Medical Interview – Tips, Advice, What you Need to know

Overall Format:
4 interviews, very laid back – more like a conversation, not an interrogation!
- tell them we have all heard horror stories. We still made it.
- looking for someone who can carry on a conversation.  Not necessarily the smartest
- looking for committment and determination too.
- there is no specific list of questions that the panel uses – everyone’s interview is a little different
- Remember:  The interviewers HAVE NOT seen any part of your file, they know
nothing about your history/marks/etc. – all they know is your name.  This is your chance to shine and show them why you belong in the College of Medicine.

Tips for Interviewers:
- medical college panel will never ask about abortion, so you don’t ask about topics like that during mock interview.  Be fair in your questioning – remember how important your interview was to you, and how much time you spent preparing – make sure this is a good preparation experience for them.

Tips to tell interview-ees:
-  they say the first one is the hardest.J
- a firm handshake and a nice smile is always a good way to start.  Make eye contact when you shake hands.
- be calm & relaxed, but not too casual – absolutely no candy sucking or gum chewing!
- know a little bit about this school and how your curriculum will be structured
- Know some current events – be able to see from different perspectives
- Listen carefully to each question and to information given.
- Think before answering tough questions – there can be moments of silence, don’t feel like you have to fill all the gaps with non-stop talking.
- Anticipate & practice but DO NOT rehearse/script your answers.
- If tough question, stay calm, watch your reaction. Do not become defensive.  It’s Ok to say “I am not sure, or I don’t know, I will have to think about that/look that up”.
- Accept a different point of view!
- Back with examples. Systematic and point form.  ie. if they ask what your best qualities are, and you say you are determined, be able to give some concrete examples of that.

6 things want to emphasize for your interview:
1. Be yourself - not what you think they want you to be.  The interview panel is trying to get a sense of who you are.  Don’t try to fit some “med student sterotype” – give them something unique hobby/quality about yourself that they can remember you by. Don’t mention academic achievements.
2. Answer thoroughly, honestly, to the point, good grammar and choice of language.  Watch how fast you are talking, take time to answer questions.
3. Don’t fidget – interviewers – watch for this, and point it out, because sometimes people don’t even know they are doing it.
4. YOU GUIDE the interview.
5.  Clothing not important.  The people on the med panel realize you are a student and can’t afford a $$$$ wardrobe. Just dress appropriately.  ie.  don’t look like someone who just walked in off the street.  Wear conservative colors.  Ask yourself – would I want someone like me treating my grandmother?   As a general rule:  Men – suit and tie; Women – pantsuit or skirt and blouse.  Minimal jewelry, simple makeup, simple hair.  Nothing revealing.
6. Eye contact - critical.

How you are “graded” in the interview:

{Note in addition to the below (which are U of S pre-med areas) I swear they have the areas of 1 Maturity 2 Motivation to Medicine 3 Knowledge of Health Care (Exposure)
4 Current Events 5 Community involvement and experience}

  • 1. Integrity: ethics, morals, slncerity, honesty, responslbility, dependability, and genuineness.
  • 2. Ability to communicate: nonverbal communication (voice, eye-contact, gestures, posture, nervous mannerisms, handshake, facial expresslons), verbal communication (language, grammar, ability to organize and express ideas in answers and questions), abillty to listen.
  • 3. Physical bearing: poise, appearance (neatness, appropriate dress, grooming).
  • 4. Personality and human relations skills: ability to create a favorable first impression, understanding of others, tolerance, empathy, sense of humor, warmth, ability to relate, interest in and desire to help people, compassior, objectivity, tactfulness, openmindedness, independence, self-reliance.
  • 5. Maturity: appropriate for age, status, and experience; reasons for wanting to be a physician.; understanding of the field and daily work of a physician ; knowledge of trends, issues, problems, strengths and weaknesses, and developments in the chosen field, realistic self-concept.
  • 6. Motivation: strength of desire to enter the field, desire to attend this school, initiative, drive, enthuslasm, perseverance, knowledge of this school.
  • 7. Emotional stability: ability to handle pressure and stress, ability to carry out responsibilities, self-discipline, self-confidence, mental alertness.
  • 8. Experiences: vocational (vocationally oriented curricular and extra curricular activities in college, work with people in the chosen field), and non-vocational (non-vocationally oriented curricular and extra curricular activities, work experlences, working with people).
  • 9. Knowledge: of current events, of the theories and practical applications of these theorles to the chosen field.

Sample Questions:
- feel free to take some questions from here, or feel free to ask a question that you may have been asked in your interview (within reason!)  Anything with a star is an important question!

- Tell me a little about yourself *
- Do you have any hobbies?  What do you do in your spare time?  *  (here, if they list a specific hobby you are familiar with, as them something about it!  ie.  Did you see the game between…etc.)
- What are 3 attributes about your personality that you think would make you a good physician?  *  (You are looking to see that they give you some concrete examples of when they have demonstrated these qualities.)
- What do you feel are the most important qualities in being a good doctor
- Have there been any people or experiences that have influenced your decision to go into medicine?
- What makes you want to enter the field of med rather than any other health science (nursing or pharmacy)?
- What have you done to find out about medicine?  Have you had an exposure to the field of medicine? (here, you are definitely looking for more than “my mom/dad/uncle/aunt/etc is a doctor”)
- What do you think you will like most/least about medicine?
- Are you a leader or a follower? Why? (give examples)
- If a dispute arose between yourself and a supervisor/friend/colleague, how would you deal with it?  In your present living situation, how do you settle disputes with your roomates?
- Where do you see yourself in ten years?
- What is your worst fault?  (or 2 or 3 worst faults….make them think harder!)
- Med school is stressful, what would you do to deal with the stress?
- How do you feel about active recruitment of physicians from under serviced countries?
- From your POV, what is the problem with rural health care?
- Tell us about a local/national/international current event that you have been following. *  Why do you think this event is important?
- What are your thoughts on the accreditation situation of the college?
- Do you feel that technology is slowly replacing skill in medicine?
- How do you feel about alternative medicine?
- Have you given any thought as to what area you may specialize in?  (Watch out for people who are too focused on a particular area.) A follow-up question may be “Do you plan on working in Saskatchewan?”  If they say yes, ask them why!
- Tell us about a challenge and how you overcame it.
- What was your biggest accomplishment? (watch that they stay away from academics!)
- What upsets you?
- If you could invite three people to a dinner party, alive or dead, who would you invite and why?
- What was the last movie you saw? (or book you read)
- If you had your education to do over again, what would you do differently? (want to focus on positive, not negatives….ie. instead of “I’d do better in Oragnic chem”….a better answer would be “I would have liked to learn another language”)
- Health care is changing: What do you see the future like?
- What do you think is the single greatest problem facing med today?
- Tell us why you should be considered above the others? What sets you apart?
- Have you applied anywhere else?  Have you been accepted there?  If you have, and you get accepted here, what will be you first choice?  (and why??)
- What do you intend on doing if you don’t get in to medical school this year?  *   (they must have a legitimate backup plan!)
- What do you think you will like most/least about being a doctor?
- What part of your medical education are you most/least looking forward to?
- DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR US?  **  (they should have at least one question to show that they have some interest in this college and the program it offers!)
- IS THERE ANYTHING YOU WOULD LIKE TO ADD? **