Ryann Quigley
New York University School of Medicine
Background: Applying and matching into residency programs is one of the most stressful and high stakes processes a medical student can go through during their training. A large variable in a student’s likelihood of matching rests in the interview performance. Given the importance of the residency interview shown in the 2020 Program Director Survey from the National Residency Matching Program, NYU Grossman School of Medicine expanded upon existing curriculum to develop a novel curriculum to better prepare students for the residency interview and use faculty time efficiently, known as the Residency Interview Coaching Sessions.
Aims: To increase student’s knowledge about the interview process, skill practice, feedback, reflection, and simulates the authentic residency program interview.
Methods: A mixed-methods study was conducted through a post-event survey examining student self-reported confidence and preparedness using a retrospective pre-post Likert-score survey. 62 of 88 students invited participated in the Residency Interview Coaching Program.
Results: 34 students submitted an evaluation, and those participated in the coaching sessions rated the sessions highly (m=4.64 of 5.00). Additionally, the differences in mean scores between pre- and post-surveys demonstrated showed statistical significance indicating increases in students reported ratings of confidence and preparedness for the interview process. Content analysis was conducted on qualitative answers that demonstrate this curriculum was valuable to students.
Conclusions: Performance during the residency interviews is the most important factor in ranking applicants. The Residency Interview Coaching Sessions helped students feel more prepared and confident prior to interviews.
