Why Medicine- Critique my response

[sonpat]

Hi, I'm applying for the BS/MD program at Albany Medical School and I have an interview with the med school on January 18th. I'm working on my responses to specific questions: Right now it's "Why Medicine"

"I was diagnosed with Turner Syndrome at birth, so I've been surrounded by doctors, nurses and hospitals for a very long time. My pediatric endocrinologist, Dr. S. , was a huge influence on me when I was little. When I was 5, I had to start taking growth hormone injections and I was terrified! But, he tool me aside and taught me exactly what the liquid in the needle was (somatropin!) and how it would help me grow (by stimulating the liver to release growth factors). And he did this with every treatment I got. Every time I went to see him, I'd fall in love with medicine a little more. I'd really like to be able to be the Dr. S. in someone else's life. And then, when I got older, I got more involved by volunteering in hospitals and shadowing doctors in India. I watched surguries, patient examinations, radiation treatments and I was fascinated by it all. The hospital I stayed at in India worked on a "sliding scale" basis, so alot of people who couldn't have gotten treatment were now able to afford medical care. And seeing the relief of their faces was incredible. I've always had a love for science , but in medicine I could combine my interest in biology and chemistry with my passion for helping others. Medicine is the perfect blend of humanitarianism and science. "

How is this response? too long? any other med school interview tips?

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[Womb Raider]

Hi, I'm applying for the BS/MD program at Albany Medical School and I have an interview with the med school on January 18th. I'm working on my responses to specific questions: Right now it's "Why Medicine"

"I was diagnosed with Turner Syndrome at birth, so I've been surrounded by doctors, nurses and hospitals for a very long time. My pediatric endocrinologist, Dr. Lawrence Silverman, was a huge influence on me when I was little. When I was 5, I had to start taking growth hormone injections and I was terrified! But, he took me aside and taught me exactly what the liquid in the needle was (somatropin!) and how it would help me grow (by stimulating the liver to release growth factors). And he did this with every treatment I got. Every time I went to see him, I'd fall in love with medicine a little more. I'd really like to be able to be the Dr. Silverman in someone else's life. And then, when I got older, I got more involved by volunteering in hospitals and shadowing doctors in India. I watched surgeries, patient examinations, radiation treatments and I was fascinated by it all. The hospital I stayed at in India worked on a "sliding scale" basis, so alot of people who couldn't have gotten treatment were now able to afford medical care. And seeing the relief on their faces was incredible. I've always had a love for science , but in medicine I could combine my interest in biology and chemistry with my passion for helping others. Medicine is the perfect blend of humanitarianism and science. "

How is this response? too long? any other med school interview tips?

Few misspelled words. I've bolded/underlined them in your response and corrected them.

 

[El-Rami]

Don't try to memorize responses to interview questions. Assuming this is basically some things you would like to discuss when asked this question, then it sounds fine to me.

 

[sonpat]

yea, this is like a baseline of what i want to cover , i just want to make sure i'm not missing something big i should cover

 

[Toutie]

Might want to reconsider mentioning the Doctor by name.

 

[El-Rami]

Might want to reconsider mentioning the Doctor by name.

I agree. Just be more generic. If asked, you can mention the name. You want to answer questions fully but not add unnecessary details. If they want to know more, they will ask.

 

[piii]

I would take this down for sake of anonymity and ask if you can PM people for advice instead. I'd also say "Dr. S." Privacy is important.

 

[ofthesaints]

I would take this down for sake of anonymity and ask if you can PM people for advice instead. I'd also say "Dr. S." Privacy is important.

This is a verbal response, not a written one. Just saying Dr. S in an interview sounds weird. OP, just say pediatric endocrinologist.

 

[piii]

This is a verbal response, not a written one. Just saying Dr. S in an interview sounds weird. OP, just say pediatric endocrinologist.

I meant for the sake of this post

 

[Hospitalized]

This is the Starbucks coffee, yoga pants, and uggs of "why medicine" responses. Just my opinion, though.

 

[El-Rami]

This is the Starbucks coffee, yoga pants, and uggs of "why medicine" responses. Just my opinion, though.

What do you mean?

 

[ofthesaints]

I meant for the sake of this post

Gotcha. Good advice then

 

[flapjack3d]

This is the Starbucks coffee, yoga pants, and uggs of "why medicine" responses. Just my opinion, though.

He's saying OP is a basic b*tch.
It's fine though. 99% of people aren't unique. If your reasons are true to yourself, then you're doing pretty damn well compared to all the kids fabricating compelling reasons for pursuing medicine. Sounds solid to me.
edit: meant to be @El-Rami

 

[Ismet]

I think it's fine, but should be shorter if this is a verbal response. Knock it down to like 4 sentences. Just please don't repeat it like you memorized it.

 

[El-Rami]

He's saying OP is a basic b*tch.
It's fine though. 99% of people aren't unique. If your reasons are true to yourself, then you're doing pretty damn well compared to all the kids fabricating compelling reasons for pursuing medicine. Sounds solid to me.
edit: meant to be @El-Rami

I disagree about "OP is a basic b*tch." I've heard a lot of bull**** reasons pre-meds give for pursuing a career in medicine, and this isn't one of them. As you said, OP is doing pretty well compared to other kids fabricating compelling reasons for becoming a physician. I personally find his story fairly compelling. OP should discuss his story with passion and enthusiasm. As I said earlier, OP just needs to be sure to be concise in his response to this question. This sample response sounds too much like it was taken out of a personal statement or something.

 

[piii]

You're saying way too much - it'll take too long, bore your interviewer, and you talk too much about fluff.

Here's the gist of your reason:

You have a medical hardship that has affected you.
Your physician helped you understand your disease, supported you through a time of need.
In your shadowing and volunteering experiences, you witnessed the same thing, but affecting other people.
Now you want to combine the awesomesauce of medical science with the tangible effect of helping people, much like you were helped.


It's a little cliche, but if it's true it'll show. Say it with confidence, say it with brevity.

 

[Hospitalized]

@El-Rami What I meant was it was really unique until it became like every other "why medicine" post. The first three sentences are good, the rest is generic and should be tossed.

 

[carpediem22]

You're saying way too much - it'll take too long, bore your interviewer, and you talk too much about fluff.

Here's the gist of your reason:

You have a medical hardship that has affected you.
Your physician helped you understand your disease, supported you through a time of need.
In your shadowing and volunteering experiences, you witnessed the same thing, but affecting other people.
Now you want to combine the awesomesauce of medical science with the tangible effect of helping people, much like you were helped.


It's a little cliche, but if it's true it'll show. Say it with confidence, say it with brevity.

I don't think OP is saying too much. It is like one paragraph, which would take maybe 45 seconds - 1 minute to say out loud. That is not too much.

Also FWIW, I don't think being "generic" is necessarily always bad. Medicine doesn't have to have a unique pull for everyone, and in fact many of us go into it for similar reasons.

As I've told others who ask these types of questions, OP, just be honest and say what you feel best represents your interests. I did that for all of my interviews, and it's gotten me a lot of success so far. Interviewers like genuineness more than they like "WOW" stories that seem to be pulling at strings. In fact, one of my interviewers at one top school even said, "Yes. I feel exactly the same way. You would do well here." in response to my "why medicine answer." Being like others is not always bad.

 

[El-Rami]

@El-Rami What I meant was it was really unique until it became like every other "why medicine" post. The first three sentences are good, the rest is generic and should be tossed.

Ah, I see what you mean. In this case, I agree. I personally really liked the first sentence or two, then I skimmed the rest to the end to see how he can use his motivation to help others. I remember "somatotropin" and "Dr. Silverman," but that's it. My response to this question would be like three sentences long.

It's not a bad response, but it's a bit longwinded for a verbal response. If the interviewer(s) want to know more, they can ask followup questions. For example, if they want to know about his clinical experience, then he can discuss his shadowing and other experiences, what he learned from them, and how he can relate what he saw with his own experiences.

Above all, if you're passionate about it, then say whatever comes from your heart. Don't be afraid to get excited, but try to be mindful about how much you're saying because you don't want to ramble.

 

[sonpat]

humm so I probably won't mention the India stuff in order to cut down on length, and I'll leave the India stuff when they ask about clinical experience . would that make it better?

 

[bananafish94]

Is there a general consensus on how long your "why medicine" answer should be? It seems like this thread is leaning in the direction of it being short, sweet, and to the point.

 

[Ismet]

Is there a general consensus on how long your "why medicine" answer should be? It seems like this thread is leaning in the direction of it being short, sweet, and to the point.

A good interview (requires "good" on both the interviewer and interviewee) is conversational. In a conversation, it would be weird to spout off a mini essay. Narrow it down to a few sentences that really capture what you want to say. If an interviewer wants to hear more, they can delve further, and usually do.

 

[wagonwheel23]

You need to be clear about what gratification medicine will bring you. For the vast majority of people, knowing that you are helping people is not enough motivation to sustain a long and demanding career. There is a certain selfishness to one's career choice. You are choosing it because it brings you joy and satisfaction, not because it brings joy and satisfaction to others.

So, what exactly about medicine brings you joy each and every day? Yes, knowing that you are helping people can be a part of that, but be sure to emphasize other aspects as well.

 

[Stagg737]

Is there a general consensus on how long your "why medicine" answer should be? It seems like this thread is leaning in the direction of it being short, sweet, and to the point.

Generally speaking, concise is better and I'd say @Ismet 's advice is pretty spot on. However, I would say a question as broad as "Why medicine" could warrant a slightly longer response (30 seconds to 1 minute should be long enough). It should still be conversational, but if you have a story to back up your answer you shouldn't be afraid to tell it. Just stick to the relevant points and don't ramble. My general rule of thumb for interview responses was that if my response was more than a minute, it was time to wrap it up.