ARE YOU WONDERING WHAT KIND OF MEDICAL SCHOOL INTERVIEW QUESTIONS MIGHT BE THROWN YOUR WAY
BY AN ADMISSIONS COMMITTEE? YOU’VE COME TO THE RIGHT PLACE… BECAUSE I’LL OFFER
INSIGHTS FOR SUCCESSFULLY ANSWERING SOME OF THE MOST COMMON PERSONAL AND QUIRKY MEDICAL
SCHOOL INTERVIEW QUESTIONS ENCOUNTERED DURING THE MEDICAL SCHOOL INTERVIEW... THESE TYPES
OF QUESTIONS CAN APPEAR DURING PANEL OR TRADITIONAL TYPE INTERVIEWS, MODIFIED PERSONAL INTERVIEWS
(M-P-I) AND EVEN MULTIPLE MINI INTERVIEWS (M-M-I). KEEP WATCHING TO FIND OUT MORE!
HI! MY NAME IS NATALIE STOBERMAN AND I’M AN ADMISSIONS ASSOCIATE HERE AT BEMO. BEFORE
WE GET STARTED, SUBSCRIBE ON WHATEVER SOCIAL MEDIA CHANNEL YOU’RE WATCHING THIS FROM
NOW, SO YOU DON’T MISS ANY OF OUR UPCOMING VIDEOS. IF YOU WOULD LIKE US TO HELP YOU WITH
YOUR MEDICAL SCHOOL APPLICATIONS, VISIT BEMOMEDAPPLICATION.COM TO SCHEDULE YOUR FREE INITIAL CONSULTATION.
AND F-Y-I… CHECK OUT THE TIME STAMPS IN THE DESCRIPTION OF THIS VIDEO TO NAVIGATE
TO SPECIFIC SECTIONS THAT YOU ARE INTERESTED IN…. HERE’S WHAT WE ARE GOING TO COVER:
“WHY SHOULD WE CHOOSE YOU OVER OTHER APPLICANTS?” "HAVE YOU APPLIED TO OTHER SCHOOLS? WHICH
ONES? WHY THOSE SCHOOLS?" “TEACH ME SOMETHING THAT MOST PEOPLE DO
NOT KNOW HOW TO DO." “IF YOU COULD BE ANY UTENSIL IN THE KITCHEN,
WHAT WOULD YOU BE AND WHY?" HOW TO PREPARE FOR YOUR MEDICAL SCHOOL INTERVIEW
BY THE WAY WE'RE GIVING AWAY $50 AMAZON GIFT CARDS EVERY WEEK TO THE BEST COMMENTS AND
QUESTIONS… SO COMMENT BELOW FOR A CHANCE TO WIN! WE KNOW EXACTLY WHAT WILL HELP YOU
ACE YOUR INTERVIEW… AND I'LL EXPLAIN MORE ON THAT CLOSER TO THE END OF THE VIDEO, SO
KEEP WATCHING TO FIND OUT… WITH THAT SAID, LET’S GET STARTED!
“WHY SHOULD WE CHOOSE YOU OVER OTHER APPLICANTS?” RESIST THE URGE TO HUMBLEBRAG HERE. IT CAN
BE TEMPTING TO TALK YOURSELF UP, BUT THERE IS A RIGHT WAY AND A WRONG WAY TO DO SO. SPEAKING
IN SUPERLATIVES AND EXAGGERATED LANGUAGE MAY INFLATE YOUR EGO, BUT THIS WILL DEFINITELY
DEFLATE THE INTERVIEWER'S OPINION OF YOU. YOU NEED TO FIND THE APPROPRIATE BALANCE WHEN
ANSWERING THIS QUESTION. REMEMBER, EVERYONE WHO HAS GOTTEN TO THIS STAGE – INCLUDING
YOU – IS ACCOMPLISHED AND WORTHY, AND IT’S NOT NECESSARILY A “WINNER-TAKES-ALL” SITUATION…
BEFORE THE INTERVIEW DAY, COME UP WITH A LIST OF QUALITIES YOU LIKE ABOUT YOURSELF... PICK
ONES THAT ARE EASY TO REMEMBER AND THAT CAN RELATE TO MEDICINE. THEY DO NOT NEED TO BE
MEDIAL PER SE, BUT SHOULD BE ABLE TO TIE INTO THE THEME OF A MEDICAL DOCTOR... PERHAPS YOU
ARE AN EXCELLENT COMMUNICATOR AND BELIEVE THAT COMMUNICATION IS KEY TO DIALOGUE BETWEEN
PATIENT AND PHYSICIAN... WHATEVER YOU CHOOSE, KEEP IT SHORT AND SWEET... THE POINT OF HAVING
THIS QUICK LIST OF TRAITS IS TO BE ABLE TO EASILY RECALL THEM AND USE THEM TO EXPLAIN
WHY THEY SHOULD PICK YOU. WHEN TALKING ABOUT THE TRAITS THAT YOU HAVE
PICKED THAT SET YOU APART… BE CAREFUL TO NOT PUT DOWN OTHER APPLICANTS... SAYING SOMETHING
LIKE, “I EXCEED ALL MEDICAL SCHOOL GPA REQUIREMENTS AND I HAVE THE HIGHEST MCAT SCORE AT MY SCHOOL,”
WILL COME OFF AS BOISTEROUS AND BRAGGING... TALK YOURSELF UP WITHOUT PUTTING ANYONE ELSE
DOWN. THAT’S THE KEY TO THIS QUESTION AND IT CAN BE DIFFICULT FOR STUDENTS. HIGHLIGHT
THE THINGS YOU WANT THE ADMISSIONS COMMITTEE TO KNOW ABOUT YOU. MAKE THEM GENUINE AND,
IF YOU DO THAT, YOU WILL STAND OUT FROM THE OTHER APPLICANTS.
RECAP: CREATE A LIST OF TRAITS.
EXPLAIN WHY THEY SET YOU APART WITHOUT PUTTING OTHERS DOWN IN THE PROCESS.
"HAVE YOU APPLIED TO OTHER SCHOOLS? WHICH ONES? WHY THOSE SCHOOLS?"
BREAKING NEWS: THEY KNOW YOU’VE APPLIED TO OTHER SCHOOLS! WHAT THEY’RE ASKING WITH
THIS QUESTION IS WHETHER OR NOT YOU HAVE AN IDEA FOR THE KIND OF TRAINING YOU KNOW WILL
BENEFIT YOUR LEARNING STYLE AND BEST PREPARE YOU FOR YOUR CAREER. IF YOU HAVE ONLY SELECTED
SCHOOLS THAT RELY ON PROBLEM-BASED LEARNING AND SOCIAL JUSTICE, SAY THIS. IF YOU HAVE
ONLY SELECTED SCHOOLS WITH STRONG MD-PHD PROGRAMS IN NEUROSCIENCE, SAY THAT. IF YOU ARE ONLY
APPLYING TO IVY LEAGUE MEDICAL SCHOOLS, YOU CAN MENTION THAT IN YOUR INTERVIEW SO THAT
IT COMES ACROSS AS CONFIDENT, PLANNED, AND STRUCTURED...
IF YOU HAVE JUST APPLIED EVERYWHERE, THAT’S OKAY, TOO... YOU CAN SAY THAT YOU HAVE APPLIED
WIDELY BECAUSE YOU STILL HAVE A LOT OF UNANSWERED QUESTIONS ABOUT THE EXACT LOOK AND FEEL OF
YOUR CAREER IN MEDICINE... ALSO, EMPHASIZE THAT YOU KNOW YOU’RE ADAPTABLE, SO YOU FEEL
CONFIDENT THAT YOU COULD HIT THE GROUND RUNNING WHEREVER YOU GO…
THAT SAID, DON’T BE OVERLY COMPLIMENTARY TOWARDS OTHER SCHOOLS... IF THERE ARE SPECIFIC
ASPECTS OF THIS SCHOOL’S PROGRAM, CURRICULUM, OR OTHER OPPORTUNITIES THAT ARE PARTICULARLY
ATTRACTIVE, BE CLEAR ABOUT THIS… SO, LET’S RECAP:
ANSWER HONESTLY. DESCRIBE YOUR STRATEGY, OR NOTE THAT YOU HAVE
PURPOSEFULLY CAST A WIDE NET. SHOW HOW YOUR PLAN CONNECTS TO YOUR A) VISION
OR B) ADAPTABILITY. AND KEEP THIS ANSWER BRIEF AND TIDY…
“TEACH ME SOMETHING THAT MOST PEOPLE DO NOT KNOW HOW TO DO."
THEY’RE ASKING YOU TO BE A REAL HUMAN AND NOT AN INTERVIEW-BOT. RELAX AND HAVE FUN,
BUT BE APPROPRIATE. GOOD OPTIONS FOR THIS QUESTION INCLUDE:
TEACHING THEM HOW TO SAY HELLO IN ANOTHER LANGUAGE.
TEACHING THEM HOW TO SING SOMETHING. TEACHING THEM HOW TO MULTIPLY LARGE NUMBERS
EASILY. TEACHING THEM HOW TO LINE DANCE.
AND TEACHING THEM THE MEANING OF AN APPROPRIATE GESTURE IN ANOTHER CULTURE.
THIS IS A MOMENT OF LIGHTNESS IN AN INTERVIEW THAT WILL FEEL HEAVY AND INTENSE... TAKE IT.
ROLL WITH IT. WHAT IS MOST IMPORTANT HERE IS THAT YOU PAY ATTENTION TO THE NEEDS OF
YOUR AUDIENCE AND GIVE CAREFUL INSTRUCTION WITH ATTENTION TO DETAIL. AS YOU DESCRIBE
AN ELEMENT, CHECK IN WITH YOUR INTERVIEWER TO ENSURE THEY UNDERSTAND. HOW YOU TEACH IS
AS IMPORTANT AS WHAT YOU TEACH IN RESPONDING TO THIS QUESTION.
RECAP: CHOOSE A MANAGEABLE, TEACHABLE SKILL.
EMBRACE THE FUN NATURE OF THE QUESTION. PAY ATTENTION TO DETAIL.
“IF YOU COULD BE ANY UTENSIL IN THE KITCHEN, WHAT WOULD YOU BE AND WHY?"
THIS IS ALSO A MOMENT OF A LIGHTHEARTED QUESTION... BUT IT ALSO PROVIDES AN OPPORTUNITY TO SHED
LIGHT ON YOUR CHARACTER IN A WAY THAT APPLIES TO MEDICINE. SAY SOMETHING THAT WILL HELP
THEM SEE YOU AS A DOCTOR… FOR EXAMPLE, WITH A SPOON, YOU CAN BREAK THINGS
APART, GATHER THINGS UP, AND EAT DIRECTLY, SO IT’S PROBABLY THE MOST ADAPTABLE... IF
YOU’RE REALLY INTO COOKING AND HEALTHY LIVING, YOU MIGHT CHOOSE SOMETHING LIKE TONGS BECAUSE
YOU’RE REALLY INTO CREATIVE SALADS... YOU COULD ALSO JUST SAY THAT YOUR FAVORITE UTENSIL
IN THE KITCHEN IS YOUR OWN HANDS BECAUSE THEY’RE THE MOST TACTILE, MOST EFFICIENT WAY OF GETTING
FROM A TO B, AND YOU DON’T MIND GETTING YOUR HANDS DIRTY…
QUESTIONS LIKE THIS ARE MEANT TO CATCH YOU OFF GUARD SO THE “REAL YOU” COMES OUT...
SO, BY ALL MEANS, LET THE “REAL YOU” OUT! BUT, AS ALWAYS, KNOW WHO YOU ARE… AT LEAST
WHO YOU ARE RIGHT NOW… BEFORE YOU KNOCK ON THAT DOOR BECAUSE THEY WILL ASK YOU A QUESTION
FOR WHICH YOU HAVE NOT PREPARED AN ANSWER AND THAT’S WHEN YOU’LL NEED TO RELY ON
YOUR GUT SENSE ABOUT YOURSELF... IN PRESENTING YOUR AUTHENTIC SELF, ENSURE YOU’RE OFFERING
YOUR “BEST SELF”... RECAP:
CHOOSE BASED ON CHARACTERISTICS YOU WANT TO HIGHLIGHT.
BE AUTHENTIC. PRESENT YOUR "BEST SELF".
HOW TO PREPARE FOR YOUR MEDICAL SCHOOL INTERVIEW JUST LIKE ANYTHING ELSE YOU HAVE TO PRACTICE
USING REALISTIC SIMULATIONS AND EXPERT FEEDBACK... FIRSTLY, YOU WILL NEED TO KNOW HOW TO PREPARE
FOR YOUR MED SCHOOL INTERVIEW. MANY STUDENTS EXPERIENCE ANXIETY BEFORE AN INTERVIEW, ESPECIALLY
IF IT’S A NEW AND UNKNOWN FORMAT... NOT KNOWING HOW YOU COME ACROSS ON A COMPUTER
SCREEN MAY ALSO BE A CONCERN, SINCE YOU WANT TO MAKE A GREAT FIRST IMPRESSION WITH YOUR
RECORDED INTERVIEW… ONLY MOCK INTERVIEWS WITH EXPERT FEEDBACK
CAN REDUCE OR ELIMINATE THESE ANXIETIES. REALISTIC MOCK INTERVIEWS WITH EXPERT, PERSONALIZED
FEEDBACK FROM A MEDICAL SCHOOL ADVISOR WILL HELP YOU WORK ON HOW YOU COME ACROSS AND GIVE
YOU INSIGHT INTO THE STRENGTH AND QUALITY OF YOUR RESPONSES... THIS FEEDBACK CAN HELP
IDENTIFY WEAKNESSES, HELP YOU STRUCTURE YOUR ANSWERS, AND MOST IMPORTANTLY… ALLOW YOU
TO ADOPT A STRATEGY TO ANSWER ANY TYPE OF QUESTION YOU MAY ENCOUNTER…
REMEMBER, IT'S NOT ABOUT MEMORIZING YOUR ANSWERS OR TRYING TO GUESS WHAT QUESTIONS YOU WILL
BE ASKED... IT'S ABOUT MASTERING A TECHNIQUE TO IDENTIFY AND ANSWER ANY TYPE OF QUESTION
THAT'S THROWN AT YOU AND TO DO IT CALMLY AND CONFIDENTLY... CONFIDENCE CAN'T BE TAUGHT,
BUT IT CAN BE DEVELOPED… AND IT CAN GROW WITH MEDICAL SCHOOL INTERVIEW PREPARATION…
THE MORE QUESTIONS YOU RUN THROUGH, THE MORE COMFORTABLE YOU WILL BECOME WITH ANSWERING
PERSONAL AND QUIRKY QUESTIONS… PRACTICING WITH THESE INTERVIEW QUESTIONS WILL ALSO ALLOW
YOU TO TIME YOURSELF AND WORK TOWARDS COMPOSING CONCISE AND CLEAR ANSWERS...
CHECK OUT OUR BLOG TO READ MORE “AMCAS WORK AND ACTIVITIES MOST MEANINGFUL EXAMPLES”...
I HAVE INCLUDED A LINK IN THE DESCRIPTION OF THIS VIDEO FOR EASY ACCESS... IF YOU WOULD
LIKE US TO HELP YOU WITH YOUR MEDICAL SCHOOL APPLICATIONS, CLICK ON THE LINK BELOW TO SCHEDULE
YOUR FREE INITIAL CONSULTATION... HOPEFULLY YOU ENJOYED THE VIDEO SO PLEASE SUBSCRIBE,
LIKE AND LEAVE A COMMENT… AND IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT MEDICAL SCHOOL INTERVIEW
QUESTIONS THAT I DIDN’T COVER IN THIS VIDEO, LET ME KNOW IN THE COMMENT SECTION AND I WILL
GET BACK TO YOU AS SOON AS POSSIBLE... DON’T FORGET THAT WE'RE GIVING AWAY $50 AMAZON GIFT
CARDS EVERY WEEK TO THE BEST COMMENTS AND QUESTIONS… SO COMMENT BELOW FOR A CHANCE
TO WIN! THANKS FOR WATCHING, SEE YOU NEXT TIME!