S01E16 - Resident education, research opportunities, and teaching responsibilities

Over the next four episodes, I’ll cover the questions you need to ask programs. Don’t forget - during the interview process, they ask you plenty of questions, but each and every program will have some time for you to ask THEM questions. First of all, always have a question. Not asking anything makes you come across as uninterested.  

Instead of reinventing the wheel, there exists a PDF file online that has been floating around for many years put out but the AAMC that does a great job of breaking down the types of questions that will help you determine if a program is right for you. In the next few episodes, I’ll break those down for you, and let you know what to expect, why they are important questions, and what to look for in answers.

As always, there is a link to the document in the shownotes, or you can just google AAMC “Don’t Forget to Ask.”   

The document starts:

Don't Forget to Ask:

Advice from Residents on

What to Ask During the Residency Interview

The process of applying and interviewing for a residency position is complicated and can be stressful. This process involves both “selling” yourself to a program, as well as collecting the information that you will need in deciding how to rank the various programs you visit. Programs that you consider will all have unique strengths and weaknesses—some of which may not immediately apparent. The following list of questions was created by residents and students from various backgrounds as a guide to assist you in identifying and assessing those strengths and weaknesses. Use this guide in constructing your own more specific questions, and in exploring your own expectations and preferences. Your residency training is an important experience. Identifying the program that is best suited to meet your educational and professional expectations is paramount. Some questions are best answered by other residents in the program, and some questions you will need to ask yourself. Ask the program administrators and residents for specific examples that give a true understanding of the program.

Be honest with yourself about how you want your residency experience to be structured. Good luck! And remember, always be yourself.

Education

• Is there an orientation program for incoming residents?
• Is there a formal didactic curriculum, and what is its structure?
• What are the informal learning opportunities (i.e., bedside rounds, etc.)?
• What programs exist for resident education (e.g. , lectures, journal clubs, grand rounds, board review courses,)?
• Is there a feedback structure that allows for the resident to evaluate the program’s curriculum?
• Is attendance at regional and national conferences encouraged? Is it funded, and, if so, to what degree?
• What are the required rotations for the first year? Subsequent years?
• Are then any required rotations that take place outside of the city?
• Are there opportunities to do “away” rotations?
• Is there a formal mentoring program for new residents, and do faculty serve as mentors?

Research Opportunities

• Are research opportunities provided to residents? Is this a required experience?
• Is there a possibility of "protected" time for research?
• How are fellowships handled?

Teaching Responsibilities

• What teaching responsibilities for medical students are expected of residents?
• If residents have teaching responsibilities, how much time per week is spent with students? Is it "protected"?
• Is there any formal training for residents on how to teach students and other learners effectively, and how to

provide feedback?

Closing:

Unfortunately that’s all the time we have for today’s show. Thanks for listening, hope you enjoyed the content and find it useful.

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