General Introduction to the Medical School Interview

The application process to most medical schools includes interviews. Only a select number of students from the applicant pool will be given an offer to be interviewed. The med school interview is something that you achieve. In other words, after your school grades, UMAT/GAMSAT/MCAT scores, reference letters and autobiographical materials have been reviewed, you're offered the ultimate opportunity to put your foot forward: a personalised interview.

Depending on the medical school, you may be interviewed by one, two, or several interviewers. You may be the only interviewee or there may be others (a group interview). There may be one or more interviews lasting from 15 minutes to 2 hours, though 30 minutes is the norm. Despite the variations among the technical aspects of the interview, in terms of substance, most med schools have similar objectives. These objectives can be arbitrarily categorised into 3 general assessments: (1) your personality traits, (2) social skills, and (3) knowledge of medicine.

Personality traits such as maturity, integrity, compassion, sincerity, honesty, originality, curiosity, intellectual capacity, confidence, and motivation are all components of the ideal applicant. These traits will be exposed by the process of the interview, your mannerisms, and the substance of what you choose to discuss when given an ambiguous question. For instance, bringing up specific examples of academic achievement related to school and related to self-directed learning would score well in the categories of intellectual capacity and curiosity, respectively.

Motivation is a personality trait which may make the difference between a high and a low or moderate score in an interview. Students must clearly demonstrate that they have the enthusiasm, desire, energy, and interest to survive long years of med school and beyond. If you're naturally shy or soft-spoken, you'll have to give special attention to this category.

Social skills such as leadership, ease of communication, ability to relate to others, volunteer work, cultural and social interests, all constitute skills which are often viewed as critical for future physicians. It is not sufficient to say in an interview: "I have good social skills"! You must display such skills via your interaction with the interviewer(s) and by discussing specific examples of situations which clearly demonstrate your social skills.

Knowledge of medicine includes at least a general understanding of:

• what the field of medicine involves;
  
• the curriculum you're applying to;
  
• popular medical issues like abortion, euthanasia, AIDS, the health-care system, etc.
  

It is shocking to see the number of students who apply to medical school each year whose knowledge of medicine is limited to headlines and popular TV shows. It is not logical for someone to dedicate their lives to a profession they know little about.

Doing volunteer work in a hospital is a good start. This may help clarify your decision for your career choice while providing the admissions committee further evidence of your commitment. Always remember, it is simply not true that a great quantity of volunteer activities secures a position in medical school! It is the quality of these experiences which is of greatest value. Alternative ways to enhance your hospital experiences include getting a part-time job in a hospital, or having a relative or family friend who is a physician to help expose you to the daily goings-on in a hospital setting.