Medical School Interview Preparation
Medical school interview preparation is very important. By the time you make it to the medical school interview stage you are perceived to have all the qualifications to be admitted, but the last hurdle is your communication and social ability. This in person meeting determines if you fit that school's "culture" and to determine if you actually represent what was conveyed in your application. Now is your chance to sell yourself to the admissions committee and showcase you deserve to be a member of their matriculating class.
There are universal basics for any interview and they apply to medical school as well. The most important aspect is remain relaxed, be yourself, and have a positive disposition. Along these lines it is instrumental to be prepared. Medical school interview preparation is crucial and takes a number of forms. One of the easiest ways to prepare is to know your application.
It may be weeks or even months between when your application is submitted until the time you actually interview so it's a good idea to brush up on yourself. A good starting point would be to review your transcript. Knowing the courses which you took and interesting tidbits about the classes can go very far, especially if there's a course outside the norm of the premed curriculum.
Which courses were your favorites? Your least favorite? Tell me about this course... If there are any particularly low or high grades be prepared to discuss went on in those classes. Remember to be sincere, honest, and open in your responses; never make excuses for poor performance. Be prepared to talk about what you learned from negative situations and turn what could be a liability into an asset.
Click here for a sample of medical school interview questions.
Medical school interview preparation means reviewing your AMCAS and secondary applications. It will be beneficial if you can discuss with confidence every experience you have listed or discussed. There are several types of interview formats which you may encounter.
Some schools use the open format in which your application is made available before and during the interview, allowing for specific questions to be asked. In stark contrast, there is the closed interview in which your application has not been reviewed and the interviewer is attempting to get to know you as a person without insight on your background (comparable to a blind date).
Interview attire is key to your success.
Format
Interviews are primarily one-on-one, but some schools use a panel of more than one interviewer. You will find that there is diversity in who comprises the committee: medical school students, medical school admissions members, faculty and/or practicing physicians. I find that having a diversity of backgrounds is beneficial to the applicant because you will be exposed to a number of perspectives and if you don't gel with a particular individual there's room to improve with the other interviewers. Hence, in today's time rarely will you ever interview with just one person.Do not be surprised if you find yourself in a group interview where other applicants are in the room at the same time. I would advise taking the stance that you are in a round-table discussion where there must be a give and take between you and the other applicants present, while remembering you must stand out in the eyes of the medical school admissions committee. It is important for you provide relevant answers, respect others, and still achieve the goal of being offered a spot in the medical school class.
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My First Medical School Interview
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The format is called Multiple Mini Interviews. We were split into groups of 7. There were 7 closed doors in this maze of hallways. Each door had a paper ...
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