The Question I’ve Been Asked 1,600 Times: Here’s My Answer
Introduction
As our Family Medicine Residency Program officially concludes its recruitment season — successfully matching ten bright‑eyed incoming interns for the 2026–2027 academic year — I find myself reflecting on the number one question I’ve been asked over the last 13 years of interviewing candidates for those ten coveted intern positions. That amounts to approximately 1,600 interviews!
The most frequently asked question is about the climate and culture of our program. Candidates consistently ask variations of:
- “What is the culture like at your program?”
- “How would you characterize the work environment and team dynamics within the residency?”
- “What is the sense of community like among residents?”
- “If you had to summarize the program’s personality in a few words, what would you choose?”
Since this question is asked not only of me, but also of nearly every faculty member involved in interviews, I want to talk about the difference between climate and culture, and how the two interact.
Climate can be thought of as the emotional “weather” of the residency. It’s what residents experience today or this month, and it can shift quickly. Climate is influenced by everyday factors such as rotation demands, team dynamics, major events (like accreditation cycles, crises, or hospital mergers), or even external stressors. On a daily basis, climate shows up in how people speak to one another, how comfortable residents feel asking questions, the pace of the clinic or inpatient service, and how feedback is delivered — just to name a few. Climate matters because it directly affects psychological safety, burnout, and the quality of learning in the moment.
Culture, on the other hand, is the ecosystem. It doesn’t change quickly, but once shaped intentionally, it becomes a powerful foundation that supports residents during challenging times. Culture reflects long‑standing core values, mission, norms, and expectations that shape how a residency operates over time. It’s about how things are done—day after day, year after year. Visually, culture is expressed in how people treat each other (including the “unwritten rules”), in traditions and rituals (orientation style, retreat practices, wellness days), in the teaching philosophy, and in how the program handles conflict or feedback.
So when I’m asked, “What is the culture like at your program?” I can say, without hesitation, that our culture is our greatest strength. We intentionally nurture both climate and culture by seeing our residents as humans first. We strive to provide a healthy climate that supports them through each day, and a healthy culture that shapes the physicians — and people — they become.
About the Author
Heidi Charron, LCPC, is a Clinical Associate in the Department of Family and Community Medicine. Her teaching emphasis is in areas of behavioral medicine and resident/physician wellness.