When it comes to your medical school interview, preparation is the best antidote to anxiety. But there are better ways to prepare than just churning through sample questions. Over the next six days, our new series will walk you through everything you need to know to prepare for the traditional medical school interview. Check back daily as we discuss the six question types you can expect and provide response structures, sample answers, and practice questions.
Situation, Action, Result Responses
Using stories to make your point engages your interviewer, brings your personality and background to life, and makes your responses more memorable. Almost every answer you give should include a story about one of your experiences or something you've learned, even if the question doesn't outwardly demand a story. (For example, "Why medicine?")
However, there are some questions that you MUST answer with a story. These are "SAR responses" because you'll describe the situation (20% of the response), the action you took, and the result (collectively, 80% of the response). SAR questions are easily identified as they typically lead with prompts such as “Tell me about a time when…” However, questions such as “Tell me about your biggest failure/mistake/weakness.” also fall into the SAR category. Some SAR prompts will be familiar because many schools use them as Secondary questions. Go right ahead and reuse any applicable application responses. Those were your experiences and your takeaways, after all.
Here's an example of a strong answer:
“Tell me about a time you worked effectively under pressure.”
“In my one year working as a certified EMT, I’ve learned a lot about staying calm and working effectively under pressure. However, one of my most memorable experiences occurred prior to my certification and played a key role in my decision to pursue the EMT certification.
I was home from college during a break, when I agreed to babysit for a neighbor. I love children and am an experienced sitter. This particular child, Henry, was only about a year and a half old. And, on this particular night, I was tasked with feeding Henry the dinner his family had already prepared for him. After I did so, he began to show signs of an allergic reaction. Because I routinely babysat, I was aware of the signs to look out for although I had never before experienced an allergic reaction first-hand. Henry had not been previously diagnosed with food allergies so he did not have a prescription epi-pen.
I watched him carefully as a few hives appeared around his mouth. I then cleaned his face and hands to remove any trace of a potential allergen and called his mother for instructions. She informed me that she was unaware of any existing food allergies but let me know where the anti-inflammatory medicine was stored. I dosed him appropriately, but noticed that the hives were continuing to spread and that his lips had started to swell. Noting that it was a multi-system reaction, I called 911, grabbed his packed diaper bag, and instructed his mother to meet us at the hospital via text. I’ll never forget holding Henry in my arms and watching his body turn on him, while in the background children’s songs continued to play. It was surreal. Upon arrival, the EMTs dosed Henry with epinephrine immediately, which paused the anaphylactic reaction and we went on safely to the hospital where his mother met us and he remained for observation.
I received feedback from the physicians that I had followed the correct course of action and that Henry would be fine. My calm under pressure had ensured that he received the care he needed in time for it to be effective.
That experience, my first with allergic reactions and my first with a medical emergency, gave me increased confidence in my own ability to remain calm under pressure. But it also led me to the realization that I wanted to be able to assist people in emergency situations. Beyond just staying calm and calling the experts, I want to be the expert—the one to relieve the hives and swelling, the one to save Henry or others in situations like him. So, one year later, as my schedule permitted, I sought EMT certification.
As a certified EMT, I have now garnered a number of experiences with medical emergencies. And I rely on the same qualities that I used that day with Henry—an ability to stay calm, think clearly, communicate, and act accordingly. I know they will serve me well as I pursue medical school and a career as a physician.”
Practice responses to prompts like these:
Describe a failure and what you learned from it.
Tell me about a time when you challenged the group consensus.
Tell me about a time when you took on a leadership role.
Tell me about an experience when you've learned from people different from yourself.
Tell me about an ethical dilemma and what you decided to do.
Tell me about a time when you came up with an imaginative solution to a problem.
Related:
What to Expect in Your Traditional Medical School Interview: Lead with a Confident Introduction