Advising medical students and preparing them for a career in family medicine includes helping them to "put their best foot forward" in conveying their interest and commitment to the specialty during the National Resident Matching Program (NRMP) application process. This is initially reflected in the personal statement, supported by the curriculum vitae and confirmed in the letters of recommendation. However, according to a recent NRMP Program Director Survey, performance on the family medicine residency interview is one of the highest-rated factors in determining the rank list order. This interactive session will discuss various interview formats and the necessary preparation a student should have to best respond to that format. Presenters, including representatives from a medical school and a residency program, will present their ideas and facilitate small group discussions on best practices for residency interview preparation. Participants will benefit from the sharing of helpful tips and information from the literature, from presenter experiences, and by engaging in a sharing of thoughts for student preparation in successfully mastering the novel and contemporary practices used for interviewing prospective family medicine residents.
Upon completion of this session, participants should be able to: