MEDICAL SCHOOL INTERVIEWS
October means two things for wannabe medical students – UCAS
form submission and the preparation for medical school interviews. My
interviews were a very long time ago but I still remember, very vividly, how
petrified I was.
Having been through the interview process and lived to tell
the tale, I thought I’d share some pointers. These are very much applicable to
any professional interview situation not just for medicine.
What to wear: Basically something comfortable and
professional looking. The admissions tutor will also be looking at how you
present yourself even before they ask you your name. Obviously how you look is
not the only way to present yourself but at least you can have that box ticked
if you pay a little bit of attention. Don’t plaster your face with make up,
obviously. Nice sensible shoes (which can be heels if you can walk confidently
in them) and a nice bag (although this is not a must). Classy and simple is the
way to go. Make sure what you’re wearing actually fits! I remember at one of
interviews the boys (cute as it was) wore suit jackets that where waaaayyyy too
big for them.
What to bring: All your documents – certificates, interview
invitation letter, etc (preferably with one photocopy for each just in case), a
notepad and pen (to write down any information you get on a tour of the medical
school/ accommodation or any questions you might have), a mirror to check
yourself before you go in (I have an issue with oily skin which just needs a dab
with a shine sheet now and again) and anything else you normally carry with
you.
What to do before: If you’re travelling from
far away, make sure arrive in good time – being late never looks good! You will
get an itinerary for the day, which you will be asked to follow. Sit down in
the waiting area, don’t be shy, be polite, chat to other interviewees, make eye
contact, etc. Someone you meet on interview day might turn out to be one of
your colleagues in medical school so be nice!
What to do during: As soon as you walk in,
smile, greet your interviewers, give them a firm handshake and sit down where
you are told to sit. Sit up straight and make eye contact with everyone in the
room, not just the person who is asking you questions.
What to say: Unfortunately every medical school has a
different set of questions for everyone. Some are interested in how much of a
‘people person’ you are, some want to find out about your extra curricular
activities and some want to know how you learn, etc. Nearly every school will
ask you why you want to do medicine, why that school, how that school’s
curriculum will make you thrive, etc (so make sure you can at least answer
these questions).
Most schools will also want to see how you think – they will
pose ethical dilemmas like ‘there are two seats on a rocket to Mars, who
deserves those seats: a mother with a newborn baby, a scientist, a doctor, a criminal
serving life in jail for murder, etc. The important thing to remember with
ethical questions is that there is no right or wrong answer – the tutor just
wants to see how you think and how you justify it. Think about your answer and talk through your
thinking process.
I was also asked what I’d say to a friend who was
contemplating suicide, what I thought about free school meals for children in
primary school and how I would fund them, if people with smoking related
illnesses should pay to use the NHS etc. I was also asked about NICE (National
Institute of Clinical Excellence) so I recommend having some idea about the NHS
and its structure (but not in too much detail because this is taught in medical
school).
How to prepare: Know your CV and personal statement like the
back of your hand. If you volunteered somewhere, be ready to talk about it, if
you’ve done some research, be ready to talk about that. Have genuine answers
for the questions you expect. Obviously you can’t prepare for every single
question. If you are asked something you hadn’t thought of – stop, think about
it then say something. If you don’t know the answer, speculate. Just stopping
at “I don’t know” is not a good look.
After the interview: If you have any questions at the end,
don’t be afraid to ask. Thank the interviewers and go partttyy!!! No I don’t mean
that haha! But this is the time to calm down and relax – you’ve done all you
could do and you can’t change anything now. I came out of my interviews feeling
like the world was about to end because I found them so tough, but I got offers
soon after. If you think the interview went bad, it probably didn’t. Just wait
and see before you stress yourself out over nothing. The admissions tutors will
have pushed you to see how far you can be pushed. It will feel horrible but
honestly, you’ve done pretty darn well to get this far!
I hope someone finds these tips useful! Good luck with
interviews and if there’s anything else you want me to post, let me know!
Have a good week!
Sam
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Tags:
MEDICINE
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