Dressing for the USMLE Residency interviews

Dress to Succeed
Dress formally for your video interview, just as you would for an in-person interview. This will convey poise and professionalism, as well as make you feel more prepared and confident. Remember, you're interviewing to become a doctor, so dress the part! This is not the time to be fashionable or wear avant-garde clothing. We put together tips on hoe to dress up for the interview. 

Please read these tips and adjust accordingly.

One of the key essentials of the USMLE residency interview day is to dress appropriately. The basic guide by USMLESarthi gives you suggestions on what you should wear for the interviews
 
For Men
  1. A suit is mandatory, the colors should be either black blue, or gray anything more than that will be flashy.
  2. A white or light-colored shirt will work. Please don’t wear too bright colors you don’t want to stand out among the rest of the applicants. Keep a spare shirt in case you have coffee/food spills and need to change during the interview day
  3. A tie should be sober colored, Red is better suited, but a preference for blue or black is suitable as well.
  4. Black shoes, or brown shoes that match your belt. Make sure they are clean and you don’t leave any footprints when you walk around.
  5. A simple watch, Fitbit, Apple watch etc. is ok but obviously not required
  6. Avoid wearing bracelets with slogans.
  7. No earrings for men, no jewelry, no dyed hair, nothing that makes you look flashy. Again, you don’t want to stand out in the crowd.
 
For women
  1. A simple black suit works well. Blue or grey is also considered appropriate. Please avoid anything bright. Again, you don’t want to look too flashy.
  2. Collar shirt or professional looking blouse, solid colors. Keep a spare shirt/blouse in case you have coffee/food spills and need to change during the interview day. 
  3. Suit with skirt or pant
  4. If wearing a skirt, wear pantyhose.
  5. Minimal jewelry is accepted. Refrain from wearing too much flashy jewelry.
  6. Simple shoes, please try not to wear heels, you will be given a tour of the hospital and it may be very uncomfortable for you in that case to walk around. (Plus running to the airport after interview if you are flying straight back)
  7. Simple earrings are acceptable
  8. A watch, Fitbit, Apple watch etc is ok but obviously not required
  9. Clean nails, preferably no nail paint
  10.  Avoid too much makeup and bright colored lipsticks, and excess perfumes.
  11. Hair should be neat and tidy. Doesn’t matter if you tie it in a ponytail or let it hang freely on your back or make it a bun or tie it halfway. Hair Style doesn’t matter as long as it looks neat and tidy.

GET YOUR HEAD IN THE GAME:
This is the most important step. You will never be more successful than you BELIEVE you can be. PERIOD. If you want to be more successful, you have to believe you can be/are more successful. USMLE Sarthi provides mock interviews with mentors and program directors who have served on admissions committees and interviewed hundreds of applicants for residency. We also provide a comprehensive course on How to Ace the Interview, which covers everything from creating a questions sheet to answering the most common interview questions. Click here to enroll in interview prep plan. 

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