What I Wish I Knew Before Ophthalmology Residency Interviews
Editor:
Rizul Naithani
Dr. Naithani is a PGY-1 resident physician in ophthalmology at the George Washington University Hospital.
Interviewing for an ophthalmology residency is highly competitive, and having a strong application is only part of the process. The interview itself can be a make-or-break moment. Here are 10 tips on what you might wish you knew before interviewing for ophthalmology residency:
KNOW YOUR APPLICATION LIKE THE BACK OF YOUR HAND
You will almost certainly be asked questions about your personal statement, research, clinical experiences, and extracurricular activities. Be prepared to discuss your motivations for pursuing ophthalmology and what specifically excites you about the field. Be honest, but also have a clear narrative about why you're pursuing this specialty. For questions related to research, anticipate being asked about any of your publications, even if you might be a co-author as opposed to a first author. Remember, that a clear succinct explanation is always more suited given the time limitations of interviews.
BE PREPARED TO BE ASKED CLINICAL QUESTIONS
While ophthalmology interviews are generally not as technically rigorous as surgical interviews, you should still be prepared for basic questions about the anatomy and physiology of the eye, common ocular conditions, and perhaps even some diagnostic principles. A general understanding of basic eye care and the diseases ophthalmologists treat will go a long way. For most applicants, home and away rotations will have already prepared you for this.
Some programs may present a clinical picture and ask you to explain what’s happening. While this is rare, it’s a good idea to practice discussing how you would describe a clinical picture with a mentor so you're prepared to respond clearly and effectively if it comes up. It is not necessary that you know the diagnosis but, in these situations, it is key to be able to demonstrate how you communicate what you see in front of you.
EXPECT BEHAVIORAL AND SITUATIONAL QUESTIONS
Like many specialties, ophthalmology residency interviews often involve behavioral or situational questions. These assess how you handle stress, conflict, teamwork, and ethical dilemmas. Use the STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result) to structure your answers and show your problem-solving and communication skills.
For a question about how you dealt with conflict, **avoid blaming the other party** or portraying them as the sole cause of the issue. Maturity and professionalism are demonstrated when you take responsibility for your own role in the situation, acknowledge your actions or mistakes, and focus on how you worked collaboratively to resolve the conflict. Emphasize problem-solving, open communication, and the ability to learn and grow from the experience. By doing so, you show that you're capable of managing difficult situations with emotional intelligence and can work effectively in team environments, even when disagreements arise. This reflects your readiness to navigate the complex interpersonal dynamics of residency training.
KNOW THE PROGRAM
Research each program thoroughly. Know its strengths, faculty, location, and any unique aspects of the training. Be ready to ask thoughtful, specific questions about the residency program. This shows you’ve done your homework and are truly interested in what each program offers. Avoid generic questions that can be answered from the program website.
Always read the program’s mission and evaluate how your story fits with this. A great way to further evaluate this is by reaching out to residents of the program prior to the interview day to learn more about the program. If a program offers a resident social prior to the interview day, it is always good to attend these and take note of what is being said. These events can be great sources for questions on interview day.
PREPARE FOR THE “WHY OPHTHALMOLOGY?” QUESTION
This is one of the most commonly asked questions, and you need to have a well-thought-out answer. Reflect on your experiences, whether clinical or personal, that led you to ophthalmology. Talk about what excites you about the field, such as the combination of surgery and patient care, the opportunity to make a lasting impact on patients’ quality of life, and the diverse sub-specialties.
Customize your response to be specific to ophthalmology, rather than offering a generic answer that could apply to any specialty. A common mistake is providing a vague or overly broad response. For this particular question, it’s a good idea to have an ophthalmology mentor review your answer to ensure it is focused, clear, and tailored to the field.
WHAT MAKES YOU UNIQUE AS AN APPLICANT?
This is where reflecting on your personal journey and your unique perspective in ophthalmology becomes crucial. Interview day can be stressful for both you and the interviewers, who will meet many candidates. To stand out in a positive way, make sure you have something memorable about you or your experiences that will leave a lasting impression on the interviewers.
This doesn’t mean you need to have climbed mountains or cured cancer. Rather, the key is how you frame your life’s experiences—big or small—in a thoughtful, introspective way. Sometimes, the most relatable and impactful stories come from the seemingly ordinary moments, as they can resonate deeply with others.
BE PREPARED FOR A STRESSFUL ENVIRONMENT
All interviews will have a time-limited component. That means that regardless of how difficult or random a question is, you are still expected to give quality responses.
With some programs, you may be interviewing with the whole faculty in one virtual room as opposed to having 1-3 faculty/residents in the room. The former can be particularly nerve-wracking because you may not get the time to know your interviewers. Hence, it is important to research the interviewing faculty ahead of time to anticipate what they may ask.
Before each interview, I created flashcards for each faculty member who might interview me. On each card, I included their specialty, relevant research, and a fun fact that could serve as a conversation starter if time allowed. I reviewed these flashcards during breaks between interviews and in the days leading up to my interview day to get familiar with the people I’d be speaking with.
Finally, make sure to schedule as many mock interviews as you can! Find someone mature, trustworthy, and available who can ask a wide range of questions. I practiced with someone who had no medical background and handed them a list of questions that could be asked on the day of interview. Just the practice alone helped me become more refined and attuned to the questions being asked. I became aware of the marked difference it made and would recommend every person in a similar situation to do the same.
KEEP TRACK OF YOUR INTERVIEWS
It's easy to forget that you're not just being evaluated by the program—you're also evaluating them! While you might think you'll remember the details of each program come rank list submission day, you'll quickly realize how similar many of your interviews can blur together in your memory. After each interview day, take a few moments to jot down a quick summary of your impressions and the "vibe" you got from the program.
Remember, while the program’s rank list determines *if* you match, your personal rank list decides *where* you’ll match!
BE POSITIVE!
I can’t stress this point enough. After recording myself for multiple podcasts and participating in virtual interviews, I've learned that it’s especially difficult to convey enthusiasm in a virtual setting. In person, you can rely on body language, tone of voice, and eye contact to convey warmth and engagement, but in a video interview, those cues are often muted or lost. Because of this, it’s easy to come across as uninterested or disengaged without even realizing it.
To avoid this, I highly recommend doing a video recording of yourself responding to common interview questions before your interview day. Then, review the footage, ideally with someone else, and evaluate how you deliver your answers. Pay attention not just to the content of your responses, but to how you come across: Are you speaking with enough energy? Do you appear engaged and focused? You might be surprised at how many candidates unintentionally seem flat or disinterested simply because their tone lacks variation or their facial expressions don’t match the enthusiasm in their words.
Of course, you don’t want to appear overly bubbly or fake—that can come across as insincere. But it’s crucial to strike a balance and project a genuine sense of optimism and excitement about the opportunity. You’ll notice a significant difference when you answer with a bit of energy and a positive attitude; it will make you seem more approachable and passionate about the field. This subtle shift can have a major impact on how you’re perceived by interviewers, especially in a virtual setting where they’re relying on your verbal and visual cues to gauge your enthusiasm.
POST-INTERVIEW THANK YOU LETTERS
Many people wonder if thank-you letters are truly necessary after interviews. As someone from the South, I’ve always believed in sending them, unless the program explicitly states that they don’t accept them. While a thank-you letter is unlikely to make or break a program’s rank list decision, I think it’s a thoughtful way to express your appreciation for the faculty’s time and effort in reviewing your application and interviewing you. It’s a small gesture that can leave a positive impression.
That said, if you don’t have the time or simply forget to note who you interviewed with because of the sheer number of interviews, it’s not a big deal. Interview season is overwhelming, and most programs will understand if you miss sending a thank-you note. Ultimately, it’s a personal choice, and while it can help reinforce your gratitude and enthusiasm, it’s not a requirement for success in the match process.
CONCLUSION
In summary, every interview is an important opportunity and should be treated as if it's the only one you’ll get for ophthalmology! There’s no magic number for matching, and statistics from SFMatch reflect population trends, not individual cases. If you've been offered an interview, take pride in the fact that someone sees potential in you. On the other hand, if you don’t have any interviews—a very real possibility—don’t get discouraged. Take the time to sit down with a trusted mentor who has experience with admissions and evaluate your application. Together, you can identify areas for improvement and make strategic changes to enhance your candidacy, whether for this cycle or the next. Keep pushing forward, and remember, persistence and thoughtful reflection are key to finding success in this competitive field.
Resources for interview preparation
