The Medical School Interview

Although on average fewer than one-fourth of all applicants are invited for a personal interview, most medical schools will not accept a candidate without one. This suggests how important the interview is in the selection process. Interviews usually take place at the medical school, and usually the candidate is interviewed by two or more members of the admissions committee. Later the whole committee meets to discuss all the applicants and make decisions.

For most students, the medical school interview is the most nerve-wracking part of the entire admissions process. The most important advice we can give you is to remind you that the interview is your opportunity to present yourself in the best possible light. It is your chance to explain yourself, to demonstrate your poise and maturity, and to show that you are an interesting and attractive candidate. Remember, your interviewers are very busy people. They are trying to find out what you are like in a short amount of time. They will use a variety of techniques to achieve this. Some may question you quite aggressively in an attempt to see how you handle pressure. The majority, however, are likely to take a more low-key approach. Whatever the method used, your specific response is less important than your composure during the interview. If you don't know the answer to a specific question, be honest about it. A negative aspect of your academic transcript can usually be turned around into something more positive. If your interviewer questions you about a poor performance on organic chemistry, admit it; but, if possible go on to point out that you have done well in other courses, or have subsequently improved, or that you feel you have developed better study habits. In other words "find the positive point" to leave with the interviewers.

If you are asked in a general way to tell something about yourself, seize your opportunity. You want to go to medical school and believe you are well prepared. If you have several experiences that have been important to you or that make you an unusual candidate tell the interviewer about them. Be prepared to take the initiative and start a discussion about your motives and preparation for medical school if you are given the chance. Don't freeze up because you expect your interviewer to do all the work. Show your enthusiasm and your passion for medicine.

Above all, don't be defensive. What matters in the interview is the poise with which you handle yourself. You are entering a field in which you are going to be responsible for the lives of others. You will have to make vital ethical decisions in areas where there are no hard and fast rules or answers. How are you going to conduct yourself? Do you have the flexibility and maturity to meet those challenges? Your behavior during the interview, the thoughtfulness and truthfulness with which you respond to any line of discussion, will help determine your success.

For more information about the interview see The Medical School Interview by Dr. Randall Zielinski. Copies are available for your reference in 238A Mergenthaler. Interview workshops and mock interviews will be held every fall.

Topics that may come up in your interview include:

1. Your academic record. You may be asked about any discrepancies in your academic record, weak grades, distribution of courses, etc. If you have one poor grade, put it, if you can, in the perspective of subsequent improved performance. If you have participated in research, be prepared to show you fully understand the nature of your research project.

2. Extracurricular Activities. Take the opportunity, if it presents itself, to talk about any interests you may have of a non-academic kind.

3. Motives for pursuing a medical career. Give some thought before your interview about your reasons for pursuing a medical career. Remember that you are far from unique in believing that you are humane, compassionate, altruistic, and concerned about the welfare of others. Can you demonstrate these attributes in a concrete way? Specific experiences are your best evidence. Have you relevant skills?

4. Current issues in health care. You may be asked to discuss controversies or issues in the area of health care, including ethical issues. What is important here is less your specific responses, than your ability to think logically and your sensitivity to cultural and social differences. Be aware of what is going on in the world around you. Don't be the kind of student who never reads the newspapers or anything else outside his or her narrow set of interests and is therefore uninformed about recent debates in the health field or in the world at large.

In preparing for your medical school interview, we suggest you consult the catalogs of the different medical schools to acquaint yourself with the details of their programs. You may be asked why you are interested in a particular school, and your answer should indicate that you have given some thought to your selection and that it is not just based on convenience. Prepare a few questions that are pertinent to each school. It shows you are well prepared.

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This page last modified Monday, January 26, 1998 11:48:19 AM.