The medical school interview is a crucial part of how to get into medical school. It lets you showcase unique skills like communication, interpersonal relationships, and judgment.
Every school structures its interview differently, so preparation is essential. It allows you to shape your response to various potential questions, so you can respond confidently and avoid stumbling through your answer. Early preparation will relieve some of the anxiety you naturally feel during the interview.
Taking the time to prep also sets you up to ask a few questions of your own. The medical school interview gives you valuable insight into what to expect. You can use what you learn to make your final choice if you get multiple acceptances. That journey starts with considering some common medical school interview questions.
Why Become a Doctor?
These interviews often start with open-ended questions about your vision. What does being a physician mean to you?
The initial questions allow the interviewer to learn more about you. Although the question seems general, they are looking for specifics. They don’t want boilerplate answers like “I want to help people.”
Consider telling a story about something that led you in this direction. Was there a family tragedy or personal illness that got you interested in medicine? How about academics? Do you love science?
Avoid talking negatively about other healthcare professions, such as nursing. Just explain the reasons you decided to go to medical school. At some point, the interviewer will focus on the questions that cover more specifics, like education, ethics, and what you expect from medical school.
Why Do You Want to Go to This Medical School?
This gives the interviewer a chance to learn what you know about the school. Avoid overly-vague answers like: “Because it’s the best.” Spend some time learning about the school before the interview. Look at the:
- Residency match list
- Hospital affiliations
- Alumni
- Specific programs or subspecialties
- Faculty
Even learn about the community and campus environment.
Questions About Education
The interviewer might look at your academic career and ask pointed questions about the choices you made. For example, how did you choose your undergraduate degree program? What non-health electives did you take?
The interviewer may also ask you to discuss your research and clinical experiences. Before going to the interview, write out what you remember of both. If you kept journals or notes during this part of your undergraduate education, take them out and review them.
The goal is to talk about your journey, not the day-to-day details. What did you learn? Was there a specific case that stood out?
Questions About Your Character and Ethics
The interviewer might ask questions designed to understand your character better, too. For instance, what is your most significant weakness or strength?
They might cover some industry ethnic questions, too, to get a sense of your beliefs. This has less to do with you than it does with how you will react to your patients. For example, they might ask how you feel about stem cell research. They may delve into a political ideology that affects healthcare, such as reproductive services.
How to Prep for Your Medical School Interview
Since every medical school has its own process, there is no way to know what questions they will ask. Your best option is to work with a mentor who can guide you and do mock interviews.
Advanced eClinical Training’s (ACT) medical school admissions consulting program allows you to get personalized assistance from an MD mentor that has been where you are and understands the process.
At ACT, our comprehensive one-on-one mentorship program helps you at various stages of the application process. Our veteran mentors have experience in every step, such as:
- Medical school applications
- Resume building
- Prerequisite coursework and planning
- Rejection analysis and feedback
- Medical interview prep
- Clinical experience guidance
- MCAP preparation
- Strategic timeline planning
- Crafting compelling personal statements
You can choose a mentorship plan that fits your individual needs, at a fraction of the cost as other medical mentorship programs. With ACT, you’ll gain advanced knowledge, preparation, and mentorship on choosing a medical school, getting through the application process, and interviewing at an affordable price.
Your mentor will work with you to hone your answers to select medical school interview questions so you feel prepared and confident at each meeting. They will also do one-on-one mock interviews so you feel at ease when it’s time for the real one. Enroll today to gain a competitive advantage for your journey toward your dream career.
