Medical School Interviews – Why Do You Want to Be a Doctor?

Many premeds worry about the content of the medical school interview. The most important content to conquer is about you. You already know all about yourself but the key is figuring out how to present that to the interviewer.

Start your interview prep by answering this question:

“Why do you want to be a doctor?”

Simple, huh? Go ahead and try to answer it right now.

Harder than it seems, isn’t it?

This question will be asked in some form in every interview. You answered it in the AMCAS primary essay, but interviewers want to hear it again. It is the essential question, right?

Your goal is to answer the question clearly and concisely with no more than three talking points. Tying these three reasons to brief anecdotes will help the interviewer remember your reasons.

Want to practice your medical school interview answers? Mock interview sessions are filling quickly. E-mail info@MDadmit.com for a one-on-one practice session with a Harvard/Stanford MD and medical school admissions expert!

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Medical School Interviews – The First Twelve Inches

To help you pull it all together on your interview day, etiquette experts have a simple rule to ensure you are looking your best. It’s the first 12 inches that matter most (head, hands, feet):

Head
• Hair clean and well-groomed
• Be clean-shaven
• Check nothing is stuck in your teeth

Hands
• Groom the nails short and clean
• No chipped nail polish

Feet
• Polish the shoes
• Guys - be sure your socks match
• Ladies – no runs in panty hose or stockings

Mock interview sessions are filling quickly. E-mail info@MDadmit.com or call 415.939.5251 for a one-on-one practice session with a Harvard/Stanford MD and medical school admissions expert!

Check out www.MDadmit.com for more information.

Medical School Interviews – Hair and Accessories

The medical school interview season is not the time to experiment with that mohawk you always wanted. Keep the hair clean and simple. Men with long hair do not need to cut it all off, just keep it clean and out of your face. The same rules apply to women.

As for jewelry, earrings in men are always a point of controversy. If your earring is an important part of who you are, leave it in. But if it’s just a piece of jewelry, I would take it out. Body piercings that show (nose ring, tongue ring, eyebrow ring, etc) fall under the same general guidelines as earrings. Wear it if it is a huge part of who you are. Lose it for a day if it isn’t.

Mock interview sessions are filling quickly. E-mail info@MDadmit.com or call 415.939.5251 for a one-on-one interview practice session with a Harvard/Stanford MD and medical school admissions expert!

Check out www.MDadmit.com for more information.

Medical School Interviews – The Suit and Shoes

All interviews start with a first impression. This means you need to be well dressed and well groomed. Once you are a physician, your patients will want you to look put together. And so do the interviewers. It may seem cliché and shallow, but you need to look good.

The suit is the staple of anyone heading out on the medical school interview trail. Despite popular opinion, it does not have to be black and boring! Yes, dark/neutral color is likely best (blue, grey, camel) but you don’t have to give up all style for interviews. Your goal is to look sharp and professional instead of boring and drab.

Don’t forget the importance of shoes. These shoes need to be incredibly comfortable, work in various climates, and look classy. At some schools, the majority of your interview time will be spent walking. Make sure the shoes are clean and shined. Yes, I mean go out and buy real shoe polish and scrub the shoes before every interview. Shined, well-kept shoes show a person is detail-oriented and dedicated to an overall polished look.

Need help with your interview style? E-mail info@MDadmit.com or call 415.939.5251 to put a Harvard/Stanford MD and medical school admissions expert to work for you!

Check out www.MDadmit.com for more information.

Medical School Interviews – Scheduling

Though you still may be swamped with secondary applications, it is time to begin thinking about interview season. It is actually more than a season as interviews generally span from September to February. Rolling admissions schools tend to interview earlier than others (and let you know of acceptance earlier as well). Don’t be surprised if your first interview is scheduled as early as September.

Be sure to plan sufficient time off for interview travel. Does time of interview really affect chance of acceptance? In rolling admissions schools, yes! Rolling admissions schools often offer acceptances only weeks after an interview session. The later in the season you interview, the less acceptances there are to offer. Interview timing is less critical for regular admissions schools. You will see pages and pages on medical school admissions blogs discussing the best strategic time to interview. Here’s the bottom line: interview when you will be well-rested and well-prepared.

Want a leg up on your competition? A MDadmit mock interview can give you that advantage. E-mail info@MDadmit.com or call 415.939.5251 to put a Harvard/Stanford MD and medical school admissions expert to work for you!

Check out www.MDadmit.com for more information.

Medical School Secondary Applications: “Other” Information

Please share with us something about yourself that is not addressed elsewhere in your application and which may help the Admissions Committee as we review your file.

The “other” information question often causes great stress amongst candidates. Given that it is usually an optional essay, the big issue is whether or not to answer it. The only reason to answer the questions is if you have personal information that is not provided on the AMCAS that will affect your application. Here are a few examples of appropriate topics for this essay:

1. Extenuating circumstances led to a dip in your grades sophomore year and you want to explain
2. Your band cut its first record after the AMCAS submission
3. You have a paper accepted for publication that occurred after AMCAS submission
4. You just received an offer to travel to Africa with a public health project

Do NOT fill the space just to fill the space. Only answer the question if you really have something important to say that will positively affect your application.

Looking for help on how to answer secondary essay questions? E-mail info@MDadmit.com or call 415.939.5251 to put a Harvard/Stanford MD and medical school admissions expert to work for you!

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Medical School Secondary Applications: Long-Term Goals

Another favorite secondary question revolves around long-term goals (ie. what you want to be when you grow up).

For example:

Are there any areas of medicine that are of particular interest to you? If so, please comment.

Though you are certainly not expected to have picked out your specialty and fellowship before even entering medical school, admissions committees like know where you are leaning. Do you see yourself working as a general surgeon at a large academic center? Or perhaps you’d like to run a small, rural family medicine clinic? Or maybe you want to be a Navy flight doctor. The sky is the limit. But be sure to be honest and ready to back up your dream job.

Exhausted? Overwhelmed with secondaries? E-mail info@MDadmit.com or call 415.939.5251 to put a Harvard/Stanford MD and medical school admissions insider to work for you!

Check out www.MDadmit.com for more information.