Essential Questions MD Graduates Should Ask Family Medicine Residency Programs

Why Your Questions Matter in Family Medicine Residency Interviews

As an MD graduate targeting a family medicine residency, the questions you ask programs are almost as important as the answers you give. Thoughtful questions help you:

• Decide whether a program truly fits your goals
• Demonstrate maturity and insight as an allopathic medical school graduate
• Stand out in a competitive FM match
• Gather concrete details that don’t appear on websites or brochures

Residency interviews are a two-way evaluation. Programs are asking whether you’re a good fit for their training environment—and you should be asking whether they’re the right place to spend three intense years that will shape your entire career.

This guide focuses on practical, high-yield questions to ask programs during family medicine residency interviews. It is written specifically for the MD graduate residency applicant in family medicine, navigating the allopathic medical school match process.

We’ll cover:

• Key principles for asking strong questions
• Targeted questions for program directors, faculty, and residents
• What to ask about curriculum, call, and lifestyle
• How to avoid generic, overused questions
• Specific examples of “interview questions for them” you can tailor and use

---

Principles of Strong Questions in the FM Match

Before diving into lists, it helps to understand what makes a “good” question during the allopathic medical school match process for family medicine.

1. Make Your Questions Specific and Personalized

Programs can tell if you’re recycling generic questions. You want to show you’ve:

• Read their website
• Looked at their curriculum
• Noted their unique strengths (rural track, community health focus, sports medicine, OB focus, etc.)

Weak: “What makes your family medicine residency special?”
Stronger: “I noticed you have a strong community health and underserved care focus. How does that show up in residents’ day-to-day work, and how do you support residents interested in leadership or QI projects in that area?”

Tip: Use one specific detail from their website or brochure in your question.

2. Tie Questions to Your Future Goals

As an MD graduate, you likely already know some of your priorities (e.g., full-spectrum FM, outpatient-only practice, academic medicine, procedures, sports med fellowship, OB focus).

Questions that show you’re thinking ahead signal commitment and professionalism.

Example framing:
“I’m interested in… [full-spectrum practice / academic FM / sports medicine / medically underserved care]. Could you tell me how your program supports residents with those interests?”

3. Ask Different People Different Types of Questions

You’ll meet:

• Program directors and associate PDs
• Core faculty
• Chief residents and current residents
• Possibly fellows, clinic staff, or administrators

They each see the program from a different angle. Tailor your questions:

• Program Director: Big-picture structure, vision, outcomes, culture at leadership level
• Faculty: Teaching style, mentorship, evaluation, academic projects
• Residents: Daily reality, workload, wellness, hidden strengths/weaknesses

4. Prioritize Depth Over Length

You don’t need 30 questions memorized. You need 5–10 well-constructed, meaningful questions that you can adapt for each program.

Use a simple framework:

• 2–3 questions on training and curriculum
• 2–3 questions on culture, support, and wellness
• 1–2 questions about your specific long-term career goals
• 1 closing question that shows insight and enthusiasm

---

Core Questions to Ask the Program Director

When you consider what to ask the program director, focus on strategic, program-level issues: training quality, philosophy, stability, and vision.

1. Questions About Program Direction and Philosophy

These help you understand the “personality” and trajectory of the program.

• “How would you describe the mission and identity of this family medicine residency, and how do you see it evolving over the next 3–5 years?”
• “What qualities do you value most in residents who thrive here?”
• “As an MD graduate, I’m interested in full-spectrum family medicine. How does your program define ‘full spectrum,’ and what proportion of recent graduates are practicing that way?”

Why this matters: You want a program whose mission aligns with your values—whether that’s community medicine, academic scholarship, OB, behavioral health, or procedures.

2. Questions About Training Quality and Autonomy

These questions get at how well you’ll be trained and how prepared you’ll be for independent practice.

• “How do you balance supervision with graduated autonomy for family medicine residents, particularly on inpatient and ICU services?”
• “Where do your residents typically feel the most prepared compared to peers from other FM programs, and where do they sometimes feel less prepared?”
• “Can you share examples of how resident feedback has led to concrete changes in the curriculum or schedule in the last few years?”

Why this matters: As a future attending, you need robust clinical experience and a program that listens and adapts.

3. Questions About Curriculum and Flexibility

Closely examine whether the program can support your career path.

• “How much flexibility is there in elective time, and how have recent residents customized their schedules to prepare for [sports med / academic FM / OB-heavy practice / rural practice]?”
• “What opportunities are there for MD graduate residents to gain advanced procedural skills (e.g., colposcopy, OB procedures, joint injections, ultrasound)?”
• “For residents interested in outpatient-only practice, how do you help them build a schedule that still meets full-spectrum training requirements but emphasizes continuity clinic and ambulatory experiences?”

4. Questions About Outcomes and the FM Match

Even though you’re currently in the family medicine residency interview cycle, it’s reasonable to ask about past match and post-graduation outcomes.

• “Where have your graduates gone in the past 3–5 years—in terms of practice settings and fellowships?”
• “What proportion pursue fellowships (sports medicine, geriatrics, palliative care, OB, addiction, etc.), and how does the program support them through that process?”

Pro tip for MD graduates: Understanding fellowship match rates and job placement will help you compare programs beyond surface features.

5. Questions About Support, Wellness, and Program Stability

A strong training program is built on stability and support.

• “How does the program monitor and support resident wellness and burnout prevention?”
• “How stable has the leadership team been in recent years, and are there any major changes anticipated (new leadership, hospital affiliation changes, expansions)?”
• “What systems are in place if a resident is struggling academically or personally—who identifies it, and how do you support them?”

These are essential questions to ask residency programs, especially in an era of increasing workload and burnout.

---

High-Yield Questions to Ask Residents

Residents will give you the clearest view of what life is actually like in this family medicine residency.

1. Daily Life, Workload, and Call

These are fundamental “interview questions for them” that go beyond the brochure.

• “Walk me through a typical day for an intern on wards here—from sign-out to sign-out.”
• “How many patients do you usually carry on the inpatient service, and does that feel manageable?”
• “How is call structured for each year, and what does a typical call night actually look like?”
• “What is the hardest rotation in this program, and what makes it challenging?”

Why this matters: Family medicine programs vary widely in their inpatient load, OB requirements, and call intensity. You need honest, ground-level information.

2. Culture, Colleagues, and Support

You’ll be spending years with these people. You want to know: Do they like each other? Are they supported?

• “How would you describe the resident culture here—collaborative, independent, more laid-back, high-intensity?”
• “When something goes wrong—like a bad outcome or a tough night—how do residents support each other? How do attendings respond?”
• “Do you feel comfortable calling attendings or senior residents at night if you’re uncertain about a decision?”
• “Are there any unspoken expectations (extra work, staying late, research pressure) that applicants might not realize from the outside?”

3. Continuity Clinic and Outpatient Experience

For an MD graduate entering family medicine, your clinic training is the core of your identity as a future PCP.

• “How many half-days of continuity clinic do you have in each year of residency?”
• “Do you feel you have enough time in clinic to build strong relationships with patients and manage chronic disease appropriately?”
• “How is clinic precepting? Do you get timely, specific feedback on your patient care and documentation?”
• “Are residents involved in quality improvement or population health projects in their clinics?”

4. Work–Life Balance and Wellness in Practice

You’ll hear formal “we value wellness” messages from leadership; residents can tell you if it’s real.

• “What does wellness look like here in actual practice, not just on paper?”
• “Is it feasible to have a life outside of residency—family, hobbies, relationships?”
• “How often do residents come in early, stay late, or work from home on notes?”
• “Have you ever seriously considered switching programs or leaving? What influenced your decision to stay?”

Red flags: Residents who look exhausted and guarded, or who give only generic, rehearsed answers.

5. Career Preparation and Confidence

Talk to residents, especially seniors, about how prepared they feel.

• “Do you feel ready to be an attending in family medicine when you graduate?”
• “What are your post-residency plans, and how has this program helped you get there?”
• “If you could redesign one part of this program to better prepare you for practice, what would it be?”

---

Targeted Questions by Topic: Curriculum, OB, Procedures, and More

Beyond general culture questions, you should have topic-specific questions ready—especially for family medicine, where scope of practice varies widely.

A. Curriculum and Schedule

• “How are inpatient medicine, pediatrics, and OB requirements distributed across the three years?”
• “Are there any unique rotations (e.g., addiction medicine, refugee health, rural rotations) that set this program apart?”
• “How much elective time is available in each year, and what are some creative electives residents have done recently?”

For an MD graduate residency applicant from an allopathic medical school, you might also ask:

• “How do you adapt the experience for MD graduates who come in with stronger inpatient exposure or specific subspecialty interests?”

B. Obstetrics and Women’s Health

OB volume and expectations vary greatly across family medicine programs. Clarify this in detail.

• “How many vaginal deliveries do residents typically perform by graduation, and how many perform continuity deliveries?”
• “Are residents required to do continuity OB? If so, how many continuity patients do they usually follow?”
• “How comfortable do graduates typically feel managing prenatal care and doing deliveries after residency?”
• “If I want less OB in my future practice, how flexible are you in tailoring that experience while still meeting requirements?”

If you’re interested in OB-heavy or rural full-spectrum FM:

• “Are there opportunities to gain operative experience (e.g., first assist on C-sections), and how many graduates go on to do OB or rural fellowships?”

C. Procedures and Special Interests

Family medicine can include a broad range of procedures—make sure the program matches your goals.

• “Which procedures are considered core here (joint injections, skin procedures, colposcopy, OB procedures, ultrasound, etc.), and how do residents track competency?”
• “If I’m particularly interested in point-of-care ultrasound, sports medicine, or office procedures, how can I individualize my training?”
• “How do you ensure that all residents—not just the most assertive—get adequate procedural experience?”

D. Academic Opportunities, Research, and Teaching

If you’re considering academic family medicine, you’ll want specific information.

• “What opportunities exist for residents to teach medical students, both in the clinic and on inpatient services?”
• “Are there structured scholarly activity requirements, and how are residents supported in research, QI, or educational projects?”
• “Do residents commonly present at regional or national conferences? What support (funding, time, mentorship) is available?”

For MD graduates eyeing future faculty roles:

• “Are there any formal tracks or mentorship pathways for residents interested in academic careers or clinician-educator roles?”

E. Diversity, Inclusion, and Community Engagement

Family medicine is deeply community-oriented; match that with your values.

• “How diverse is the patient population in terms of race, ethnicity, language, and socioeconomic status?”
• “How does the program incorporate training in cultural humility, health equity, and care for underserved populations?”
• “What community partnerships or outreach initiatives are residents involved in?”

---

How to Prioritize and Personalize Your Question List

It’s easy to feel overwhelmed by how many possible questions you could ask. Here’s a strategy to keep it focused and efficient.

Step 1: Clarify Your Top 3 Priorities

For your family medicine residency, rank what matters most to you. Examples:

• Strong outpatient training and continuity clinic
• Full-spectrum practice (OB, inpatient, procedures)
• Lifestyle and wellness
• Academic and research opportunities
• Urban vs. rural or community vs. academic environment
• Fellowship preparation (sports med, geriatrics, palliative, OB, addiction)

Your initial list of questions to ask residency programs should align directly with these priorities.

Step 2: Create a Simple Template You Can Reuse

For each interview, prepare:

• 2–3 program director questions (big picture, outcomes, culture)
• 2 faculty questions (teaching, feedback, mentorship)
• 3–4 resident questions (daily life, call, clinic, wellness, hidden culture)

Example template for an MD graduate interested in outpatient-heavy FM:

• PD: “How does your curriculum support residents who want to practice primarily outpatient family medicine? What flexible options exist to deepen ambulatory experience?”
• Faculty: “How do you give residents feedback on their outpatient medicine skills and patient communication?”
• Residents: “Do you feel clinic volume and complexity here are adequate to prepare you for outpatient practice right after residency?”

Step 3: Adapt Questions to Each Program

Before each interview, spend 20–30 minutes reviewing:

• The program’s website
• Rotation schedule
• Tracks (rural, urban underserved, global health, OB focus, etc.)
• Any recent news or changes

Update your template to reflect at least one program-specific detail in each question. Programs notice and appreciate this effort.

Step 4: Keep Notes for Post-Interview Comparison

During or after interviews, jot down:

• Key phrases program directors and residents used
• Concrete data (clinic sessions/week, call frequency, OB numbers, procedure lists)
• Overall “feel” of the answers—enthusiastic, vague, defensive, transparent

These notes will be invaluable when you’re building your rank list for the FM match.

---

Common Pitfalls: Questions to Avoid or Rephrase

Not all questions land well. Some can make you seem unprepared or uninterested.

1. Questions You Should Already Know the Answer To

Avoid asking for basic information that’s clearly available online:

• “How many residents are in your program?”
• “What’s your call schedule?” (if it’s fully detailed on the website)

Instead: Reference what you saw and ask for interpretation.
“From your website, it looks like interns have q4 call on inpatient medicine. How does that feel in practice—do residents find that schedule sustainable?”

2. Overly Self-Focused Questions About Time Off

Wellness matters, but be careful with emphasis.

• Avoid: “How much vacation do we get, and can I combine it to take a long international trip?” on day one.
• Better: “How is vacation and time off typically used, and do residents feel they can actually disconnect and recharge?”

3. Salary-Only Financial Questions

Compensation is important, but details are usually standardized and published.

• Avoid leading with: “What is the salary and how often do you give raises?”
• Better near the end of the interview season or with residents: “Considering the cost of living here, do residents feel the salary plus benefits are adequate? Are there any hidden costs (parking, meals, licensing fees) we should be aware of?”

4. Questions That Put Programs on the Defensive

You want honest answers but not hostility.

• Avoid: “Why is your board pass rate lower than other programs?”
• Better: “I saw your recent board pass rates. How have you responded as a program, and what supports are in place to help residents prepare for boards?”

---

FAQ: Questions to Ask Programs for MD Graduate in Family Medicine

1. As an MD graduate from an allopathic medical school, should I ask different questions than DO or international graduates?
Your core questions to ask residency programs will be similar, but you may want to add:

• How they adapt training for residents with stronger inpatient or subspecialty exposure
• Opportunities for leadership, academic work, and teaching that may leverage your prior experiences
• How MD graduates from their program have fared in obtaining competitive fellowships or academic positions

Focus on how the program can build on the foundation you already have from your allopathic training.

---

2. What are the single most important questions to ask a family medicine residency program if I’m short on time?
If you can ask only a few:

• To PD/faculty: “How do you see the strengths and weaknesses of your graduates when they start independent practice?”
• To residents: “What are the best and worst parts of training here?”
• To either: “If you were advising a close friend applying to family medicine, what type of applicant would be happiest and most successful in this program?”

These questions quickly reveal program fit, culture, and training quality.

---

3. Is it okay to ask about FM match results, board pass rates, and accreditation issues?
Yes, but frame them professionally:

• “Could you share your recent board pass rates and how you support residents who may need extra preparation?”
• “Have there been any recent ACGME citations or major changes in the program, and how have you addressed them?”

A good program will appreciate your thoughtful interest in stability and outcomes.

---

4. How many questions should I ask during each interview day?
Aim for 3–5 meaningful questions per formal interview and another 3–5 for resident or social sessions. It’s better to ask fewer, well-crafted questions that lead to real discussion than to rush through a long checklist.

---

Thoughtful, targeted questions will help you navigate the allopathic medical school match process with clarity and confidence. As you evaluate each family medicine residency, remember: you are not just trying to match—you are choosing the community and training environment that will shape you as a physician for years to come. Use your questions wisely.