{"id":304,"date":"2017-11-29T17:00:49","date_gmt":"2017-11-29T17:00:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/emu.edu\/now\/ma-biomedicine\/?p=304"},"modified":"2017-11-29T17:00:49","modified_gmt":"2017-11-29T17:00:49","slug":"the-medical-school-interview-experience","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/emu.edu\/now\/ma-biomedicine\/2017\/11\/29\/the-medical-school-interview-experience\/","title":{"rendered":"The Medical School Interview Experience"},"content":{"rendered":"

By Jessica Simms Morris ’16
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Ahhh, it\u2019s that time of the year\u2026 medical school applications are in \u2013 you\u2019re exhausted, and you\u2019re completely broke.\u00a0 And now, the waiting game begins (let\u2019s be honest, it\u2019s excruciatingly nerve-wracking).<\/p>\n

One of the most rewarding things about applying to medical school is receiving an interview.\u00a0 YOU were chosen.\u00a0 Out of thousands of applicants, YOU are given this opportunity because someone in admissions likes YOU on paper.\u00a0 This is what you have been waiting for \u2026.a chance to shine and to let the school know why they should choose YOU.\u00a0 It\u2019s time to ask yourself \u2013 what makes YOU so special?<\/p>\n

I am writing this blog to describe my personal experience with the medical school interview, and hopefully put your mind at ease when you receive yours!<\/p>\n

The Application<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n

I submitted my application to AACOMAS in July and received secondary applications from all programs but one.\u00a0 In late July, I was offered an interview at Liberty University College of Osteopathic Medicine (LUCOM) on September 29, 2017.<\/p>\n

Advice:<\/u><\/strong>\u00a0 Apply early!!!<\/p>\n

Preparing For The Interview<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n

I\u2019ve been offered an interview \u2013 now what? It\u2019s time to prepare!!! Although I had about seven weeks to prepare, I knew I needed to begin immediately.\u00a0 The first thing I focused on was an outfit.\u00a0 I wanted to find something business professional; however, I also knew comfort was important because nothing is worse than being uncomfortable while your nerves are already racing.\u00a0 I ended up deciding on a charcoal gray suit, a nice blouse, and close-toed shoes with a mild heel \u2013 appealing to the eye, yet not distracting.\u00a0 For me, this was most comfortable, but it varies from person to person.<\/p>\n

Next, I reviewed my application and highlighted my strengths and weaknesses.\u00a0 I did this to prepare supportive, detailed explanations for questions directly related to my application including, but not limited to, academics, research experience, volunteer experience, and healthcare experience. \u00a0Furthermore, I thought long and hard about my goals and why I am passionate about medicine.\u00a0 I knew I would be asked a few arduous questions involving medical ethics, so I made sure I knew my stances on various ethical dilemmas.\u00a0 This way, no matter what the question, I could show my thought process on how I arrived at my conclusions.<\/p>\n

Advice:<\/u><\/strong>\u00a0 Spend time looking for the perfect outfit for you! Be both comfortable and appealing.\u00a0 You don\u2019t need to stick to just black, white, and grey; however, choose colors wisely.\u00a0 Bright, exotic colors can come off as distracting to an interviewer.\u00a0 Also, it is a good idea to have a backup outfit in case anything happens to the first.\u00a0 Prepare for the unexpected!<\/p>\n

Know your application inside and out.\u00a0 Be able to provide support for anything you listed\/wrote in your application.\u00a0 A big mistake applicants can make is saying something in their application that they can\u2019t support.\u00a0 For example, if you state you want to serve the underserved, be sure you can say why and provide evidence supporting that statement!\u00a0 Never fabricate anything just to make yourself come across as a better applicant \u2013 this is a HUGE no-no, and the interviewer will be able to recognize it!<\/p>\n

You can\u2019t prepare a well thought out answer for every possible question, but there are a few you should definitely have an answer for such as, \u201cWhy do you want to be a doctor?\u201d\u00a0 You know why you want to be a doctor, but sometimes this isn\u2019t always easy to convey to an interviewer.\u00a0 Practice this one \u2013 it\u2019s important. \u00a0As for ethical questions, know where you stand on certain issues like euthanasia, abortion, and stem cell therapy.\u00a0 If you are strongly for or against a particular issue, be sure to indicate the pros and cons and why you feel the way you do.\u00a0 It is crucial to hold your ground; however, show that you understand the pros and cons because this demonstrates your critical thinking abilities and open-mindedness.\u00a0 If you are against a particular issue, say abortion, for instance, be sure to indicate you would ensure proper transfer of care for your patient.\u00a0 Even if you will not perform an abortion, you are still an advocate for your patient and are responsible for finding someone who is willing to attend to their specific needs.<\/p>\n

The Night Before The Interview<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n

My husband and I drove to Lynchburg the night before my interview and stayed at a hotel.\u00a0 Lynchburg is about 1.5 hours away from Harrisonburg where we live \u2013 so not very far, but far enough!\u00a0 We stayed at a Fairfield Inn and Suites, which was less than half a mile from LUCOM.\u00a0 This way, if the car wouldn\u2019t start (you never know), I could easily walk!\u00a0 I planned to fall asleep by 9 pm and wake up at 6 am.\u00a0 HA \u2013 right.\u00a0 I didn\u2019t fall asleep until about 11:45 pm and I was wide awake by 4:15 am \u2013 I couldn\u2019t help it, the nerves were officially kicking in.<\/p>\n

Advice:<\/u><\/strong> So, I\u2019ll sound like a hypocrite, but do your best to get at least 7-8 hours of sleep the night before your interview.\u00a0 It does the body good.\u00a0 Try your absolute best to relax.\u00a0 Don\u2019t try to review things the night before; it will only make you more nervous (based on personal experience \u2013 I wish I would have just taken a hot shower and read a book before falling asleep).<\/p>\n

Interview Day<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n

My interview day was scheduled to start at 8 am.\u00a0 I woke up at 4:15 am and was ready by 6 am (this is typical for me…its better to be TOO prepared than being rushed and late, right?). I ate a light, but substantial breakfast \u2013 a slice of peanut butter toast and a banana.\u00a0 As much as I love coffee, I avoided it since I was already nervous.<\/p>\n

I arrived 30 minutes early; however, I didn\u2019t go into the building until 7:50 am.\u00a0 It\u2019s good to be early, but not too early.\u00a0 The Assistant Director of Admissions was standing at the front door when I walked up to the building.\u00a0 After introducing myself, he escorted me over to the other interviewees while we waited for everyone to arrive (8 interviewees total). We introduced ourselves and conversation seemed easy. Before I knew it, my nerves slowly started to fade away.<\/p>\n

Once everyone arrived, we headed to a conference room where we were introduced to the Dean.\u00a0 This was surprising because I heard it is very rare to meet the Dean.\u00a0 Everyone took turns saying where they were from, where they graduated, and where their favorite vacation spot was.\u00a0 Following these brief introductions, the Dean talked about what interview day is really about.\u00a0 He mentioned that they already like what they\u2019ve seen on paper and just want to get to know us on a more personal level.\u00a0 I don\u2019t know about the other interviewees, but this put my mind at ease.\u00a0 After all, I feel like the hardest part of applying is getting past the numbers and statistics on your application.\u00a0 Showing someone who you are in person is the easy part!<\/p>\n

Now, it was time for the actual interviews.\u00a0 The interviews (individual) consisted of 30 minutes with a clinician and 30 minutes with a science professor. My first interviewer was a Family Medicine Physician (Eastern Mennonite College Alumnus\u2026woot woot!).\u00a0 He was absolutely fantastic.\u00a0 I didn\u2019t even feel like I was being interviewed, it felt more like a conversation.\u00a0 Some of the things we talked about were problems in the medical field today, my stance on euthanasia, and how I feel spirituality plays a role in medicine (all of which I felt extremely comfortable with).\u00a0 My second interviewer was also great (He is one of the Anatomy teachers, so our love for Anatomy was a great conversational tool!).\u00a0 Some of the things we discussed were the strengths and weaknesses of my application, what I do for fun, and where I see myself in 10 years.\u00a0 He also provided me with an ethical dilemma and asked me how I would respond.<\/p>\n

The rest of the interview day, we had lunch with several another faculty, went on a student-led tour, and discussed financial aid.\u00a0 Students were available to answer any questions we had (In fact, the students were extremely welcoming.\u00a0 Some even cheered us on when they were passing us in the hallway). I was completely in love with the school, and I felt like it was the perfect fit for me.<\/p>\n

Advice:<\/u><\/strong> Wake up early enough, so you don\u2019t feel rushed.\u00a0 Eat a light, healthy breakfast.\u00a0 You don\u2019t want to eat something heavy, yet you want to eat something that will sustain you and provide you with energy.\u00a0 If you are nervous, avoid caffeine (unless you\u2019re a zombie without it \u2013 you don\u2019t want to scare anyone).<\/p>\n

Arrive at least 10-15 minutes before your interview.<\/p>\n

BE PERSONABLE! Get to know the people who are also interviewing that day.\u00a0 They\u2019re nervous too, believe me! Also, get to know the faculty and staff that took the time out of their busy schedules to get to know you!<\/p>\n

As far as the interviews go, be yourself.\u00a0 Pay attention to your posture and body language and make the interviewer feel that you want to be there.\u00a0 Be confident (you wouldn\u2019t be there if they didn\u2019t like you \u2013 always remember that).\u00a0 If you have prepared adequately, you will come across prepared.<\/p>\n

As I already mentioned, during my second interview, I was given a hypothetical situation in which I had to respond.\u00a0 The interviewer stated, \u201cSuppose you are a resident.\u00a0 This is your last year.\u00a0 Everything has been going extremely well for you, and you are exploring your future job opportunities.\u00a0 One night, during your shift, everything seems quiet and calm.\u00a0 All of a sudden, you hear over the intercom that there has been a mass casualty and that the E.R. is expecting many new patients.\u00a0 Your attending puts you in charge of the patients on your floor and grabs everyone else to head down to the E.R. to help.\u00a0 Everything seems quiet until suddenly you notice one of your patient\u2019s vitals starting to change.\u00a0 You go in to check on her, and her vitals are now extremely unstable.\u00a0 You are aware of her life-threatening condition, and you know a medication that could make her better; however, as a resident, you are not allowed to push the medication without approval from your attending.\u00a0 You rush outside of the room.\u00a0 No one is there.\u00a0 You call down to the E.R., and no one picks up.\u00a0 What do you do?\u201d<\/p>\n

Phew, this one was difficult and required some thought, but ultimately, my answer came to this, \u201cOf course I would want to push the medication in hopes of saving my patient\u2019s life; however, legally and ethically, I would NOT push the medication.\u00a0 I would do my best to get ahold of my attending and to get some help, but in the meantime, I would take care of the patient in any way I could that was within my scope of practice.\u201d<\/p>\n

You may come across some questions that seem difficult, but there is nothing wrong with taking a second to think about it.\u00a0 That\u2019s what they want you to do!\u00a0 Remember when answering these questions, always take into consideration what is\/isn\u2019t legal.\u00a0 If your answer to the above scenario is to push the medication, you have most likely taken yourself out of consideration.\u00a0 Getting through medical school takes a lot of time and effort, not just from you but also from those who train you.\u00a0 They don\u2019t want to waste time on someone who is going to break the law and get their license revoked after all of that hard work.<\/p>\n

A Few Additional Tips<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n