Essential Questions MD Graduates Must Ask for Med-Peds Residency

Why Your Questions Matter in Medicine-Pediatrics Residency Interviews

As an MD graduate applying to med peds residency, the questions you ask programs are as important as the answers you give. In a competitive allopathic medical school match, especially for the combined medicine pediatrics match, strong, thoughtful questions:

• Signal maturity and genuine interest
• Show you understand the unique demands of Med-Peds
• Help you identify programs where you’ll truly thrive
• Provide concrete data for your rank list decisions

This guide walks you through what to ask program directors, residents, and faculty, tailored specifically to Medicine-Pediatrics. You’ll get categorized question lists, sample follow-ups, and strategic advice so that when it’s time for interview questions for them, you sound informed—and you leave with the information you really need.

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Core Strategy: How to Approach Question Asking as an MD Graduate

Before diving into specific questions to ask residency programs, it’s crucial to think strategically.

1. Align Questions With Your Priorities

As a soon-to-be MD graduate, your priorities may include:

• Strength of combined internal medicine and pediatrics training
• Board pass rates and career outcomes
• Support for fellowship vs primary care vs hospitalist careers
• Work-life balance and wellness
• Research and academic development
• Geographic location and support systems

Before interviews, make a short list (3–5) of non-negotiables and “would be nice” factors. Then tailor your questions to probe those areas at each med peds residency.

2. Avoid Superficial or Overly Basic Questions

Your questions should go beyond what’s already on the website or the FREIDA listing. Instead of:

• “How many residents are in your program?” (usually online)

Ask:

• “How has your class size changed over the last 5–10 years, and what drove those decisions?”

This shows you’ve done your homework and are thinking about program trends and stability.

3. Match Questions to the Person You’re Speaking With

• Program Director: Vision, curriculum, outcomes, culture, big-picture issues
• Associate PDs / Core Faculty: Teaching style, evaluation, mentorship, rotations
• Chief Residents: Day-to-day workflow, schedule realities, culture, conflict resolution
• Current Residents: Real-life experience, support, wellness, call, workload, informal culture
• Program Coordinator: Logistics, administrative support, housing, scheduling details

You’ll get better answers—and impress people more—if you ask the right kind of question to the right person.

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High-Yield Questions to Ask the Program Director

When you think about what to ask program director during a med peds residency interview, focus on program vision, training quality, and long-term outcomes. Here are structured, high-yield categories and sample questions.

A. Program Vision, Identity, and Culture

These questions help clarify whether the program’s philosophy matches your needs as an MD graduate entering a combined specialty.

Questions:

• “How would you describe the identity of your med peds residency—are you more clinically focused, academically focused, or balanced, and how does that show up in residents’ day-to-day experience?”
• “What do you see as the unique strengths of your program compared to other Medicine-Pediatrics residencies?”
• “How integrated are the internal medicine and pediatrics components—do residents feel like they belong fully to both departments?”
• “How has the program changed in the last 5 years, and what are your main priorities for the next 5 years?”
• “When residents talk about what they value most here, what do they usually say?”

Follow-up angle:
If the PD emphasizes integration, ask:

• “Can you give a concrete example of how integration shows up in rotations, conferences, or continuity clinic?”

B. Curriculum, Rotations, and Schedule Structure

In the medicine pediatrics match, the balance and flow between adult and pediatric training is critical.

Questions:

• “How do you structure switching between medicine and pediatrics (e.g., block length), and how do residents feel about that structure?”
• “Are there opportunities for combined Med-Peds rotations or clinics that explicitly integrate both skill sets?”
• “How much flexibility do residents have to tailor their electives toward interests like hospitalist medicine, primary care, global health, or subspecialty fellowship?”
• “How is ambulatory training structured across medicine and pediatrics, and do residents feel prepared for outpatient practice when they graduate?”
• “Can you tell me about your ICU exposure on both the medicine and pediatrics sides—how much, and at what levels of responsibility?”

Follow-up angle:
If they mention elective flexibility, ask:

• “What are some recent examples of individualized electives residents have created?”

C. Outcomes: Fellowship, Hospitalist, and Primary Care Paths

As an MD graduate, you want to know precisely where training here can take you.

Questions:

• “Over the last 5 years, what proportion of your graduates pursued fellowship, hospitalist roles, or primary care, and how does that align with your program’s mission?”
• “For graduates who pursued fellowship, what kinds of adult, pediatric, or Med-Peds–friendly fellowships have they matched into?”
• “How does the program support residents who are undecided early on and still exploring between primary care, hospitalist, and fellowship paths?”
• “Are there alumni who are practicing true combined Med-Peds, and how did your training prepare them for that?”

Follow-up angle:
Ask for specifics:

• “Could you share an example of a recent graduate’s career path that you feel really represents what this program does well?”

D. Board Preparation and Academic Support

Strong board preparation is non-negotiable in an allopathic medical school match environment.

Questions:

• “How do you support residents in preparing for both the ABIM and ABP boards? Are there structured board review programs or protected time?”
• “What have been your board pass rates over the past several years for both Internal Medicine and Pediatrics?”
• “What kind of academic remediation or support is available if a resident struggles on in-training exams or clinically?”
• “How are residents evaluated, and how often do they receive formal feedback?”

E. Culture, Wellness, and Support Systems

These questions help you identify red flags or confirm a genuinely supportive environment.

Questions:

• “How do you monitor for resident burnout, and what changes have you made based on resident feedback?”
• “Can you describe a time when the program made a significant change in response to resident concerns?”
• “How do you handle situations where residents are struggling personally or professionally—what concrete supports are available?”
• “What does wellness look like here beyond the standard institutional resources?”

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Key Questions to Ask Current Residents

Residents are often your best source of unfiltered data. Plan your interview questions for them to uncover reality behind the polished presentation.

A. Day-to-Day Life and Workload

Your lived experience in residency will be shaped by workload, supervision, and team dynamics.

Questions:

• “What does a typical call or night shift look like on medicine versus pediatrics?”
• “On average, how many patients do you carry, and does that feel manageable?”
• “How often do you leave on time after day shifts on typical ward and clinic days?”
• “How approachable are your attendings and fellows when you need help?”
• “What parts of your schedule are the most stressful, and what helps make them sustainable?”

Follow-up angle:

• “Has the program done anything recently to improve workload or documentation burden?”

B. Culture, Cohesion, and Belonging

You want to know if this is a place you’ll be supported, respected, and included.

Questions:

• “Do you feel like a Med-Peds resident first, or do you feel pulled between medicine and pediatrics? How does that show up day to day?”
• “How well do Med-Peds residents integrate with categorical internal medicine and pediatrics residents?”
• “How would you describe your class culture—supportive, competitive, social, more private?”
• “Do residents spend time together outside of work, and what does that typically look like?”
• “Have you ever seen a co-resident struggle, and how did the program respond?”

C. Education Quality and Autonomy

Ask residents if the teaching is as robust and supportive as the program advertises.

Questions:

• “Do you feel like you’re getting enough supervision early on but also growing into appropriate autonomy by senior years?”
• “How strong is the teaching on rounds and in conferences on both the medicine and pediatrics sides?”
• “Are there particular rotations or sites that are especially educational—or especially challenging?”
• “How comfortable do you feel managing complex patients independently at your level?”

D. Career Development and Mentorship

When considering questions to ask residency programs, don’t neglect mentorship and career guidance.

Questions:

• “How easy has it been for you to find mentors—both Med-Peds and categorical?”
• “If you’re comfortable sharing, what are your career goals, and how has the program supported you toward them?”
• “Are there structured career development sessions or workshops, especially for Med-Peds–specific paths?”
• “How early do residents typically get involved in research, QI, or scholarly projects if they’re interested?”

E. Honest Reflections and “If You Could Change One Thing”

These questions can draw out candid insights.

Questions:

• “What has been your favorite part of this program so far? What has been the hardest?”
• “If you could change one thing about the program, what would it be?”
• “Knowing what you know now, would you choose this program again—and why or why not?”
• “What do you wish you had known about this program before you matched here?”

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Targeted Questions for Specific Interests: Tailoring to Your Path

Not every med peds residency applicant has the same goals. Use the sections below to customize what to ask program director and residents based on where you might be headed.

1. If You’re Fellowship-Oriented

For MD graduates eyeing subspecialty training, probe fellowship support and academic exposure.

Questions:

• “How early do fellowship-interested residents typically start preparing their CVs and reaching out to mentors?”
• “What infrastructure exists for research or QI—are there Med-Peds–specific projects or primarily categorical?”
• “Can you tell me about recent Med-Peds graduates who matched into adult or pediatric subspecialty fellowships?”
• “Do fellows from your own institution tend to know and work with Med-Peds residents?”

2. If You’re Considering Primary Care or Combined Med-Peds Practice

Combined primary care is a classic path in Med-Peds. Ensure you’ll be prepared for that real-world setting.

Questions:

• “How robust is your continuity clinic experience, and do you have any combined Med-Peds clinics?”
• “What proportion of graduates go into outpatient primary care or combined Med-Peds practice?”
• “Are there rotations in community-based or underserved primary care settings?”
• “How prepared do graduates feel to handle outpatient behavioral health, chronic disease management, and care coordination?”

3. If You’re Interested in Hospitalist Work

Hospital-based careers for both adults and children are common and attractive for Med-Peds graduates.

Questions:

• “Do residents have exposure to combined adult-peds hospitalist teams or Med-Peds hospitalist mentors?”
• “How strong is your training in inpatient medicine and inpatient pediatrics across different acuity levels?”
• “Are there specific hospitalist-focused electives or tracks?”

4. If You Are Passionate About Global Health, Advocacy, or Underserved Care

The Medicine-Pediatrics skill set is uniquely useful in these domains.

Questions:

• “What global health or community partnerships are available to Med-Peds residents?”
• “Are there longitudinal experiences in underserved or refugee health that span both medicine and pediatrics?”
• “Do residents get protected time for advocacy work, and are there faculty actively involved in these areas?”

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Practical Tips: Using Your Questions Strategically

As you prepare your master list of questions to ask residency programs, keep these practical strategies in mind.

1. Prepare a Short, Flexible List

• Aim for 5–7 core questions you definitely want answered at each program.
• Add 2–3 program-specific questions based on your research.
• Keep a few backup questions in case others get answered during the day.

Have them written out (paper or digital), but don’t read them robotically—use them as a guide.

2. Avoid Questions That Can Backfire

Some questions can come across as tone-deaf or disinterested if poorly timed:

• Hyper-specific salary or moonlighting questions at the very beginning of the PD interview
• Questions that have obvious answers on the website (“What EHR do you use?”)
• Overly aggressive questions like “Why is your board pass rate lower than X program?” without context

If you need to address a sensitive area, phrase it thoughtfully, e.g.:

• “I noticed from your website that your call structure has changed in recent years. Can you share what prompted that change and how residents feel about the new system?”

3. Ask Open-Ended, Experience-Based Questions

You’ll learn more from questions that invite stories and examples:

• Instead of: “Is this a supportive program?”
• Ask: “Can you tell me about a time when a resident was going through a difficult situation and how the program supported them?”

4. Use Questions to Demonstrate Insight Into Med-Peds

Show that you understand the distinct identity of Medicine-Pediatrics:

• “How do you help residents navigate building a dual professional identity—being both an internist and pediatrician, rather than ‘half of each’?”
• “How do Med-Peds-specific needs get represented in department-level decisions on both sides?”

These types of interview questions for them show you’re thinking at a higher level about the field and your future role in it.

5. Take Notes and Debrief After Each Interview Day

Right after each interview:

• Jot down key answers to your top questions
• Note specific examples or anecdotes that struck you
• Record immediate gut reactions (culture, resident happiness, red flags)

When you build your rank list, you’ll appreciate having concrete data from your Medicine-Pediatrics interviews rather than vague impressions.

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Example “Question Sets” for Different Interview Encounters

To make this actionable, here are sample sets of what to ask program director, residents, and faculty in a typical med peds residency interview day.

With the Program Director (20–30 minutes)

Consider 3–4 of these:

1. “How would you describe the mission and identity of your Med-Peds program, and how does that shape the type of residents you look for?”
2. “What changes have you implemented in the curriculum or schedule based on resident feedback in the last few years?”
3. “What are the most common career paths for your graduates, and how do you support both fellowship-bound and primary care– or hospitalist-focused residents?”
4. “How do you foster integration between the medicine and pediatrics departments for Med-Peds residents?”
5. “If you could point to one or two graduates whose careers really capture what this program is about, what do their paths look like?”

With Current Med-Peds Residents (Lunch or Social Hour)

Consider 4–6 of these:

1. “What’s your day-to-day life really like here—on both a ‘good’ rotation and a ‘tough’ rotation?”
2. “Do you feel like your educational time is protected, or does service often overwhelm teaching?”
3. “How well do you feel the program prepares you to be an independently practicing Med-Peds physician?”
4. “What surprised you most, in a good way, about this program after you started?”
5. “What would you change if you were in charge of the program for a year?”
6. “If you had to choose your residency program again, would you pick this one—and why?”

With Faculty and Future Mentors

Consider 2–4 of these:

1. “How do you see Med-Peds residents fitting into your clinical teams and academic projects?”
2. “Are there particular opportunities you feel are especially well-suited for Med-Peds residents here?”
3. “How do you mentor residents who are still exploring their career path?”
4. “In your view, what differentiates a strong Med-Peds resident from a strong categorical resident?”

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FAQs: Common Questions From MD Graduates About Asking Questions

1. How many questions should I ask during each residency interview?

Aim for 2–4 thoughtful questions per conversation (program director, resident, or faculty). Over an entire interview day, you might ask 8–12 total, but avoid dominating any single interaction. Prioritize questions that address your top concerns and haven’t already been covered.

2. Is it okay to ask the same question at multiple programs?

Yes—and often you should. Asking similar questions across med peds residency programs (e.g., about board prep, culture, or career outcomes) helps you compare them. Also, it’s fine to ask a similar question to PDs and residents; you may get very different perspectives, which is highly informative.

3. Can I ask about fellowship placement or job outcomes without sounding too focused on my own agenda?

Absolutely. Frame it in a way that shows you’re evaluating program fit and outcomes, for example:

• “As I think about where I want my career to go after residency, I’m curious about the range of paths your graduates take. How do you support residents pursuing fellowship versus hospitalist or primary care roles?”

This shows both self-awareness and a genuine interest in how the program supports residents.

4. What if I run out of questions by the end of the interview season?

It’s normal to feel like you’re repeating yourself. To keep things fresh:

• Make a small set of core comparison questions (asked at most programs)
• Add 2–3 tailored questions for each specific program based on location, structure, or unique features
• Build questions off what you hear during the day: “You mentioned X earlier—could you tell me more about how that works for Med-Peds residents?”

This approach ensures your questions remain authentic, program-specific, and useful as you navigate the allopathic medical school match and finalize your medicine pediatrics match rank list.