Medical School Interviews Are Scary...But Don't Need To Be

Most fear surrounding medical school interviews is one of two things. Either you are afraid of the unknown and don't know what will be asked and therefore you can't think of how you will answer. OR, students know they have certain things on their application that don't look as good and are afraid of what the interviewers will think of those things. STOP WORRYING, I'm going to show you how you can successfully stop worrying about both of those things and have the confidence to give a strong showing at your interview.

Medical School Interview Questions In Almost Every Interview

Every medical school interview has a few basic goals. They want to get to know you, they want to know your passions, fears, and plans. So in most interviews your will get questions similar to the following:
1. Why do you want to become a doctor?
2. Why a Doctor over other professions in or out of health care?
3. What do you want to accomplish while in medical school besides a degree?
4. What kind of medicine are you interested in? - This is not something you have to stick to but must be able to talk about it intelligently.
5. What is your greatest strength? What about weakness?
6. What would you do if you were not accepted to medical school? This is an important one because it can show a lack of interest in medicine OR it can show a foolish over dedication to medicine, you want to avoid both of those if possible.

The medical school interview is the chance that schools have to really get to know not only what you did in undergrad, but also WHY you did it. The motivation behind the choices you make may be just as important as the choices themselves to the medical school admissions committee.

While making an exhaustive list of medical school interview questions may be possible, I believe it to be detrimental to your preparation for an interview. The more you practice what you are going to say, the more your passion gets stripped from the answers. I've talked with many of the admissions committees throughout the country, and most of them prefer excitement over eloquence in the answers of the medical school interview. Keep that in mind as you prepare.

"What If You Have Major Weakness
In Your Application"

Alright, without fail I get this question from nearly everyone I talk to about getting into medical school. Here is the dirty secret. Everyone has something in their application that they view as "not adequate." Yes, even the Harvard applicant with a 4.0 and 40 MCAT sees weakness in his/her application. One of YOUR jobs is to figure out a way to make those weaknesses matter less to the schools you are applying to. Now, this sometimes is impossible. Let's say you were applying to a heavy research school with no research. Likely that weakness will not be ignored and you will not be accepted there. Therefore researching the medical school you are applying to and their "hot buttons" of things that they really seek in applicants, you can match your application with what they look for and dramatically increase your chances of acceptance. Second, and possibly more importantly, you need a way to explain your weaknesses. Why did you get that C? Why is your volunteer work lacking? etc. Make sure that you have answers to these questions before even entering the room. Your answer should contain the following formula:
1. Accept blame for your weak point on your application, it really WAS your fault after all.
2. Explain what characteristic you needed at the time that you didn't have.
3. Explain how you acquired that characteristic.
4. Explain how you use the lessons you learned in that period of growth.
5. Let them change the subject.

Let's take an example. If you got a C in organic chemistry, you might say something to the effect of...Yes, organic chemistry was my awakening (blame). I never had to work quite so hard at school as I did that semester (characteristic lacking). I remember that semester as I took organic and physics together I had to change from working a few hours a day to working 6 hours a day on school work. It was very difficult but I finally made the habit of getting all my work done on time (acquired). I know it helped because the next semester when I took physics second semester, organic second semester, and added to it biology, I got A's on all of those which was even more work (lesson).

See how as you say these things you turn a negative into a positive? Instead of them thinking that you make excuses for your mistakes, or that you are not smart enough for medical school, they think that you are a person that is willing to take responsibility for your actions and that you are a person who overcomes your shortcomings. Make sure you practice these things before you interview so you don't need to spend a lot of time thinking about them when you are asked.

Most Important Advice For Medical School Interviews?

RELAX!!!!! They need to get a sense for who you are. If you are too high strung that may reflect poorly on your application. MOST interviewers try and figure out at least one way to make you squirm. They will try and ask something that is critical, controversial, or maybe even rude in an attempt to rattle you. DON'T LET THEM. Stay relaxed, answer the best you can, and move on.

Many schools, once the interview is made, turn the decision for admittance or denial to the interviewer. This means that it is vitally important to make a good impression. Make sure that you do.

Was This Enough Information?

Many students want to go even deeper into medical school interviews. I actually recommend that you do. Once you make it to the interview, everything else is less important. Even numbers usually takes a back seat to the interview. That isn't to say other things don't play a role anymore, because they do, but the medical school interview becomes the standard by which all applicants are now judged. 90% of schools will take the recommendation from the interviewer as to whether or not they should accept you into their medical school. That is HUGE! Don't let that opportunity pass you by.

In or Out in the Medical School Interview

Imagine you mess up the interview and don't get in. Your first choice medical school is now out of reach. You may never get the chance again to impress this school like you had this day.

I can't imagine anything quite as sad as that. Getting into medical school and getting the medical school interview right is really THAT important. Don't leave it to non-expert advice and sub-par advising. It is time to employ an expert.

MSC Interview Help

MSC specializes in making sure your interview day goes as well as it possibly can. We take the fear out of the medical school interview and put you in the best possible position to get accepted. We do this in two ways:

First, we offer you a home study course. This course is everything that we do in coaching, but without the benefit of an actual MSC coach helping you along the way and making sure you prepare for the medical school interview correctly. It is all the information you need to prepare you strategy, research the school, remain in solid contact with the school, and prepare your answers in the best way you can to give you all the confidence you need come interview day. MSC will take care of you from the day you get invited to an interview right up until the day you get the good news acceptance letter.

The Medical School Interview Home Study Course

The medical school interview home study course will guide you step-by-step through the entire process. It will help you:

Medical School Confidant's Guarantee

I guarantee that this interview home course guide will help you to be ready for the medical school interview. I'm so sure that it will help you that, upon reading it, if you feel as though it wasn't any help to you I will refund your money 100% in full within 60 days of your purchase. No questions asked. If you like it, keep it and use it. If you don't, contact MSC for a prompt refund.

This guarantee is iron clad and I never break my word about it. However, it is extremely rare that anyone ever uses it. It is extremely important to MSC that you are extremely happy with everything purchased here.

MSC Comprehensive Person-to-Person Coaching

Lastly, we offer comprehensive interview coaching...you can read more about that at our medical school interview coaching page. This coaching is one of a kind. It offers everything you'd expect, from mock interviews to practice questions. But also offers you more. It offers you help with strategy, research, and helping you get to know the people at the school to which you are applying. By giving you truly comprehensive coaching you can enter the interview with all the confidence in the world, and back it up with a fantastic interview.

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