Interview Response Time

[kitkat08]

In general, how long should my responses for interviews be? I timed myself for my "why medicine" response, and It took about 6 minutes. Is that too long?

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[M&L]

Yes. Make it 2 min

 

[Moko]

In general, how long should my responses for interviews be? I timed myself for my "why medicine" response, and It took about 6 minutes. Is that too long?

"How long" will depend on the question asked, but for most questions (including "why medicine"), I would say aim for 1-2 minutes tops. The interview should ideally be a discussion rather than a monologue. So work on succinctly bringing up the most important/impactful points. If the interviewer is interested in learning more, they will ask clarifying questions. As an interviewee, you do have some power in steering the conversation, at least until the interviewer decides to move onto the next topic on their agenda. Just my thoughts.

 

[voxveritatisetlucis]

I usually like to break it up. Let the interviewer interject. Adjust my response based upon the feedback I’m getting.

 

[Goro]

In general, how long should my responses for interviews be? I timed myself for my "why medicine" response, and It took about 6 minutes. Is that too long?

I'll agree with 2-3 mins.

Try having a friend record you on a phone and see how it looks and sounds upon playback.

 

[voxveritatisetlucis]

I agree Recording is good for many but be careful. It’s important to know how you’ll react to it. Personally, I’m not a huge fan of my own voice. Hearing a recording right before my interview would make me less confident during interviews. If this applies to you, just verbally practice and ask a friend to critique. Ask them to pay particular attention to any nervous habits or vocalizations you may have.

 

[BeMoConsulting]

Hi there! It would all depend on the type of interview. Keep in mind that you could be participating in a group interview, a traditional interview, a panel interview, or a Multiple Mini Interview (MMI). To prepare effectively, you need to know which of these interview types is being used by your medical school(s) of choice. Most interview invites will outline this information for you, including both interview format and what to expect on the day of the interview. In MMIs, you would have between 4 and 8 minutes to provide your answer to a prompt. In panel interviews, each one of your answers should take about two minutes. A 6-minute answer to the ‘why medicine’ question is too long especially considering that the panel may want to ask you more questions. Therefore, you need to practice how to provide strong and effective answers that are concise and coherent. Additionally, remember that your answers should always be well structured and help you showcase your skills and those essential qualities that programs value in applicants. Hope this helps and best of luck!

 

[deleted1080380]

Personally, I’m not a huge fan of my own voice. Hearing a recording right before my interview would make me less confident during interviews.

underrated comment lmaooooo