From:Students doctor net
The school interview inspires anxiety and anticipation in many applicants. A test of poise and communication skills, the interview is a key component of the school application package.
The process inherently benefits those who are:
Relaxed
Sincere
Articulate
Aware - of both their own motivations for seeking medicine (i.e., self-awareness) and “externally” aware (i.e., current events, salient healthcare issues)
Able to comfortably carry on a conversation covering a wide range of topics (which stems from all of the above).
Just as the applicant has tirelessly worked to tackle challenging courses, study for the admissions test, and polish a personal statement, work needs to be done to prepare for the interview. While school interviews are largely casual and friendly affairs (a far cry from, say, “stress” interviews held in some areas of finance and consulting) it is entirely possible to “tank” the interview by adopting a laissez-faire approach.
The following myths should be dispelled by the informed applicant at once:
Interviews are mostly a formality; once you are offered an interview you’re at least guaranteed a spot on the wait list.
Interviews are biased toward extroverts and native English speakers. It’s much harder to get a good score if you’ve got a thick accent, speak softly, or are quiet.
There is no real way to prepare for medical school interviews, since you won’t know in advance what questions will be asked.
Schools vary regarding how much importance they place on the interview versus the paper application. In general, top-tier schools will lend more importance to the interview - especially as a deciding factor between two exceptional candidates. Sifting through an abundance of stellar-on-paper applicants, they often turn to the interview to assess honesty, enthusiasm, sincerity and the intangible qualities of personal rapport that come across in the interview.
Getting an Interview
What does receiving the offer of an interview mean? This, of course, is a complex question varying from school to school. In brief, receiving an interview means one of two things:
Based on your grades, test scores and secondary applications, you have passed the initial hurdles of score screening and essay review, making either a numbers-based cutoff process or passing an individual committee member’s screen.
Your application was perhaps sub-par or borderline in terms of scores, academic performance, etc., but the committee is intrigued by other aspects of your application and wants to evaluate further via an in-person interview.
The linking factor between scenarios 1 and 2, as the astute applicant might have gathered, is that the interview-invited candidate has an advantage in both cases. In either case, the applicant has impressed the committee to the point where they would like to know more, where they see a potential fit, a potential acceptance. In that sense, receiving an interview acceptance represents a very positive development in the applications process - more so than, for example, receiving a secondary. Drawing from this reality, the conclusion that follows is very important:
Once you have received an interview, the goal of getting an acceptance is within striking distance.
The corollary is that under preparing, underperforming or otherwise botching an interview can essentially lower a stellar “on-paper” candidate to the point where he/she is wait-listed or rejected. I have reviewed the files of high-scoring MCAT/GPA candidates with a very impressive paper application who were out right rejected by the committee - after painful interviews showed them to be uncertain, haughty or passionless. Thus, the final conclusion, and the one that applicants should take home:
Acing an interview - and earning an acceptance - is almost entirely within the applicant’s control.
Preparing for the Interview
With that said, here are the top strategies for preparing for a medical school interview:
Know thyself. You must have a very clear, convincing, and sincere knowledge of a) why you want to attend school more than anything else and b) what you have done - activities, volunteering, research, etc. - that supports your reasons as evidence. You get a discrete block of time - 2-3 minutes - to answer the question, “So why do you want to go to (medical, dental, pharmacy…) school?” This is one of the most important questions of the interview. Within that time, you should be able to articulate your true reasons and come across as honest, logical, convincing and real. Having interviewed hundreds of insincere candidates, admissions committees are quickly able to spot a half-hearted, passionless, or - worst of all - dishonest answer, rendering the applicant to the bottom of the admissions pile.
Know why School X is the best place for you. Not surprisingly, admissions committees want to accept candidates who would be likely to accept the acceptance. It looks better for the school and the school’s rankings if, say, 90% of candidates offered acceptances decide to matriculate. Thus, if you come across as someone likely to take that spot if offered, your chances of admissions will increase. Caution: As in #1, schools will quickly identify candidates who are more hot air than genuine substance. “Substance”-qualifying reasons include: working with researcher X who is a specialist at the school, curriculum-specific initiatives that are only seen at school X, wanting to pursue a career in an area where school X is renowned or offers unusual opportunities. Coming up with reasons for attending a school leads to #3:
Research the school thoroughly, backwards and forwards. This is more than just a quick glance through the website. Understand latest developments in the curriculum. What areas were recently changed? How has the school revamped or made innovations in its program recently? What are some of the accomplishments of graduates and current students? What are some areas of ongoing research? The questions are numerous and will be tailored to each applicant’s interest (i.e. service outreach, basic science lab opportunities, international relief efforts, clinical training and simulation, to name a few) . But the key is to spend several hours (yes, hours) analyzing and understanding information to answer them in full.
Above all, be humble and sincere. This does not mean downplay your significant accomplishments. But always remember where they’ve come from: it is rare that a stellar applicant has reached his or her heights without help. Often, there is a mentor, a teacher, a volunteering experience, a parent or patient that has paved the way. It is perfectly fine to describe your outstanding achievements, awards, discoveries, cutting-edge research, critical acclaim, etc. But add that “I-remember-where-I’ve-come-from” angle: how you are thankful to Mentor X or Professor Y for their tireless help, how you are inspired to give back to the community (only if you are, of course!), how you hope to be like Doctor Z, etc.
Do. Not. Lie. Under ANY circumstances. Often, the truth has a funny way of revealing itself. And if it is ever found that the applicant lied under any circumstances: it is automatic rejection and a firmly closed door on the application process.
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