Post-Interview Impressions Used to Rank Residency Candidates

Walking out of a residency interview can be filled with mixed emotions. You may feel confident you presented yourself well and made a connection with the program and the Program Director. Or, you may feel as though you could’ve put yourself out there more or answered a question differently.

Even if a Program Director looks you in the eyes and says,”We look forward to working with you next year,” or “We will be sure to rank you highly,” it’s hard to know if you have a real chance to rank in the program you interviewed with.

To help answer some questions and help you make more well informed Rank Order List decisions, NRMP® conducted a survey with over 1,800 responses from Program Directors. The data was compiled in a document called Results of the 2014 NRMP Program Director Survey.

Among the information gathered, Program Directors were asked to to cite factors they used to rank candidates after the interview. They were also asked to rate each factor on a scale from 1 (least important) to 5 (most important).

Below are the 5 most important and least important factors for all specialties by percentage cited and rating. Also included are the top 5 factors by percentage and rating for the 18 specialties offered by Match A Resident. You may notice that many of the individual specialities reflect the top overall factors, but some specialties have unique differences. Be sure to review the specialties you are interested in carefully.  

 

Top Five Factors for Ranking Overall

Percentage of Programs Citing Each Factor

  1. Interactions with faculty during interview and visit (93%)
  2. Interpersonal skills (93%)
  3. Interactions with house staff during interview and visit (88%)
  4. Feedback from current residents (82%)
  5. USMLE Step 1 score (80%)

Average Importance Rating for Each Factor (scale of 1 to 5)

  1. Interactions with faculty during interview and visit (4.8)
  2. Interpersonal Skills (4.8)
  3. Applicant flagged by NRMP (4.7)
  4. Interactions with house staff during interview and visit (4.7)
  5. Feedback from current residents (4.6)

 

Bottom Five Factors for Ranking Overall

Percentage of Programs Citing Each Factor

  1. USMLE/COMLEX Step 3 score (15%)
  2. Away rotation in your specialty at another institution (17%)
  3. Second interview/visit (19%)
  4. Honors in basic sciences (20%)
  5. Gold Society membership (20%)

Average Importance Rating for Each Factor (scale of 1 to 5)

  1. Honors in basic sciences (3.5)
  2. Personal Statement (3.6)**
  3. Other life experience (3.7)
  4. USMLE Step 3 score (3.7)
  5. Second interview/visit (3.7)

**Personal Statement holds a higher value for OBTAINING the interview but not for the ranking process itself.

 

Anesthesiology

Percentage of Programs Citing Each Factor

  1. Interactions with faculty during interview and visit (96%)
  2. Interpersonal skills (91%)
  3. USMLE Step 1 score (88%)
  4. Interactions with house staff during interview and visit (85%)
  5. Feedback from current residents (81%)

Average Importance Rating for Each Factor (scale of 1 to 5)

  1. Interactions with faculty during interview and visit (4.8)
  2. Interpersonal Skills (4.8)
  3. Applicant flagged by NRMP (4.7)
  4. Interactions with house staff during interview and visit (4.7)
  5. Feedback from current residents (4.6)

 

Child Neurology

Percentage of Programs Citing Each Factor

  1. Interactions with faculty during interview and visit (95%)
  2. Interpersonal skills (93%)
  3. Specialty specific Letter of Recommendation (90%)
  4. Interactions with house staff during interview and visit (90%)
  5. MSPE and USMLE Step 1 score (83%)

Average Importance Rating for Each Factor (scale of 1 to 5)

  1. Interactions with faculty during interview and visit (4.7)
  2. Interpersonal Skills (4.7)
  3. Applicant flagged by NRMP (4.6)
  4. Interactions with house staff during interview and visit (4.6)
  5. Feedback from current residents (4.5) and Perceived commitment to specialty (4.5)

 

Dermatology

Percentage of Programs Citing Each Factor

  1. Interactions with faculty during interview and visit (97%)
  2. Interpersonal skills (95%)
  3. Interactions with house staff during interview and visit  (95%)
  4. Feedback from current residents (80%)
  5. Specialty specific Letter of Recommendation (71%)

Average Importance Rating for Each Factor (scale of 1 to 5)

  1. Interactions with faculty during interview and visit (4.9)
  2. Interpersonal Skills (4.9)
  3. Interactions with house staff during interview and visit (4.9)
  4. Feedback from current residents (4.8)
  5. Audition elective/rotation within your department (4.7)

 

Emergency Medicine

Percentage of Programs Citing Each Factor

  1. Interpersonal skills (93%)
  2. Interactions with house staff during interview and visit  (91%)
  3. Interactions with faculty during interview and visit (89%)
  4. Feedback from current residents (88%)
  5. Specialty specific Letter of Recommendation (87%)

Average Importance Rating for Each Factor (scale of 1 to 5)

  1. Interactions with faculty during interview and visit (4.8)
  2. Interpersonal Skills (4.8)
  3. Interactions with house staff during interview and visit (4.7)
  4. Specialty specific Letter of Recommendation (4.7)
  5. Feedback from current residents (4.6)

 

Family Medicine

Percentage of Programs Citing Each Factor

  1. Interpersonal skills (94%)
  2. Interactions with faculty during interview and visit (93%)
  3. Interactions with house staff during interview and visit  (91%)
  4. Feedback from current residents (84%)
  5. Perceived commitment to specialty (84%)

Average Importance Rating for Each Factor (scale of 1 to 5)

  1. Flagged by NRMP (4.9)
  2. Interactions with faculty during interview and visit (4.8)
  3. Interpersonal skills (4.8)
  4. Interactions with house staff during interview and visit (4.8)
  5. Feedback from current residents (4.8)

Internal Medicine

Percentage of Programs Citing Each Factor

  1. Interpersonal skills (95%)
  2. Interactions with faculty during interview and visit (92%)
  3. USMLE Step 2 CK score (86%)
  4. USMLE Step 1 score (83%)
  5. Interactions with house staff during interview and visit (82%)

Average Importance Rating for Each Factor (scale of 1 to 5)

  1. Flagged by NRMP (4.8)
  2. Interactions with faculty during interview and visit (4.7)
  3. Interpersonal skills (4.7)
  4. Interactions with house staff during interview and visit (4.6)
  5. Evidence of professionalism and ethics (4.6)

 

MedPeds

Percentage of Programs Citing Each Factor

  1. Interactions with faculty during interview and visit (94%)
  2. Interactions with house staff during interview and visit (91%)
  3. USMLE Step 1 score (89%)
  4. Interpersonal skills (86%)
  5. Feedback from current residents (86%)

Average Importance Rating for Each Factor (scale of 1 to 5)

  1. Interactions with faculty during interview and visit (4.7)
  2. Interpersonal skills (4.7)
  3. Interactions with house staff during interview and visit (4.7)
  4. Feedback from current residents (4.6)
  5. USMLE Step 3 score (4.5)

 

Neurological Surgery

Percentage of Programs Citing Each Factor

  1. Interactions with faculty during interview and visit (94%)
  2. Specialty specific Letter of Recommendation (89%)
  3. Interactions with house staff during interview and visit (87%)
  4. Interpersonal skills (85%)
  5. Feedback from current residents (85%)

Average Importance Rating for Each Factor (scale of 1 to 5)

  1. USMLE Step 3 score (5.0)
  2. Interactions with house staff during interview and visit (4.9)
  3. Interactions with faculty during interview and visit (4.8)
  4. Interpersonal skills (4.8)
  5. Feedback from current residents (4.7)

 

Neurology

Percentage of Programs Citing Each Factor

  1. Interpersonal skills (98%)
  2. Interactions with faculty during interview and visit (97%)
  3. Interactions with house staff during interview and visit (93%)
  4. Specialty specific Letter of Recommendation (81%)
  5. USMLE Step 1 score (80%)

Average Importance Rating for Each Factor (scale of 1 to 5)

  1. Interactions with faculty during interview and visit (4.9)
  2. Interpersonal skills (4.8)
  3. Interactions with house staff during interview and visit (4.7)
  4. Flagged by NRMP (4.7)
  5. Feedback from current residents (4.7)

 

OBGYN

Percentage of Programs Citing Each Factor

  1. Interactions with faculty during interview and visit (96%)
  2. Interpersonal skills (91%)
  3. Interactions with house staff during interview and visit (91%)
  4. Feedback from current residents (86%)
  5. USMLE Step 1 score (79%)

Average Importance Rating for Each Factor (scale of 1 to 5)

  1. Interactions with faculty during interview and visit (4.8)
  2. Interpersonal skills (4.8)
  3. Interactions with house staff during interview and visit (4.8)
  4. Flagged by NRMP (4.7)
  5. Feedback from current residents (4.7)

 

Orthopedic Surgery

Percentage of Programs Citing Each Factor

  1. Interactions with faculty during interview and visit (89%)
  2. Interpersonal skills (88%)
  3. Interactions with house staff during interview and visit (86%)
  4. Feedback from current residents (82%)
  5. Specialty specific Letter of Recommendation (73%)

Average Importance Rating for Each Factor (scale of 1 to 5)

  1. Flagged by NRMP (4.7)
  2. Interactions with faculty during interview and visit (4.6)
  3. Interpersonal skills (4.6)
  4. Interactions with house staff during interview and visit (4.6)
  5. Feedback from current residents (4.6)

 

Pathology

Percentage of Programs Citing Each Factor

  1. Interactions with faculty during interview and visit (95%)
  2. Interpersonal skills (93%)
  3. Interactions with house staff during interview and visit (89%)
  4. Feedback from current residents (89%)
  5. USMLE Step 1 score (89%)

Average Importance Rating for Each Factor (scale of 1 to 5)

  1. Flagged by NRMP (4.8)
  2. Interactions with faculty during interview and visit (4.7)
  3. Interpersonal skills (4.7)
  4. Interactions with house staff during interview and visit (4.7)
  5. Feedback from current residents (4.7)

 

Pediatrics

Percentage of Programs Citing Each Factor

  1. Interactions with faculty during interview and visit (98%)
  2. Interpersonal skills (95%)
  3. Interactions with house staff during interview and visit (93%)
  4. Feedback from current residents (90%)
  5. USMLE Step 1 score (90%)

Average Importance Rating for Each Factor (scale of 1 to 5)

  1. Flagged by NRMP (4.9)
  2. Interpersonal skills (4.8)
  3. Interactions with faculty during interview and visit (4.7)
  4. Interactions with house staff during interview and visit (4.7)
  5. Feedback from current residents (4.6)

 

Physical Medicine and Rehab

Percentage of Programs Citing Each Factor

  1. Interactions with faculty during interview and visit (94%)
  2. Interpersonal skills (94%)
  3. Interactions with house staff during interview and visit (85%)
  4. Specialty specific Letter of Recommendation (82%)
  5. USMLE Step 1 score (82%)

Average Importance Rating for Each Factor (scale of 1 to 5)

  1. Flagged by NRMP (4.9)
  2. Interactions with faculty during interview and visit (4.8)
  3. Interpersonal skills (4.7)
  4. Interactions with house staff during interview and visit (4.7)
  5. Audition elective/rotation within your department (4.7)

 

Psychiatry

Percentage of Programs Citing Each Factor

  1. Interpersonal skills (99%)
  2. Interactions with faculty during interview and visit (98%)
  3. Interactions with house staff during interview and visit (95%)
  4. Feedback from current residents (89%)
  5. Perceived commitment to specialty (84%)

Average Importance Rating for Each Factor (scale of 1 to 5)

  1. Interpersonal skills (5.0)
  2. Flagged by NRMP (4.9)
  3. Interactions with faculty during interview and visit (4.9)
  4. Interactions with house staff during interview and visit (4.9)
  5. Evidence of professionalism and ethics (4.8) and Feedback from current residents (4.8)

 

Radiology

Radiation Oncology

Percentage of Programs Citing Each Factor

  1. Interpersonal skills (86%)
  2. Interactions with faculty during interview and visit (84%)
  3. Specialty specific Letter of Recommendation (77%)
  4. Interactions with house staff during interview and visit (70%)
  5. Feedback from current residents (70%)

Average Importance Rating for Each Factor (scale of 1 to 5)

  1. Flagged by NRMP (5.0)
  2. Interpersonal skills (4.9)
  3. Interactions with faculty during interview and visit (4.9)
  4. Interactions with house staff during interview and visit (4.8)
  5. Evidence of professionalism and ethics (4.6) and Feedback from current residents (4.6)

Diagnostic Radiology

Percentage of Programs Citing Each Factor

  1. Interpersonal skills (97%)
  2. Interactions with faculty during interview and visit (95%)
  3. USMLE Step 1 score (85%)
  4. Interactions with house staff during interview and visit (85%)
  5. Feedback from current residents (82%)

Average Importance Rating for Each Factor (scale of 1 to 5)

  1. Flagged by NRMP (4.9)
  2. Interpersonal skills (4.7)
  3. Interactions with faculty during interview and visit (4.7)
  4. Interactions with house staff during interview and visit (4.7)
  5. Feedback from current residents (4.6)

 

General Surgery

Percentage of Programs Citing Each Factor

  1. Interactions with faculty during interview and visit (91%)
  2. Interpersonal skills (89%)
  3. Interactions with house staff during interview and visit (86%)
  4. USMLE Step 1 score (82%)
  5. Specialty specific Letter of Recommendation (79%)

Average Importance Rating for Each Factor (scale of 1 to 5)

  1. Interactions with faculty during interview and visit (4.8)
  2. Interactions with house staff during interview and visit (4.8)
  3. Interpersonal skills (4.7)
  4. Feedback from current residents (4.6)
  5. Evidence of professionalism and ethics (4.5)

 

Transitional Year

Percentage of Programs Citing Each Factor

  1. USMLE Step 1 score (91%)
  2. Interactions with faculty during interview and visit (89%)
  3. Interpersonal skills (89%)
  4. Feedback from current residents (83%)
  5. USMLE Step 2 CK score (79%) and Perceived interest in program (79%)

Average Importance Rating for Each Factor (scale of 1 to 5)

  1. Flagged by NRMP (4.8)
  2. Interpersonal skills (4.8)
  3. Interactions with faculty during interview and visit (4.7)
  4. Interactions with house staff during interview and visit (4.6)
  5. Evidence of professionalism and ethics (4.6)

 

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