What to Expect in Your Traditional Medical School Interview: Final Thoughts

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.

Throughout this series, we’ve reviewed the key question types that you should expect to answer in your medical school interview. Now, some final thoughts:

• Know who you are presenting. The “you” at your interview should align with the one you presented in your primary and secondary application materials. Some of your interview questions will be like ones you answered in your application, so review your application to stay on message. We even recommend that you take a copy with you on interview day so that you can review it as you wait.

• Everything is on the table. All of the information you included in your application is fair game. The interviewer can ask about a hardship, emotional experience, or disciplinary action. Be prepared to address it calmly. During a Q&A, one dean shared that a prospective student cried during his interview. However sympathetic an interviewer may be, this lack of emotional regulation is not a good look. If there's a topic that could throw you off your game or elicit an emotional response, practice talking about it. 

• Use stories to make your point. We know this has come up a lot, but it’s important. 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?") 

• Be direct. Keep your answers to most questions between one-and-a half and three minutes. Practice responses to our sample questions aloud. You don't have to memorize your answers. Just acclimate yourself to the topics and time limit. We like using flashcards to prepare for interviews. Put the Q on one side, and bullet points of what you want to say on the other.

• Medical schools are looking for real people. You don’t have to be perfect. Just be you. And within appropriate limits, don’t be afraid to expose some vulnerability.

Related:

What to Expect in Your Traditional Medical School Interview: Lead with a Confident Introduction

What to Expect in Your Traditional Medical School Interview: Situation, Action, Result Responses

What to Expect in Your Traditional Medical School Interview: “Make a Claim and Back it Up” Responses

What to Expect in Your Traditional Medical School Interview: Why Our Medical School?

What to Expect in Your Traditional Medical School Interview: Questions on Current Events in Healthcare

What to Expect in Your Traditional Medical School Interview: Wildcard Questions

What to Expect in Your Traditional Medical School Interview: Wildcard Questions

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.

Wildcard Questions

In any interview you should expect something… unexpected. It could be a fun question about what makes you special, or it could be a logistical question like: "How will you pay for medical school?" 

As with all interview responses, how you back up an answer matters more than the answer itself. So, even if the question is something like "What do you do for fun?" it should subtly hint at one or two of your finer qualities. You don't have to say, "I study extra hard for fun! All I love is studying because I am a serious person!" That's disingenuous. But if you say, "I take salsa classes," share why in a revealing way: "I take salsa classes. I love Latin music and I am nothing but present on the dance floor. Having a partner reminds me to be attuned to her. And having a place to be every Tuesday night makes me even more diligent at work. I've come in early a few times just so I know I can be out the door by 5 PM to make it to my 6 o'clock class." 

Questions you may be asked:

• Teach me something.

• If you could have any superpower, what would it be?

• How would your best friend describe you?

• Who is someone you admire? Why?

• What do you do for exercise?

• Do you think the MCAT is a good measurement of one’s readiness for medical school?

• How do you think you did during this interview?

• What will you do if you're not accepted to medical school? (Oof, right? Is your plan to gain more clinical or research experience and try again? Try a post-bacc or Master's program and try again?)

Related:

What to Expect in Your Traditional Medical School Interview: Lead with a Confident Introduction

What to Expect in Your Traditional Medical School Interview: Situation, Action, Result Responses

What to Expect in Your Traditional Medical School Interview: “Make a Claim and Back it Up” Responses

What to Expect in Your Traditional Medical School Interview: Why Our Medical School?

What to Expect in Your Traditional Medical School Interview: Questions on Current Events in Healthcare

What to Expect in Your Traditional Medical School Interview: Questions on Current Events in Healthcare

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.

General Healthcare News

You will not be asked medical questions during your interview. No one is going to need you to walk them through setting a bone. But you should be prepared to speak about the medical field and current events related to it. Your interviewers want to know that you're keeping up with the times and that you've deeply considered some of the big questions that come with this work.

Spend some time each day reviewing the news. The New York Times is great for current events related to health care, as are MedPage Today, MedScape, and Stat News. We also recommend that you set up Google alerts for key phrases related to healthcare and/or your research interests and desired specialty to ensure you’re up to date.

You may be asked:

• What have you been following in healthcare news lately that is of particular interest to you?

• What healthcare-related or academic publications do you read?

• Do you have an opinion on the current [X medical news] controversy?

• What would you say is a major problem in the healthcare system today?

• What do you think is the greatest medical development in history?

• What's the difference between Medicare and Medicaid?

• What can be done about rising healthcare costs?

Related:

What to Expect in Your Traditional Medical School Interview: Lead with a Confident Introduction

What to Expect in Your Traditional Medical School Interview: Situation, Action, Result Responses

What to Expect in Your Traditional Medical School Interview: “Make a Claim and Back it Up” Responses

What to Expect in Your Traditional Medical School Interview: Why Our Medical School?

What to Expect in Your Traditional Medical School Interview: Why Our Medical School?

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 and practice questions.

Why Our School?

Or: "Tell me why you are interested in this program," etc. This interview prompt will appear, in some form. Obviously, your response should include school-specific details, like what labs or research opportunities you'll take advantage of, what technologies or unique resources they utilize that maybe aren't available at other schools, which professors you're eager to learn from, the student clinics or affiliated hospitals you'd like to work at, and maybe even what you like about the area. And don’t forget to bridge these details with your past experiences and future goals to reinforce your interest in these offerings. 

Whatever you do, don't say something ingratiating and general: "It's an esteemed program where I'll learn from esteemed physicians who lead their esteemed fields." We're teasing about this phrasing, but "esteemed" gets thrown around a lot in responses like this, and what it reads as is essentially: "If I praise you enough, will you let me in?" 

Just answer the question with a couple of salient details and you'll be golden. 

Related:

What to Expect in Your Traditional Medical School Interview: Lead with a Confident Introduction

What to Expect in Your Traditional Medical School Interview: Situation, Action, Result Responses

What to Expect in Your Traditional Medical School Interview: “Make a Claim and Back it Up” Responses

What to Expect in Your Traditional Medical School Interview: “Make a Claim and Back it Up” Responses

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.

Make a Claim and Back it Up Responses

Claim Questions are simple and direct—but your answer should be complex and direct. Just like with your Situation-Action-Result (SAR) responses, you will want to use stories here, not just statements. The question may ask you about attributes or skills you have, but do not be fooled, they're not looking for a list. The interviewer wants to hear examples of when you’ve exhibited those things. Go ahead and use multiple examples! They don't all have to be long, but they should be detailed. 

Some questions will be about the hypothetical future, things you'd do as a medical student or doctor. Think: "What would you do if a colleague made a serious clinical mistake?" An ethical question like this should still be backed up with experiences, if possible, or anecdotes that prove that you have the qualities you claim to have. "In the past, I've been quick to remedy others' mistakes. During my work at a university lab…" You want to show your critical thinking too. Explain your thought process, "If I was close to this colleague, I would…”

Questions could also seem to require opinion-only responses. Something like: "What are your feelings about euthanasia?" But don't get it twisted. This is a "make a claim and back it up"-question. You believe or don't believe in it “because…”

One question that you'll almost certainly be asked: What qualities do you have that will make you a good physician? Here's an example of a strong answer: 
“I'm calm and precise under pressure: As a scribe in the ER, I was part of the intake for multiple patients involved in a three car accident. The ER was understaffed and very busy already, so the atmosphere was chaotic. I documented several patients' conditions, bouncing from one doctor's side to another. Later, my supervisor praised my calm demeanor and consistently accurate work. The ER was, of course, a generally hectic place, and I adapted to it quite well. 

I also think a good physician must be able to connect with a diverse array of patients. While volunteering and shadowing at a free clinic, I spoke with patients of all ages, most of them in underserved populations. In one instance, I was asked to give a 5-year-old child a PCR Covid test—but she was terrified and pulling away. Moreover, there was a language barrier; both the girl and her mother only spoke Spanish. I decided to take my time instead of rushing into the test. There was a stethoscope in the room, and I thought she might like listening to her own heart, so I showed her how it worked—mostly through gestures on my end. Her mother was able to translate what was happening as well. I let the young girl listen to my heart, her mother's, and then her own. She was amused and after that, she trusted me more. I then pulled out the PCR test kit again. I spoke soothingly, and I knew she understood my tone. She was uncomfortable during the test—the test is uncomfortable—but she endured it without pulling away. I praised her after the test. I've since begun Spanish lessons, as I think that is the most practical second language to learn in America. I also better understand social determinants of health after working with recent immigrants at the clinic.

Finally, I'm eager to learn and believe a physician must have intellectual curiosity. When I worked on a diabetes study at my university lab, I went beyond my daily responsibilities, reading previous studies unrelated to ours to be more informed about the disease. I now feel like I have a depth of knowledge on this topic.”

Other “make a claim and back it up”-questions that you may be asked:

• How will you add to the diversity of our school?

• What is your greatest strength?

• How do you deal with stress?

• Explain your academic path. (Here, focus on the positives and how they led you to medicine. Illustrate this with maybe three poignant experiences.)

• Where do you see yourself in 10 years? (Here, you can share both past experiences and what you hope to learn in medical school that will help you achieve this goal.)

Related:

What to Expect in Your Traditional Medical School Interview: Lead with a Confident Introduction

What to Expect in Your Traditional Medical School Interview: Situation, Action, Result Responses

What to Expect in Your Traditional Medical School Interview: Situation, Action, Result Responses

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

What to Expect in Your Traditional Medical School Interview: Lead with a Confident Introduction

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.  

The First Response: The Three-Minute Elevator Pitch

The first question your interviewer asks will likely be something general that invites the widest-ranging answer. This question comes in many forms. It could be as short and blunt as: Tell me about yourself. It could be: Walk me through your resume. It could be: Can you talk to me about anything you believe will enhance your candidacy for admission? We had a client who told us her first interview question was: “So…?"

These opening questions require a three-minute answer. Think of it as an elevator pitch response. Naturally, you want to reiterate your commitment to studying medicine. It is okay to stay in a linear timeline: I did X and transitioned to Y. What's important is explaining the motivation behind your decisions. You can also share who you are via your three most impactful experiences. Practice some possible responses to ensure you're not going wildly under or over the three-minute mark. Don't try to memorize anything word-for-word as this will lead to fumbling with your words or coming off as wooden. But have an outline in mind—some milestones you know you want to pass. 

Some sub-questions you might answer to build your "Tell me about yourself"-answer are:

• What was your path to wanting to study medicine?

• How did your undergrad experience prepare you for medical school?

• Do you know what specialty you'd like to study? Why?

• Do you want to take this opportunity to expand on any meaningful clinical or research experiences and how they've impacted you?

• What fun fact about you could you close on?

Here's an example of a strong answer: 

“I'm 24 years old. I'm from Tiny Town, NY, and I'm one of three children raised by a single mom, a veterinarian. I did not grow up wanting to be a doctor. I started at Public University as a psychology major. After learning about the relationship between eating disorders and the brain, I was fascinated. I switched to the pre-med track. As a junior, I served as a T.A. for Biology 156, my favorite course when I was a sophomore. 

I'm currently taking Introduction to Neurobiology, a course at Local College to expand my knowledge of the brain. For the last year, I've worked as a clinical research assistant on a study for a new drug treatment for Parkinson's Disease at SuperCool Hospital. I wrote about this experience in a Most Meaningful response in my Work and Activities. But I'd like to expand on how it's further impacted me since my application. Doing this clinical research has allowed me to connect with patients more than in any of my other clinical experiences. Since applying to medical school, I've only grown closer to our returning patients. One patient, Denise, enrolled in the study after she couldn't hold her newborn grandson due to her tremors. Even simply talking about how the disorder affects her daily life seems to be helping her. Moreover, it's been incredible to see the impact of an emerging treatment that, so far, seems to be improving her and other patients' lives. 

As an undergraduate, I was also involved in a research study. This one incorporated lab rats. I so value the lab and critical thinking skills that I learned in this work—but I must say that I do prefer working with people. They're chattier. [Laughs] Eventually, I'd like to pursue neurology and look forward to participating in future clinical research studies in medical school and as a physician. 

In addition to being an enthusiastic student in my post-graduate course and a clinical research assistant, I'm also in charge of baking elaborate cupcakes for my family's birthday parties. I decided to learn how to bake after watching too many episodes of The Great British Bakeoff. I'm also very involved in planning my hometown's Centennial celebration. I loved growing up in my community, and I'm looking forward to this event.”

Admissions committees like it when applicants include personality in their answers, especially when answering this question. Revealing something fun about yourself encourages a connection between you and the interviewer.