Getting admission to medical school is not easy. As much as your overall grade matters, passing the interview is significantly crucial. This is what will determine if you are getting in the medical school or not. So, do you know how to prepare for a medical school interview? Well, this article highlights some of the essential things that you need to consider.
Be Familiar with Medical Issues and Current News
This is one of the most important things to consider when preparing for an interview in medical school. It’s important to familiarize yourself with the latest medical technologies, research tools, medical policies, as well as bioethics. Besides that, it’s important to be up to date with the current events and how they may affect the healthcare sector. Overall, you need to have basic knowledge about the medical field and current issues.
Create Your Own List of Questions
It’s important to write down a list of questions that you expect. Although it is not possible to predict the type of questions you will be asked, having your own list of interview questions is important for self-examination. By the time you finish your whole preparation, you should be able to answer questions that relate to:
- Your academic background.
- Your interests and extracurricular activities.
- Current medical problems.
- Why you are interested in becoming a medical student.
Note: you can also prepare a few questions for the interviewers. However, avoid asking direct questions about the advantages and disadvantages of going to medical school. Simply be creative. Some of the questions that you can ask include:
- Why did you choose this medical school?
- What are your thoughts on current medical issues?
- What would you advice someone who wants to join a medical school?
Carry Out a Mock Interview
You are now conversant with the basic aspects of the medical field. Besides that, your knowledge base is up to date. So, the next thing to do as you prepare is to carry out a mock interview.
But how do you do this? Well, ask your close friends, supervisors, colleagues, or even a doctor. It should appear as real as possible. To reduce the possibility of anxiety, do the mock interview at least two times with different people. A mock interview helps to ensure that you are comfortable, confident, and well-prepared.
Research about the Format of the Interview
Each medical school has a specific interview format. You don’t want to be caught unaware on the interview day. There are various interview formations in addition to school-specific variations. To ensure that you answer questions with relevance, learn about each school. This will help you to specifically tailor all your answers and make them appropriate and relatable to each school. You can learn more about this by going to that school’s official website or by talking to the current medical students.
Get a Decent Outfit
The tone of all interviews is usually set within the first few minutes. And remember that first impressions are certainly important. Dress appropriately by choosing a decent outfit to wear in advance. If you are a man, get a good fitting suit. Although women don’t have to wear suits, they still need to dress in a professional manner. If you are not dressed decently, the interviewers will not take you seriously.
Arrange the Necessary Logistics
It’s important to get enough rest before your interview. You need to be emotionally calm and mentally relaxed. Additionally, go to bed early the day before the interview so that you are not fatigued physically.
On the day of the interview, wake up early so that you arrive before time. This will give you a comfortable space to adjust mentally and physically. Note that arriving late for an interview is a sign non-commitment.
It’s important to understand the key factors on how to effectively prepare yourself for a medical school interview. This is because the medical field is one of the most demanding. So, the interview is likely to be very intense. Interviewers will ask you challenging questions to determine how you handle stress. They will make you feel uncomfortable deliberately. However, be confident and relaxed. Take your time when you are subjected to complex and controversial topics.
Need more help in preparing for your med school interview? You can reach out to AcceptMed’s medical admission consultants and ask for their help.
