POST MATCH SURVEY CLASS
OB-GYN Interview Questions
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What questions do you have for me about the program? Tell me about yourself. Why
have you decided to apply to allopathic programs? Tell me about your research. What
do you feel you could bring to our program? Do you see yourself as a generalist or a
specialist? If you were a cookie what type of cookie would you be and why?
If you were not going into medicine, which profession would you choose, and why? Tell
me about yourself. Why did you choose to apply to this program? Tell me about a book
you recently read.
Why OB? ****
Why did you choose to apply to our program? Asked about each program specifically,
prepare by reading more than what is on their website. I searched various faculty and
also the associated hospital systems to see what news articles and new
research/projects that they were involved in. Had several people commend me for
knowing things about their program that they didn't think people had heard about.
What type of program are you looking for? Know whether the program is university
based or community, and answer accordingly. It looks a little unsettling to an
interviewer if they are community based and you are looking for an academic and
research heavy program. Are you ok with being in this town/environment? Know some
things about the area that you like, what would make you happy there. Being male, why
do you want to be in Ob/Gyn? I had a couple of male interviewers ask me this, which
some may think is a little inappropriate, but I enjoyed that question. I always said it was
a privilege to get the opportunity to help bring new lives into the world that I had the
awesome experience of bringing my own child into the world and I loved that emotional
connection that we form with our patients. Name two questions that you do not want
to be asked? Good luck with that one. I actually answered it funny, I said "what is the
square root of 274,452, because I don't have a clue". My interviewer chuckled so I don't
know if that was ok, but it broke the ice on a serious question. Tell me about yourself.
Have a summary ready for this question which highlights your CV, because they may not
have read it and are looking to you to tell them what is most important for them to
know. Lots of Behavioral Question. I read The Successful Match by Katta & Desai and
they had a whole list of questions to prepare you, well worth the money.
Why OB? Where do you see yourself in 10 years? What are 3 positive and negative
qualities your friends would say you have? Why this program? Why did you pursue
osteopathic medicine and are you happy with your choice? What accomplishments are
you most proud of so far? What are 10 things you could do with a rock?
What does professionalism mean to you? Tell me why Ob/Gyn. Tell me about a time
when you were in a stressful situation and how you handled it. Tell me about a time
when you had a conflict and how did you deal with it. Tell me how you will create an
individual plan for self-study during residency. Tell me about your proudest moment.
Tell me about a trip you took. I see on your application that you have a lot of leadership
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qualities - tell me what kind of leader you are? What would you do if you heard a
resident bad talking about another resident to an attending?
What are your biggest strength/weakness? What research do you plan on pursuing in
residency? A whole bunch of behavioral questions ("tell me about a time when...and
how did you handle it?"). What do you like about our program and why did you apply
here? What are you looking for in a program? What are the qualities that make a good
resident? How do you cope with stress/fatigue? What do you do with your free time?
What skills do you have that will make you a good surgeon?
Be able to explain, with a degree of specifics, why you applied to each place. Why you
want to do OB. What do you feel is the thing you will most struggle with during
residency? Tell me about a time where communication failed for you? What did you do?
Tell me about a time where you were amongst an ethical dilemma? What did you do?
Tell me about a time that you did not agree with either a resident or attending above
you? What did you do? What motivates you? What kind of support system do you have?
Be able to show that you do something other than medicine! If you write that you like to
read, be able to talk about the last book you read. Be able to discuss anything that
stands out on your application (for instance if you are in the wilderness medicine club, if
you published, if you went on a mission trip). How do you plan to handle the stress of
residency?
Strengths/weaknesses? What accomplishment(s) are you most proud of and why?
Describe a situation in which you dealt with interpersonal conflict. How did you resolve
the conflict? What will you do if you don't match? What, if anything, do you think can
be improved on your application? Why did you choose (insert residency program)?
What qualities do you possess that would make you a strong resident?
What are you most proud of? What do you think about being a male in this profession?
What are your strengths/weaknesses? Lots of questions regarding interests. What are
you looking for in a program? Tell me about a situation where there was a conflict with
a patient which you had to resolve. Why OB/GYN? Interested in fellowship? Why are
you interested in our program?
What was one of the most stressful times in your life, what did you do to overcome it
and what lessons were there to be learned? Same question in a work scenario for those
with prior employment. Why OB? Is OB a sub specialty or primary care?
Strengths/weaknesses - explain why you chose OB and their program. Be prepared to
answer case presentation questions and read strips 3 words to describe yourself.
What's your most successful failure? How do you handle conflict? What can you add to
the program?
Tell me a little bit about yourself. Why did you decide to become a doctor? Why did you
choose OB? What will you contribute to our program? What is an interesting case
you've seen recently? Who inspired you the most in your medical career? How do you
relieve stress? What makes you stand out from the rest of the applicants? What is a
time in your life that you have failed and how did you overcome it?
Talk about how playing sports will help in the OB-GYN field? Discuss a time of conflict
with someone else and how did you handle it. What's your weakness?
APGO SAMPLE QUESTIONS FOR INTERVIEWS
Questions to the Program Director
 How does a second year’s responsibility differ from the first year?
 From where do ambulatory patients come?
 How many patients per week does a resident see in his/her clinic?
 How are residents evaluated? Do residents evaluate other residents?
 Will I be observed in a history/physical examination performed on a patient?
 How do residents get experience as consultants?
 What is the mix of adolescent and menopausal women in the outpatient clinic?
 Do you have a copy of the didactic schedule for this month?
 Is there a journal club?
 What percent of your graduates pass the written boards?
 Is this program fully accredited?
 Do you anticipate major changes in the next three-five years?
Questions for the residents
 Who writes the orders and who controls patient care?
 How are you involved in evaluating the program?
 How many patients do first years carry on call, on labor and delivery?
 What are the backgrounds of the residents?
 Are the residents happy here?
 Would you choose this program again?
 What is your outpatient clinic like?
 How often do you get feedback? Is it written or verbal? From whom?
 What are, teaching rounds like? Conferences/lectures?
 What are the weakest aspects of the program?
Expect to see on tour
 Conference space near patient areas
 Library, interlibrary loan, computer search, access 24 hours?
 Sleeping rooms when on call
 Intensive care, ER, clinics, inpatient areas
 Questions to be saved fro resident (not faculty) interviewers
 On call frequency
 Salary/benefits
 Moonlighting opportunities