Residency Interview Preparation for Match® 2026/2027

After you register, we will send you a catalog of our expert advisors to choose from and resources you can utilize before your session. Then, we will connect you with your preferred advisor and set up the interview session based on your availability.

Interview preparation sessions are 1-on-1 meetings with our expert advisors in which half of the session is a mock residency program director interview and the other half focuses on real-time feedback of your performance. We cover general and behavioral questions during the session, but we can also tailor the session based on your needs.

Yes. Our advisors are physicians/fellows/residents who trained at top-notch residency programs in the U.S. You can check the full list of our advisors here.

After you sign up, we will send you a list of available advisors and you will choose the advisor that best fits your needs. We have a list of advisors from different specialties, research interests, and backgrounds. Some advisors have an additional fee given their longer experience and busier clinical schedule.

Advisors’ availability might vary throughout the Match season. If you have a preference for a certain advisor, you can confirm the advisor’s availability by reaching out to our email info@thematchguy.com.

Some advisors have an additional fee given their longer experience and busier clinical schedule.

It means you will get unlimited access to a dedicated advisor (matched resident/fellow in the U.S.) who is available to answer your questions and provide guidance throughout your interview process via WhatsApp, text, or email.

WhatsApp access is intended for quick questions and clarifications between sessions (typically requiring no more than 2–3 minutes of advisor time per day). For more in-depth questions or discussions, we recommend using the hours included in your Package. WhatsApp access will be available for 4 months.

As all our advisors are residents/fellows/attendings in the U.S. with very busy schedules and clinical responsibilities, we kindly request that you give them 24-48 hours to respond to your questions and assist you in your journey. The advisor you select for your interview prep sessions will be the same advisor for your access on WhatsApp.

Between 1-3 days.

The number of interview preparation sessions you need can vary depending on your individual needs, level of confidence, and preparation. We generally recommend 3-5 hours of interview preparation to cover all commonly asked questions during the interview process.

We offer a 100% money back guarantee on all our Interview Preparation packages. If you are not satisfied with your advisor or the session after the first hour you can either request a new advisor or request a refund and we will refund your money no questions asked.

If more than one session is completed, refunds will not be issued. If you are not satisfied with your advisor, please reach out to us at info@thematchguy.com

Interview sessions can be rescheduled more than 24 hours prior to the scheduled session. If you miss a scheduled session without prior notification, the session will be considered completed given the busy schedules of our advisors. Cancelations within 24 hours will only be considered in extenuating circumstances on a case-by-case basis.

Courses available to pick from include: The Comprehensive Research Course, the Statistics Course, how to find Research Positions Course, the Biostatistics Course, the STEP 3 CCS course, and how to study for exams course!

Yes, you have the flexibility of choosing different advisors for each hour of Interview Preparation you have with us.

For the unlimited access to an advisor, you will need to select at least 3 hours with that advisor.

Yes, these packages can be customized to fit your needs. For any questions about customizing the interview coaching packages, please schedule a free session HERE.

There are two big things that you need for preparation for interviews:

1) The logistics of your appearance 2) the content of your speech.

For number 1, making sure you have a good camera, an engaging (in case there is a hobby that you want to talk about) or a neutral (in case you don’t!) background, good lighting, a place with no distractions (visual or audible!).

For number 2, gather a list of commonly asked interview questions, write out your answers, tweak them, and then practice saying them as you would in an interview. The key here is to NOT over-rehearse or over-prepare: you still want to sound human!

Interviewing early or late for residency really depends not on the overall match cycle, but what is considered ‘early’ or ‘late’ for the program. For example, if program A starts their interviews in December, it might sound late to you, but it’s actually the perfect time to have a lasting impression if you schedule yours for December for that program as well! In general, you want to be at the beginning or the end of the program’s interviewing window, so that you aren’t lost in the middle of the pack in terms of freshness or impactfulness of your impression

Never be too down on yourself, and take accomplishments with humbleness and humility. Know that you should never ask questions that can be answered in an email to the program coordinator/chief resident(s): salary, time off, regular rotation timings etc. You want to ask questions that will help you find out whether your vision for residency aligns with the program’s goals as well. Ask about special clinical initiatives, research, opportunities for you to help the residency grow etc.

Know the type of person that people in your specialty are looking for. In general, pleasant to work with and personable individuals are preferred across the board, so it is in your best interest to answer questions in a humble and friendly manner. Remember that you are a participant in the interview as much as the interviewer, and your answers can shape the way the interview will go. Try to guide the conversation towards topics you are confident in (as naturally as possible). Don’t be afraid to talk about your life outside of medicine when invited to do so. Be grateful towards each person you encounter, including non-selecting members, other interviewees and general hospital staff.

The STAR method stands for Situation, Task, Action, Result. It is a form of answering a question where you are asked about prior responsibilities. For example, when asked about a clinical observership, you may first begin by explaining which specialty, hospital, and geographical region you rotated at (Situation). Then, you may outline your expectations and problems faced (Tasks) and how you tackled them (Action). Finally, end with how your actions had an immediate impact and more importantly, how it changed your practice for the future (Result), such that it shows a growth mentality.

It really depends on the specialty and position that you are applying for. Most programs aim to have their initial invites out by Mid-November. For International Medical Graduates (IMGs), interviews may go out later if the program doesn’t traditionally consider IMGs but is willing to do so currently. Moreover, preliminary position interviews get sent out later than (from my experience) than categorical positions. Regardless, for most individuals, I recommend to start sending letters of interest beginning the first or second week of October!