Interviews

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ebasappa

Momma said knock you out.
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Hey everyone,

I am preparing for some interviews coming up, but have realized that I haven't spent THAT much time preparing for them. I mean, I looked up some questions from previous years, reviewed some healthcare system problems, and practiced on my general interview skills, but I feel like I'm thinking this is easier than it seems to be. Anyone else feeling this way? I'm actually looking forward to these! Memorizing my application is not too much of a chore, since I made none of it up and it's part of my life, it would be fairly easy to discuss each part. I'm just hoping others can relate to help ease my nerves!

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I feel like it's like this even more so for MMIs
 
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I think with the large turn towards MMI it is a bit easier (assuming you aren't socially awkward and can demonstrate real sympathy, etc). From my experience the MMI have been real world problems we have all experienced in one way or another, or could imagine the scenario in real life. My first interview was 2 MMI stations and one traditional 30 min 2 on 1 interview. I enjoy both methods and both have their own pros/cons in my opinion.

Overall I think you are correct that the interviews "seem easy". I mean we've all spent the last X years preparing our resume for this exact moment. If you don't know why you want to be a doctor, have no clue what you researched, and have never stepped foot in a hospital, you are going to have a bad time.

Maybe I got lucky and didn't have any "hardball questions" but either way, the interviewers are human also and want to get to know you as a person, not so much your grades etc!
 
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I think with the large turn towards MMI it is a bit easier (assuming you aren't socially awkward and can demonstrate real sympathy, etc). From my experience the MMI have been real world problems we have all experienced in one way or another, or could imagine the scenario in real life. My first interview was 2 MMI stations and one traditional 30 min 2 on 1 interview. I enjoy both methods and both have their own pros/cons in my opinion.

Overall I think you are correct that the interviews "seem easy". I mean we've all spent the last X years preparing our resume for this exact moment. If you don't know why you want to be a doctor, have no clue what you researched, and have never stepped foot in a hospital, you are going to have a bad time.

Maybe I got lucky and didn't have any "hardball questions" but either way, the interviewers are human also and want to get to know you as a person, not so much your grades etc!

+1. Thus far all of my interviews have been at least partially (numbers) blind. I have gotten the feeling that schools really care about if you are genuine in your pursuits and can articulate that accurately.
 
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I don't prep for interviews because I feel like my answers are more real if I don't. Sometimes I get nervous and think I should do something more, but so far everything has been golden. Idk, I love interviews and look forward to them. Everyone is different. Sure, listen to SDN and other members, but realize that you need to find what works for you.

Hey everyone,

I am preparing for some interviews coming up, but have realized that I haven't spent THAT much time preparing for them. I mean, I looked up some questions from previous years, reviewed some healthcare system problems, and practiced on my general interview skills, but I feel like I'm thinking this is easier than it seems to be. Anyone else feeling this way? I'm actually looking forward to these! Memorizing my application is not too much of a chore, since I made none of it up and it's part of my life, it would be fairly easy to discuss each part. I'm just hoping others can relate to help ease my nerves!
 
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What would be some examples of the "real world scenario questions" you refer to? ......just to get an idea
 
I don't prep for interviews because I feel like my answers are more real if I don't. Sometimes I get nervous and think I should do something more, but so far everything has been golden. Idk, I love interviews and look forward to them. Everyone is different. Sure, listen to SDN and other members, but realize that you need to find what works for you.

That makes absolutely no sense. Do you refuse to edit your essays as well? You didn't speed write all your secondaries did you?
 
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I don't prep for interviews because I feel like my answers are more real if I don't. Sometimes I get nervous and think I should do something more, but so far everything has been golden. Idk, I love interviews and look forward to them. Everyone is different. Sure, listen to SDN and other members, but realize that you need to find what works for you.

I'm not gonna lie, this is more of the style that works for me as well. I like to lightly prepare a few days before, but I too feel like I do better if I don't hype up the whole situation. I'm glad someone else feels the same way!
 
yeah, sometimes in order to be "real" you have to take a step back and think about yourself, your motivations, and your experiences. And being able to articulate and express your honest thoughts to other people is another skill that takes practice for some people.
 
I can understand both approaches and I think it's just important to be self-aware enough to know what will work best for you. Too little practice and you may be unprepared. Too much practice and you may sound like your answer is canned.
 
I can understand both approaches and I think it's just important to be self-aware enough to know what will work best for you. Too little practice and you may be unprepared. Too much practice and you may sound like your answer is canned.

Agreed! The fine line is different for different people.
 
I don't think the point of preparing is to have your responses scripted or seem unnatural. The point is to make sure that when a question is asked, you aren't caught off guard. If you can look through a list of typical interview questions and pretty quickly (within a few seconds) come up with an answer, then you should be fine. Hash out ways to connect your experiences to different types of questions: ethics, teamwork, reliability, determination, commitment and any other question "themes." Once you know what experience you'd talk about for each question, the answer will flow and be more natural because it's YOUR experience - it's just making sure that you know which of your experiences to talk about.
 
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Not prepping is not the same thing as being unprepared. I'm prepared. I just don't have any fear or anxiety about talking to someone. I'm very passionate about what I do, and I find that I'm able to articulate my feelings better unrehearsed. You might be different than I in this respect. Everyone has different strengths and weaknesses. We all perform and operate differently.

I can tell you every job interview I've had, my bosses complement my interviewing.

Oh, by the way, at some point you might learn to be more accepting of other peoples experience instead of being condescending. I know this may come as a shock but "your way" is not the only way. People have success in various ways.
That makes absolutely no sense. Do you refuse to edit your essays as well? You didn't speed write all your secondaries did you?
 
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Not prepping is not the same thing as being unprepared. I'm prepared. I just don't have any fear or anxiety about talking to someone. I'm very passionate about what I do, and I find that I'm able to articulate my feelings better unrehearsed. You might be different than I in this respect. Everyone has different strengths and weaknesses. We all perform and operate differently.

I can tell you every job interview I've had, my bosses complement my interviewing.

Oh, by the way, at some point you might learn to be more accepting of other peoples experience instead of being condescending. I know this may come as a shock but "your way" is not the only way. People have success in various ways.

You are confusing hyperbole and condescension.

I don't have anxiety about talking to anyone either, but I think of interview prep as: rereading personal statement, reading over what I wrote for that school's secondary, reading over formats of the schools interviews, etc etc. I'm not strictly defining preparation as a mock interview although I think that those are important.

You seem to have not done certain parts of what I consider preparation. I think we're talking past each other, but it's par for the course on pre-allo.
 
Go check out my "Guide to interviews" post.

Hey everyone,

I am preparing for some interviews coming up, but have realized that I haven't spent THAT much time preparing for them. I mean, I looked up some questions from previous years, reviewed some healthcare system problems, and practiced on my general interview skills, but I feel like I'm thinking this is easier than it seems to be. Anyone else feeling this way? I'm actually looking forward to these! Memorizing my application is not too much of a chore, since I made none of it up and it's part of my life, it would be fairly easy to discuss each part. I'm just hoping others can relate to help ease my nerves!
 
Ya. It had two 10 minute MMI stations and a 30 minute traditional 2 on 1

My next interview is all MMI and I think it is 10 stations

I had one 30min traditional interview and then I think 6-8 MMI stations at my interview. I was just confused because I thought most MMIs had a lot of stations

So many odd interview formats!
 
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