Residency Mock Interview
Prepare for 43 Residency interview questions covering clinical scenarios, patient care philosophy, and program fit.
Question 7 of 43
Why are you choosing to match into this particular specialty?
Why the Interviewer Asks This Question
Example Answer
How to Answer
Internal Medicine
Family Medicine
Radiology
Dermatology
Emergency Medicine
Community Answers
Rachelle Enns is an interview coach and job search expert. She works with candidates to perform their best in employment, medical, and post-secondary admission interviews.
There are many medical specialties you can choose from. In asking this question, your team of interviewers simply wants to know that you have some direction and clarity regarding your path in the medical field and that you would join their program as a motivated resident in the field.
Rachelle Enns is an interview coach and job search expert. She works with candidates to perform their best in employment, medical, and post-secondary admission interviews.
"My ultimate career goal is to practice in cardiology and electrophysiology, and a residency in a great internal medicine program like yours is how I will get there. After speaking with several physicians who trained at your amazing institution, I feel great about this opportunity to train with some of the best faculty in the field."
Ryan Brunner has over ten years of experience recruiting, interviewing, and hiring candidates in the healthcare, public service, and private manufacturing/distribution industries.
Talk about your reason for choosing your specialty. Feel free to add a personal touch to your answer. This will help the interviewers relate to you as an individual and make for a memorable conversation down the road as the interviewers decide which applicants to accept.
Dr. Shani Saks is a board-certified internist and cardiologist in private practice.
An internal medicine residency offers me exposure to a wide range of adult medical conditions. I enjoy the intellectual aspect of being a diagnostician and look forward to the privilege of developing long-term relationships with patients for their healthcare needs.
"I am pursuing Family Medicine because I am eager to treat a diverse patient population at different stages throughout their life. With family medicine training, I will be able to take care of patients from 'cradle to grave.'"
"Radiologists use cutting-edge technology to image complex human anatomy within the context of clinical findings. It is the perfect blend of anatomy, technology, and medicine. Nearly every specialty depends on imaging to guide patient care, and I love using my skillset to diagnose diseases."
Sara Yumeen is a Dermatology resident physician.
"Through my clinical experiences and working with my mentors in dermatology, I am drawn to dermatology as a visual specialty, which involves using visual clues along with patient history to come to a diagnosis. I love that dermatology is a broad specialty involving everything from complex medical diseases to common pediatric conditions. I also enjoy that there is a procedural aspect to dermatology, as I have seen dermatologists perform many procedures day-to-day, including biopsies and excisions. Most importantly, I am drawn to dermatology as a field that can greatly improve patients' quality of life."
"I think Emergency Medicine is a perfect fit for me because I like the fast-paced, high-stakes atmosphere of the Emergency Department. I like the idea of treating people from all different walks of life and patient populations and getting to experience the most exciting aspects of all specialties. On top of all that, I think that Emergency Medicine attracts people with personalities that are outgoing, curious, and willing to think outside of the box, and I find that I like being around those types of people in a working environment."
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Anonymous Answer
When I was in 3rd year of medical school, I was exposed to a different specialty in which neurology stood out. I still remember when I was posted in the ER there was one patient who presented with symptoms of brainstem stroke popularly known as Weber syndrome. On the basis of clinical history and examination, the attending was able to locate the site of the lesion and I got fascinated with that. I felt like he was trying to solve the puzzle. This event acted as a trigger event for me to develop an interest in this field.
This specialty also gives us the opportunity to create long and impactful relationships with patients. I used to hear stories from my mentor about how they were following the patient for a long time some over 50 years. So this type of relationship I was not able to see in the other specialty.
The third reason is the scarcity of neurologists in my country. If you try to find a cardiologist you can find many but that is not of neurology. There is a huge burden of neurological disease back in my country but the patient are not getting appropriate and timely care. So through neurology, I will be able to bring meaningful impact to my society.
Jaymie's Feedback
Interviewers like to hear personal stories that help them understand what attracted them to the specialty you've chosen. Your response is unique, and genuine and demonstrates your passion and desire to make an impact on the lives of your patients.
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