Medical school admissions: The interview, part II

MD/PhD admissions medical school admissions

In this post, we’ll break down the 4 common types of interviews you might experience during the medical school admissions process. As an application consultant, I can tell you that it’s extremely important to be thoroughly prepared for medical school interviews so you feel confident and capable going in. 

The Traditional Interview:

- Runs 45-60 minutes

- Generally with one faculty member, MD student at the school, or alum of the school.

- You should be able to demonstrate knowledge of current issues in medicine.

- Questions may run the gamut of traditional, creative, ethical, and sensitive:

  • Why should we accept you?
  • Which section of the newspaper do you read first?
  • Are there circumstances under which you would think it acceptable for your terminally ill grandmother to end her life?
  • Is this your first choice school? (Don’t lie if it isn’t, but answer in a positive manner).
  • Be prepared for the typical final question: “Is there anything else you want me to know?”

Multiple Mini Interview (MMI):

Many medical schools now emphasize team-based learning and practice; this type of interview is found to help predict interpersonal, social, and cultural competencies. At least 12 schools use this format, including Stanford, Duke, UCLA, UC Davis, SUNY Upstate, University of Arizona, Virginia Tech Carilion.

- Generally runs about 2 hours long.

- 6-10 station stations, 8 minutes at each station, and a 2 minute break between each one.

- A single rater will be at each station, who will observe you, or with whom you will interact.

- You are scored based on how you answer the question, not on scientific knowledge:

- Communication skills

- Strength of arguments displayed

- Consideration of more than one perspective

- Expression of balance and sympathy for more than one position

Group Interviews:

Fairly common for osteopathic medical school interviews, and but a few allopathic schools conduct these as well.

- Generally, a few candidates are interviewed together for ~1.5 hours.

- Panel interview is interactive, and sometimes include a collaborative group activity.

- Candidates are evaluated on maturity, professionalism, and empathy (as in traditional interviews). The group format also allows for evaluation of cooperativeness and attention to others.

- Speak up, but don’t try to dominate the discussion or undercut points made by fellow applicants. 

Post-interview Follow-up:

- Be sure to send a note to your student host and your interviewer(s) thanking them for their time.

- Convey your enthusiasm about the school, without recapping your personal statement for them.

- Proofread! Don’t write the wrong school name, or misspell someone’s name.

- The note may or may not become part of your file, but will strengthen your interviewer’s impression of you.

- Send notes as soon as possible. 

Comments

topicTopics
academics study skills MCAT medical school admissions SAT expository writing college admissions English MD/PhD admissions strategy writing LSAT GMAT GRE physics chemistry math biology graduate admissions academic advice ACT interview prep law school admissions test anxiety language learning premed MBA admissions career advice personal statements homework help AP exams creative writing MD study schedules test prep computer science Common Application summer activities history mathematics philosophy organic chemistry secondary applications economics supplements research 1L PSAT admissions coaching grammar law psychology statistics & probability legal studies ESL CARS SSAT covid-19 dental admissions logic games reading comprehension engineering USMLE calculus PhD admissions Spanish mentorship parents Latin biochemistry case coaching verbal reasoning DAT English literature STEM excel medical school political science skills AMCAS French Linguistics MBA coursework Tutoring Approaches academic integrity chinese letters of recommendation Anki DO Social Advocacy admissions advice algebra art history artificial intelligence astrophysics business cell biology classics diversity statement gap year genetics geometry kinematics linear algebra mechanical engineering mental health presentations quantitative reasoning study abroad technical interviews time management work and activities 2L DMD IB exams ISEE MD/PhD programs Sentence Correction adjusting to college algorithms amino acids analysis essay athletics business skills careers cold emails data science dental school finance first generation student functions graphing information sessions international students internships logic networking poetry resume revising science social sciences software engineering tech industry trigonometry writer's block 3L AAMC Academic Interest EMT FlexMed Fourier Series Greek Health Professional Shortage Area Italian Lagrange multipliers London MD vs PhD MMI Montessori National Health Service Corps Pythagorean Theorem Python Shakespeare Step 2 TMDSAS Taylor Series Truss Analysis Zoom acids and bases active learning architecture argumentative writing art art and design schools art portfolios bacteriology bibliographies biomedicine brain teaser campus visits cantonese capacitors capital markets central limit theorem centrifugal force chemical engineering chess chromatography class participation climate change clinical experience community service constitutional law consulting cover letters curriculum dementia demonstrated interest dimensional analysis distance learning econometrics electric engineering electricity and magnetism escape velocity evolution executive function freewriting genomics harmonics health policy history of medicine history of science hybrid vehicles hydrophobic effect ideal gas law immunology induction infinite institutional actions integrated reasoning intermolecular forces intern investing investment banking lab reports linear maps mandarin chinese matrices mba medical physics meiosis microeconomics mitosis mnemonics music music theory nervous system neurology neuroscience object-oriented programming office hours operating systems