Preparing For Medical School Interviews

     With regards to the application cycle, it is a bit early to be thinking about interviews. But, as this was a question that I was recently asked on one of my YouTube videos, I figured that I would take the time to answer it again on my blog.

Know Yourself

     When it comes to interview prep, I would start by being knowledgeable with what you are writing on your applications. This was a piece of advice that my friend Alissa gave me before I interviewed and I believe it was rather valuable. Of course, medical schools want you to write about what you like to do outside of school, but they'll also like to ask you about it. When I was at my last interview, my interviewer asked me about running (I wrote about it for one of my short essay questions and it was also listed as one of my hobbies). It was slightly awkward because I am currently nowhere near where I used to be with my running, but I talked about running with her anyway. 

     Another thing, know how you would answer things about yourself. Something that I noticed across interviews was that schools like to ask "situational questions" in order to get a better sense of your character. You might encounter some of these on secondary applications. They'll have the format of, "Tell us about a time..." and if you are asked this type of question during an interview, you'll have to quickly come up with your answer. During my first interview, I was not adequately prepared for these types of questions. I don't exactly remember what I was asked, but I know I hesitated a bit trying to decide what I should answer. I tried to answer the question as best as I could. Honestly, I thought I could've done a much better job. But hey, I was still accepted. So, I wouldn't say that you need to go look up every question that you might be asked (maybe look up a few to be familiar with the format), but definitely know how you would go about answering similar on-the-spot questions. I know this might sound a bit nerdy, but something that I did to prepare for my interviews was to practice out loud. One question that you will be inevitably asked is "Why do you want to be a doctor?"I think it was helpful to be able to have an answer thought out, so I didn't have to scramble for an answer come interview time. So, practice your response to the difficult questions, but don't have a memorized answer. You don't want to make it seem like you have a rehearsed answer, but rather that you have given deep thought to the subject and can answer it.

Know The School

     Before an interview, I would spend some time looking over the school's website. I would try to find out as much about the program as I could. I would look up the curriculum and other things that made the school unique. The goal is to be able to speak about what draws you to the school and why you applied. When I interviewed at my Chicago school, I was asked about why I wanted to go there. Obviously, I had a billion reasons before even looking up the particulars for the school, but after getting familiar with what the school offered, I could pin point why this particular school was a good fit for me.

     Along with knowing the school, try to figure out their interview style. I know that different schools interview in different ways, so knowing what to expect before you walk in will be advantageous. For my first interview, It was two-on-one and the interview was conducted by two faculty members. My following interview, I had three one-on-one interviews. The first interviewer was a faculty member and the two others were students. To find out the school's interview style, I believe I googled "[School name] secondary application" and I happened to find the application cycle thread on The Student Doctor Network's forum. Applicants that have interviewed typically go on the forum and will say what the interview style was. So, finding out what the interview style will be like will help you know how to prepare.

Know What To Ask

     Almost every interview ends with, "Do you have any questions?" and your answer should always be yes. Even if you get the general grasp of the school, come up with things you'd like to know or want further clarification about. Asking questions about the school shows the interviewers that you are actually interested enough in the program that you want to know more about it. Asking questions can also help remove some of the interview tension as questions tend to be a bit more informal. This is great because it helps show a bit more of your personality that might've been left out because you were nervous during your interview. Also, this might be the place that you're going to spend the next four years of your life. You want to make sure that you are going to be happy attending this school.

What To Wear

     This section is geared more towards my ladies because for guys the attire is the expected suit and tie combo. For ladies, we have a plethora of options. When I was trying to figure out what I was going to wear for my interview, I tried to figure out what was appropriate. Either pants or a pencil skirt should be fine. I decided to go with pants, but many of the girls I interviewed with wore skirts. On top, a nice, dressy blouse or button up are the norm and not everyone wore a blazer. As far as shoes, wear something comfortable. Usually, part of interview day involves a tour of the school, so if you are not comfortable in heels, it won't be a fun experience. I wore a reasonable heel and I was fine, but a couple girls were wearing flats. Overall, just go for a polished look. Keep your hair and makeup natural and you should be good to go!

     Hopefully, this post helps you feel a bit more prepared to tackle the medical school interview. Also, remember, if you've gotten to the point of an interview, enjoy it! It is a really great sign when a school wants to interview you, so just go and show them that they made the right choice and don't stress yourself too much.

     I hope you are having a great start to your month and I will talk to you soon!

~Genesis<3