Following the Covid-19 Pandemic several years ago🦠, many residency programs started opting for virtual interviews. While some programs have gone back to primarily in-person interviews and others have adapted a hybrid model, we're bound to encounter a virtual residency invite at some point🖥️.
Although virtual interviews are a lot more convenient (and cheaper!) for medical students, navigating a virtual residency interview can be very different from an in-person interview. As always, Med School Moose is here to help!
Below are some of my important tips to keep in mind for virtual residency interviews. If you're feeling lazy or just prefer video, I have a video discussing this topic which you can watch here. Let's dive in🏊🏻:
- Optimize your space🖼️. A virtual residency interview means that you're going to be on a computer, seeing yourself, and staring at a screen for potentially a few hours👨🏻💻. Doing the little things like making sure you have a quiet space, a comfortable chair, and a reliable internet connection🛜 are important to avoid unnecessary interruptions/stress. Having a computer at eye level as well as a high quality webcam and microphone are also a must📷. While many computers have a decent webcam nowadays, check out this awesome webcam with 1080p resolution and a built-in microphone if you are in need of an upgrade for interview day👍🏿.
- Dress for success🤵. Whether in-person, at home, or in a hotel room, an interview is still an interview. Dressing professionally is important not only to make a good impression, but as the old saying goes "look good, feel good". Taking the time to get ready and put on your best clothes can be a nice confidence boost heading into interviews. One important side note is to be sure you aren't wearing anything that might cause a weird glare or be distracting on screen💎.
- Use your space🖥️. While the interviewer will be able to see you and your background, one important thing to realize is they can't see anything else in front of you or on your desk! A nice candle or a motivational sticky note can go a long way in helping you to stay calm on a busy and stressful day. Just be sure you aren't staring at something off screen too much, as it could seem like you are distracted🚫.
- Practice🗣️. Practice makes perfect, and a Zoom interview is no exception! Hop on camera to see exactly what your interviewer will be seeing. Practice responses to common residency interview questions and see if you have any nervous ticks or habits. Take things a step further and set up a mock interview with a fellow classmate so you can provide/receive feedback on your performance. By doing these simple things, by the time interview day comes around it'll be a walk in the park😎.
- Prepare questions🤔. Most good interviewers always leave time at the end for you to ask questions, and this is definitely worth taking advantage of. By not asking questions or not asking good questions, the interviewer might think you aren't interested anymore and the interview could end on a low note📉. To avoid this, read my article on questions that are good to ask during your interview and watch this video on the same topic.
By keeping these tips in mind, you're guaranteed to be more well prepared and perform at a higher level during any virtual residency interview that gets thrown your way!⚡
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