Medical School Interview Questions
General Questions
Why this medical school?
How would a friend describe you?
Why do you want to be a doctor?
How are you unique?
List three things you want me to know about you.
What are your strengths and weaknesses?
Why should we accept you?
Tell me about yourself.
Open-ended questions are the easiest. There is absolutely no excuse for not taking full advantage of these. First, they are obvious; they are exactly what you should have asked yourself when you first decided to go to medical school. Also, they offer you the chance to openly sell yourself. This is where you should communicate the top three points you would like to make. Preparing specific, focused answers for each of the above questions will also go a long way toward helping you to answer all of the sample questions that follow, no matter what category they are from.
Questions Referring to Your Reasons for Applying to Medical School
Do you feel that you have a realistic view of medical school?
Do you understand what the life of a doctor entails?
What will you do if you don't get into medical school?
Why do you want to attend this school?
Why do you want to work with sick people?
Is this school your top choice?
Where else have you applied?
Would you consider a foreign medical school?
Where do you see yourself in 10/20/30 years?
What do you want to specialize in?
How do you plan to pay for medical school?
What do you hope to get out of medicine?
Do you have any concerns about this school?
Do you have any ideas about your residency?
Have you considered the advantages/disadvantages of living in this area?
These questions probe exactly how much you want to practice medicine. The interview panel wants to understand the thought you have put into your decision. They also need to know that you understand the difficult journey of studying and practicing medicine, and that your knowledge of a doctor's life is not limited to what you have seen on television. Lastly, they want to know that you are sincere in wanting their specific program. Be prepared with the reasons that you applied to their school.
When answering any one of these questions, start and end with a reiteration of your desire to 1) become a doctor, and 2) attend their school. Emphasize too that you know what your decision entails. Your points should explain why your unique experience makes medical school the right choice. For example: Are you more interested in the science/research side of medicine, or in helping people? If it's the first, you should have a strong research and science background. If it's the latter, back it up with volunteer experience or other kinds of community involvement. Most will stress both sides, which is fine, as long as you can provide solid evidence.
Questions About Your Qualifications and Previous Experience
What work experience have you had?
What health-care experience have you had?
Tell me about your research experience?
How have you prepared yourself for a career in medicine?
What clinical/hospital experience have you had?
What work experience do you wish you had?
How have you contributed to your community?
Tell me about a time you have helped someone?
What volunteer experience have you had?
What's your toughest subject?
This is straightforward, and easy to prepare for. Just be ready to talk about any experience that you have mentioned in your application
Questions About Your Knowledge of the Medical Field
What do you see as the biggest challenge facing the field of medicine today?
Are you aware of the upcoming surplus of doctors? How do you feel about it?
How do you feel about the debate over the hours junior doctors work?
What do you think about medical advice being available on the Web?
What are some current controversial areas in medicine. Select one then give your opinion on it and defend that opinion.
What is your opinion of National Health Service?
Do you see any negatives in the (medical) profession?
What do you think about patient rights/medical costs/HMO's/euthanasia/confidentiality?
Give me a list of three political issues that you feel are of great importance in the health care field right now?
What sorts of ethical problems can you see coming up in the medical profession?
What makes a good physician?
Why is medicine such an important field?
This category is often the most daunting for applicants. You might feel that you are being given an oral exam, and on one level you are. The admissions panel wants to see that you are familiar with current events. This is another way to test your sincerity and dedication, and it shows an intellectual curiosity and ability.
Questions About Your Personality
Tell me about a significant event in your life and how it shaped you?
Do you have a favourite book/class/professor?
Who do you not get along with and why?
Which of your qualities would you want to pass down to your children?
What would you change about yourself if you could?
What three material objects are most important to you?
What people have influenced you and how?
Do you have any heroes?
How do you handle stress?
Give me an example of a time you contributed to a team effort?
What do you do in your free time?
What are your hobbies?
What is your biggest accomplishment?
In some ways these will be easy questions for you. You have had practice with them; they have probably been asked in just about every interview experience you have ever had. These questions about yourself are on more of a superficial level (the more personal questions are discussed below). But talking about yourself, even in response to the lighter questions can be nerve-wracking when you are being judged on your responses. As always, the answer is to prepare, be yourself, and relax.
Personal and Probing Questions
Describe a situation where your work was criticized. What was you immediate reaction? Reflecting back now, what do you make of it now?
How do you cope with stress?
Are you a friendly person?
What do you have to offer that others don't have?
How will your weaknesses play a role in medicine?
Have you ever lived in a large city before?
How do you deal with adversity?
What is your preferred way of learning and how do you learn best?
What is the biggest thing you have overcome in your life?
Motivational Questions
Why medicine?
What have you done that shows initiative? What did you learn from that experience?
What leadership positions have you held in school?
Why did you choose to apply to medical school?
Have you been accepted to other schools yet?
What did you dislike most about this school?
Questions on Your Education
Be prepared for specific questions regarding your application.
What science class did you dislike the most?
What classes did you struggle with during school?
What have you done to prepare yourself to be a doctor?
Why should we accept you over the other applicants who have applied to our medical school?
What was your favourite subject in school. Why?
What kinds of direct patient care experiences do you have?
Be prepared to discuss weaknesses in your academic transcripts and MCAT scores?
What experiences have you had with the medical profession?
What types of volunteer work have you done?
Have you had any practical experiences in medicine?
Have you shadowed any doctors?
What experiences have you had working with people?
Questions on your Goals/Plans and Outlook
How will you deal with the stress of school and this profession?
How do you plan to pay for medical school and living expenses?
Where do you plan to practice after you graduate?
What do you think you will struggle with during medical school?
Where would you like to practice once qualified?
Behaviour Based Questions
How might you calm a nervous patient?
Your supervising doctor comes into work drunk. How would you handle the situation?
Please give me an example of how you would handle a stressful situation?
How would you deal with a patient who was treating you badly?
Tell me about the last time you felt angry?
Be prepared to answer unusual questions or difficult ones for which you do not know the answer.
Some Unusual Questions That You Could be Asked
If you were a car what, kind of car would you be and why?
Do you think physicians should lie to patients?
Why medicine and not nursing?
What section of the newspaper do you read first?
What has been the hardest question that you have been asked at other
interviews so far?
Who should definitely not be cloned?
Describe a situation in which you felt like a fish out of water?
So you like helping others...why not be a policeman or a nurse?
How do you really know that after medical school in 5 or 6 years, youll still want to be a doctor?
What type of impression do you feel you've left on me in this interview?
What do you hope to gain during your medical education?
What questions do you have for me about our school?
What is your weakness that concerns you most?
What would your best friend say about you in convincing me I should admit you to our medical school?
If you could be any character in history, who would it be, and why?
How did you decide to apply to our medical school?
Why did you choose our specific medical school?
How are you a match for our medical school?
What do you do in your spare time?
What other medical schools are you applying to?
What are three things you want to change about yourself?
Name something you are most proud of?
Which family member has influenced your life so far and why?
What do you think about the health care system and which way should it go?
What do you think is wrong with the current health care system in the UK?
Which languages do you speak? Why?
Which of your college courses interested you the most?
If you couldn't ever be trained to be a physician, what would you be?
Where do you see yourself in 10 years?
What interests you outside of medicine and getting into medical school?
