Essential Questions DO Graduates Should Ask During Residency Interviews

As a DO graduate entering the residency interview season, you’re not just answering questions—you’re evaluating programs just as carefully as they’re evaluating you. Thoughtful, targeted questions to ask residency programs can clarify fit, reveal how DO-friendly a program really is, and help you build a strong rank list with confidence.

This article focuses on questions to ask programs—especially tailored to the DO graduate residency experience—so you can walk into every interview prepared to learn what you actually need to know.

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Understanding Your Goals as a DO Graduate

Before you decide what to ask program directors and residents, get clear on your own priorities. The right questions come from knowing what matters to you.

Reflect on Your Needs and Non-Negotiables

As a DO graduate, consider:

• Osteopathic identity

  • Is using OMT in residency important to you?
  • Do you want mentors who understand osteopathic training and philosophy?
  • Do you prefer a program with prior experience teaching DO residents?

• Career goals

  • Academic vs community practice?
  • Fellowship aspirations (e.g., cardiology, sports medicine, critical care)?
  • Longitudinal primary care vs high-acuity inpatient?

• Training environment

  • Large academic center vs community-based program
  • Patient population diversity and case mix
  • Level of supervision vs autonomy

• Geography and lifestyle

  • Proximity to family/support system
  • Cost of living and call schedule
  • Commuting, childcare, or partner’s job needs

Once you define your priorities, your questions to ask residency programs should actively test these priorities. For example, if fellowship is your goal, you need detailed questions about fellowship match data, research support, and mentorship.

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Core Strategy: How to Use Questions to Evaluate Programs

Residency interviews are busy and sometimes scripted. Your questions are your main tool for cutting through the polished surface and seeing the real program.

Principles for High-Impact Questions

1. Be Specific, Not Generic
   Avoid questions that can be answered on the website:

   • Instead of: “What’s your board pass rate?”
   • Try: “I saw your ABIM pass rate is strong. What specific strategies does the program use to support residents who may be struggling academically?”

2. Ask Different People Different Things

   • Program Director (PD): Vision, structure, expectations, remediation, career outcomes.
   • Associate PD / Chief Residents: Culture, wellness, day-to-day schedule, conflict handling.
   • Current Residents: The honest version of what training and life are like.

3. Show You’ve Done Your Homework Frame questions with context:

   • “I read that your program recently expanded from 6 to 8 residents per year. How has that affected call schedules and case volume?”

4. Ask Open-Ended Questions Questions that invite narrative answers give you richer information:

   • “Can you tell me about a time when…”
   • “How do you approach…”
   • “What happens if…”

5. Listen for Both Content and Tone Pay attention not only to what they say, but how they say it:

   • Do multiple people give consistent answers?
   • Do they seem defensive, vague, or genuinely transparent?

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Essential Questions to Ask Program Directors (PDs) and Leadership

The PD shapes the program’s culture, priorities, and your future training. When you’re thinking about what to ask program director or associate PDs, focus on program philosophy, support structure, and outcomes—especially for DOs.

1. Questions About DO-Friendliness and Osteopathic Training

As a DO graduate, do not hesitate to directly explore how the program supports osteopathic physicians:

• “How many DO residents are currently in your program, and how have they done in terms of board performance and fellowship placement?”
• “What has been your experience with DO graduates as residents here?”
• “Do faculty and leadership have prior experience training DOs, and are they familiar with COMLEX as well as USMLE?”
• “If I plan to maintain my OMT skills, are there opportunities—formal or informal—to integrate OMT into patient care?”
• “How does the program support DO residents who are taking COMLEX Level 3 and/or USMLE Step 3?”

What you’re looking for:
Clear evidence that DO residents are welcomed, successful, and not treated as second-tier applicants. Ask yourself: Would I feel comfortable and respected here as a DO graduate?

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2. Questions About Curriculum, Training, and Autonomy

You need to know how the program trains you to become a competent, independent physician.

• “How would you describe the balance between service and education in this program?”
• “What changes or improvements have you made to the curriculum in the last 2–3 years?”
• “How do you support the transition from intern to senior resident in terms of graded responsibility and autonomy?”
• “Can you walk me through a typical day for an intern on your busiest rotation?”
• “How is feedback delivered to residents, and how often?”

Follow up with specifics:

• “Can you tell me about a time when a resident struggled clinically or academically? How did the program support them, and what was the outcome?”

What you’re looking for:
Structured teaching, approachable leadership, and systems for feedback and remediation—rather than “sink or swim.”

3. Questions About Board Pass Rates and Academic Support

For a DO graduate residency applicant, you might be juggling COMLEX and possibly USMLE.

• “What support systems are in place for board preparation, especially for residents who are preparing for both COMLEX and USMLE or specialty boards?”
• “Have you identified factors that predict who might struggle on boards, and how do you intervene early?”
• “If a resident fails a board exam, what does the remediation process look like here?”

Look for:

• Formal board review programs
• Protected study time (if any)
• Past success rates and transparency

4. Questions About Fellowship and Career Outcomes

If you’re aiming for fellowship, carefully shape your interview questions for them (PDs and leadership) around outcomes:

• “Where have your graduates matched for fellowship in the last 5 years, and which specialties are most common?”
• “For DO graduates specifically, have you noticed any differences or challenges in fellowship placement, and how do you support them?”
• “What kind of mentorship is available for residents pursuing competitive fellowships?”
• “Is there protected time or support for research, and is it required or optional?”
• “How involved are faculty in writing letters and advocating for residents during the fellowship process?”

Red flag:
Vague answers like “Our residents do fine” without specifics. Strong programs usually know exactly where their graduates go.

5. Questions About Culture, Communication, and Resident Advocacy

Culture is hard to measure from a website. Directly ask about how conflicts and concerns are handled:

• “How do you gather resident feedback about the program, and can you give an example of a change you’ve made because of resident feedback?”
• “Can you describe a time when a resident raised a significant concern? How was it addressed?”
• “How do you handle situations where a resident is not meeting expectations? What does support look like vs disciplinary processes?”

Look for:

• Non-defensive tone
• Concrete examples of program changes
• A philosophy of helping residents succeed rather than simply filtering them out

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High-Value Questions to Ask Current Residents

Residents will be your most important source of truth. They live the schedule, call, culture, and stress every day. Prepare questions to ask residency residents that dig into quality of life, support, and reality.

1. Daily Life, Schedule, and Workload

• “Can you walk me through a recent week that felt ‘typical’ for you?”
• “What’s the difference between a light rotation and a heavy rotation here?”
• “Are duty hours genuinely respected, or is there pressure to stay late off the books?”
• “How often do you come in early or stay late to get work done?”
• “On your hardest months, what does fatigue feel like, and do you feel supported?”

Pay attention to body language when they answer. Forced smiles or hesitation often say more than words.

2. Support, Teaching, and Supervision

• “Do you feel comfortable calling your attendings overnight if you’re unsure?”
• “How present are senior residents and fellows, and how do they treat interns?”
• “Do you get regular, useful feedback, or mostly at the end of rotations?”
• “What kinds of patients and procedures are residents typically managing independently by PGY-2/PGY-3?”

DO-specific angle:

• “As a DO, have you ever felt treated differently by faculty or co-residents?”
• “Do DO graduates feel successful and competitive here compared to MDs?”

These questions reveal how DO graduate residency trainees actually experience the environment, beyond official statements.

3. Wellness, Burnout, and Life Outside the Hospital

• “Do you feel you have time for life outside of residency—family, hobbies, relationships?”
• “What supports exist for resident wellness or mental health (counseling, wellness days, peer support)?”
• “Have you ever seen someone struggle with burnout? How did the program respond?”
• “If you could change one aspect of the schedule or call system, what would it be?”

Also ask:

• “How many of your co-interns or co-residents have left the program in the last few years, and why?”

High attrition is a red flag.

4. Resident Cohesion and Program Culture

• “How would you describe the relationship among residents—more collaborative or competitive?”
• “Do residents hang out together outside of work, or is everyone generally on their own?”
• “Is there a particular group of residents who tend to be favored or get better opportunities?”
• “Would you choose this program again if you were going through the match now?”

If multiple residents hesitate when answering “Would you choose this program again?” you should listen carefully.

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Tailoring Your Questions as a DO Graduate: Special Considerations

While most applicants ask similar things, DO graduates face some unique realities in the osteopathic residency match landscape. Use questions to clarify these issues directly.

1. Navigating Programs with Limited DO Experience

Some programs only recently started interviewing DOs or have just a few DO residents. That’s not automatically bad—but you should investigate.

Questions to ask:

• “How many DO residents have trained here in the last 5 years?”
• “Have there been any differences in outcomes for DO vs MD graduates (boards, performance, promotions)?”
• “Are there any differences in onboarding or orientation for DO graduates, especially those who may not have had as much exposure to certain specialties or procedural training pre-residency?”

Listen for:

• Respectful, thoughtful responses
• An awareness of systemic differences (e.g., rotation sites, letters, exam types) without stereotyping DOs as weaker candidates

2. Asking About COMLEX, USMLE, and Credentialing

If you took COMLEX only, or both exams, clarify how this is handled.

• “Do hospitals and credentialing bodies you work with accept COMLEX alone for licensing and privileging, or is USMLE preferred?”
• “For residents who have COMLEX-only, have there been any issues with fellowship or state licensing?”

Programs familiar with DO graduates will usually have clear, reassuring answers. If leadership seems unsure, it may signal limited experience with DO pathways.

3. OMT and Osteopathic Identity in Residency

If preserving osteopathic identity matters to you, ask:

• “Are there any OMT clinics, electives, or faculty trained in OMT here?”
• “Are there informal opportunities to use OMT on inpatient or outpatient services?”
• “Have DO residents here found it feasible to maintain their OMT skills?”

If the program has no OMT at all, that may be acceptable depending on your goals—but be deliberate about that tradeoff.

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Practical Tips for Using Questions Strategically

Asking good questions is only half the game. You also need to organize and deploy them effectively.

1. Build a Question Bank Before Interview Season

Create a master document divided into sections:

• Program director/leadership questions
• Resident questions
• DO-specific questions
• Location/lifestyle questions

Then customize for each program:

• Include program-specific notes (“Expand class size 2023,” “New ICU rotation,” “Strong sports med fellowship link”).
• Highlight must-ask questions vs “nice-to-ask if time allows.”

2. Prioritize 3–5 Must-Ask Questions Per Interview

You may not have time to ask everything. Identify a short list that targets your critical unknowns:

Examples of high-yield must-ask questions:

• “What changes do you anticipate in the next 3–5 years, and how do you see residents fitting into those changes?”
• “How does this program support residents who are parents or have significant family responsibilities?”
• “Can you give a specific example of a resident-led initiative that the program has supported?”

For DO-specific concerns, you might always ask:

• “How have your DO graduates performed in terms of boards and fellowship match?”

3. Take Notes Immediately After the Interview

You will forget details after multiple virtual and in-person visits. Right after each interview, jot down:

• Standout strengths of the program
• Red flags or concerns
• Concrete answers to key questions
• Your gut feeling about culture and DO-friendliness

These notes will be vital when finalizing your rank list, especially when comparing programs with similar reputations.

4. Use Questions to Clarify Red Flags, Not Just Confirm Positives

If something bothers you during an interview day—like an off-hand comment about “workhorses” or joking about duty hours—ask follow-up questions respectfully:

• “I heard several people mention that this is a very ‘busy’ program. How do you balance workload with education and resident well-being?”
• “When residents are feeling overwhelmed, what resources or adjustments are realistically available?”

You are not being difficult; you are doing due diligence on your future workplace.

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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

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

Aim for 2–4 thoughtful questions with the program director and 3–5 for residents, depending on time. Quality matters more than quantity. If you have more questions, prioritize the ones that directly affect your decision (DO support, culture, schedule, fellowship outcomes).

2. Is it appropriate to ask directly about DO representation in the program?

Yes. As a DO graduate, it is entirely appropriate and strategic to ask:

• How many DOs are currently in the program
• How DO grads have done in fellowship and career placement
• Whether there are faculty with osteopathic training
  Programs that value diversity in educational backgrounds will answer confidently and respectfully.

3. What if the program already answered some of my questions in their presentation?

Acknowledge that and ask a deeper follow-up:

• “You mentioned in the presentation that you have strong fellowship match rates. Could you elaborate on recent outcomes for DO graduates specifically?”
• “You described your wellness initiatives earlier. Can you share how residents actually use these resources during demanding months?”

This shows you were listening and are engaging at a higher level.

4. Are there any questions I should avoid asking?

Avoid:

• Questions that are easily found on the website (board pass rate, salary, basic rotation list).
• Questions that sound like you’re not committed (e.g., “How easy is it to moonlight a lot to pay off loans?” during the first meeting).
• Anything that could be interpreted as disrespectful of DO or MD training differences.

Instead, frame your interview questions for them around curiosity, growth, and fit—especially as you navigate the osteopathic residency match as a DO graduate.

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By entering each interview with a clear strategy and a strong set of questions to ask programs, you transform the process from a passive evaluation of you into a mutual assessment of fit. As a DO graduate, your perspective and training are assets. Use your questions to find programs that recognize that—and will help you thrive.