How to Prepare for Your Radiology Residency Interview: Common Questions & Tips

Interviews were conversational. They're not about grilling you (most of the time). They're about fit. You get 15-20 minutes per interviewer. Make it count. Here's what I learned, what I was asked, and how I prepared.

How To Prepare:

Preparation is everything. I treated every interview as if it were my only shot.

• Get Mentally Prepared: Nerves are normal. You’ve worked years for this. Don’t let pressure win. Exercise, meditate, pray—do what calms you.
• Practice: For the most common questions, I typed bulleted answers and practiced recording myself until I sounded natural. Bulleted notes encourage improvisation, which sounds less robotic. Aim for 2-3 minute answers.
• Know Your Application: Review your ERAS app. Everything you submitted is fair game! You do not want to get caught off guard when asked about your own experiences.
• Research Each Program: Don’t ask obvious questions. Check their website first. If the interviewer's name is available on Thalamus, then look them up. Ask thoughtful questions.
  • “I saw you completed your fellowship at [program]. What was that experience like?”
  • “I read your research on [topic] and found it fascinating. What inspired you to pursue that question?”
• Appear Composed on Camera: Don't let your nerves show. Be wary of fidgeting, rocking, or other nervous movements.

• Set Up for Success: All my interviews were virtual.
  • Choose a quiet location with stable internet and minimal distractions.
  • Clean your room.
  • Dress appropriately: formal for interview day, business casual for second looks, and dressy casual for resident-only events.
  • Invest in a high-quality camera and light.
• Take Notes: By the end of interview season, program details blur together. Notes help when ranking in March. Don’t rely on memory.

Most Common Questions

These questions came up almost every interview. Have answers locked and loaded.

1. Tell me about yourself.

This is your elevator pitch. It is arguably the most important question to answer well. Keep it concise, professional, and radiology-focused. The formula is: (1) Short background; (2) Interest in medicine; (3) Three strengths with examples. Here's my bulleted answer:

• I’m Jesse. I’m from [location]. I grew up playing competitive soccer through high school.
• Growing up, I saw [physician role model] comfort people after cancer diagnoses, which had a huge impact on me and my desire to pursue a career in medicine.
• I’m a family man: I met my wife at [location] and got married shortly after. We have a x-year-old daughter, and my girls are my world. I worked at a healthcare tech startup company committed to reducing the administrative pressures on physicians. Through my role, we were able to help doctors spend more quality time with their patients at the office and with their families at home. It was particularly rewarding to me to be able to help my future physician colleagues with their work-life balance.
• I’m disciplined and highly self-motivated: I taught myself how to use Anki and shared with my colleagues in school. I value my time and try to be as efficient as possible. I anticipate what’s coming next and try to plan accordingly. I'm always trying to improve because it’s important to me to be the best version of myself for my family, friends, and patients.
• I’m a team player: Years of playing team sports taught me teamwork and sacrifice. This translated to school, where I tutored peers from undergrad through med school. I built a website to host study guides and share with a broad audience. I’ve found that a rising tide lifts all boats, and it brings me joy and satisfaction to help friends be more successful.

2. Why Radiology?

Show your passion for the field.

• Radiology has it all—there’s a little something for everyone: Diagnostics, procedures, patient care, tech, variety, career longevity, and more.
• Radiologists are the "eyes" of the medical team and get a unique window into the human body. Not only are they expert diagnosticians, but they also provide value by offering reliable recommendations to nearly all specialties (“the doctor’s doctor”).
• I’m also considering procedure-heavy fellowships, like breast, because it offers the opportunity to build rapport with patients. 
  • During one rotation in the Breast Cancer Center, I saw a stereotactic biopsy. The technical precision was exciting but I was most impressed by how the radiologist provided comfort to the patient—it reminded me of why I pursued a career in medicine in the first place.
• Radiology resonates well with my personality, and I can see myself thriving in this field while also balancing my responsibilities as a husband and father.

3. Why [This Program]? / What Are You Looking for in a Program?

This question tests your interest in their program. Focus on specific features that align with your goals (e.g., case volume, research opportunities, location, vibes, or faculty mentorship). Show you did your homework. 

4. Tell Me more About [Specific ERAS Experience].

Be ready to elaborate on anything in your application. Review your app thoroughly to avoid being caught off guard.

5. What Are Your Strengths? / How Would You Contribute to This Program?

Focus on strengths that make you a great fit for radiology.

• Team-oriented: I’ll sacrifice for the mission. If a co-resident has an emergency, I’ll cover. They’d do the same.
• Task management: Med school as a dad taught me to juggle. Getting my daughter ready each morning is a prioritization drill. I balance work and home to be present for both.
• Highly self-motivated: Radiology requires constant learning. I'm driven to study hard because I realize the impact my decisions will have.

6. Do You have Questions for Me (the Interviewer)?

Always have questions ready. See my list below.

Questions Asked Often

• What do you think of the future of AI in medicine? (Tip: Stay optimistic)
• Why medicine?
• Do you have ties to this area?
• What subspecialties of radiology are you interested in, and why?
• How many weeks of radiology electives did you complete?
• Is there anything in your application that you’d like to highlight?
• Introduce yourself and share a fun fact.
• Tell me about a time when …
  • You saw something unethical and how you handled it.
  • You felt particularly competent.
  • You saw an attending handle a particularly stressful situation.
  • How you balance your work-life and personal-life.
  • An impactful moment that solidified your decision to pursue medicine.
  • You received negative feedback and how you handled it.
  • You tried to communicate something to someone, but they didn’t understand, and how you handled it.
  • A moment in medical school you are most proud of.

Other, Less Common Questions

• Tell me about your upbringing.
• Are you worried about the challenges of moving your family to a new city?
• Were you ever evaluated on your ability to analyze imaging?
• I had an engaging conversation about the nuts and bolts of applying radiology this cycle (e.g., value of signals)
• Discussed ChatGPT in personal statements versus how those applicants speak in interviews.
• Tell me about your M3 rotation sites and experiences.
• Compare and contrast local programs [A], [B], and [C].
• What would you do if not Radiology? If not Medicine?
• What sacrifices have you made to get to this point?
• If you had a co-resident on their phone in the reading room and it was distracting, how would you handle it?

Questions That I Liked to Ask

For Faculty:

Make it clear that your concern is about the learning experience.

• What qualities do you think are most important for someone to excel in this residency program?
• What do you personally feel is the greatest strength of this program?
• Is there anything about the program that you would like to see change, or improve?
• Is there a mentoring program for new residents?
• What are the opportunities for residents in teaching medical students?
• Are there any plans to change the programs size or structure?
• How has the program evolved over the past few years?

For Residents:

Save the less formal and/or more detailed questions for the residents.

• What made you choose this program?
• Can you tell me more about your day-to-day routine?
• What has changed since you came to the program?
• How accessible is the faculty?
• How do the residents get along with one another?
• What are you involved in outside of this program?
• What do you like to do in this city/area?
• Which EMR/PACS/Dictation services do you have?
• What is the uniform (e.g., scrubs any color)?
• Do you get a food stipend?
• Is parking free? How far is the walk? Is parking covered?
• Is the PD receptive to feedback from the residents? Can you give an example?
• If you don’t mind me asking, how did you personally rank this program?
• How often are residents getting married and/or having children in this program?
• How supportive is the program of residents who experience major unexpected events (e.g., a death in family)?

Final Thoughts

Remember: you're evaluating programs just as much as they're evaluating you. Be prepared but also be yourself. Show your passion for radiology, your commitment to teamwork, and your readiness to learn. Prepare well and you'll walk into (or login to) each interview feeling confident and leave knowing you did your best.

You got this! 💪🏻