Medical School Interviews

Medical schools vary in the percentage of their applicants who are invited for an interview and in the importance of the interview in the overall selection process. although the interview may not be as important as GPA and MCAT scores, it may turn out to be the deciding factor in borderline cases. You should be neatly dressed and well-rested before your interview. Review the information you put on your application and be ready to defend or elaborate on anything mentioned in your essay. Be prepared to ask questions about the school to which your are applying. Examples are shown on the next page.

You may want to discuss with your premedical advisor the advisability of a mock interview here at Furman. You should also read chapter 9 of Donald J. Solomon's book entitled Getting into Medical School which is available in the premedical advisor's office. The premedical advisor also has a 20 minute tape on which Furman premedical students discuss their experiences in interviews conducted at the schools to which most Furman students apply.

Below are listed by categories some of the questions which Furman students have been asked during interviews. This list is by no means exhaustive, but will give you some idea of what to expect. However individual one-on-one interviews may range from the interviewer doing most of the talking to interviewers who expect you to do all the talking and ask very few questions and interviewers who seem somewhat antagonistic and ask questions that seem to keep you constantly on the defensive. Your reactions under stress may be all that the interviewer want to observe. In other cases its your personality which is being judged and which will become obvious to the interviewer very early so that most of the interview becomes perfunctory.

Interview Questions

Problems facing medical profession:

• What do you think of the various proposals for national health care?
• How would you solve the problem of skyrocketing medical costs?
• What needs to be done about the oversupply of suburban MDs and undersupply of rural MDs?
• What do you see as the major problem in the medical profession today?

Current affairs:

• What is your opinion of the President or your congressman?
• What do you consider the most important legislation now before congress?
• Who is the present Secretary of HHS?

Sports:

• What kind of sports do you play?
• Who is the star on this year's Furman football team?
• Name three of the starting 5 on the Furman basketball team?

Personal Questions:

• When did you decide to go into medicine and why?
• What are your strong and weak points, your fears, your expectations, etc.?
• Defend statements you made in your application essay such as your preference for becoming a primary care physician.?
• Where do you picture yourself 15 years from now?
• How do you expect to pay for your medical education?
• What can you cite as an example of the extent of your physical endurance?
• What makes you think you can be a success in medical school?
• Who are the people who you look up to as doctors?
• Do you foresee yourself having superiority feelings if you become a doctor?

Academic concerns:

• Why did you make a C in organic chemistry?
• What is your major and why did you choose it?
• Why did you not major outside science to broaden your background?
• Will med school be too much science since you were a non-science major?
• Why did you decide to attend Furman University?
• Why should you be admitted rather than a candidate from Duke or Harvard?

Experience:

• What is CESC and what did you get out of participating in it?
• Tell me about your experience working in an emergency room.
• What did you do in your summer research program?
• What hobbies do you have?
• How have you used your leisure time?
• What books have you read recently?

Ethics:

• What is your view concerning the RU-486 controversy?
• Does abortion and euthanasia have any justified place in medical practice?