By now you’re probably aware of how competitive the admissions process for medical school is. You have to really stand out from the crowd to get noticed in order to get that all-important acceptance into one of your chosen medical universities.
If you’re considering your medical school interview, you should have sent your application, including a personal statement and completed your UCAT exam. If you’re lucky enough to be invited for an interview, congratulations! You have worked very hard and taken the admissions board’s interest.
The final hurdle is to ace your medical school interview so it’s important to prepare every detail, even down to what you should wear.
Medical School Interviews
A medical school interview is a process for recruiters to shortlist the best candidates to offer a place on their medical programme. You will be invited to the university campus, where you will meet some of the staff who work in the medicine department. In some cases, your medical school interview may take place online, such as, if you’re an international student.
You will be given a time, date, location and format for your interview in your invitation email or letter. Medical school interviews are usually held between November and March, to join the medicine programme the following September. Some universities may ask you to take additional tests, such as the BMAT test.
During your interview, the interviewers will ask you a series of questions to assess your capability to study medicine, your motivation and how it relates to your future ambitions. You will only have a short time to impress your interviewer and conduct yourself professionally, whilst showing your aptitude and passion for medicine is vital to get the result you want.
How to prepare for your medical school interview
Being invited for an interview is both an exciting and anxious time. The best thing you can do is go into it well-prepared. In this section, we walk you through some tips on how to prepare for your interview, down to what colours you should wear so you feel confident.
Prepare your answers
One of the best things you can do to prepare for your interview is to know what the most common interview questions are so you can prepare your answers. This will help you to reduce fumbling and uncertainty in your interview. It also gives you the opportunity to run some practice interviews with other applicants or friends.
The interview panel will most definitely ask you questions relating to why you want to study medicine, why you have chosen their university, what motivates you and what your goals are. It’s also a good idea to have some scenarios in your head that provide them with examples of your past experiences that make you suited to a career in medicine.
Here are some other common medical school interview questions:
- Why medicine?
- Why our university?
- What do you hope to achieve?
- How prepared are you for this challenging career?
- What skills do you have that make you suited for a career in medicine?
- How would you cope with the pressure of the job?
- Tell me about a time when you showed empathy
- Tell me about a time when you demonstrated leadership skills
- What would you do if you weren’t successful in gaining a place in medical school this year?
- Describe a recent challenge and how you overcame it
- Where do you see yourself in 10 years?
- What is your biggest weakness? Have a weakness prepared and make sure you know how you’re going to improve on it.
What not to say
As well as having a bank of answers ready to go, you should also brush up on what not to say and do in a medical school interview.
As you already know, medicine is a field that is notoriously competitive to get into. For instance, in the 2022/2023 admissions cycle, the medical school at St George’s, University of Longon had only 165 places up for grabs for home students, but there were over 2259 applicants so the things you don’t say are just as important as what you do.
Here are some things we recommend you avoid in your medical school interview:
- Don’t say ‘I don’t know’. With every question, always give your best answer and if you’re finding it tricky to answer a question, rather than dismissing it, ask if you can come back to the question at the end to give yourself a little more time to think it over. Remember to take your time and take a breath before you answer.
- Don’t fumble when it comes to general healthcare questions. The panel will expect you to be knowledgeable on current healthcare initiatives, issues and events so make sure you have an understanding of relevant topics.
- Avoid speaking negatively about others. If you draw on an experience you have had never give harsh criticisms or your own opinions on another professional.
- Don’t tell your interviewers that you have no experience. Even if this is true, you will have other experiences that have allowed you to develop the necessary schools to be successful in the medical industry.
What to wear to your medical school interview
Now you know the most commonly asked medical school questions and what not to say and do, you’re almost ready to go. The final thing to prepare is what you’re going to wear. For some, it may not seem like a big deal to prepare an outfit, but your appearance forms part of the impression the interview panel makes of you, so it’s important.
As a rule, always go more smart than casual. There’s no need to wear a 3-piece suit and top hat but you want to appear professional. Here are some outfit options for you to choose from:
Navy suit
Navy is a smart colour and a suit is really versatile as it can be put with many different types and colours of shirts. Pair with a white or pale blue shirt for a classic, refined look. Avoid black suits as this is too formal but equally avoid suits that are patterned or too casual.
Pale coloured shirt
If you want something a little different to show off your personality without going too outrageous, a pastel or pale-coloured shirt with trousers, a skirt or a dress is a great option. Try to avoid items with lots of patterns as this can be distracting. Go for something plain in pale pink, yellow or blue.
Tie or no tie?
There is no firm rule whether you should wear a tie or not to a medical school interview but there’s certainly no harm in it and it finishes a suit off nicely. Again, choose a tie that isn’t too out there, neutral in colour and one that matches your overall look.
Accessories
When it comes to accessorising, you don’t want to come across as flashy or as though you’re trying too hard. Leave the fancy jewellery and watches at home and just go as yourself. If you have long hair, tie it up neatly so you aren’t hiding behind your hair and you can be seen clearly.
Shoe choice
Choose a comfortable and smart shoe. Black or navy shoes are a good choice and usually match everything. Avoid high heels, trainers or shoes that are a little too casual.
To conclude, avoid heavily patterned clothes with vibrant colours. Choose navy or pastel colours without a pattern or simple patterns so it doesn’t distract your interview panel. The most important thing to remember is to look professional and smart so you give off a great first impression.
The Future Medic
At The Future Medic, we have helped thousands of students get accepted into the medical schools of their choice. With our help, you are more likely to be accepted as we have a 97% success rate.
As part of our service, we offer a medical school interview package, where our fully trained and experienced medical experts coach you through the interview process. We provide you with interview preparation tips and go through your answers to the most commonly answered questions so you have the best possible answers.
For more information, contact us today.
