The Interview Process for Gastroenterology Fellowship

Gastroenterology has become one of the most competitive fellowship in the field of internal medicine. 1 The application phase usually starts during the second half of PGY-2 year, and includes writing a personal statement, completing an application form via the electronic residency application service (ERAS), obtaining letters of recommendations, and selecting the programs to apply for. The interview process, which is considered the most important factor in the fellowship selection process, occurs during the fall of PGY-3 year, from mid-August until early November. Once the interview has been offered, this process can be broken down into 3 steps. The first step is preparation for the interview. This includes replying to an interview offer in a timely manner, as it would provide you an opportunity to secure your preferred interview date, and it could reflect your work ethic. For each fellowship program you will visit, it is wise to create an electronic file containing information about the program, your itinerary for the interview trip, and any documents you receive from a program coordinator. Researching a program in advance will allow you to obtain helpful information for the interview and your decision-making during the ranking process. Most information is available online, including details about the division, faculty, and training systems. You should be familiar with the research interests and publications of the faculty members of each program in order to gauge if the program shares your interests and to tailor questions to interviewers. It is also essential that you know your own application well, as most interview questions will be generated based on your curriculum vitae, personal statement, and other application documents. The second step is the interview. The interview allows you to further assess whether the program is a good match; at the same time, it allows the program to educate you on its strengths, training, research opportunities, and career development provided to trainees. Although the gastroenterology program director survey has not been available regarding the factors related to ranking decision, one can extrapolate from the National Resident Matching Program residency program director survey. 3 Three factors had the highest impact on the ranking of applicants across many residencies: 1) interactions with faculty during interview and visit, 2) interpersonal skills, and 3) interactions with house staff during interview and visit. These three factors can only be evaluated during the interview process, which emphasizes the interview as the crucial step for program …