KILLING THE MED SCHOOL INTERVIEW
BY ANA MEHRANIAN – You have cleared your schedule, called your family and friends, organized travel plans, and raked your closet for your best suit. After all, you do have an interview coming up. First things first, try to relax. Most medical schools only interview a small portion of their applicants, and they chose you for a reason. The thought of an interview can be daunting, but remind yourself that this is an opportunity for the school to learn more about you, and for you to learn more about the school. Although the interview process may be different at each school, the role of your interview in admissions is the same. At this stage, medical schools already know your credentials, but they don’t know who you are as an individual. Here are a few tips and tricks to making a killer impression at your medical school interview:
- Be Yourself: Know your application inside and out. Be prepared to answer questions about the specifics of your application. Shy away from generic answers. It’s more than likely that your interviewer has heard and seen dozens of similar responses to standard questions. Try to go beyond “I want to help people and I like sciences.” Be personal, genuine and passionate. Be a storyteller. Get your personality and drive across to your interviewer.
- Prepare, Don’t Rehearse: Although it is important to be prepared, try not to memorize answers to potential questions. This will prevent your responses from sounding rehearsed or scripted. Your interviewer wants to see how you react and respond on the spot, and is likely to ask you difficult questions to gauge your ability to think under pressure. Familiarizing yourself with some common interview questions is a good idea to give you a general idea of what to expect, but try not to rely on them. Be prepared to answer a broad variety of questions including topics such as your education, motivation and personality, society, ethics, diversity and medicine.
- Attitude: Try to maintain a relaxed, confident, and enthusiastic demeanor. Pay attention to your body language. Smile, give a firm handshake, and maintain eye contact. Keep your arms uncrossed and focus on keeping your legs still. If you feel nervous, hold onto your portfolio to prevent fidgeting or shaking. Make sure you are seated comfortably, as your sitting position relays a level of confidence.
- Ask Questions: Don’t be afraid to ask your interviewer questions! Have a few prepared before you go into the interview, as they expect you to have some. Asking questions show initiative, but stay away from questions you can find answers to online.
- Etiquette: Be early! This is extremely important. Be courteous to everyone you meet, see, or talk to. After your interview, send a handwritten thank you note to your interviewer to add a personal touch. Dress professionally; a dark colored matching suit is preferred for men and women. Colorful shirts and blouses are okay, but stay away from flashy patterns and cuts.
Remind yourself that you are being strongly considered, so take a deep breath, be yourself, come prepared, be aware of your attitude and etiquette, and do your best.