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The medical school interview is one of the most crucial steps in the application process. It is a chance for you to showcase your personality, communication skills, and passion for medicine to the admissions committee. However, the prospect of being interviewed can be daunting, especially if you are unsure about what to expect.
That’s why we have created this essential guide to medical school interviewing, where we will walk you through everything you need to know to prepare for your interviews with confidence. From common interview questions to effective preparation strategies, we’ve got you covered. So, let’s get started on your journey to acing your medical school interviews.
Pre-interview
Memorize your Resume/CV
So much attention is focused on getting to the interview, but many students forget the details of their past internships, research experiences, and jobs. This is entirely normal, especially if it has been years since you’ve engaged in those extracurriculars. However, it is vital to revisit your resume/CV during the medical school interview process, as you will likely be asked about what you did. There’s nothing more embarrassing than not knowing YOUR resume in and out.
Make a Prep Sheet
A day or two before your interview, you want to dedicate some time to research the school more in-depth. Take note of which aspects of the curriculum you like (i.e., what classes you’re interested in taking) and what distinguishes that program from the hundreds of others. The good news is that most of this information may have already been included in your secondary application. Use your research knowledge to guide you as you write questions that you plan to ask your interviewers or even for the larger group session. For example, you might like the Social Justice elective at X school, so you may want to ask your interviewer to tell you more about that. This automatically shows your interviewer that you take that school seriously.
Practice Responses
A day or two before your interview, you want to dedicate some time to research the school more in-depth. Take note of which aspects of the curriculum you like (i.e., what classes you’re interested in taking) and what distinguishes that program from the hundreds of others. The good news is that most of this information may have already been included in your secondary application. Use your research knowledge to guide you as you write questions that you plan to ask your interviewers or even for the larger group session. For example, you might like the Social Justice elective at X school, so you may want to ask your interviewer to tell you more about that. This automatically shows your interviewer that you take that school seriously.
- What strengths and limitations (personal and academic) do you bring to your medical education? How have you tried to overcome your limitations?
- What problems have you had in communicating with others, and how have you addressed these problems? What experiences have you had which have provided experience in communication? Describe.
- What do you personally hope to get out of a career in medicine? What are your criteria for a fulfilling career?
As much as possible, you want to tie every question response to why you chose to become a doctor and precisely how that school will help you. Additionally, when asked about personal characteristics, try to use specific experiences, and let your actions demonstrate the quality versus just stating them. It demonstrates additional maturity as you’re able to communicate and articulate your thoughts.
If you REALLY want to stand out, take the time to research your interviewer – where did they train, what’s their specialty, what are their research interests? Bring this up during the interview for brownie points.
Prepare Questions to Ask
There are many opportunities to ask questions during your interview day. The first is during the larger group session. This is when you’ll hear general information about the school and be able to ask more logistical or big-picture questions, such as:
- Is the program pass/fail?
- What are some USMLE resources that the school provides for students?
You also want to write questions for your interviewers. You’ll most likely have two interviewers; one attending and one student. For the attending interviewer, it’s great to ask about their journey in medicine. For the student interviewer, you want to ask about the school’s culture, their student experience, and the pros/cons of school.
Any remaining questions that didn’t get asked can be emailed to your interviewers afterward in your thank-you email. This also helps to keep communication open and make sure they don’t forget you!
Interview day
| Do | Don't |
|---|---|
| Have a quiet environment with good lighting | Have a loud, unclean, or distracting background |
| Be confident & pace yourself | Talk too fast |
| Dress professionally head to toe | Only wear a professional top and pajama pants |
| Smile and keep the camera on during all sessions | Turn off the camera when you’re not talking in a large group |
| Login at least 15 minutes early | Show up right at the start time |
| Talk to other applicants in the general session | Reserve all questions for the 1:1 interview |
| Thank the interviewers at the end | Look at your notes via zoom (it’s noticeable) |
Pro Tip:
Buy a ring light to ensure that your face and frame are well-lit.
View Ring Lights on Amazon
Post-interview
After your interview, make sure that you send a thank you email. But don’t make the mistake of just sending the same generic email template to all the interviewers; make it personal. What I recommend is right after your interview, take 5 minutes to “brain dump” how the interview went. Note what you liked about the interviewer and how they made you feel. Also, remember what the focus of the conversation was and make sure to reel in the message that you really want to go to their school.
While you’re waiting on a decision, you can also send updates on research, grades, jobs, etc., that you think the admissions committee would like to know. You may even want to consider writing a letter of intent to your top choice school.
Lastly, but most importantly, reflect on the experience and if you like the school. The choice of where you train is ultimately yours, and you want to make sure you feel like you’ll mesh well with the current students, attendings, and even the other applicants on interview day.
Key Takeaways
- Memorize your Resume/CV
- Create a Research Prep Sheet
- Practice Responses
- Write Questions to Ask
- The Do’s and Don’ts of Interview Day
- Thank you email + Updates
Need additional guidance on interviews?
As a sitting member of her medical school’s admission committee, Madison offers 1:1 mock interviewing to students and assigns them a score based on an actual grading rubric used by most medical schools. Check out her tutoring/mentorship inquiry form on her IG and/or DM her on TikTok! Her Links are all also listed here.
Madison is a second-year medical student at The University of Maryland. She earned her Bachelor’s in Science in Biomedical Engineering and a minor in Global Health. After college, she took a gap year working as a Health and Life Sciences consultant. Madison received over 15 interview invitations during her 2020 cycle and has helped countless other students do the same. She is passionate about mentorship and spreading awareness about untraditional backgrounds in medicine.
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