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What to Expect on Residency Interview Day: Sample Schedule
A sample residency interview day schedule from eight programs' own pages: the pre-interview social, interviews, resident Q&A, tour and what to have ready.
A residency interview day usually starts the night before, with a social hosted by residents, often on Zoom. The day itself runs from about 90 minutes to most of a day: a program overview, two to seven short interviews with the program director, faculty and residents, time with residents alone and a virtual tour. Most programs interview online this season.
A sample residency interview day
Built from eight programs' own interview day pages across internal medicine, pediatrics, emergency medicine, surgery, psychiatry and family medicine, read October 21, 2026. Your itinerary has your program's exact times, and the order varies.
Social the night before
Usually on Zoom with residents. LSU, Dartmouth and UVA hold it the evening before, Brown on the Sunday before. Northwestern runs optional socials on set Wednesdays.
Program overview
The program director or leadership opens the day, as at UCLA, LSU, Northwestern and BU. Dartmouth gives its program introduction the evening before.
Interviews
The core of the day. From two interviews at UCLA to seven at Dartmouth, one on one with the program director, faculty and often a resident. Where pages give times, each runs 10 to 30 minutes.
Time with residents
A resident Q&A or meet and greet. At BU no faculty or leadership are in the room. Northwestern ends with an optional resident meet and greet.
Teaching session
Some days include one. LSU has morning report, and UCLA a resident noon conference.
Tour
Virtual on most days. LSU and UVA show the hospital on video, and BU pairs a tour with its resident Q&A.
Wrap-up
A closing session with the program director or coordinators, as at Northwestern and BU, or LSU's virtual farewell.
Second look (later)
Optional in-person visits. LSU, Brown and UVA hold theirs so they cannot change the rank list. Northwestern lists optional dates.
What eight programs' interview day pages say
Under each program: its specialty, linked to our practice page for it.
| Program | Its interview day page says |
|---|---|
| UCLAInternal medicine | All virtual, 8:00 a.m. to about 1:30 p.m. Pacific. An introduction to the program, two interviews, a resident noon conference and time with residents and leadership. No in-person second looks this season. Source |
| LSU New OrleansPediatrics | Virtual only, about 4.5 hours on Zoom with breaks. Leadership welcome, morning report, a chief resident session, residents and a virtual hospital tour, then three faculty interviews. A resident social the night before. Source |
| NorthwesternEmergency medicine | About 90 minutes, interviews back to back: a resident, three faculty and the program director. Then a wrap-up and an optional resident meet and greet. Optional Zoom socials and in-person second looks. Source |
| DartmouthGeneral surgery | Zoom. The evening before, a welcome from the chair, a program introduction and a voluntary resident social. Next day, seven interviews of 10 to 20 minutes with leadership, faculty and residents. Source |
| Carolinas (Atrium)General surgery | In person for categorical applicants, on three dates in December and January. Invitations come through ERAS by November 1. Preliminary interviews are virtual. Source |
| BrownPsychiatry | Virtual, with no in-person interviews or tours. Overviews from the chair, chief residents and training directors, then afternoon interviews with faculty and residents. A resident meet and greet the Sunday before. Source |
| Boston UniversityPsychiatry | Zoom, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. An overview, then five interviews: the program director for 15 minutes, and an associate director, two faculty and a resident for 30 each. A tour and a residents-only Q&A. Source |
| UVAFamily medicine | Virtual. A program director welcome, a 15 minute interview with the director and two 30 minute sessions with a faculty member and a resident, a virtual tour and an intern Q&A. A resident gathering the evening before. Source |
The pre-interview dinner or social
Most programs here hold one, and on a virtual day it is a Zoom call with residents, not a dinner. LSU pediatrics says “All applicants are invited to attend a casual social event (via Zoom) on the night prior to the interview day.”
Some programs say it does not count. Buffalo internal medicine says “Mixers are voluntary to attend and do not affect rank.” Dartmouth surgery says “The evening before your interview, the residents host an informal Resident Social through Zoom. This is voluntary.” Pediatrics program directors tell applicants “Applicants should NOT feel obligated to attend open houses, in-person visits/second looks, and optional program social hours.”
Others want you there. ChristianaCare emergency medicine says “We highly encourage attendance, as it offers a valuable opportunity to connect with our residents and gain insight into our program culture.” And UW family medicine's advice to its students is blunt: “The entire experience is the interview.” It adds that “your interactions during these pre-interview activities will be included in the program's discussion of you after you're gone.” So go if you can, be yourself and ask residents what you really want to know.
Second looks are different. LSU says “attendance at our Second Look days will not affect an applicant's position on our rank list”, and Brown says its second look “will NOT impact our rank list or order”. The NRMP code for programs says “Programs are encouraged not to require or imply that second visits are used in determining applicant placement on a rank order list.”
Virtual vs in-person days
Six of the eight programs interview online. Pediatrics program directors put it plainly for 2026-27: “Programs should offer only virtual interviews.” Brown psychiatry says “No applicants, including local applicants, will have in-person interviews or tours.”
Some programs choose in person. Carolinas (Atrium) surgery says “All categorical interviews will be IN PERSON.” The NRMP code for programs points to “conducting interviews in-person or virtually, but not both”. Specialty guidance differs too: for emergency medicine, all-virtual strongly preferred, and for general surgery, each program picks one format. Our residency interview season page has the format and dates for each specialty. If a program runs its virtual day in Thalamus, our Thalamus interview guide covers joining each session and what to do if the video freezes.
What to have ready
Your itinerary and link
Dartmouth emails itineraries a week ahead with the Zoom link on them, and LSU shares a personal agenda in advance. UVA asks you to contact the program if no resident host has emailed you 48 hours before.
A tested setup
BU asks for a good internet connection, a camera, and a microphone, speakers or headphones. Test them on the platform the program uses.
Questions for residents
Most days give you time with residents alone, like BU's Q&A with no faculty present. Bring questions only residents can answer.
Signed policy forms
Dartmouth asks you to confirm you received its eligibility, selection and contract documents, and says your signature is required to be ranked.
A fresh opening answer
UW family medicine warns you may hear the same question 20 or more times. Keep your tell me about yourself answer short and say it like it is the first time.
No recording, no AI help
The NRMP codes say neither side should record virtual interviews, and pediatrics program directors say AI tools should not be used during an interview.
Time with residents is where you learn the most. At BU, “There will also be a Q&A session with the residents, in which no faculty or program leadership will be present.” Our list of questions to ask at a residency interview helps you use it. UW family medicine also warns you to “be prepared to answer the same question 20+ times throughout the entire interview process.” Keep your tell me about yourself answer short enough to sound fresh every time.
If your first interview is weeks away, start with how to prepare for residency interviews and practice out loud. A strong answer names one real patient or moment and ties it to why this program fits you. The rest is practice, and the residency interview practice page has questions by specialty.
Sources: the interview day pages of UCLA, Buffalo, LSU, Northwestern, ChristianaCare, Dartmouth (and its sample schedule), Carolinas (Atrium), Brown, BU and UVA, UW family medicine's advising page, the APPD 2026-27 recommendations and the NRMP Match Codes of Conduct for programs and applicants. All checked October 21, 2026.
Frequently asked questions
What happens on a residency interview day?
Most days follow one shape: a social with residents the night before, a program overview, several one-on-one interviews with the program director, faculty and often a resident, time with residents alone, a tour and a wrap-up.
How long is a residency interview day?
From about 90 minutes to most of a day. Northwestern emergency medicine runs about 1 hour 30 minutes, LSU pediatrics about 4.5 hours, UCLA internal medicine 8:00 a.m. to about 1:30 p.m. Pacific, and BU psychiatry 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Is the pre-interview dinner or social evaluated?
It depends on the program. Buffalo internal medicine says its mixers do not affect rank, and Dartmouth surgery calls its social voluntary. UW family medicine advises that what you do there can come up when the program discusses you, so treat it as part of the day.
Are residency interviews virtual or in person in 2026-27?
Mostly virtual. Pediatrics program directors recommend virtual only, and UCLA, LSU, Brown, BU, UVA and Dartmouth interview online. Some programs choose in person, like Carolinas (Atrium) general surgery for categorical applicants. Formats and dates by specialty for 2026-27.
What should I have ready for a virtual residency interview day?
Your itinerary and link, a tested camera, microphone and connection, questions for residents, any policy forms the program asks you to sign, and a short opening answer you can repeat fresh in every interview. Tell me about yourself for residency interviews.