Questions regarding AAMC VITA

[JimKimSlim]

I just received an AAMC VITA request from one of the particpating schools. On the email, it's asking me to submit my video response as soon as possible. However, practicing how to answer personal questions about your life at your computer screen has proven more difficult than I thought. I plan to record and submit my responses, as soon as I feel ready. However, I was wondering if there was a "soft" deadline for submitting VITA responses. Is 2-3 weeks rational, based on the rule of labor day? Also, are there any sample questions that I can use to practice? I'm not looking for conventional interview questions, like what are your greatest strengths and weaknesses? But rather questions in similar flavor as sample questions uploaded by the VITA team.

Thanks for your help ahead.

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[pista_kulfi]

You can do a practice VITA session to get an idea of what to expect. My II school asked to submit within 2 weeks of invite. I am dreading it so much....will literally wait till the last date to take it.

 

[ahk7]

Im in the same boat. I have till the end of this month to do the interview. Let us know how it went.

 

[KnightDoc]

I just received an AAMC VITA request from one of the particpating schools. On the email, it's asking me to submit my video response as soon as possible. However, practicing how to answer personal questions about your life at your computer screen has proven more difficult than I thought. I plan to record and submit my responses, as soon as I feel ready. However, I was wondering if there was a "soft" deadline for submitting VITA responses. Is 2-3 weeks rational, based on the rule of labor day? Also, are there any sample questions that I can use to practice? I'm not looking for conventional interview questions, like what are your greatest strengths and weaknesses? But rather questions in similar flavor as sample questions uploaded by the VITA team.

Thanks for your help ahead.

????? It's brand new. Why would you seek out or rely on random sample questions created by a third party? The sample questions provided by AAMC are all you are going to need. Just keep working on them until you are reasonably comfortable.

Don't overthink it. It's not being scored, so who knows if it's even going to mean anything? As I've said in other posts, I'm pretty sure the main objective is not to judge you, but rather to gather data to either build or validate an algorithm to use to score in the future.

 

[Rapsidy]

Do the practice VITA like everyone said. It’s the same six questions over and over so by the time I launched the practice interview my third time around instead of answering the questions I just did things like okay in this section I’m answering the question looking at the camera. Now I’m looking in the middle of the screen, just below the camera etc. Since you get to play it back in the practice interview it gave me a chance to judge which eye position I used that made me feel like I looked the least stupid.

Test the lighting, make sure there isn’t background noise and you’ll be fine.

 

[medgal12345]

In the 60 seconds before you start your VITA response, are you recorded? Or do you get the prompt, the timer starts, and then the recording starts once the 60 seconds is up?

 

[AspiringDoc911]

How was the VITA? I have to take it today and I'm freaking out. Any suggestions on how to prep and what the questions are like?

 

[viralhiker]

How was the VITA? I have to take it today and I'm freaking out. Any suggestions on how to prep and what the questions are like?

I took it today. It feels no different than any other interview, except that there is a strict time limit on your response and there is nobody on the other end to raise their eyebrows, nod, or say "hmm" at your response.

Chill out, know yourself and your experiences, and relax. Do the practice questions they provide, they are representative of what you'll be asked.

 

[AspiringDoc911]

I took it today. It feels no different than any other interview, except that there is a strict time limit on your response and there is nobody on the other end to raise their eyebrows, nod, or say "hmm" at your response.

Chill out, know yourself and your experiences, and relax. Do the practice questions they provide, they are representative of what you'll be asked.

Thank you so much, do you suggest having a handful of experiences to talk about such as examples of experiencing conflict, etc. ?

 

[viralhiker]

Thank you so much, do you suggest having a handful of experiences to talk about such as examples of experiencing conflict, etc. ?

Yeah exactly. Don't repeat experiences for each question. Probably make sure you have an answer to "why medicine."

 

[AspiringDoc911]

Yeah exactly. Don't repeat experiences for each question. Probably make sure you have an answer to "why medicine."

Ok thanks, are the questions similar to CASPER?

 

[biobukowski]

Step 1. Invest in some good lighting, maybe a ring light, and in setting up a nice space with a decent background (or a completely plain one); also figure out how to angle your computer (use the camera app in your computer to figure this out, with the lights and all!). This step will be important for your virtual interviews, so it is not wasted time. You do not have to travel to your interviews, so consider this as an investment in lieu of airfare and AirBnB.

Step 2. Make sure you have shaved, washed, and clothed yourself in professional clothes. You are the center of this, not your background or anything else. Make sure YOU shine.

Step 3. Answer the question. This should not be hard—you want this, right? Do you have a reason to gun through all the prerequisites, volunteer, shadow, take the hellhole known as MCAT, pay the exorbitant application fees and field emails like a wall street trader on coke? These are standard questions they would ask you anywhere for a job interview. Make sure you have answers for then (the practice ones at AAMC site).

You don’t want to be someone else. Just be yourself. Was it so hard?

 

[AspiringDoc911]

Step 1. Invest in some good lighting, maybe a ring light, and in setting up a nice space with a decent background (or a completely plain one); also figure out how to angle your computer (use the camera app in your computer to figure this out, with the lights and all!). This step will be important for your virtual interviews, so it is not wasted time. You do not have to travel to your interviews, so consider this as an investment in lieu of airfare and AirBnB.

Step 2. Make sure you have shaved, washed, and clothed yourself in professional clothes. You are the center of this, not your background or anything else. Make sure YOU shine.

Step 3. Answer the question. This should not be hard—you want this, right? Do you have a reason to gun through all the prerequisites, volunteer, shadow, take the hellhole known as MCAT, pay the exorbitant application fees and field emails like a wall street trader on coke? These are standard questions they would ask you anywhere for a job interview. Make sure you have answers for then (the practice ones at AAMC site).

You don’t want to be someone else. Just be yourself. Was it so hard?

Hahah thank you very much! I appreciate it

 

[truecrime35]

Does anyone know if VITA is sending weekly email updates showing which schools have requested to view your video? I took the VITA over a month ago for one school and never heard any further updates about who had viewed it. Thanks!

 

[sasquatch123]

I got an email with the invite to take the AAMC Vita interview, but no medical school has specifically asked me to take it or offered me an interview yet - anyone know what this means?

 

[viralhiker]

I got an email with the invite to take the AAMC Vita interview, but no medical school has specifically asked me to take it or offered me an interview yet - anyone know what this means?

I don't believe you would receive a VITA request unless at least one school requested you to complete it.

 

[truecrime35]

I got an email with the invite to take the AAMC Vita interview, but no medical school has specifically asked me to take it or offered me an interview yet - anyone know what this means?

Did you apply to mass? They have everyone take it.

 

[sasquatch123]

Did you apply to mass? They have everyone take it.

I did - but would the invite say anything about the school that has asked me to complete it? Or wouldn't I get an email/notification from UMass about it?

 

[truecrime35]

I did - but would the invite say anything about the school that has asked me to complete it? Or wouldn't I get an email/notification from UMass about it?

oh u know what you will probably get an email this afternoon saying it's from them... i just checked and i got the invite in the morning and then another email in the afternoon saying who it was from

 

[sasquatch123]

oh u know what you will probably get an email this afternoon saying it's from them... i just checked and i got the invite in the morning and then another email in the afternoon saying who it was from

Ah! Interesting! I will be on the lookout this afternoon Thank you!