Interview Anxiety

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How do you cope with anxiety with this?? I've been doing a lot but my biggest fear is feeling confident before walking into the room and when I walk in I panic and go blank. I've prepared very well, I know why I am going into this and things like that. I'm afraid of being 'too relaxed' where I may come off as overconfident and unprofessional or too nervous where I come off as insecure. Any advice??
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Do practice interviews with people who make you nervous.

Otherwise, relax. If they invited you for an interview, then you already look like a med student on paper. They just want to know you are normal.
 
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Matrix207 said:
How do you cope with anxiety with this?? I've been doing a lot but my biggest fear is feeling confident before walking into the room and when I walk in I panic and go blank. I've prepared very well, I know why I am going into this and things like that. I'm afraid of being 'too relaxed' where I may come off as overconfident and unprofessional or too nervous where I come off as insecure. Any advice??
Click to expand...
Talk to a therapist
 
We expect you to be nervous. We dont expect you to be overconfident. Practice the stock questions you might expect, be conversational vs scripted. If you are called to interview, we believe you are smart enough, now we want to see you and get to know you. Best wishes and good luck!
 
Angus Avagadro said:
We expect you to be nervous. We dont expect you to be overconfident. Practice the stock questions you might expect, be conversational vs scripted. If you are called to interview, we believe you are smart enough, now we want to see you and get to know you. Best wishes and good luck!
Click to expand...
One quick question, when I was practicing MMI questions, I noticed that I used lots of "eh" "em" and sometimes need to pause for 1 or 2 seconds to gather my thoughts. Is that acceptable?
 
FroYoOreo said:
One quick question, when I was practicing MMI questions, I noticed that I used lots of "eh" "em" and sometimes need to pause for 1 or 2 seconds to gather my thoughts. Is that acceptable?
Click to expand...

Better to gather your thoughts before speaking. Try to be conversational, and fluid with your responses. Pausing before answering will help
 
When I interviewed I made sure to know everything on my application as well as weaknesses they may bring up. Practice with family but remember if you are interviewed the school likes you already and sell yourself... part of the interview process is to make sure the school is a place you can live with for four years since med school is very difficult. I got waitlisted partially due to interviews and decided not to apply again.
 
Matrix207 said:
How do you cope with anxiety with this?? I've been doing a lot but my biggest fear is feeling confident before walking into the room and when I walk in I panic and go blank. I've prepared very well, I know why I am going into this and things like that. I'm afraid of being 'too relaxed' where I may come off as overconfident and unprofessional or too nervous where I come off as insecure. Any advice??
Click to expand...

I have the same problem, I've been trying to looking through a lot of practice interview questions kind of thinking of what I will say. What have you done to feel relaxed, people have recommended seeing a doctor for propranolol or something
 
4thtimeretaker said:
I have the same problem, I've been trying to looking through a lot of practice interview questions kind of thinking of what I will say. What have you done to feel relaxed, people have recommended seeing a doctor for propranolol or something
Click to expand...
Does propranolol help with interview anxiety?
 
holdthemayo said:
Do practice interviews with people who make you nervous.

Otherwise, relax. If they invited you for an interview, then you already look like a med student on paper. They just want to know you are normal.
Click to expand...

Both of these are great points.

I think some applicants do mock interviews that don't replicate interview situations. Either they interview with people who they are comfortable with or they mock interview with people who have no idea what med school interviews are like. So school advisers may not be the right choice and your friends/family/employers may not be the right choice. If you don't have any doctors or med students in your circle, perhaps a professor you don't know well or your dentist or a hired career counselor - pay for help.

The other thing is mental. Prepare and then use that confidence and go in cool. That may be due to practicing meditative breathing ahead of time (Box method - as someone else mentioned - is good) then do a short relaxation routine before the interview or in the elevator or stairway or restroom. Or positive affirmations combined with controlled breathing or yoga breathing before. Breathe in through your nose thinking the word "In" hold then breathe out through pursed lips saying "out".

You might also consider a mantra combined with controlled breathing. Like "Calm Centered Positive." There is a lot of stuff easily found on the internet.

And yes, I'm a certified Toastmaster - very helpful for performance anxiety.

Good luck!
 
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