doing so as a program director.
Written by Ryan Brunner on March 17th, 2024
Answer Example
"This is a great question because there is perhaps no academic position where relationship building is more vital than in a program director role. Maintaining great working relationships with attendings across all departments will be critical to the success of the residents of this program and would be something I would always take great pride in. In my current practice, networking with cardiologists, hospitalists, and rheumatologists is done by keeping open lines of communication and taking the time to talk through patient details. I never hesitate to pick up the phone when needed or message another physician through our portal."
Written by Ryan Brunner on March 18th, 2024
20. Do you have experience conducting formal performance evaluations for staff?
How to Answer
As a residency program director, you will be tasked with conducting regular performance evaluations with residents of the program you oversee and the faculty that you will be directly in charge of. Your interview panel will likely be able to assume an answer here based on your leadership experience from your CV, but they want to hear you elaborate on your philosophy and delivery of performance evaluations. Be open and honest about your experience and your willingness to learn new processes as a leader within this program.
Written by Ryan Brunner on March 17th, 2024
Answer Example
"No, I don't of fellow physicians. However, I do have a lot of great experience in formally evaluating mid-level providers that I oversee currently and providing 360-degree feedback on support staff I work with. I'm a firm believer that open and regular feedback is important to everyone and would take great pride in this duty with the residents in this program. This is a learning environment and my charge will be to always ensure that residents are on the right track at the right time in their training. My program director from my residency training was excellent in this regard and she would be somebody I would draw a lot of inspiration from."
Written by Ryan Brunner on March 17th, 2024
21. What experience do you have in the recruitment and hiring of fellow physicians?
How to Answer
Residency program directors get the amazing opportunity to recruit new faculty to their program from time to time. If posed this question during your interview, your team of interviewers is looking to hear about any roles you've played in the recruitment and interview processes of physician colleagues or program faculty in the past. If you have experience in this realm, make sure to highlight the ways that you gauged a person's long-term fit with the department and the organization. To seal your answer here, be sure to reiterate that recruiting top talent will always be a priority for you in this role.
Written by Ryan Brunner on March 17th, 2024
Answer Example
"I do have experience in recruitment, hiring, and retention of staff on my current team. With the number of opportunities available out there for physicians right now, the best hires come from networking and casting a wide net and I want you to know that I will always be a proponent of bringing the best faculty on board to this program. I love the interview process, trying to ensure that a candidate's personal and professional values match those of the institution. If I'm fortunate enough to become the next residency program director of this amazing program, recruitment of top faculty will always be a priority for me if an opportunity were to arise."
Written by Ryan Brunner on March 17th, 2024
22. Are you able to travel as needed to oversee the work of residents in our program?
How to Answer
If the residency program considering you as their next program director has multiple practice sites, the topic of travel may come up during your interview. Here is where your prior research will come into play so you can reiterate to your team of interviewers that you are aware of the different clinic locations and that you are open to travel to all of them. If you have experience practicing at satellite clinics in the past, be sure to bring up how you managed that additional responsibility.
Written by Ryan Brunner on March 17th, 2024
Answer Example
"Yes, I would certainly be willing and able to both practice and teach at any of the amazing clinics that residents of this program will be training in. I'm really excited to once again have the opportunity to spend time in a local VA, as I had that opportunity early in my career. Also, traveling to Santa Monica for days in clinic and with residents would be very enjoyable for me."
Written by Ryan Brunner on March 17th, 2024
23. Talk about any experience you have providing didactic medical training. How will that experience benefit you as our next residency program director?
How to Answer
Faculty of any medical residency program will be expected to provide both hands-on clinical training and classroom didactic training to residents. The program director has the responsibility of ensuring that the overall quality of the training residents receive meets and exceeds institutional and practice expectations. While they likely can see some of your experience by looking at your CV, your interviewers want to hear you talk about your experience in classroom lecturing. Talk about the experience you would bring to the table, including any current or prior academic ranks you've held.
Written by Ryan Brunner on March 17th, 2024
Answer Example
"As I've progressed to the rank of professor with my current institution, I've had the pleasure of lecturing to both medical students in our medical school and to residents and fellows. My absolute favorite didactic courses to teach are Anatomy and Ethics in Medicine. But I want you to know that my knowledge base and experience will translate well to any classroom materials as your next program director. I've been able to adapt a lot in recent years with moves to a lot of online type courses and have found ways to keep students engaged and learning in this environment."
Written by Ryan Brunner on March 17th, 2024
24. Will you have any issues meeting our institutional board certification and licensing requirement as our next residency program director?
How to Answer
Prior to your residency program director interview, make sure to familiarize yourself with the board certification and state licensing policies of the institution you are interviewing with. Typically they are called out within the job posting. Since you will be fully credentialed to practice there, come ready to briefly discuss the fact that you meet all qualifications and are ready to submit to all credentialing and privileging requirements if you are selected as the top candidate.
Written by Ryan Brunner on March 17th, 2024
Answer Example
"Yes, as you can see from my CV, I'm dual board certified in Family Medicine and Palliative Care. I'm proud of both certifications, use them both in practice, and feel my palliative experience can bring a lot to the residents of this program. Being already licensed in the state, that won't be an issue either. Are there any other organizational requirements for your next residency program director regarding certifications or licenses that I should be aware of?"
Written by Ryan Brunner on March 17th, 2024
25. Discuss your leadership style and why it would be critical to your success as a residency program director.
How to Answer
As a residency program director, you will bear the responsibility of leading both residents that match with the program throughout their training and all faculty within the program. With this question, the leaders of the program and institution want to ideally hear that you are confident in your leadership skills coming into the role. Take some time to describe your leadership skills and style, focusing on how your way of leading others helps instill motivation and an environment of learning. If possible, try to pull from direct feedback you've received throughout your career.
Written by Ryan Brunner on March 17th, 2024
Answer Example
"First and foremost, I consider myself a natural coach and mentor and have thrived throughout my career in mentoring junior staff and working alongside medical residents and fellows in my current role. The people that I work with and mentor really appreciate my ability to work hands-on with them and explain things in a way that makes sense to them. I love to give learners the opportunity to try things on their own while providing a watchful eye, because that's how physicians gain confidence, learn, and grow. On top of this, I'm a confident leader who has the ability to take the reins and make big decisions when needed. If your program wants to adapt and grow into the future in the changing field of medicine, I'm confident I'm the right leader for this residency program."
Written by Ryan Brunner on March 17th, 2024