After your application process, if medical schools like you, they'll send you an interview invite. At this point, none of your statistics matter. Everyone who gets an interview has been selected because of their competitive stats so now it's all about selling yourself. Furthermore, these tips can be used for any interview process! Here are several things you should do before you go to your interview.
1) Make sure that you look professional and feel confident for your interview. Go to the mall and buy a suit that you feel confident and comfortable in in (this goes for girls and guys). You will spend 8+ hours in that suit at that interview so make sure it's comfortable. Go get a haircut from your favorite barbershop or saloon and make sure you have whatever hairstyle you want down. Pluck that unibrow, make sure you're taking care of your skin, and etc. Feeling good and comfortable makes you look confident, which is very attractive to medical school admission officers.
2) Read over your application. A lot of the time, during your interview, they will pull information straight from your application. It is important to know exactly what you wrote on there so you know what you need to talk about and discuss and nothing catches you blindsided. Moreover, read up on the school and do some research beforehand. A lot of times, schools will ask why you chose them so being well-informed about the school is important.
3) You have to PRACTICE. Go online and find commonly asked medical school interview questions and practice those. Don't memorize your answers but know exactly what you want to talk about. For me personally, I listened to several podcasts on how I should answer certain questions and what a good answer vs bad answer looks like. Additionally, search up "MMI situations". Many schools hold MMIs where they give you a situation and you have to respond. For example, it could be from asking an ethical question to asking how to wrap a present. Making those skills sharp is crucial.
4) Hold a mock interview with someone you're not overly friendly. This is the perfect environment to practice your answers and get solid feedback. Make it a dress rehearsal and get all dressed up to see if your suit feels comfortable and if you feel confident in it. Personally, my mock interviews told me what questions I had down and what questions I needed to work on. It made me feel a lot more prepared.
5) Make sure that you print out any needed documents and always have a copy of your resume on you. Bring a folder so you look prepared but don't bring too much because you will have to carry all items around with you throughout the day. Book a hotel room and transportation in advance if the interview is far away. Be prepared for ANYTHING and plan for the unexpected.
If you have any more questions, I am happy to help. I can also send you the list I used to prepare for my interview and if you need someone to hold a mock interview for you, just contact me and I will be happy to do so and give you feedback! I will talk about interview days in another post!
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