Home › Posts tagged Medical School Interview Tips
Blog Archives

Medical School Interview Tips: What Do Admissions Officers Really Want?

Posted on by by

Congratulations to those who have already been invited for medical school interviews. It’s early in the season, so if you’re an applicant who hasn’t been invited yet, don’t be dismayed.

Getting into medical school has gotten so competitive; the interview is critical. But what are medical schools looking for during the interview process?

1. They are seeking someone distinctive. Your goal is to distinguish yourself from all of the other applicants by showcasing your accomplishments. Anyone can say s/he wants to help people or is hard working. Fewer candidates can prove it with their pre-professional achievements.

2. They want to ensure you’re committed to medicine and that you have an idea of what you’re getting yourself into. Medical school is tough; the institutions are not seeking someone who is ambivalent and might quit. Giving examples of your clinical experience can help.

3. The schools want to ensure you’re reasonable. They want to see that you don’t have a problem personality, aren’t going to harass your colleagues, aren’t going to cause them embarrassment or extra work. Being professional during the interview day and having strong letters are important.

4. They want to hear you’re particularly interested in their institution. You can convince them of your interest by knowing specifics about the school and city.

One would never take the MCAT without practicing first and yet, countless applicants go to medical school interviews without preparing. If you are interested in working with me, please hire me soon, as I’m booking up for September. 

Tags: , , ,

Residency and Medical School Interview Questions: How to Answer that Icky Decade One

Posted on by by

“Where do you see yourself in 10 years?” the interviewer asks you, and you squirm…

An influential physician-administrator once complained to me that whenever he asked potential new faculty hires where they saw themselves in a decade they always said they were interested in global health or teaching. “It sounds sexy,” he remarked. “But many of them have nothing in their C.V.s to bolster their interest in either pursuit.”

When asked where you see yourself in ten years, consider how your accomplishments thus far might demonstrate an evolution. The idea is to have a trajectory that you can back up, defend, and easily justify. This doesn’t mean you’re stuck with what you’ve done even if you didn’t like it, though. You could point out that having tried myocardial bench research, you realize that your real interest is in clinical investigations of new cardiac markers.

Many medical school applicants say they don’t know what field they want to go into. That’s okay! And many residency applicants don’t know if they want to do a fellowship. That’s also to be expected. The point is to focus on your previous strengths and achievements and leverage them to demonstrate a logical path, going forward.

Tags: , , , ,

Residency and Medical School Interviews: Moving Past Impostor Syndrome

Posted on by by

First described by psychologists Drs. Suzanne Imes and Pauline Rose Clance in the 1970s, impostor phenomenon occurs among high achievers who cannot easily internalize their successes. They often externally attribute their accomplishments to luck and worry that others will eventually realize they are frauds.

Recognize this phenomenon of self-doubt?

You are not alone. Although many people suffer in silence (as they do not want to be revealed for what they perceive to be major deficiencies), the syndrome is quite common, especially in medical school. According to one 2016 study, almost a quarter of male medical students and nearly half of female students surveyed suffered with impostor syndrome. The phenomenon can be associated with depression, burn out, and anxiety.

The American Psychological Association offers a few tips for overcoming impostor syndrome including speaking to mentors, recognizing what you excel at, and talking to a professional if necessary. Here is a fun piece in Emergency Medicine News for more information.

Tags: , ,

Come and Get It! The 2018 NRMP Program Director Survey is Out

Posted on by by

Every two years the National Resident Matching Program® (NRMP) publishes a program director (PD) survey that focuses on two main questions: 1) What factors do PDs use in deciding whom to interview? 2) What factors do PDs use in deciding whom to rank? Results of the 2018 Program Director Survey are available here.

So, as you approach interviews, if you’re wondering what PDs want – by specialty – here are your answers. This document is extremely valuable.

Tags: , ,

Medical School and Residency Interviews – Power Posing

Posted on by by

As medical school and residency interviews approach, I want to remind everyone about Amy Cuddy, the Harvard faculty member who speaks about the psychology of power, influence, and nonverbal communication. Her research shows that a “fake it until you make it” philosophy and “power posing” practices improve your performance in interviews. Cuddy’s TED talk has been viewed over 48 million times.

Tags: , ,

About Dr. Michelle Finkel

Dr. Michelle Finkel

Dr. Finkel is a graduate of Stanford University and Harvard Medical School. On completing her residency at Harvard, she was asked to
stay on as faculty at Harvard Medical School and spent five years teaching at the world-renowned Massachusetts General Hospital.
She was appointed to the Assistant Residency Director position for the Harvard Affiliated
Emergency Medicine Residency where she reviewed countless applications, personal statements and resumes. Read more

Receive FREE Insider Medical Admissions Tips.

Sign Up

Listen to Dr. Finkel’s interview on the White Coat Investor podcast:

Listen to Dr. Finkel’s interview on the FeminEm podcast: