Eric Barna MD
Professor of Medicine and Medical Education
Director of Education Division of Hospital Medicine
Director of Education Mount Sinai International
Acting Internship Clerkship Director
Associate Residency Program Director, MSH
What is going through your mind in the lead up to Interviews?
Know your audience?
30 Second elevator pitch
Master the art of “targeted” small talk
Master the final Pitch (3 key items)
Let your interest be known
Anti-anxiety measures
Be authentic!
Stay motivated
Mirroring the interviewer
Reassess body language
What do you do to prepare for a virtual interview?
❑ Check your tech (Wi-Fi, Audio, Visual)
❑ Lighting (ring light)
❑ Background
❑ AV test run
❑ Speed test
❑ Platform familiarity (zoom/teams)
❑ Backup devices
❑ Check your surroundings (automated lights, telephones, doorbells)
❑ Interviewers associate appearance with credibility, attention to detail, and readiness for residency responsibilities.
❑ Suits or coordinated professional outfits (navy, black, gray preferred)
❑ Hair should be neat and styled away from the face
❑ Facial hair (if any) should be well-groomed
❑ Dress fully professional, not just waist-up
❑ Do a dress rehearsal – try on your outfit beforehand
❑ Punctuality is key
❑ Minimize cell phone use
❑ Silence smartwatches
❑ Limit drinking at social events
❑ Be yourself
❑ Understand that this visit is for you and not for the program
❑ Describe a time when you had to make a quick decision in a high-pressure situation.
❑ How do you handle difficult conversations with patients and their families?
❑ What would you do if a patient was not responding to treatment or had an unexpected complication?
❑ How do you handle situations where there is disagreement among the healthcare team about a patient’s diagnosis or treatment plan?
❑ What do you do if you disagree with a patient?
What kinds of questions are you planning on asking during your interview day?
❑ Can you describe what the mentorship structure for residents?
❑ How do residents receive feedback for growth and development?
❑ What opportunities exist for research in education/quality improvement?
❑ How does your program incorporate resident feedback to make improvements?
❑ What opportunities are there for leadership roles?
❑ Can you share some examples of recent program innovations or curriculum changes?
❑ How does the program prepare residents for the next steps in their career (fellowship, primary care, Hospitalist)?
❑ Can you tell me a little bit more about the medical education track/HLT track?
❑ How does your program support resident wellness?
❑ Mock Interviews with AI Chatbots
❑ Speech analysis/feedback: Yoodli, Microsoft Speaker Coach
❑ Refining responses: Grammarly, Jasper (language, tone, impact)
❑ Automated behavioral analysis Vmock (analyze body language, eye contact and facial expression)
Sample Prompt: "I am a fourth-year medical student preparing for a residency interview. I will be interviewing with faculty in the specialty of X.. Can you help me prepare for my interview by taking me through ten tailored interview questions relevant to this field. After each response, provide a detailed analysis, including feedback on the content, delivery, impact, and overall strength of my answer. Additionally, suggest specific areas for improvement and examples of how I might enhance my responses for maximum effectiveness.“
❑ Record and Review: Record any mock interview and have AI analyze to provide constructive feedback.
Great for Chat GPT.
“Ability to answer a behavioral question or two. Love it even more if they take a moment to think about an answer, feels very poised and mature”
“Some evidence that they have read up on our program”
“The sense that they really want to be at our program”
“Enthusiasm.. especially for patient care”
“Commitment and enthusiasm for patient care”
“Knowledge of our institution that draws a candidate to our group..
“Ability to expression passion for Internal Medicine”
“Unable to keep the conversation going.. If the interview is 30 minutes and it feels like I am pulling teeth to get there it’s a big red flag..”
“Negative comments about prior experiences/workload“
“Poor body language, lack of eye contact limited engagement, checking phone or email, looking away when I am speaking”
“When it is clear that the applicant has not done a full in-depth review of our program prior to the interview”
“Applicants that have generic questions that are not tied to the specifics of our program”
Clear and targeted communication
Speaking to key accomplishments on your CV
Behavioral question responses
Motivation for the specialty
Passion for patient care
Interest in the program/region
Self awareness and reflection (strengths/weaknesses)
❑ First impressions do matter
❑ Have a “fun fact” ready to go
❑ Remember to look professional
❑ Punctuality is key
❑ All eyes are always on you
❑ Electronic/virtual interactions (admin)
❑ Control your non-verbal expressions
❑ Group participation
❑ Reflect
❑ Keep notes/spreadsheet format
(Notion/Rank Assist or Residency Ranker Apps)
❑ Take your time (no 5
❑ Say thank you
❑ Individualized communications
❑ Go the extra mile coordinator
❑ Start to think about your rank list
Remind: Why are you the best candidate?
Sell: What is your value add?
Delivery: One message for each interviewer. Subject: Create a strong subject line that includes Thank you, your name.
Fill in the Blanks: Did you forget to mention something?
Edit and Proofread: Must be 100% error free.
Indicate Enthusiasm: What excited you about the organization and the people you met?
Timing: Usually within 24 hours.
Dear Dr. [Interviewer’s Last Name],
I wanted to take a moment to sincerely thank you for the opportunity to interview with [Program Name] and for sharing your insights about the residency program. I particularly appreciated our discussion about [specific topic discussed during the interview, e.g., "the program’s strong emphasis on resident education and research opportunities"]. It truly resonated with my interests and career goals in internal medicine.
I am excited about the possibility of joining a program that fosters such a collaborative and supportive environment, and I feel that [Program Name] would be an excellent place for me to grow both clinically and professionally.
Thank you again for your time and consideration. I look forward to the possibility of contributing to and learning from your team.
Warm regards,
[Your Full Name]
[Your ERAS AAMC ID]
[Your Email Address]
"It always seems impossible until it’s done."
— Nelson Mandela