Essential Questions to Ask in Your Pediatrics Residency Interviews

Preparing smart, thoughtful questions to ask programs in pediatrics is one of the most powerful—and underrated—ways to stand out during interview season. The questions you ask signal your maturity, insight, and fit for the specialty. They also give you critical data to decide where you will spend the next 3–4 years of your life.

This guide will walk you through:

• Why your questions matter in the pediatrics residency interview process
• Core domains you should cover (education, culture, schedule, fellowship, and more)
• Specific, high-yield example questions to ask residents, program directors, and faculty
• How to adapt your questions depending on where you are in the peds match timeline
• A rapid-fire FAQ to help you avoid common pitfalls

All content is tailored to pediatrics residency and the peds match, but much of the strategy applies broadly to any specialty.

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Why Your Questions Matter in Pediatrics Residency Interviews

Your pediatrics residency interviews are not just about how well you answer questions; they’re also about how well you ask them.

How your questions impact your application

Thoughtful “interview questions for them” accomplish several things at once:

• Demonstrate genuine interest in pediatrics
  When you ask about longitudinal continuity clinic, developmental-behavioral exposure, or resident autonomy in family-centered rounds, you show you understand pediatrics as a unique discipline.

• Show that you’ve done your homework
  Asking, “How has your new night float system changed resident wellness?” is miles better than, “Do you have a night float?” It shows you’ve read the website and are now digging deeper.

• Highlight your priorities and values
  Your questions reveal whether you care most about education, work-life balance, research, advocacy, or fellowship placement—helping programs see where you might fit.

• Give you information you can’t find online
  Websites are curated. Residents and faculty can tell you what the culture actually feels like at 3 a.m. on a busy PICU week, or how supportive leadership is when life happens.

• Help you build a realistic rank list
  The peds match is competitive in many regions. Strong questions will give you concrete data to compare programs beyond prestige or location.

Strategy: Ask different people different things

Not every question belongs to the program director. Think of three main audiences:

• Residents: Culture, day-to-day life, call, schedule, support systems, hidden pros/cons
• Program leadership (PD/APDs/Chair): Vision, curriculum design, policies, response to resident feedback, program direction
• Faculty/fellows: Mentorship, subspecialty exposure, research, fellow–resident dynamics

Having separate “question banks” for each group will help you maximize each conversation.

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Questions to Ask About Education, Training, and Clinical Experience

Your primary job in pediatrics residency is to become an excellent, independent pediatrician. That hinges on the educational structure and clinical exposure you receive.

Curriculum, structure, and clinical exposure

Questions to ask the Program Director (PD) or Associate PD:

• “How would you describe your educational philosophy for pediatrics residents?”
• “What changes have you made to the curriculum in the last 3–5 years based on resident feedback?”
• “How do you balance service needs with education, particularly on busy inpatient or NICU rotations?”
• “What kind of longitudinal experiences do residents have (e.g., continuity clinic, developmental surveillance, behavioral pediatrics, adolescent medicine)?”
• “How early are interns given primary responsibility for patient management on wards and in clinic?”
• “How do you support residents who may be struggling clinically or academically?”

Questions to ask residents:

• “Which rotations do you feel are the strongest for your training? Are there any that feel less educational or more service-heavy?”
• “Do you feel prepared to manage bread-and-butter pediatrics on your own by the middle/end of intern year?”
• “How comfortable did you feel handling common pediatric emergencies by the end of second year?”
• “Are there subspecialty areas you wish you had more exposure to?”
• “If you could redesign one part of the curriculum, what would it be and why?”

Red flags to watch for in answers:

• Vague or non-specific responses like “Our education is really good” without examples
• Residents emphasizing “you just figure it out” without mention of supervision or support
• PDs who cannot describe concrete recent changes in response to resident feedback

Didactics, simulation, and bedside teaching

Pediatrics relies heavily on communication skills, procedures, and resuscitation skills across age groups—from neonates to adolescents.

Questions to ask:

• “What does a typical week of didactics look like for your pediatrics residents?”
• “How do you protect didactic time? Are residents often paged out or pulled to the floor?”
• “What simulation training do you offer for pediatric codes, newborn resuscitation, and procedural skills?”
• “How are residents taught to lead family-centered rounds effectively?”
• “How do you integrate topics like child protection, complex care, and chronic disease management into your curriculum?”

Continuity clinic and outpatient pediatrics

Continuity clinic is where you develop long-term relationships with families—and where many pediatricians decide whether they prefer outpatient or inpatient careers.

Questions specific to continuity clinic:

• “How often do residents have continuity clinic, and do they stay at one site or rotate among several?”
• “What is the patient population like at your continuity clinic (demographics, socioeconomic factors, complexity)?”
• “Are residents able to follow their patients longitudinally for chronic issues (e.g., asthma, ADHD, obesity)?”
• “How much autonomy do residents have with patient scheduling, and how is precepting structured?”
• “Are there dedicated behavioral-health or developmental resources integrated into clinic?”

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Questions to Ask About Culture, Wellness, and Resident Support

Pediatrics, by nature, draws applicants who value teamwork, empathy, and advocacy. However, even in a “nice” specialty, programs vary widely in culture and support structures.

Understanding program culture

Questions to ask residents (your most honest source):

• “How would you describe the culture here in a sentence or two?”
• “When something goes wrong—a bad outcome, a medical error, a personal crisis—how does the program respond?”
• “Do you feel comfortable bringing up concerns about workload or mistreatment?”
• “Are residents friends outside of work? What do you do together on days off?”
• “How approachable are the attendings on wards and in the ICU?”
• “Have you ever seen a resident punished or shamed for asking for help?”

Questions to ask leadership:

• “What are you most proud of about your program’s culture?”
• “How do you monitor and address burnout among pediatrics residents?”
• “Can you give an example of a time residents raised a concern and how the program responded?”

Look for specific stories rather than generic “we’re a family” statements. Stories about concrete changes (e.g., reducing 28-hour calls, adding mental health resources, changing evaluation practices) are especially telling.

Work hours, call schedule, and workload

Even though pediatrics is often perceived as “lighter” than some surgical specialties, inpatient pediatrics, NICU, and PICU can be extremely demanding.

Questions to ask residents:

• “On average, how many hours do you work on a typical inpatient ward week? On NICU or PICU?”
• “How often do you hit duty hour limits?”
• “What does night coverage look like? Night float vs 24-hour calls?”
• “Do you feel the work is manageable, or do you consistently feel overwhelmed?”
• “Are there particular months that are known to be especially tough?”
• “How flexible is the program with schedule swaps when life events come up?”

Questions about wellness and support:

• “What formal wellness resources exist (counseling, peer groups, protected wellness days)?”
• “Do you have back-up call or jeopardy systems when a resident is sick or has a family emergency?”
• “How often do residents actually feel comfortable using sick days or mental health resources?”

Diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI)

Pediatrics serves diverse children and families. Programs that take DEI seriously often provide richer learning environments and better patient care.

Questions to ask:

• “How diverse is your resident cohort and faculty in terms of race, ethnicity, gender identity, and background?”
• “Are there structured efforts to recruit and support underrepresented in medicine (UIM) residents in pediatrics?”
• “How is training on implicit bias, structural racism, and health equity integrated into the curriculum?”
• “Can you describe opportunities for residents to be involved in advocacy or community partnerships?”

Pay attention not just to what they say but how they say it—comfort, specificity, and transparency matter.

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Questions to Ask About Career Development, Fellowship, and Research

Most pediatrics residents pursue one of three paths: general pediatrics (outpatient or hospitalist), pediatric subspecialty fellowship, or academic medicine. Your questions should uncover how well the program supports each path.

General pediatrics and job placement

Questions to ask:

• “Where have your recent graduates gone—what proportion into general pediatrics vs subspecialty fellowship vs hospitalist roles?”
• “How well prepared do graduates feel for independent practice in outpatient pediatrics or as hospitalists?”
• “Are there formal career advising and mentorship systems for residents interested in community pediatrics?”
• “Do residents get exposure to community practices or private groups if they’re interested in that path?”

These questions help you gauge whether the program is overly fellowship-focused or balanced.

Fellowship preparation and subspecialty exposure

If you’re even considering a subspecialty, dig deeply here. Pediatrics has a wide range of fellowships (e.g., NICU, PICU, heme/onc, cardiology, GI, ID, pulm, endocrinology, rheumatology, hospital medicine, emergency medicine, and more).

Questions to ask PD/faculty:

• “What kind of support do residents get if they’re interested in pursuing fellowship?”
• “Are there structured mentorship programs that pair residents with subspecialty faculty?”
• “How early are residents able to explore subspecialties they might be interested in?”
• “Can you tell me about your recent match rates and destinations for common fellowships (e.g., NICU, heme/onc, PICU)?”
• “How do fellows and residents interact on subspecialty services—do residents still get hands-on learning, or does the fellow take most of the primary role?”

Questions to ask residents:

• “Do you feel there is enough exposure to different subspecialties to make informed career decisions?”
• “If you’re interested in fellowship, do you feel supported with research, letters, and scheduling interviews?”
• “For those not interested in fellowship, do you feel respected and supported in your decision?”

Research, quality improvement (QI), and scholarly activity

Residency is often the first time you’ll do a serious project in QI, education, or clinical research.

Questions to ask:

• “What types of scholarly projects are residents expected or required to complete?”
• “How do residents find mentors for research or QI projects?”
• “Is there protected time for scholarly work, especially for those applying to competitive fellowships?”
• “Are there funding or presentation opportunities for resident projects (e.g., sending residents to PAS, local or national pediatric conferences)?”
• “Are there examples of recent resident projects that led to publications, presentations, or program changes?”

Listening for concrete examples here helps distinguish programs that truly value scholarship from those that mention it only on paper.

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Questions to Ask About Logistics: Call, Schedule, Location, and Resources

This is where you gather essential “daily life” data. Even the best curriculum can be hard to tolerate if housing is unaffordable, childcare is impossible, or the schedule is unsafe.

Schedule, rotations, and call structure

Questions to ask:

• “Can you walk me through a typical rotation schedule for each year of pediatrics residency?”
• “How are inpatient, NICU, PICU, ED, and elective months distributed across the three years?”
• “Do residents have any say in selecting electives or designing individualized tracks (e.g., advocacy, global health, hospital medicine, primary care)?”
• “How many 24-hour calls (if any) does a resident typically have per month? How many night float weeks?”
• “How are weekend days off structured? Do you typically get 4 days off per month, or more?”

Ask residents to compare “advertised” schedules to real life. Their faces and tone can tell you what the website does not.

Location, housing, and family considerations

For pediatrics, many applicants are partnered or considering starting a family during residency. These logistics matter.

Questions to ask:

• “Where do most residents live relative to the hospital, and what’s the typical commute like?”
• “Is it realistic to live on a resident salary in this city/area, or do residents often need roommates?”
• “Are there resources for residents with families (e.g., on-site or affiliated childcare, lactation rooms, parental leave policies)?”
• “How does the program support residents who are pregnant or taking parental leave, including schedule adjustments and coverage?”

If you have specific needs (e.g., visas, childcare, a partner in another field), you should have more targeted “what to ask program director” questions tailored to your situation.

Ancillary support and work environment

Well-supported residents can focus on learning; poorly supported residents spend hours on tasks that could be delegated.

Questions to ask:

• “What kind of ancillary support do you have (e.g., respiratory therapists, phlebotomy, IV team, social work, case management)?”
• “Do residents routinely draw bloods and place IVs, or is there a dedicated team?”
• “How much time do residents spend on the EHR and documentation compared to direct patient care?”
• “Is there dedicated staff to assist with prior authorizations, DME, and complex discharge planning?”

These details have major impact on your experience, especially on busy services and in the PICU/NICU.

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How to Use Your Questions Strategically Throughout Interview Season

It’s not just what you ask; it’s when and how you ask that matters.

Before the interview: Do your homework

To avoid wasting time asking about things easily found online, review:

• Program website (curriculum, rotation schedule, didactics, tracks)
• Resident list and alumni destinations
• Any recent news (expansion, new children’s hospital, awards)

Then:

• Prepare a short core list of 5–7 questions you want answered at every pediatrics residency you interview at (for comparison).
• Create program-specific questions that show you’ve paid attention (e.g., “I saw you have a global health track—how do residents integrate that with core requirements?”).

During the interview day: Tailor questions to each person

For residents (breakout rooms, pre-interview dinners, socials):

• Focus on day-to-day life, culture, support, and reality vs. marketing
• Ask about things residents commonly worry about but don’t always voice: “If you had to choose again, would you come here?”

For program leadership:

• Ask about the big picture—vision, innovation, response to feedback, graduate outcomes
• Use this time for the more “sensitive policy” questions (e.g., parental leave, moonlighting, remediation), framed professionally

For faculty/fellows:

• Focus on subspecialty training, teaching, research, and fellow–resident dynamics

After the interview: Clarifying and follow-up

If a program becomes a serious contender for your rank list and you still have gaps, it’s appropriate to send one concise, professional email asking 2–3 clarifying questions. For example:

• “Could you share a bit more about how residents are supported when pursuing out-of-state fellowship interviews?”
• “I’m very interested in advocacy. Are there examples of current resident-led advocacy initiatives in the community?”

Use this sparingly and respectfully—programs are very busy during peds match season.

Questions to avoid—or ask carefully

Some topics require tact:

• Salary and benefits: Usually listed online or in HR materials; better to frame as, “Are there institutional resources to help residents navigate benefits, housing, or financial planning?”
• Vacation and moonlighting: Important, but phrase them professionally and not as your first question:
  • “How is vacation scheduled, and do residents feel able to use their full allotment?”
  • “At what point do residents become eligible for moonlighting, and how is that balanced with educational priorities?”
• Ranking and competitiveness: Avoid questions like “Where would I rank?” or “What scores do you usually take?” These put programs in an awkward and unprofessional position.

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FAQs: Questions to Ask Pediatrics Residency Programs

1. What are the most important questions to ask residency programs in pediatrics?

At minimum, make sure you cover:

• Training quality: “Do residents feel well prepared for either general pediatrics or fellowship after graduation?”
• Culture: “How does the program respond when residents struggle or need help?”
• Workload: “What does a typical week look like during your busiest months?”
• Career outcomes: “Where have recent graduates gone after residency?”
• Support: “What structures are in place for wellness, back-up coverage, and mental health support?”

These give you a solid sense of whether you can thrive there.

2. What should I ask a program director specifically?

For “what to ask program director,” focus on issues they’re uniquely positioned to answer:

• “What recent changes have you made in response to resident feedback, and what changes are you planning?”
• “What differentiates your pediatrics residency from other programs in this region or similar settings?”
• “How do you measure the success of your residency program?”
• “How do you support residents who encounter academic or personal difficulties?”
• “What are you most proud of, and what are you currently working to improve?”

These invite substantive, honest discussion and show you’re thinking like a future pediatrician.

3. How many questions should I ask in each interview?

Aim for:

• 2–3 good questions per one-on-one interview slot (depending on time)
• A short prioritized list for the resident Q&A or social session
• Enough flexibility to skip questions that were already answered in the presentation or website

Quality matters far more than quantity. Thoughtful, tailored questions leave a stronger impression than a long checklist.

4. How can I use my questions to improve my peds match chances?

Your questions won’t replace strong application fundamentals, but they can:

• Signal maturity and insight: asking about feedback mechanisms, resident support, and curriculum evolution shows you’ve thought deeply about residency.
• Highlight fit: questions about advocacy, community pediatrics, or a specific subspecialty can reinforce that your interests align with what the program offers.
• Create memorable interactions: PDs and interviewers remember applicants who engage in real, nuanced conversations instead of repeating generic questions.

Most importantly, smart questions help you build a rank list based on data and values, not just name recognition—ultimately increasing your satisfaction with where you match.

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If you approach each interview thinking, “What do I need to know to decide whether I can grow here for three years as a pediatric resident?” your questions will naturally become sharper, more authentic, and more useful—for both you and the programs.