DO Interview Tips 2013-2014

BU Medical Sciences
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If you are someone who does the "like" or "umm" thing out of habit, have someone, a friend, family member, anyone really, point it out to you every single time you do. It's going to be annoying, it's going to be irritating but you don't realize when you do it everyday conversation. Doing this will break the habit fairly quickly though. And hey, you'll probably never have to worry about it again.
 
LittleDodger said:
If you are someone who does the "like" or "umm" thing out of habit, have someone, a friend, family member, anyone really, point it out to you every single time you do. It's going to be annoying, it's going to be irritating but you don't realize when you do it everyday conversation. Doing this will break the habit fairly quickly though. And hey, you'll probably never have to worry about it again.
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I doubt that will work for me.
 
tinylilron said:
I put OMM in a lot of my secondaries... I really like that DOs learn how to treat and diagnose with the use of their hands... I thought it was useful in areas with low access to more expensive medical tools... should I not have said that?
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That's great because you have a legitimate passionate reason associated with it. A reason you want to be a DO is because of OMM. You took it a step further and linked it to underserved areas - even better. That is exactly what I'm talking about.

I was warning against saying things like "I really like OMM!" with no backup besides "I think it's cool." That clearly doesn't apply to your well thought out and personal answer.
 
What ever you said on your primary and secondary, remember it.
And prepare to prove them.

Sent from my SGH-T889V using Tapatalk 2
 
Just had a mock interview by an engineer (non health related). I was given some advice and I'm not sure if it applies to med school interviews:

1) Don't use the question in your answer (ex. What's your biggest challenge? My biggest challenge is...) and, instead, answer with a story.
2) Don't prepare your answers. Answer off the top of your head. (Which is weird bc I did not prepare at all beforehand)
3) Don't use the same words if a question is similar to a previous question. Come up with a completely different answer.

Should I use any of these tips? I thought answers were supposed to be concise and to the point. And I thought it was a good thing to show the interviewer that you prepared.
 
Godlovesyou said:
Just had a mock interview by an engineer (non health related). I was given some advice and I'm not sure if it applies to med school interviews:

1) Don't use the question in your answer (ex. What's your biggest challenge? My biggest challenge is...) and, instead, answer with a story.
2) Don't prepare your answers. Answer off the top of your head. (Which is weird bc I did not prepare at all beforehand)
3) Don't use the same words if a question is similar to a previous question. Come up with a completely different answer.

Should I use any of these tips? I thought answers were supposed to be concise and to the point. And I thought it was a good thing to show the interviewer that you prepared.
Click to expand...

I was told by my pre-med advisor to have some prepared answers for questions such as: why DO? What does osteopathic medicine mean to you? What about this school made you apply/ why do you want to come to X medical school? What will you do if you do not get into medical school?
But...you don't want to sound practiced...just prepared.

I think others you can't really prepare for, but I was told to just think about what might be asked and have a general idea of what you would say.
 
Eremba said:
I was told by my pre-med advisor to have some prepared answers for questions such as: why DO? What does osteopathic medicine mean to you? What about this school made you apply/ why do you want to come to X medical school? What will you do if you do not get into medical school?
But...you don't want to sound practiced...just prepared.

I think others you can't really prepare for, but I was told to just think about what might be asked and have a general idea of what you would say.
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While you don't have to formulate or rehearse answers to common questions, it is probably a good idea to have some introspective moments a few days before the interview just so you will have something to discuss.
 
Is it okay to give a 2-3 minute summarized version of your PS for the "tell me about yourself" question?


edit: 100th post!
 
Godlovesyou said:
Just had a mock interview by an engineer (non health related). I was given some advice and I'm not sure if it applies to med school interviews:

1) Don't use the question in your answer (ex. What's your biggest challenge? My biggest challenge is...) and, instead, answer with a story.
2) Don't prepare your answers. Answer off the top of your head. (Which is weird bc I did not prepare at all beforehand)
3) Don't use the same words if a question is similar to a previous question. Come up with a completely different answer.

Should I use any of these tips? I thought answers were supposed to be concise and to the point. And I thought it was a good thing to show the interviewer that you prepared.
Click to expand...

I heard that it is okay to say that the answer to a previous question would also apply to another question as well...
 
BillrothI said:
Hey Everybody,

For anyone who has gone through the MMI - how long was your initial answer to the question/scenario? I've run through a couple of practice questions and after about a minute or so I find myself rambling. Is this typical? IIRC, you have eight minutes at each station (plus two minutes to prepare). There's no way I can talk for even half of that eight minute period without further "stimulation" from the interviewer.

Anyway - input on MMI is certainly appreciated!

Thanks,
Bill R.
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Hey Bill, I've only had one MMI interview but I can tell you I did the same thing. the minute you have to think of a question before you go into the room is not enough time to plan out a perfect answer, and I normally ran out of things to talk about within the first two minutes of being in the room. After a few questions I found it easier to just think about bullet points to mention rather than start formulating a paragraph in my head, and then wing it based on those bullet points-- this felt and sounded more natural, and decreased the amount of rambling. Also, if you finish answering the question and still have a few minutes it's no big deal, my interviewers either asked follow up questions or just started chatting about where I went to college, what specialties I am interested in, etc. This was a good opportunity to let the interviewer know you better-- for example one of my interviewers was a cardiologist and we talked about how I recently finished reading Dr. Dubin's "Rapid Interpretation of EKGs" book.

Overall I liked MMI, but since it was the only interview I have had I don't have anything to compare it to.
 
VinceViegel said:
Just don't do this

[YOUTUBE]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RvYvhQvbDz8[/YOUTUBE]
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that was just purely painful. please someone tell me that was a scripted piece and not an ACTUAL interview. There are always people complaining about having perfect statistics and stellar MCAT scores, yet they got rejected from every medical school...this is why
 
Are you supposed to send thank you emails or letters to each person that interviews you? Do you ask each one for a name card?

I've only interviewed for jobs so I'm wondering if its proper to do the same thing.
 
If the interviewer starts to ramble, don't yawn.
 
CFused said:
Are you supposed to send thank you emails or letters to each person that interviews you? Do you ask each one for a name card?

I've only interviewed for jobs so I'm wondering if its proper to do the same thing.
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If I remember right, I sent e-mails.

NontradCA said:
If the interviewer starts to ramble, don't yawn.
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lol, yeah. and it's actually pretty sweet if you get them talking a lot. takes some of the heat off of you.
 
Combing through the specific osteopathic school discussions, I made note that LECOM apparently asks some of its applicants to recite the Krebs Cycle during interviews. lolwut.
 
CFused said:
Are you supposed to send thank you emails or letters to each person that interviews you? Do you ask each one for a name card?

I've only interviewed for jobs so I'm wondering if its proper to do the same thing.
Click to expand...

First off, I would advise against a black suit. The standard was navy or grey. Nothing too flashy so no bright pink ties and the standard white shirt. I modeled my appearance after Harvey Spector (Suits) without the french cuffs, vest or handkerchief. His suit has the old style lapel which I loved and I felt like it gave the appropriate flash. Watch the haircuts guys. Make sure it's neat, not bedhead. I usually sport a fauxhawk but I combed it down for the interview

GET THERE EARLY, rather be early than late. If you are early, just wait in your car.

I practiced a month ahead of time by researching all the questions on SDN in the interview forum and made bullet points on things I wanted to cover. After that, I sat down in a mirror and asked myself all the questions on there and answered. It seems a little nuts but I was making sure that my answers didn't seem robotic. I wanted some humor to shine through because I didn't want to be boring. About a week before, I would get into the top half of my suit and do the interview in the mirror. This way, I could get comfortable in the suit and answering questions.

Before my interview, the secretary gave out the interviewers name and email addresses. Otherwise, I would ask for their cards for additional questions. SEND THEM A THANK YOU!!!! That is the standard practice.

All in all, I am a bit crazy so some of these things might be overboard but take what you will. Good luck everyone
 
Gsun88 said:
First off, I would advise against a black suit. The standard was navy or grey. Nothing too flashy so no bright pink ties and the standard white shirt. I modeled my appearance after Harvey Spector (Suits) without the french cuffs, vest or handkerchief. His suit has the old style lapel which I loved and I felt like it gave the appropriate flash. Watch the haircuts guys. Make sure it's neat, not bedhead. I usually sport a fauxhawk but I combed it down for the interview

GET THERE EARLY, rather be early than late. If you are early, just wait in your car.

I practiced a month ahead of time by researching all the questions on SDN in the interview forum and made bullet points on things I wanted to cover. After that, I sat down in a mirror and asked myself all the questions on there and answered. It seems a little nuts but I was making sure that my answers didn't seem robotic. I wanted some humor to shine through because I didn't want to be boring. About a week before, I would get into the top half of my suit and do the interview in the mirror. This way, I could get comfortable in the suit and answering questions.

Before my interview, the secretary gave out the interviewers name and email addresses. Otherwise, I would ask for their cards for additional questions. SEND THEM A THANK YOU!!!! That is the standard practice.

All in all, I am a bit crazy so some of these things might be overboard but take what you will. Good luck everyone
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Great tips 👍
 
Jumpstartmy5HT said:
Combing through the specific osteopathic school discussions, I made note that LECOM apparently asks some of its applicants to recite the Krebs Cycle during interviews. lolwut.
Click to expand...

Ive heard that UK medical schools ask a lot of math/physics/bio etc during the interview as well... pretty sure that isn't common in the US however - thankfully.
 
addressing your weakness/shortcomings during interview
yay or nay?
 
ChineseKid said:
addressing your weakness/shortcomings during interview
yay or nay?
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Be prepared to if they are brought up... but don't bring them up yourself. Or at least that is how I see it.
 
Jazzy G said:
Be prepared to if they are brought up... but don't bring them up yourself. Or at least that is how I see it.
Click to expand...

exactly right. if they have any qualms about it and still gave you an interview, they will bring it up.
 
Jumpstartmy5HT said:
Combing through the specific osteopathic school discussions, I made note that LECOM apparently asks some of its applicants to recite the Krebs Cycle during interviews. lolwut.
Click to expand...

I'm pretty sure that was a joke, lol.

I would be really surprised if that was an actual interview question.
 
Anyone have tips or recent links on how to answer interview questions on health care? ie. "State of health care in America, problems we face, reform, etc.." Also, are these questions/ethical questions common?
 
NEVER say anything negative about yourself! Even in jest! Always portray yourself as being upbeat and worthy of the opportunity.
 
South Florida taxis are stupid expensive. Factor that into your costs!
 
Do you guys rent cars for interview?
Looking at the taxi or shuttle cost, it may be viable...
 
ChineseKid said:
Do you guys rent cars for interview?
Looking at the taxi or shuttle cost, it may be viable...
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I didn't rent a car since I was in that area for only 20 hours.

My hotel was 3 miles from the school. The taxi ride to the hotel was 10 minutes and was $28 dollars before tip. I contacted a shuttle service after the interview and thought it would be cheaper. It was $25 before tip.
 
I see a lot of these answers are saying no black suit! 🙁 I just bought a Calvin Klein fitted black skirt suit. Should I get a light green or light blue shirt to wear underneath so it isn't so boring? Or should I return it and get a different color?
 
Any tips on dealing with anxiety? Not even "freaking out about everything," but more along the lines of coming off as really on edge and having a hard time giving really fluid responses.
 
Is it inappropriate to bring a notebook with prewritten questions for your interview and stats you may want to bring up?
 
almil said:
I see a lot of these answers are saying no black suit! 🙁 I just bought a Calvin Klein fitted black skirt suit. Should I get a light green or light blue shirt to wear underneath so it isn't so boring? Or should I return it and get a different color?
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I think they were talking about no black suits for guys; don't panic!

I wore a black pantsuit (also Calvin Klein) with a blue/green solid blouse to my first interview and I think that was perfectly fine. Definitely get a light color to contrast with your suit; my blouse gave a great dash of color to my outfit. 🙂
 
almil said:
I see a lot of these answers are saying no black suit! 🙁 I just bought a Calvin Klein fitted black skirt suit. Should I get a light green or light blue shirt to wear underneath so it isn't so boring? Or should I return it and get a different color?
Click to expand...

I interviewed a couple of days ago, and out of the group of women, only 4 of them opted to not wear black suits. One person wore brown, one person wore a light grey, one person wore khaki, and I wore a bluish purple dress with a complementary blazer over it. Black is fine. The no black suits rule is mostly for the dudes, and plenty of them wore black too. No one cared. So relax!
 
withoutlyrics said:
Any tips on dealing with anxiety? Not even "freaking out about everything," but more along the lines of coming off as really on edge and having a hard time giving really fluid responses.
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Beta blockers? You may want to try it out a few days before the interview so you don't end up having a syncopal episode during your interview. lol
 
HowDidIGetHere said:
Is it inappropriate to bring a notebook with prewritten questions for your interview and stats you may want to bring up?
Click to expand...

Pre-written questions are fine. I whipped mine out when my interviewers asked me if I had any questions at the end.

All other notes shouldn't be present when you're interviewing. You can use them to prep, but don't show the interviewers...
 
VinceViegel said:
If you have good answers and they understand what you say, but you aren't that fluid in saying them (mixing up words, sometimes not being able to remember the right word at the right time, etc), how bad does that look? Can that mean the difference between an acceptance and a rejection?

And off topic but your username reminds me of Motley Crue (Kickstart my Heart).
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It's probably better to have some pauses here and there because you're supposed to be having a thoughtful conversation. Think about how you would have a debate with a friend on a topic you're passionate about. Go with that. It's kind of awkward if you're robotic and have this orchestrated answer that sounds unnatural. I'm pretty sure the seasoned interviewers can tell. At my Nova interview, the admissions staff specifically warned us that the interviewers really do not like orchestrated answers that are obviously committed to memory.

My username is actually from a song by Arab Strap. The line goes "you know I'm always moanin', but you jump-start my serotonin."
 
Jumpstartmy5HT said:
It's probably better to have some pauses here and there because you're supposed to be having a thoughtful conversation. Think about how you would have a debate with a friend on a topic you're passionate about. Go with that. It's kind of awkward if you're robotic and have this orchestrated answer that sounds unnatural. I'm pretty sure the seasoned interviewers can tell. At my Nova interview, the admissions staff specifically warned us that the interviewers really do not like orchestrated answers that are obviously committed to memory.

My username is actually from a song by Arab Strap. The line goes "you know I'm always moanin', but you jump-start my serotonin."
Click to expand...

Thanks for the tip, NSU is my number 1 choice.
 
Can any of you confirm if its okay to take a professional tote bag with you for the interview. Is it normal for ladies to do this at school interviews? I usually carry my laptop in it but I plan to leave that in my hotel and carry a note pad, flat shoes, my phone etc. Please advice.
 
Where do people leave their luggage during interview and tour?

Sent from my SGH-T889V using Tapatalk 2
 
Member584731 said:
Can any of you confirm if its okay to take a professional tote bag with you for the interview. Is it normal for ladies to do this at school interviews? I usually carry my laptop in it but I plan to leave that in my hotel and carry a note pad, flat shoes, my phone etc. Please advice.
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There were people with all different bags seen. Make sure it's clean, professional, and not huge. Bringing flats is a great idea!

Luggage can be left at most hotels or ask the school if it can be left at the front desk. Everyone has been accommodating with this.
 
OH!! Men! Make sure to look at the back of your new suit coats. There are X's of string holding the tails together. Please be sure and cut them off carefully before your interview!! This also goes for women but they are usually the same color as the jacket at least.
 
Member584731 said:
Can any of you confirm if its okay to take a professional tote bag with you for the interview. Is it normal for ladies to do this at school interviews? I usually carry my laptop in it but I plan to leave that in my hotel and carry a note pad, flat shoes, my phone etc. Please advice.
Click to expand...

A tote is fine.
 
OzelloPiRat said:
OH!! Men! Make sure to look at the back of your new suit coats. There are X's of string holding the tails together. Please be sure and cut them off carefully before your interview!! This also goes for women but they are usually the same color as the jacket at least.
Click to expand...

lol

Did you actually see people with the thread still attached?
 
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