Essential Questions for DO Graduates Pursuing Family Medicine Residency

As a DO graduate targeting a family medicine residency, the questions you ask programs can be just as important as the answers you give. Strong, thoughtful questions help you:

• Decide where you will thrive clinically and personally
• Demonstrate genuine interest in osteopathic principles and primary care
• Stand out as a mature, residency-ready colleague

This guide walks you through what to ask, whom to ask, and how to interpret the answers—with a focus on the FM match and the individual priorities of a DO graduate residency applicant.

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Understanding Your Goals Before You Ask Questions

Before you build your list of questions to ask residency programs, clarify what you want from a family medicine residency. This will shape which questions matter most.

1. Clarify Your Priorities as a DO Graduate

As an osteopathic applicant, you may care about:

• Integration of osteopathic principles and practice (OPP)
• Opportunities to use OMT in clinic and inpatient settings
• Faculty and leadership who understand the DO training path
• Board preparation for both COMLEX and USMLE (if you took both)

Write down your top 5–7 priorities. Examples:

• I want a broad-spectrum family medicine residency with strong inpatient experience.
• I want to use OMT regularly in continuity clinic.
• I want a supportive, non-malignant culture with approachable faculty.
• I want strong training in behavioral health and chronic disease management.
• I care about staying in a specific geographic region.

These priorities will help you refine your interview questions for them and avoid asking generic questions you don’t actually care about.

2. Understand the Purpose of Your Questions

On interview day, questions serve three major purposes:

1. Information gathering – learning whether this FM program fits your goals.
2. Signaling and branding – demonstrating who you are as a future resident (e.g., “I’m passionate about primary care and OMT”).
3. Relationship building – starting genuine conversations with future colleagues, faculty, and leadership.

Think of every question as a tool to both learn and show something. For instance:

• Asking about OMT clinics shows your identity and priorities as a DO.
• Asking about patient populations shows you think like a future primary care physician.
• Asking specific questions about curriculum or rotations shows you researched the program.

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Core Questions to Ask Program Leadership (Including the Program Director)

Program leadership interviews are your chance to understand the big picture: vision, culture, training quality, and outcomes. Many DO graduates wonder what to ask program director specifically. Below are strategic categories and example questions tailored for a family medicine residency applicant.

A. Training Philosophy and Program Identity

You don’t want marketing buzzwords—you want to understand how the program actually functions.

Questions to ask residency leadership:

• “How would you describe the identity of your family medicine residency in a few sentences?”
• “What distinguishes your graduates from those of other FM programs in this region?”
• “Do you see this as more of an outpatient-focused, inpatient-focused, or balanced program?”
• “How do you see the role of a family physician in your system or community, and how does your curriculum reflect that?”

What to listen for:

• Clear, consistent themes (community-based, academic, underserved, rural, procedural, etc.)
• Whether their vision aligns with your long-term goals (e.g., full-spectrum rural FM vs. urban outpatient only)

B. Program Outcomes and Graduate Paths

For the FM match, you’re not only choosing training—you’re choosing your future opportunities.

Key questions:

• “What do your recent graduates typically do after residency—what percentage go into outpatient primary care, hospitalist work, fellowships, or other paths?”
• “Do you track your graduates’ board pass rates and job placement? Could you share recent trends?”
• “If a resident is interested in fellowships (sports medicine, geriatrics, palliative, etc.), how does the program support that?”

Why this matters:
You want evidence the program prepares residents well, not just vague statements like “Our grads do well.”

C. Curriculum, Rotations, and Breadth of Training

As a future primary care physician, you want broad, well-rounded training.

Questions to ask program director or APD:

• “Can you walk me through a typical 3-year curriculum and how responsibility evolves from PGY‑1 through PGY‑3?”
• “How strong is your inpatient and ICU experience? Do residents feel comfortable managing higher-acuity patients when they graduate?”
• “How are continuity clinics structured—number of sessions per week, patient panel size, and progression over time?”
• “How much procedural training do residents get (e.g., joint injections, skin procedures, women’s health, point-of-care ultrasound)?”
• “Are there opportunities to tailor training—for example, additional women’s health, geriatrics, sports medicine, or addiction medicine exposure?”

Red flags:

• Vague answers about patient volume or “You’ll get what you need, don’t worry.”
• No clear structure to continuity clinic or inconsistent experiences between residents.

D. Osteopathic Integration and OMT Opportunities

For a DO graduate residency applicant, this section is often critical.

Targeted questions:

• “How many DO residents and faculty are currently in the program?”
• “Is there structured OMT education in the curriculum beyond what DO residents bring individually?”
• “Do you have dedicated OMT clinics or opportunities to incorporate OMT into continuity clinic or inpatient services?”
• “How do you support DO residents in maintaining and advancing their OMT skills over three years?”

Follow-up if OMT is important to you:

• “Do patients and faculty here generally value and understand osteopathic care? Can you share an example?”

If OMT is not a core priority, you can still ask briefly to gauge how DOs are perceived and supported.

E. Educational Support and Board Preparation

You’ll want robust support for COMLEX (and/or USMLE) and ongoing education.

Questions:

• “How is didactic time structured—frequency, protected time, and format?”
• “What resources are provided for board preparation for COMLEX and/or USMLE?”
• “How do you support residents who may struggle academically or with board exams?”
• “Do residents receive funding to attend conferences, board review courses, or workshops?”

Look for protected didactics, use of evidence-based education strategies, and a culture that supports—not shames—learners.

F. Culture, Support, and Well-Being

Family medicine residency is busy, but it should not be toxic.

High-yield questions:

• “How would you describe the culture among residents and between residents and faculty?”
• “What mechanisms are in place to address resident burnout or wellness concerns?”
• “Can you share an example of a time when a resident was struggling and how the program responded?”
• “How does the program handle resident feedback? Can you give an example of a recent change made in response to resident input?”

Green flags:

• Specific examples of listening to residents and implementing changes
• Concrete wellness initiatives that residents truly use (not just posters on a wall)

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Strategic Questions for Residents: The Real Day-to-Day Picture

Residents are your best window into what life in this family medicine residency is actually like. Save some of your most important questions to ask residency programs for the current residents.

A. Daily Workflow, Workload, and Autonomy

You want concrete, unfiltered details.

Questions:

• “Can you walk me through a typical day on your busy inpatient rotation?”
• “How many patients do you usually carry on inpatient service by PGY level?”
• “On average, what does a full continuity clinic day look like—number of patients, visit lengths, and level of autonomy?”
• “How reasonable are the call schedules and night shifts in each year?”
• “Is documentation manageable, or are residents overwhelmed with charting after hours?”

Compare answers across residents—consistency often indicates honesty.

B. Learning Environment and Feedback

This is where you’ll grow from a student to an independent physician.

Questions:

• “Do you feel comfortable asking questions or admitting when you don’t know something?”
• “How do attendings typically give feedback—formally, informally, written evaluations?”
• “Have you ever felt mistreated or disrespected in this program? How was it handled?”
• “Who advocates for residents when there are conflicts with other services or hospital administration?”

Look for psychological safety: residents should feel safe to learn, not just to “survive.”

C. Resident Cohesion and Social Life

You’ll spend three years with these colleagues.

Questions:

• “How would you describe the relationships among residents? Do you genuinely enjoy working together?”
• “Do residents spend time together outside of work, or is everyone mostly on their own?”
• “Are there any resident-led traditions or events you enjoy?”

Tip: You don’t need a super-social program, but you do want a baseline of collegiality and mutual support.

D. Support for DO Graduates and OMT in Practice

From DO residents and MDs who work with them, ask:

• “As a DO, have you felt supported and respected here?”
• “How often do DO residents get to use OMT—weekly, monthly, rarely?”
• “Do faculty proactively encourage you to use osteopathic approaches, or is it up to you to create opportunities?”
• “If you wanted to build an OMT clinic or initiative, would the program support that?”

If you’re speaking with MD residents:

• “How familiar are faculty and residents with osteopathic training and COMLEX?”
• “Do DO and MD residents have similar opportunities and expectations?”

E. Life Outside the Hospital

Burnout risk is real. Family medicine training should allow a reasonable life outside of work.

Questions:

• “What do you like to do outside of residency, and do you actually have time to do it?”
• “Is the cost of living manageable on a resident salary in this area?”
• “How family-friendly is the program for residents with partners or children?”

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Questions for Specific Settings: Community vs. Academic, Rural vs. Urban

Not all family medicine programs are alike. Tailor your interview questions for them to the program type and your priorities.

A. Community-Based Family Medicine Programs

Often strong for generalist training and continuity care, sometimes with fewer subspecialty services on-site.

Targeted questions:

• “How closely do you work with community physicians outside the core faculty?”
• “What is the mix of insured, uninsured, and underinsured patients in your clinics?”
• “Are there any academic or scholarly expectations (QI projects, research, teaching)?”

These programs can be great for broad outpatient and inpatient skills, especially if you’re aiming for community practice after the FM match.

B. Academic Medical Center–Affiliated Programs

Often strong in research, subspecialty exposure, and teaching.

Questions:

• “How integrated are family medicine residents with other departments like internal medicine, pediatrics, and OB/GYN?”
• “What opportunities exist for teaching medical students or acting as junior faculty?”
• “How are family medicine residents perceived by specialists in this institution?”

Academic programs can be ideal if you want a career with teaching, administration, or research.

C. Rural or Underserved-Focused Programs

If you’re called to rural or underserved care, your training should reflect that mission.

Key questions:

• “What proportion of training occurs in rural or underserved settings?”
• “How independently do residents practice in those settings, and what support is available?”
• “What is the scope of practice for family medicine attendings here (obstetrics, procedures, inpatient, ER coverage)?”

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How to Ask Questions Effectively and Avoid Common Pitfalls

It’s not just what you ask, but how you ask that shapes the impression you leave.

A. Do Your Homework First

Programs can tell when you haven’t read their website.

Avoid questions like:

• “So, are you community or university-based?” (it’s usually clearly stated online)
• “Do you have an inpatient service?” (basic structure is usually public)

Instead, build on your research:

• “I saw on your website that you have a strong inpatient service with a family medicine–run teaching service. How has resident autonomy changed over the past few years?”

B. Make Questions Specific and Open-Ended

Use open-ended questions that invite deeper answers:

• Instead of: “Is your program supportive?”
• Ask: “Can you share an example of a time when the program leadership went out of their way to support a resident?”

This gives you much more actionable insight.

C. Avoid Overly Negative or Self-Focused Questions

You absolutely should advocate for yourself, but frame questions constructively.

Less ideal:

• “How often are residents allowed to moonlight? I really need extra income.”

Better:

• “Are there opportunities for moonlighting or additional paid responsibilities later in training, and how does the program balance that with learning and well-being?”

D. Ask the Same Core Questions at Multiple Programs

To compare programs realistically, develop a short “core set” of questions you’ll ask almost everywhere, such as:

1. “How would you describe your program’s identity and mission?”
2. “What are you most proud of about your graduates?”
3. “How are DO residents and osteopathic principles integrated into your training?”
4. “Can you walk me through a typical day on your busiest rotation?”
5. “What changes have you made recently in response to resident feedback?”

Track answers in a spreadsheet or notebook as you go through the osteopathic residency match process.

E. End Each Conversation with a Thoughtful Closer

Two strong wrap-up options:

• “Is there anything about your program you wish more applicants understood that doesn’t always come across on paper?”
• “What qualities do you think make a resident particularly successful and happy here?”

These often spark some of the most candid and revealing responses of the entire interview.

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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

1. As a DO graduate, should I always ask about OMT during interviews?

If OMT is important to your future practice or identity, yes. Programs won’t know it matters to you unless you say so. Ask about:

• Number of DO faculty
• Structured OMT teaching and clinics
• Whether residents can build or expand OMT services

If OMT is less central for you, you can still ask a brief question about DO representation or COMLEX support, but it doesn’t need to dominate the conversation.

2. What are the best “questions to ask residency” if I only have time for a few?

If time is short, prioritize:

1. “How would you describe the culture and personality of this program?”
2. “What do your graduates typically do after residency?”
3. “How are DO residents and osteopathic principles incorporated into training?”
4. “What changes have you made recently based on resident feedback?”

These four alone give you a snapshot of culture, outcomes, DO support, and responsiveness.

3. Is it appropriate to ask about board pass rates and FM match outcomes?

Yes—this is reasonable and expected. Phrase it professionally:

• “Would you be comfortable sharing recent board pass rates and where your last few classes have matched or taken jobs?”

For family medicine, many graduates go directly into practice rather than another match, so ask about job placement and career paths, not just fellowships.

4. How soon should I ask about things like vacation, salary, and moonlighting?

These are important, but they’re usually better asked:

• After you’ve addressed core educational and cultural questions
• Or researched first (many programs list salary and benefits online)

If it doesn’t appear online, you can ask the program coordinator or residents in a practical, non-demanding tone, such as:

• “Could you walk me through how vacation and time off are scheduled?”
• “Are there any moonlighting opportunities later in training, and how are they regulated?”

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By approaching each interview with well-crafted, thoughtful questions, you’ll gather the information you need to build a rank list that truly fits your goals as a DO graduate in family medicine—and you’ll show programs that you’re already thinking like a future colleague and primary care physician.