Interviews and the Match
From the first interview invitation to Match Day and beyond: how to prepare, how to rank, and how to recover if the Match does not go your way.
The Match
Residency Interview Season: How It Works
How the residency interview season works for IMGs: invitations, formats, NRMP conduct rules, what programs weigh, what you may and may not be asked, and how to prepare.
4 min readCommon Residency Interview Questions and How to Answer Them
The questions residency interviewers commonly ask IMGs, how to structure honest answers, how to handle exam failures, gaps and visa questions, and what to avoid.
5 min readBuilding Your Rank Order List
How to build and certify a rank order list as an IMG: rank by true preference, include every program you would accept, handle visas and couples, and avoid common mistakes.
5 min readHow the Match Algorithm Works
How the NRMP's applicant-proposing deferred acceptance algorithm turns rank order lists into matches, with a worked example and why ranking true preferences is best.
5 min readVirtual Residency Interviews: Technology, Setting and Etiquette
How to prepare the technology, background, camera presence and etiquette for a virtual residency interview, with a checklist and plan for technical failures.
5 min readBehavioral Interview Answers That Work for IMGs
A framework for answering residency behavioral questions, with illustrative sample outlines for conflict, mistakes and difficult patients, plus pitfalls specific to IMGs.
5 min readMatch Week: What Happens Day by Day
A day-by-day walkthrough of Match Week for IMGs, from learning whether you matched to SOAP and Match Day, plus what to do about ECFMG and visas afterward.
4 min readQuestions to Ask Programs During Residency Interviews
Which questions to ask residency programs, which to save for residents, which to avoid, and the extra visa, certification and support questions IMGs should ask.
5 min readSOAP Explained: How Supplemental Offers Work
How the Supplemental Offer and Acceptance Program works for IMGs: who is eligible, how unfilled positions are offered in four rounds, and the role of ECFMG verification.
5 min readIf You Do Not Match: Your Options and Next Steps
What to do if you do not match as an IMG: SOAP eligibility, a decision tree, how to rebuild for the next cycle, backup options and how to protect your visa and exam timeline.
5 min readPost-Interview Communication: Thank-Yous and What Is Allowed
What NRMP rules and program policies say about contact after residency interviews: thank-you notes, letters of intent, rank commitments, and what to do if a program asks.
6 min readManaging Interview Invitations and Scheduling
How to respond to residency interview invitations, handle conflicts, cancel properly under NRMP expectations, and track dates, time zones and deadlines as an IMG.
5 min readNRMP Registration and Fees for IMGs
How NRMP Match registration works for IMGs, which fees apply (registration, late, couples, extra ranks), what is non-refundable and what happens if you leave a fee unpaid.
3 min readMatch process
The Couples Match: How It Works
How two applicants pair rank order lists in the NRMP Main Match, the rules and limits, what happens if one partner drops out, and what visa-requiring IMGs should check.
5 min readSecond Looks and Program Visits
What second looks and post-interview visits are, what NRMP's rules allow, whether they affect ranking, costs and etiquette, and what IMGs with visa limits should consider.
4 min readMoving From a Preliminary to a Categorical Position
How IMGs move from a preliminary or transitional year into a categorical or advanced position, the routes that exist, how ACGME transfer rules and SOAP fit in, and the risks.
5 min read