Essential IMG Residency Guide: Pre-Interview Prep for Global Health

Understanding the Global Health Residency Landscape as an IMG

Pre-interview preparation for an international medical graduate in global health is about far more than rehearsing answers. It starts with understanding the unique dimensions of global health–focused residency tracks and how your background as an international medical graduate is both an asset and a responsibility.

Global health residency tracks and international medicine–oriented programs typically emphasize:

• Care of underserved and marginalized populations (locally and globally)
• Health equity, social determinants of health, and structural competence
• Longitudinal global health projects or fieldwork (often overseas)
• Partnership-based work rather than short-term “medical mission” models
• Interdisciplinary collaboration across public health, policy, and community organizations

As an IMG, you often bring:

• Firsthand experience with different health systems and cultures
• Multilingual communication skills
• Deep familiarity with resource-limited environments
• Insight into migration, displacement, and health inequities

Your IMG residency guide for pre-interview preparation must therefore highlight three pillars:

1. Content preparation – Your narrative, experiences, and global health interests
2. Process preparation – Logistics, technical setup, and program research
3. Performance preparation – Communication, professionalism, and interview skills

This article will walk you systematically through each pillar so that when interview day arrives, you are not only ready to answer questions but prepared to present yourself as a future leader in global health.

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Clarifying Your Global Health Story and Career Vision

Before you focus on “how to prepare for interviews,” step back and clarify what you actually stand for as a future global health physician. Every strong answer in a global health–oriented residency interview is rooted in a coherent personal narrative.

1. Build Your Global Health Narrative

Your narrative should connect three elements:

1. Origins – Where your interest in global health began
2. Experiences – Concrete examples that developed your skills and insight
3. Future – How this specific residency’s global health track advances your long-term goals

Ask yourself:

• When did I first become aware of global health inequities?
• What defining experiences made me want to work in global health (e.g., refugee health clinics, NGO work, community outreach, research in infectious diseases, maternal health, NCDs in LMICs)?
• How has my perspective changed between early exposure and now?
• Do I see myself in academic global health, policy, humanitarian work, or long-term system strengthening?

Example narrative frame

“Growing up in [country], I saw how limited access to primary care and supply chain issues shaped outcomes for chronic diseases like diabetes. During medical school, I worked with a community-based organization on a task-shifting project supporting community health workers. That experience showed me the power of system-level interventions. As a physician, I want to combine clinical training in [specialty] with a global health residency track where I can build skills in implementation science and health systems strengthening. Your program’s partnership with [country/organization] aligns directly with my goal to work long-term in collaborative, sustainable international medicine.”

Write out a one-page version of your story, then condense it into a 2–3 minute response for questions like:

• “Tell me about yourself.”
• “Why global health?”
• “Why are you interested in our global health residency track?”

This becomes the backbone of your interview responses.

2. Identify 4–6 Key Experiences That Define You

Residency interview preparation should include a list of your defining experiences, especially those relevant to global health and international medicine:

• Clinical rotations in low-resource or rural settings
• Work with refugees, migrants, or vulnerable populations
• NGO/volunteer activities focusing on health equity
• Public health or global health research
• Leadership in international medical student organizations
• Quality improvement or health systems projects

For each experience, write brief notes using the STAR framework (Situation, Task, Action, Result):

• Situation – Context, problem, or challenge
• Task – Your specific role
• Action – What you actually did
• Result – Outcome, impact, or what you learned

This structure helps you clearly answer many interview questions residency programs often use, such as:

• “Tell me about a challenging case in a resource-limited setting.”
• “Describe a time you worked on a team with people from different backgrounds.”
• “What is a global health project you are proud of?”

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Program Research: Aligning Yourself with Each Global Health Track

An effective IMG residency guide must emphasize how crucial program-specific research is—especially in global health. Programs want to see that you understand their philosophy, their partnerships, and how you would fit.

1. Deep Dive into Each Program

For every program offering a global health residency track or significant international medicine component, prepare a one-page “program profile” including:

• Global health track description

  • Duration, structure, and required components
  • Fieldwork or international rotations (where, how long, how often?)
  • Didactics (global health curriculum, journal clubs, seminars)

• Partnerships and sites

  • Countries and partner institutions involved
  • Type of work (clinical, research, educational, system-building)
  • Any emphasis on bidirectional exchange or capacity-building

• Faculty and mentors

  • Key global health faculty and their focus areas
  • Publications or projects that interest you
  • Potential mentors aligned with your goals

• Populations served locally

  • Refugee/migrant health clinics, FQHCs, safety-net hospitals
  • Global health at home: HIV care, TB, immigrant health, language access projects

This research allows you to tailor answers like:

• “Why our program?”
• “How would you use our global health track?”
• “Which of our partnerships interest you most, and why?”

2. Understand the Program’s Approach to Global Health Ethics

Many programs have a defined stance on ethical global health engagement. Familiarize yourself with:

• Their perspectives on short-term vs. long-term engagement
• Emphasis on partnership and capacity-building vs. “medical tourism”
• Integration with global health institutions, schools of public health, or NGOs

Study basic global health ethics principles (e.g., reciprocity, humility, sustainability, mutual benefit). Be prepared to reflect on:

• “How do you think about ethical issues in global health?”
• “What concerns do you have about global health work?”

Reflect on your own experiences:

• Did you see examples of dependency, lack of handover, or disregard for local expertise?
• Did you ever feel uncomfortable with how care was delivered or research was conducted?
• What did you learn from that?

3. Prepare Program-Specific Questions

Quality residency interview preparation includes strong questions for interviewers. For global health, avoid generic questions. Instead, ask:

• “How are partnerships maintained and evaluated over time?”
• “How do you ensure that global health projects are locally driven and sustainable?”
• “What opportunities are available for IMGs who want to work on global health projects related to their home regions?”
• “How do residents balance clinical demands with global health commitments during training?”

Prepare 3–5 thoughtful questions per program and bring them to the interview (physically or digitally).

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Mastering Interview Skills: Common Questions and Strong Answers for Global Health IMGs

Once you understand your story and programs, you can focus on how to prepare for interviews from a skills and content perspective. Global health interviews combine standard residency questions with specialized, mission-driven questions.

1. Core Residency Questions You Must Be Ready For

Common interview questions residency programs ask across specialties include:

• “Tell me about yourself.”
• “Why this specialty?”
• “Why this program?”
• “What are your strengths and weaknesses?”
• “Tell me about a time you had a conflict with a colleague and how you handled it.”
• “Describe a challenging patient encounter.”
• “Tell me about a mistake you made and what you learned.”

As an IMG, you should:

• Translate experiences from your home country into the host country’s context clearly
• Demonstrate familiarity with the host system (e.g., U.S. or Canadian healthcare)
• Show adaptability and humility regarding new systems, norms, and hierarchies

Use concrete examples with the STAR framework. Practice answering out loud, record yourself, and refine your responses so they are clear and concise (2–3 minutes each).

2. Global Health–Specific Questions to Anticipate

Programs focused on global health or international medicine will likely ask:

• “Why are you interested in global health rather than just general clinical practice?”
• “What does ‘global health’ mean to you?”
• “Can you describe a global health or health equity project you worked on and your role in it?”
• “How do you plan to integrate global health into your career long-term?”
• “How do you avoid perpetuating dependency or neocolonial dynamics in global health work?”
• “What challenges do you anticipate in balancing global health work with personal life and clinical obligations?”

When answering, emphasize:

• Global health as health equity everywhere, not just care “abroad”
• The importance of local leadership, capacity-building, and humility
• Interest in long-term partnerships, not one-time short trips
• Commitment to service to underserved populations regardless of geography

Example answer snippet

“For me, global health is about health equity across borders, including within the host country. While my initial exposure was in rural [country], I’ve learned that many of the same structural issues—access, stigma, poverty—affect immigrant and marginalized communities here. I’m particularly interested in how your global health residency track integrates international work with care for local underserved populations and how I can train to address both clinical and systemic barriers in both contexts.”

3. Addressing IMG-Specific Topics with Confidence

Programs may ask questions that intersect with both global health and your IMG identity:

• “Tell me about transitioning from your home country’s medical system to ours.”
• “How has being an international medical graduate influenced your view of health equity?”
• “What challenges have you faced as an IMG and how did you manage them?”

Frame your responses to highlight:

• Resilience and adaptability
• Cultural humility and bicultural/bilingual strengths
• System-level insights from more than one health system

Avoid becoming defensive or overly apologetic about gaps or delays; instead, demonstrate growth and insight.

4. Behavioral and Ethical Scenarios in Global Health

You may encounter scenario-based questions such as:

• “Imagine you are on a global health rotation and asked to perform a procedure that you are not yet comfortable with because the local system has fewer specialists. What would you do?”
• “You see practices in a partner site that differ from guidelines you are used to. How do you respond?”

Your answers should emphasize:

• Patient safety first
• Respect for local expertise and context
• Transparency with your supervisors
• Collaborative problem-solving rather than judgment

For example:

“I would prioritize patient safety, clearly communicate my level of competence, and seek supervision. At the same time, I would discuss expectations with local supervisors and my home institution mentors early, to prevent these situations. I would frame conversations respectfully, recognizing differences in training and resource availability.”

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Logistics, Technology, and Professional Presentation

Even brilliant answers cannot compensate for poor logistics or unprofessional presentation. Thorough residency interview preparation includes meticulous attention to the details that create a strong first impression—especially in the era of virtual interviews.

1. Technical Preparation for Virtual Interviews

For many IMGs, interviews will be virtual, often across time zones. Prepare by:

• Equipment and environment

  • Use a reliable laptop/computer; avoid relying solely on a phone
  • Test your camera and microphone in advance
  • Use wired internet if possible; if not, position yourself close to the router
  • Choose a quiet, well-lit, neutral background; avoid clutter

• Platform testing

  • Confirm the video platform (Zoom, Teams, Webex, Thalamus, etc.)
  • Install updates and test your login at least 2–3 days in advance
  • Practice screen position so your face is well-framed and you look toward the camera

• Backup plans

  • Keep program contact information readily available in case of technical failure
  • Prepare a backup device and internet source (e.g., phone hotspot)
  • Draft a short email you can quickly send if you lose connection

Practice a mock virtual interview with a friend, mentor, or advisor to identify audio/visual issues.

2. Professional Attire and Nonverbal Communication

As an international medical graduate, you may come from a culture with different norms of professional dress and body language. For interviews:

• Attire

  • Aim for conservative business formal (suit jacket, dress shirt/blouse, minimal jewelry)
  • Neutral colors work best; avoid distracting patterns
  • Test how your clothing appears on camera (avoid colors that blend with the background)

• Nonverbal cues

  • Look into the camera when speaking; glance at the screen when listening
  • Maintain an open posture: relaxed shoulders, minimal fidgeting
  • Nod and use minimal but natural hand gestures
  • Smile genuinely when greeting and thanking interviewers

Practice answering questions while recording yourself, then watch to adjust your eye contact, posture, and speaking pace.

3. Scheduling and Time Zone Management

When coordinating interviews across borders:

• Confirm the time zone explicitly; use a reliable world clock or scheduling tool
• Block additional time before and after each interview to avoid stress if sessions run late
• Use a calendar system (digital or paper) to track:
  • Program name
  • Date and exact time (with time zone)
  • Platform and access link
  • Interviewer names (if provided)
  • Any special instructions

Prepare a checklist the night before each interview:

• Device charged and connected
• Internet tested
• Outfit prepared
• Printed/digital notes (program info, your questions, CV highlights)
• Water and light snack available

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Final Polishing: Mock Interviews, Reflection, and Follow-Up

The last phase of pre-interview preparation is about refinement: strengthening your delivery, anticipating challenges, and planning how you’ll reflect and follow up after each interview.

1. Conduct Structured Mock Interviews

Do at least 2–3 mock interviews with people who can offer honest feedback:

• Faculty mentors in global health or international medicine
• Career advisors familiar with IMG residency applications
• Peers who are also preparing for interviews

Ask them to:

• Use typical residency and global health–specific questions
• Focus on your clarity, structure, and time management
• Comment on your nonverbal communication and professionalism

Record at least one mock interview and review:

• Are your answers too long or too short?
• Are you emphasizing your unique strengths as an IMG interested in global health?
• Do your explanations of past experiences clearly demonstrate your role and impact?

2. Prepare to Discuss Your CV and Application in Depth

Programs may pick any part of your application to explore, particularly:

• Gaps in training or unusual timelines
• USMLE/board scores and attempts
• Research projects and publications
• Leadership roles or NGO involvement

Before interviews:

• Review your CV line by line; ensure you can explain every entry
• Prepare 1–2 sentences to summarize the aims and your role in each research project
• Be transparent but concise about any red flags (e.g., score failures, gaps), emphasizing:
  • What happened
  • What you learned
  • How you changed your approach and improved

3. Mental and Emotional Preparation

Interview season can be intense, especially across time zones and continents. To maintain performance:

• Establish a simple routine before each interview:

  • Hydration, light meal
  • Brief relaxation exercise or breathing technique
  • Quick review of program notes and your top 3 points to emphasize

• Reframe anxiety as excitement:

  • Remind yourself: “This is a conversation to explore mutual fit, not an interrogation.”
  • Remember that your unique global perspective as an IMG is a strength, not a weakness.

4. Structured Reflection and Thank-You Notes

After each interview:

1. Take 10–15 minutes to write down:

   • Who you met
   • Key themes discussed
   • What you liked about the program
   • Any concerns or uncertainties

2. Use this to:

   • Compare programs later when building your rank list
   • Identify ideas to mention in thank-you notes if you choose to send them

3. Thank-you notes (if culturally appropriate and encouraged in your target system):

   • Send within 48–72 hours
   • Include:
     • Brief gratitude for their time
     • A specific detail from your conversation
     • A short reminder of your global health interests and how they align with the program

Example:

“Thank you for taking the time to speak with me about your global health residency track and the partnership with [country/organization]. Our discussion about capacity-building and long-term collaboration resonated deeply with my experience working with community health workers in [country]. I am very enthusiastic about the possibility of contributing to and learning from your program’s commitment to ethically grounded, sustainable global health work.”

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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

1. As an IMG, how can I stand out in interviews for a global health residency track?

Focus on specific global health experiences, not only general clinical ones. Highlight:

• Concrete examples of working in resource-limited settings, with refugees, or in public health projects
• Skills in cross-cultural communication and systems understanding
• Reflection on ethics and sustainability in global health

Tie these clearly to how you would use the program’s unique resources and partnerships.

2. I don’t have many formal global health electives. Can I still be competitive?

Yes. Many international medical graduates have relevant experiences that are not labeled “global health,” such as:

• Working in rural or under-resourced hospitals
• Caring for low-income or marginalized groups
• Participating in vaccination campaigns, outreach, or health education
• Research on infectious diseases, maternal-child health, or NCDs in low-resource contexts

Frame these experiences as health equity and systems work. Demonstrate that you understand global health as more than travel—it's about equity and structural determinants of health.

3. How do I handle questions about ethical concerns in global health if my past experiences were short-term missions?

Acknowledge both the value and the limitations of those experiences:

• Recognize potential ethical issues (e.g., brief, unintegrated care; dependence on foreign volunteers)
• Describe what you learned about the need for long-term, partnership-based models
• Emphasize that your goal now is to train in programs that prioritize sustainable, collaborative global health work

Showing growth and reflection is more important than having had “perfect” experiences.

4. How early should I start my residency interview preparation as an IMG interested in global health?

Ideally, begin 2–3 months before interview season:

• First month: Clarify your narrative, identify key experiences, and research programs
• Second month: Practice answers to common and global health–specific questions, conduct mock interviews
• Ongoing: Refine your understanding of each program, prepare tailored questions, and ensure your technical setup and logistics are solid

Early, structured preparation allows you to present your global health vision with clarity and confidence, making the most of every interview opportunity.

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Thoughtful, strategic pre-interview preparation enables you—as an international medical graduate interested in global health—to transform your diverse background into a compelling, coherent story. By understanding your own goals, researching programs deeply, practicing focused interview skills, and mastering logistics, you position yourself not only as a strong residency candidate, but as a future leader in global health and international medicine.