Residency interview season is an exciting but demanding time, and when it coincides with the holidays, the balancing act can feel overwhelming. Scheduling virtual or in-person interviews while attending socials and maintaining professionalism requires thoughtful planning and effort.
Trust me, I know firsthand—a short time ago, I had some similar struggles while trying to do interviews during the holiday season, as well as from the other side when I did interviews as chief resident.
With the two experiences in mind, allow me to share some advice on how to handle residency interviews during the holiday season with poise and efficiency so you can fulfill your responsibilities and still have time for some eggnog. Let’s dive in!
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The Challenges of Interviewing During the Holiday Season
1. Interview dates can clash with travel plans.
Residency interview invitations often come with short notice, especially as previous applicants cancel their interview for whatever reason and new slots open up. This might leave you with little flexibility to rearrange prebooked travel for family gatherings or holidays and lead to difficult decisions, such as missing a family event or risking a spot at a program you’re interested in.
Such dilemmas are even more likely now as more programs (such as orthopedics and other surgical subspecialties) start to offer in-person interviews. While new invite offers are seen as blessings, booking last minute travel as a result of these cancellations can be costly.
2. Becoming fatigued due to a packed schedule.
The holidays often bring added commitments—shopping, gift giving, celebrations, and family traditions. When combined with interview preparation, cross-country travel, and the interviews themselves, applicants may become physically and emotionally drained. Jet lag, social fatigue, and constant networking can make it harder to stay sharp during interviews or enjoy family/holiday moments.
3. There may be expensive and limited travel options.
Holiday travel is notoriously expensive, and accommodations in bustling cities or rural program locations may already be scarce. Flight overbookings, delays, or cancellations due to winter weather can further complicate the logistics of back-to-back travel.
The Opportunities Provided by the Holiday Season
Now let’s take a look at the flipside: what are the advantages of interviewing during the most wonderful time of the year? There are a number of them, including the following:
1. You have extra time to prepare.
For those on a break from clinical rotations or academic studies, the holidays can provide uninterrupted time to focus on residency interview preparation. If you’re not a pro at this point in the season, or if you just needed a bit of practice on your elevator speech, this time off allows you to practice interview responses, research programs more thoroughly, and organize your travel schedule.
2. Families can provide support.
Being surrounded by family during the holiday season can offer an emotional lift. Loved ones can provide reassurance, help you rehearse for interviews, or assist in managing travel and accommodations. Their support can act as a counterbalance to the stress of the application process.
3. You’ll have time to reflect.
The slower pace of the holiday season can encourage applicants to step back and reflect on their residency priorities. Away from the day-to-day demands of medical school or clinical rotations, it’s easier to evaluate which programs align with your long-term goals and where you see yourself thriving both personally and professionally.
4 Tips for Navigating Residency Interviews During the Holidays
Here are some things to keep in mind when doing residency interviews this time of year:
- In general, be prepared for a busy November—especially if you’re a competitive applicant and expect the bulk of interview invitations to arrive before Thanksgiving (though for most applicants, the process continues into late January).
- Consider using a vacation week or month in November or December to minimize time away from rotations.
- Keep in mind, interviews between Christmas and New Year’s will be sparse, but may still occur.
- Finally, be patient if you haven’t received many invitations by mid-November, but reach out to mentors or your school’s office of academic affairs for guidance.
5 Tips for Creating a Scheduling Strategy
The first step to a successful residency interview season is effective scheduling. Programs often offer limited dates, which may overlap with other obligations.
Build a scheduling strategy through careful planning by doing the following:
1. Track all interview invitations ASAP.
Use a spreadsheet, app, or old-school written planner to log each program’s offered dates, deadlines to respond, and confirmation details. Don’t forget to account for travel time as well as any social or second look events that may fall outside the actual interview day.
Bold, highlight or color-code confirmed dates and keep notes about any flexible options provided by coordinators. Use this calendar of interview dates and cross reference with family obligations, highlighting nonnegotiable events. Consider alternative dates to celebrate the holidays if you need to reschedule plans.
2. Prioritize your calendar.
Rank programs based on your preferences and schedule high-priority programs first, if possible.
Use your initial interviews to refine your performance. If you must reschedule or cancel, provide the program with early notice.
As others cancel and interview spots open up, be sure to respond promptly to interview invitations, as reopened slots are often filled on a first-come, first-served basis.
3. Group interviews by location.
Many programs, such as orthopedics, offer mostly in-person interviews. For these, aim to schedule multiple interviews in the same city or region consecutively to minimize travel.
Maybe December will be your West Coast interviews and January will be East Coast ones. Be smart with travel and book tickets early, choose flexible ticket options (the ones that allow refunds or rescheduling), and consolidate interviews geographically to minimize fatigue and costs.
4. Be flexible but prompt.
If a conflict arises, notify the program coordinator promptly and politely request an alternative date. Most programs will accommodate rescheduling requests if you’re respectful and proactive.
5. Avoid overbooking.
While you may feel compelled to accept every invitation, overloading your schedule can lead to burnout, tardiness, or worse professional violations. Aim for a manageable (at maximum) 2-3 in-person or 3-4 virtual interviews per week, leaving room for recovery, travel, and reflection.
Staying Organized Amidst Chaos
Interview season requires organization, especially during a time of year when distractions abound. Staying on top of your commitments ensures you present yourself in the most professional manner to each program.
Some ways of staying organized include:
1. Crafting a centralized system.
Use apps like Google Calendar or Thalamus to consolidate schedules, program details, and travel arrangements.
2. Tracking program details.
Before each interview, revisit the program’s website, alumni connections, or social media for updated insights. Maintain a cumulative sheet for each program that includes the program’s mission and values, unique aspects of their curriculum, or training opportunities such as electives, tracks, and specific faculty or research initiatives that interest you.
3. Preparing for virtual interviews.
Preparation is just as important for virtual interviews! One thing you must do in preparation for a virtual interview is test your technology. Ensure your internet, camera, and microphone are functioning smoothly. Practice with friends or mentors to check angles, lighting, background, and sound.
Do the interview in a quiet, neutral space with minimal background distractions. And don’t forget to double-check interview times, especially when coordinating across time zones.
👩💻 For more information and tips, check out this post on virtual interviews!
Balancing Holiday Obligations
Of course, interviews aren’t the only things you have to navigate during the holidays. This time of year is important to friends and family, and they expect you to be part of the celebrations. And of course you want to be, but this is also a very important moment in your career.
So, how do you balance these competing obligations, along with self care?
Here’s some tips that’ll help:
1. Remember, communicating with family and friends is important.
Family often expects you to fully participate in every holiday tradition, but this holiday season, interviews are a priority. Clear communication about why your interviews are so important is essential so they don’t feel like they’re being ignored. Let them know you’re going to have more limited availability and why that’s the case.
2. Plan mini celebrations.
If you can’t join larger gatherings, consider smaller, more flexible celebrations. It’s important not to completely neglect the holidays—small moments of celebration can boost your morale. Watch a holiday movie, decorate your space, or enjoy a festive meal.
3. Share updates.
Keep your loved ones informed about your progress—they’ll appreciate feeling involved.
4. Protect interview prep time.
Block out dedicated hours for research and mock interviews.
5. Make time for rest.
Prioritize self-care by scheduling breaks for downtime, even if it’s just a quiet evening to recharge between commitments. Avoid sacrificing sleep for extra holiday activities or late night interview prep.
After the Holidays: Reflect and Rank
After the new year arrives, it’s good to do the following:
1. Review post-interview impressions.
Right after each interview, write down your thoughts on the program’s culture, faculty, facilities, and opportunities. These notes will be invaluable when creating your rank order list.
2. Seek guidance.
Discuss your experiences with mentors, advisors, or peers to gain perspective on your rankings.
3. Trust your instincts.
While metrics and reputation matter, ultimately, trust your gut. Choose programs that resonate with you professionally and where you feel at ease.
💙 Check out this post for tips on how to put your happiness first when ranking residency programs!
Final Thoughts
Navigating residency interviews during the holidays requires adaptability, organization, and striking the right balance between enjoying yourself and making sure you’re ready. While this season can feel intense, it’s also an exciting opportunity to take the next step in your medical journey. With the right strategies, you can maintain focus, celebrate milestones, and present yourself as a strong candidate.
Good luck!
