importance of the interview

[htg2010]

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With the 2015 cycle hitting full swing, I thought I'd put in my 0.02.

From my experiences in undergrad, the awful application process, talking with friends, and browsing SDN, I get the feeling that a lot of people underestimate the admissions interviews.

sure, the stats are necessary to secure an interview, but that is only half the battle. A lot of people with outstanding stats get rejected/wait-listed post interview, and I think that speaks volumes about the interview. Whether it is by committee, one-on-one, or "speed dating," your interviewer is standing between you and your acceptance letter. Doctor-patient relationships are, in my opinion, the most important aspect of being a successful doctor. And interviews are a place for ADCOM members to gauge how well an applicant will be able to relate to patients.

Maybe it is just sampling bias, but all of my interviews were relaxed and conversational. No hard ethical questions, no health care reform questions. Actually an enjoyable experience overall, for me at least, and I honestly think I did very well in them. I think this is a main reason why I had multiple acceptances with a relatively avg app (3.8GPA; 33Q; with no research, <50 clinical volunteer hrs, but good employment and leadership positions)

I guess what I am getting at is the reason why so many people with stellar stats/apps don't get accepted is because of botched interviews. people skills are a must for a doctor

For current applicants: talk to strangers, meet new people. these types of conversations will help you feel more comfortable with an interviewer. also do as many mock interviews as possible, but don't start sounding like you are reading from notecards. main advice: RELAX at the interviews; easier said than done, I know, but it really is important.

just my personal beliefs, take it or leave it.

 

[ILikeDrugs]

I had multiple acceptances with a relatively avg app (3.8GPA; )

🙄🙄🙄🙄🙄🙄

 

[SitraAchra]

Don't talk to stranger to gain interview skills.

That is weird. Also, glad your 3.8 GPA and 33Q is average. Cool story, bro.

 

[anfleisch]

Still, most interviews are very short and they have too many interviewers to keep any kind of consistency. I think the variable of extensive, meaningful clinical experiences and/or research are the mitigating factor after you meet the statistical requirements for an interview.

 

[turkaglew]

my interviews had ethical questions and healthcare reform questions 🙁

 

[PLR_Rehab/Spine]

some ppl with great stats such as 37 and above mcat for one thing along with others get rejected from average schools or lower level med schools not because of their communication skills but because med schools know that the applicant is too gud for them. This happens at rosalind franklin alot where ppl with great stats get rejected post interview since the admissions committee knows those ppl just apply for a backup safety net. tru story i know ppl who interviewed for this school

 

[NHBPFA5]

Why would they take them into an interview to then decide that they are too good for their school? That doesn't make any sense to me...

 

[ownage]

SO the interviews are prolly going to come soon. wuts the best way to prepare for them besides mock interviews, something u can do by ur self?

 

[TACMON]

SO the interviews are prolly going to come soon. wuts the best way to prepare for them besides mock interviews, something u can do by ur self?

talk to yourself in the mirror. if you can't make eye contact with yourself, how could you do it with an interviewer?

 

[orthomyxo]

Only on SDN is a 3.8 and a 33Q considered "average." 🙄

Anyways, it's not really big news that interviews are important. However, I have heard of people getting rejected after excellent interviews and people getting accepted after bad ones, so IMO it seems pretty variable.

 

[Ischemic]

Ridiculous

 

[Baron Samedi]

You realize that both your GPA and MCAT are over 1 standard deviation higher than the average applicant, right? 🙄

God I hate SDN.

 

[gettheleadout]

Only on SDN is a 3.8 and a 33Q considered "average." 🙄

Seems like that's what it does to you lol...still though, assuming all the people you're competing with are as qualified as the people on here can be good motivation to achieve competitive really stats. Obviously it can go the other way and make decent applicants feel like crap, but that's just my 2 cents.

 

[pennstate4life]

if you have to "practice" talking to a stranger, then I'm afraid you are not cut out to be in this profession. anyone disagree?

 

[jm192]

if you have to "practice" talking to a stranger, then I'm afraid you are not cut out to be in this profession. anyone disagree?

Everyone practices. That's the point of Clinical medicine classes and standardized patients.

I'm afraid you need to stop posting here. Anyone disagree?

 

[orthomyxo]

if you have to "practice" talking to a stranger, then I'm afraid you are not cut out to be in this profession. anyone disagree?

Uhh, yea. 😕

 

[Neurocentric]

if you have to "practice" talking to a stranger, then I'm afraid you are not cut out to be in this profession. anyone disagree?

Yes, I do.

Patients are strangers. We don't know who they are or where they've come from, all we know is they need our help. Your first interaction with a patient can be a scary one if you're on your rotations or you are an intern. It's not always the easiest thing in the world. Same goes for your interviewer. This person has a say in your acceptance, wait-list, or rejection from a medical school, as far as their judgement from the interview. And if you have trouble speaking in high pressure situations, it can make you come off in the worst light.

Healthcare is the not the same as being an actor, where standing on a stage or a set and being able to perform is crucial to the profession. If you don't have those traits, it might be hard to be a success. However, if you want to be a physician, all you need is a little practice at being more comfortable with people you don't know and it works out.

 

[mill2011]

Yes, I do.

Patients are strangers. We don't know who they are or where they've come from, all we know is they need our help. Your first interaction with a patient can be a scary one if you're on your rotations or you are an intern. It's not always the easiest thing in the world. Same goes for your interviewer. This person has a say in your acceptance, wait-list, or rejection from a medical school, as far as their judgement from the interview. And if you have trouble speaking in high pressure situations, it can make you come off in the worst light.

Healthcare is the not the same as being an actor, where standing on a stage or a set and being able to perform is crucial to the profession. If you don't have those traits, it might be hard to be a success. However, if you want to be a physician, all you need is a little practice at being more comfortable with people you don't know and it works out.

I completely agree. Being able to speak comfortably to new people, whether interviewers or patients, is a sign of maturity and is an essential trait physicians must have, IMO.

 

[confusedchild]

I do agree with the OP to a certain extent that interviews do set applicants apart. At two of my interviews, I was told by the deans of admissions that once we are there, it's a level playing field. This is not the case with all medical schools, and some school do emphasize that the interview is only one part of their decision making even post interview, so this serves to show that every school does it differently. I was told by the deans of admissions of those two schools that once a student's stats/activities reach a certain point, they are pretty confident that you can get through the rigors of medical school and become a doctor. What now stands between you and that letter of acceptance is if you fit into the class and just the very fact that the number of seats are limited. One dean specifically said that in their eyes a person with a 3.9 GPA/38 MCAT and a person with a 3.8 GPA/32 MCAT at that point are treated as equals because all the pre interview evaluation was to determine if you could survive the rigors of medical school and once they deem that you can, you're on level playing field going into the interview. But keep in mind this is not at all schools, I just thought it was something interesting to note to show how much weigh the interview is at some schools.

I interviewed at 10 schools this past cycle and received multiple acceptances. My advice is to try to expand your breath of knowledge not just with regards to medical topics but literally just everything, current events, history, philosophy, sports, you name it. Only one or two of my interviews out of the probably 19 interviewers I had spent the majority of the time going through generic questions like why you want to be a doctor, healthcare reform, etc, etc. Most other interviews start off with those questions but we diverge off and start talking about literally anything and everything. The point is to strike a cord with the interviewer, and I think my hobby of reading wikipedia ~30 minutes per night for the past year just randomly clicking away at whatever interested me helped me tremendously. They want to know if you can carry on a decently intelligent conversation with them and about topics that you or they are passionate about even if it is not medicine related. One interview, we spent most of the time talking about the history of her home country, another one we talked about the history China, another interview about economic policies and the global market, another interview about green energy and water shortages throughout the world, e-commerce, Confucius's teachings. My background as an Engineer also helped a lot as I actually spent a lot of time explaining to some of my interviews what Fourier Transforms and spectral densities were and how they are used in medicine to monitor brain waves, EKGs, etc. Just my 2 cents.

 

[jvesco22]

I completely agree.Being able to speak comfortably to new people, whether interviewers or patients, is a sign of maturity and is an essential trait physicians must have, IMO.

Essential Trait? Yes.
Maturity? No.

There are tons of older adults 30+ that are still uncomfortable speaking to strangers/unknown folk and kids 16yrs and younger that can talk to anyone and everyone around them. If you aren't naturally able to converse freely, it can be helped with practice, but being able to do it hardly indicates maturity.

 

[deleted202457]

I'm just going to hope that my southern accent and charm will win them over and get me accepted 🙄

 

[Baron Samedi]

Everyone practices. That's the point of Clinical medicine classes and standardized patients.

I'm afraid you need to stop posting here. Anyone disagree?

+1

It's amazing how much backwards garbage people post on here. Patient interviewing practice is standard at every school so you can learn how to get a complete history. It would be insane not to practice talking to strangers.

 

[PreMedder]

Everyone practices. That's the point of Clinical medicine classes and standardized patients.

I'm afraid you need to stop posting here. Anyone disagree?

Wow. straight owned. 👍

But OP, I don't think unsuccessful applicants simply shrug off their interviews as unimportant - especially the ones with high stats/good EC's/etc that don't get in anywhere - as you have suggested. I would think that most (especially on SDN) practice/etc. So maybe just the small sample of your friends that you spoke with is affecting your outlook.

 

[orthomyxo]

Everyone practices. That's the point of Clinical medicine classes and standardized patients.

I'm afraid you need to stop posting here. Anyone disagree?

👍