You may have heard the term “elevator pitch,” a streamlined summary a person uses to describe and hopefully, sell her product, service, screenplay, or book. In preparing for medical school interviews, you, too, should create an elevator pitch to sell…you.
Create a 2 to 3 minute “summary statement” that recaps your candidacy, specifically your pre-professional accomplishments and other skills that make you distinctive. (Perhaps you are multilingual, for example.) I’d recommend conceiving of the elevator pitch in chronological order and presenting it that way as well. Doing so makes it easy for you to remember and for the listener to absorb.
Content should include accomplishments in these categories: academic, clinical, leadership, volunteerism, research, teaching, writing, and international work.
If you have this elevator pitch at the tip of your tongue, you’ll be at a great advantage at your medical school interview, ready to nail questions like “Tell me about yourself” and prepared to showcase your accomplishments in other open-ended questions throughout the interview session.
