It takes a lot of work to be offered a medical school interview. Your primary and secondary applications, along with your transcripts, test scores and letters of recommendation must have already made a significant impression on the admissions committee. The goal is now in sight, but the interview remains a hurdle to a successful admission. The interview could make or break your admittance to the school, so it needs your thorough preparation and care.
Study
Before each interview, spend several hours researching the school in order to be able to answer questions specific to that school, such as why you want to attend there. It also proves that you are interested in being a student there by asking specific questions about the program and coursework.
You can also research the questions the school might ask and the interviewing style of the school. The Student Doctor Network provides a database where interviewees post detailed reports about each of their medical school interviews. You might be surprised to learn that one school could ask you for a four-letter word that describes yourself or that another could have you role play with your interviewer.
Along with researching the school, you should stay current on events in medicine and health care, which they may ask you about during your interview. Interviewers often ask for your opinion on ethical dilemmas such as euthanasia and political debates such as health care reform. Though there is not one side of these issue that is the correct position to take, the interviewers will be looking for you to be informed and able to logically support your ideas.
Before the interview, you should refresh your memory of your application, reminding yourself of your strong points, thus giving you a clearer sense of what their current impression of you is and preparing you to answer questions they may have about your previous education and experiences.
Practice
Although it's useful to learn about the interview questions that you could be asked and to think about how you will answer them, you can prepare further by practicing how you will answer them. Though you could practice in front of a mirror, you'll be more aware of how you're presenting yourself and be able to get feedback from someone else if you have someone else act as the interviewer. Practicing your answers will help you clarify what you're hoping to communicate and to speak more confidently and smoothly in the interview.
You should also walk through other details of the day, like trying on the complete outfit you will wear to make sure you haven't forgotten anything. Planning your departure time and route to the interview will be helpful too.
Tags: answer questions, answer them, health care, interview should, medical school, researching school