Medical School Interviews

It’s interview season! MD and MD/PhD interviews begin in August and can run until February. Below are some tips we think are crucial for a successful interview.

First impressions are very important! Make sure you come to the interview well dressed, well groomed, and on time. 

Look up some practice questions online. Two of the main questions you should be prepared for are: Tell me about yourself? and Why do you want to do medicine? Another helpful aspect is to contact your pre-professional advising offices from undergraduate. Some will conduct mock interviews where you can dress the part and create a more real life scenario. Practice makes perfect.

Someone is always watching. So be polite, watch your manners, stay humble, and be excited to be there! Ask questions and interact with other people and look engaged. Have a list of questions that you would like to ask faculty and/or students. Every time they ask you if you have any questions you SHOULD have a question- this shows that you are interested!

Know the facts! Make sure you are familiar with the person that is interviewing you (whether is be a medical or research interview) and that you know some basic facts about the school you are interviewing at. This will show that you are interested in the school and are aware of the unique features of the school/faculty.

If you are doing an MD/PhD the interview is a bit different. It is usually two days instead of one. You still meet with medical faculty but also meet with research faculty you are interested in so it is important that you learn to summarize your research in 2-3 sentences so you can be concise in your explanation. Know why you did an experiment, the results and the big picture/ultimate goal of your project.

Our last tip is to stay calm and have fun. The more interviews you go on the better you will get at them! Good luck!