Real Medical School Interview Questions

Medical school interview questions will be drawn from a wide range of areas and they should not come as a shock to you.

Preparation is key and the astute applicant understands that interviewers will want to assess your personality, fitness for a medical career, interpersonal ability, and overall disposition. 

One easy way to prepare is to be familiar with worldly events, hot topics facing medicine, etc. this is as easy as reading the newspaper on a daily basis, watching news channels on television, and staying tuned to worldly events.

Below is a list of medical school interview questions you can expect to answer: 

• Why do you want to be a doctor?
• When did you decide to become a doctor?
• Tell me about yourself.
• What do you do in your free time?
• What sacrifices have you made to get where you are today?
• What will you do if not accepted into medical school?
• What kind of positive experiences have you had working as part of a team?
• What topics in medicine interest you?
• Where do you think our nation's health care system may be currently falling short in serving society?
• Can you name a medical controversy where you can see more than one possible solution?
• How might you deal with a patient who did not want to take your medical advice?
• What would family and friends say about you?
• Why did you choose your particular undergrad school/major?
• How do you feel about euthanasia or medically assisted suicide?
• What kind of experiences have you had working with sick people?
• Do you have family members or role models who are physicians?
• What do you feel are the negative or restrictive aspects of medicine from a professional standpoint?
• What do you feel are the social responsibilities of a physician?
• As a premed what skills have you learned to manager your time and relieve stress?
• How would you feel about treating a patient who has tested positive for HIV?
• If you could invite 4 people from the past to dinner: who, why & what would you talk about?
• What kind of medical schools are you applying to, and why?
• If you are not a minority, how will you meet the needs of a multiethnic, multicultural patient population?
• What travels have you taken and what exposure to other cultures have you had?
• What moral dilemma have you encountered to date? And how did you handle it?

I have found the end of the interview can be just as important as the beginning, therefore if the interviewer asks, "Do you have any questions for me?" be prepared to have some thoughtful questions.

Saying "no" is not an option, but asking a good question even if you are not fully interested in its answer can go far towards increasing your admissions chances. 

Below is a sampling of medical school interview questions which you can ask: 

• What do you like most and least about your work?
• How many students get their first choice residency?
• What kind of research or clinical opportunities exist here in your discipline?
• How/Why did you become involved in the admissions process?
• What do you think are the most important aspects of a medical education?
• How would you rate the strengths and weaknesses of the faculty here?
• Do you have exchange or off-site programs with other teaching hospitals?

Tips and Advice

• Speak slowly and clearly
• Don't interrupt the interviewer
• Think before you speak
• Make direct eye contact
• Don't talk about something you know nothing about
• Be honest about your limitations
• Make the interview a conversation: give and take
• SMILE
• Thank the medical school interviewer for his/her time

Professional Help Just For You

You know what's expected of you. You've been practicing all the questions but something just doesn't seem to add up. Are you really prepared to sell yourself to the medical schools?

Are you getting nervous that four years of premed all comes down to a single medical school interview?

If you have any doubts or simply want reassurance that you're on the correct path to interview success then you absolutely must use my interview coaching.

I will guide you through mock interviews and have you prepared to hit a home run on your interviews. 

When you've come this far in the process you can't leave anything to chance so go ahead and get started with Interview Preparation Coaching today!