Interview Q's and general advice

[Hawkenthesky]

For people who have already had a few interviews, is there anything you know now that you wish you had realized or prepared for earlier? Any tips you've learned that you'd be willing to share with people just getting started? And besides the basics (why medicine, tell me about X activity, research Q's, why this school, etc.), what are some unexpected or difficult questions you've gotten that you recommend people prepare for? for example, I was wondering how frequently people get asked questions about healthcare policy and reform. Is that something I should be trying to learn more about (and if so, any recommendations for good resources)?

Thanks!

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[Goro]

My first interview is coming up in a few days and I have several others coming up shortly after, and I want to make sure I'm preparing effectively.

For people who have already had a few interviews, is there anything you know now that you wish you had realized or prepared for earlier? Any tips you've learned that you'd be willing to share with people just getting started? And besides the basics (why medicine, tell me about X activity, research Q's, why this school, etc.), what are some unexpected or difficult questions you've gotten that you recommend people prepare for? for example, I was wondering how frequently people get asked questions about healthcare policy and reform. Is that something I should be trying to learn more about (and if so, any recommendations for good resources)?

Thanks!

Read this:
Goro's Guide to Interviews
Goro's Guide to Interviews: The View from Behind the Curtain
Goro's Guide to YOUR Interview Questions (2018 edition)

And good luck!!!

 

[Hawkenthesky]

I received a few questions related to our country spending way more than other developed countries on health care... I was asked to explain why that might be and how I thought we should address it. I too had been worried I'd be asked about policy/reform and this was as close as it came (although I have heard of schools asking about challenges of single-payer health system and things of that sort). My take away from my interview is that they are just looking for you to come up with a thoughtful answer that shows a basic level of knowledge, and explain why you feel the way you do. they know you have yet to go to medical school and therefore your understanding of nitty gritty policy is likely minimal - they just want to get to know you and how you think/articulate

This is something I was actually just reading about, and basically what I was gathering was that the US has much higher administrative costs (although I'm not exactly clear on what this means, or why we have higher administrative costs), and that there is a much higher prevalence here of some costly chronic conditions (for example, diabetes and other obesity-related conditions) compared to other developed nations. And this can be addressed through improving preventative care access and public health initiatives. Also that this is what some people argue is a pro of single-payer systems, because there can be lower administrative costs (again, still not really clear on what administrative costs are exactly), and more funding can be directed toward public health initiatives and more people will have access to preventative care. Is this generally correct?

 

[Angus Avagadro]

I ask every applicant about prior research. Certainly talk about the research you are most comfortable with first. I might ask about design or methods and results. With respect to open ended questions like the one above, I am not so much interested in your specific answer, but how you support your answer. How does your response hold up after I take you farther out the limb of your decision making tree? We want to see if you can think. Hope this helps. Good luck and best wishes!

 

[Matthew9Thirtyfive]

I'm sure this varies, but how much do people find that they ask about past research? I have several research experiences, some more involved than others. Do people typically ask about the most recent ones? Or the ones that seem most significant?

Only had one interview so far, but I was asked about my research from 2.5 years ago that was just for a capstone project rather than either of my two pubs.

 

[OneTwoThreeFour]

Only had one interview so far, but I was asked about my research from 2.5 years ago that was just for a capstone project rather than either of my two pubs.

The big thing I learned from med school interviews was to know your application. Anything/everything on there is fair game. As an interviewer I would find 2-3 non-standard things to make sure to ask about and it would be the stuff I found most interesting-having 6 siblings, playing DIII lacrosse, or your water filtration research that you claim started a biotech company. Same was true for residency apps. Just as many people asked about my poster presentation on medical ethics as asked about my 2 year research project. This is why the adcomms on here always warn people away from fluffing up their app-it is easy to tell when someone is talking about something they don't fully have a hold of.

 

[MedicineN'Jazz]

My first interview is coming up in a few days and I have several others coming up shortly after, and I want to make sure I'm preparing effectively.

For people who have already had a few interviews, is there anything you know now that you wish you had realized or prepared for earlier? Any tips you've learned that you'd be willing to share with people just getting started? And besides the basics (why medicine, tell me about X activity, research Q's, why this school, etc.), what are some unexpected or difficult questions you've gotten that you recommend people prepare for? for example, I was wondering how frequently people get asked questions about healthcare policy and reform. Is that something I should be trying to learn more about (and if so, any recommendations for good resources)?

Thanks!

Super important: practice on your demeanor. Do not: appear too solemn, too jovial, too knowledgeable (95% this doesnt translate well). And for God’s sake, do not maintain 100% eye contact. 88% is fine.

What you should do: appear thoughtful, inquisitve, interested, compassionate.

 

[Matthew9Thirtyfive]

The big thing I learned from med school interviews was to know your application. Anything/everything on there is fair game. As an interviewer I would find 2-3 non-standard things to make sure to ask about and it would be the stuff I found most interesting-having 6 siblings, playing DIII lacrosse, or your water filtration research that you claim started a biotech company. Same was true for residency apps. Just as many people asked about my poster presentation on medical ethics as asked about my 2 year research project. This is why the adcomms on here always warn people away from fluffing up their app-it is easy to tell when someone is talking about something they don't fully have a hold of.

Yep. Fortunately, I didn’t fluff anything in my app, so it was just a matter of telling the truth lol. They also paired me with a self-proclaimed math nerd (I have a math degree and two of my research projects have been in mathematics) and a musician (I was a pro musician for a few years), both of whom asked me about those things lol.